Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, submitted the following statement today for the hearing to confirm Susan Rice as the Permanent U.S. Representative to the United Nations:

“The United Nations is an imperfect institution, but it is still a remarkable one that serves vital humanitarian needs for the world’s most vulnerable and in many cases forgotten populations.  From the thousands of troops deployed on peacekeeping missions, to providing vital services to millions of refugees, from combating global disease, to feeding the world’s hungry, tens of millions of men, women and children have been given a lifeline by United Nations programs—programs which the United States must continue to support.  Dr. Rice, I look forward to working with you in advancing America’s interests at the United Nations and to reforming and strengthening that institution to better serve us all.” 

This morning I gave my opening statement to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at the nomination hearing of Secretary-Designate of State, Hillary Clinton. I have had the pleasure of working closely with her on a wide range of issues for many years, and I look forward to our continued partnership and to her leadership as Secretary of State. I have no doubt she will do a remarkable job.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today made the following statement at the Foreign Relations Committee hearing to confirm Senator Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State:

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chairman of its subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, and Narcotics Affairs, today issued the following statement after President-Elect Obama announced several nominations for his national security team:

“I applaud President-Elect Obama’s nomination of an experienced national security team.  Hillary Clinton, James Jones, Robert Gates, Janet Napolitano, Eric Holder, and Susan Rice each have a proven record of pragmatic problem-solving and bipartisan cooperation on a host of complex challenges to U.S. national security. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), a senior Democrat on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, today submitted the following statement at a Foreign Relations hearing to examine the continuing crisis in Darfur. The full text of his remarks as prepared for delivery is below:

Mr. Chairman, I would like to thank you for holding this hearing today. The crisis in Darfur remains one of the greatest humanitarian disasters of our time, and I believe that it is vitally important the United States remains actively engaged in bringing to an end one of the worst acts of genocide since Rwanda.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today hailed the signing of his legislation, the “Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act,” into law.  The new law will provide several tools for pressuring the government of Sudan into halting the ongoing genocide in Darfur. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today hailed final passage of his legislation which will provide several tools for pressuring the government of Sudan into halting the ongoing genocide in Darfur.  The “Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act,” will now go to the President’s desk. 

Senator Urges President to Take Action Against Genocide and Sign Legislation into Law

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today lauded the Senate’s approval of his legislation which would provide several tools for pressuring the government of Sudan into halting the ongoing genocide in Darfur.  The “Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act,” today passed by unanimous consent.

In response to opposition from the Bush Administration, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, today urged the President to recognize the urgency of the situation in Darfur and rethink Administration resistance to the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act.  The bipartisan bill, authored by Dodd, was overwhelmingly approved by the Banking Committee on October 17th by a vote of 21-0.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, today oversaw the passage of three major bills out of the Committee.  The Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007, the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act of 2007, and the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization Act of 2007 all passed with bi-partisan support.