“The Administration’s foreign policy budget simply does not reflect reality.  Our troops have been operating in Iraq since 2003 and in Afghanistan since 2001.  And yet, after all our troops have sacrificed and endured, and America’s lost standing in the world, the President still refuses to account for this war’s full impact.  By keeping the wars out of his budget the President somehow thinks that he can pull the wool over our eyes and act as if our continued operations in Iraq and Afghanistan won’t contribute to the national deficit, or won’t weigh on the shoulders of future generations of Americans.

Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) today announced that their legislation, the Support for Injured Servicemembers Act, would again head to the President’s desk for his signature.   The Dodd-Clinton legislation extends the benefits provided under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) by allowing the families of wounded military personnel to take up to six months of unpaid leave to care for their loved ones during the often lengthy rehabilitation process.  The legislation will implement a key recommendation of the Commission on the Care for Wounded Warriors, led by former Senator Bob Dole and former Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala.  This is the second time that Congress has approved the Defense Authorization.  President Bush vetoed the first version.

Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) announced today that more than $200,000 in federal grants was awarded to Connecticut fire departments in the towns of Oakdale, Beacon Falls, and Sandy Hook. The grants were made possible through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program’s Fire Prevention & Safety Grant initiative, administered by the U.S. Fire Administration.

Today, Senator Dodd praised the Air Force Chief of Staff on the release of a long-term plan which allocates the new Joint Cargo Aircraft to the National Guard base located at Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, CT.  The plan, referred to as the Air Force Weapon Systems Roadmap, presents a 25 year outlook on future Air Force weapon and major system development and acquisition and considers locations for basing these new systems.

Recognizing that 2007, the year of President Bush’s “troop surge,” was reportedly the deadliest year of the war for both U.S. troops and Iraqi civilians, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today made the following remarks on the one-year anniversary of the President’s announcement that he would send an additional 30,000 American soldiers into Iraq. 

Connecticut Poised to Recieve Approximately $68,000,000 in Domestic Appropriations and $25,500,00o in Military Construction

December 19, 2007

Today, Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT) announced the passage of the fiscal year 2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act.  The legislation will provide approximately $68 million in funding for a variety of important Connecticut initiatives supporting economic development, education, healthcare, housing, public safety, transportation, and military construction.

More Than 12,700 Are Unaccounted For; Black Market Flourishes

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today called on Defense Secretary Robert Gates to join him in ending the inadequate tracking of U.S.-supplied military equipment in Iraq. In a letter to the Secretary, Sen. Dodd called his attention to a recent report from the Defense Department’s inspector general, which found that American officials have lost track of millions of dollars worth of armaments and equipment intended for the use of the Iraqi security forces. 

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) made the following remarks in response to President Bush’s statements calling on Congress to pass the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) reform legislation currently before the Senate.  Dodd has placed a hold on the bill, a tool available to Senators to stop legislation from moving forward.  

“Once again, President Bush is shamefully using scare tactics to mislead the American people.  Congress is currently working to reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) so that our nation’s security is protected and our civil liberties are protected.  Instead of working with Congress, President Bush has threatened to veto any reform to FISA that does not include retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies that may have violated the law by participating in the administration’s warrantless wiretapping program.

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today continued to show his strong opposition to the war in Iraq by voting against legislation which would provide funding for military operations in Iraq because it did not contain a firm and enforceable deadline for the phased redeployment of combat troops out of Iraq. 

Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) today announced that the final passage of the 2008 Defense Appropriations Conference Report includes substantial funding for Connecticut’s defense industry. The bill, which was signed into law today by President Bush, contains significant additional funds that will increase submarine production to two submarines per year by 2010 – two years earlier than originally planned by the Navy.  This funding will impact thousands of jobs throughout Connecticut, especially in the southeast region of the state.  The bill also includes substantial investments in current defense systems and research and development activities to ensure U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines are outfitted with the quality resources they need to perform their missions.