Chris Dodd

I commend you and look forward to working with you.

This legislation provides funding for regions to plan future growth in a coordinated way that reduces congestion, generated good-paying jobs, creates and preserves affordable housing, meets our environmental and energy goals, protects…

Opening statement of Chairman Dodd

I have often thought--someone once said that--I say this facetiously before I read about it tomorrow in the paper--that in order to vote, you have to run for public office.

Thank you very, very much. I appreciate that.

My hope is we can get this idea going on a way--at least we've got a place now to really think about results-oriented--not just what-you-ought-to-be-doing recommendations, but actually how to do things.

Yes. Maybe we ought to bring together--that would be interesting--I know there are good people in some of these chains that--

I tip my hat to the First Lady of our country, Michelle Obama, for making this a priority issue.

I need to be at that PTA meeting. I need to be at that sporting event. I need to go have that session for an hour with my child's teacher to understand how they're doing.

I've been trying to--that paid leave bill--took me 7 years to just get the one unpaid-leave bill through, back some 20 years ago.

We've shifted the attitude toward parents, and parents have come forward, the poorest of parents.

I mean, they begin with the notion--it's just unnatural for a parent not to care about their children.

There's a direct correlation. When we made investments, we actually had an impact on all of this.

I've often said, if I only could fix one problem in America--I often get asked by people, 'What's the single most important issue that you wrestle with?' And I've answered the same way for 30 years. It's education.

Education is the passport to full participation in the American Dream.

But, we ought to figure out how to do that, because if you don't, all you're left with is what you have today.

And how do we turn this around? How do we actually make a difference?

Census Bureau 2008 data show that a typical American household made less money that year than they did a decade ago.

A teacher in our society is probably the most important person that assures the success of this country.

But, I'm just a parent.

The question is, How do we nurture that at a governmental or community-based level--to nurture that natural instinct of a parent to want to see their children have a better life than they do?

Only 10 percent who enroll in college will graduate.

Senator Alexander spoke to that. And he, as well, can claim some credit for the success we've achieved.

The burnout is just overwhelming.

I think, actually, welfare reform played some positive role in getting more parents work, but it was welfare reform, accompanied by a range of supports for low-income workers, like extensions of childcare, your income tax credit, etc.