The Public Record
Christopher Dodd is a former U.S. Senator from Connecticut, serving from 1981 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, Dodd was known for his work on issues such as health care, education, and financial regulation. He played a significant role in the passage of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which aimed to prevent the kind of financial crisis that occurred in 2008. Dodd also served as the Chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, where he was influential in shaping policies related to housing and banking.
Every time we have modified the Fair Labor Standards Act, we were expanding the opportunity for workers. I believe this would be the first time in the history of our country that we actually go in the opposite direction. Those in poverty…
If we could agree to a vote on one or two amendments on the Gitmo situation and allow us the opportunity to debate this evening or possibly an hour tomorrow morning before the vote, that would accommodate us completely. If we could…
I hear no objection, Mr. President. Since no one is on the floor, obviously, that makes it easier. Marriage Protection Amendment
If my colleague would yield, we have an amendment that I think has been agreed to, and I am prepared to take 5 or 10 minutes tonight and get through it. I will leave it up to the leaders how they want to handle it.
That is correct. If she is not a lobbyist and she takes you to lunch and she decides that is how she is paying for it, she is not a registered lobbyist, she is not in violation of the law in the amendment we agreed to.
Under his amendment, that would be a banned activity. Putting aside whether she showed up with a lobbyist--if she shows up, and you go out and have lunch, and she pays for it with the company credit card--under the amendment before the…
Would it be possible, since this issue is one that many Members care about--in fact, the vote of the House Appropriations Committee yesterday was 62 to 2 on a similar provision, and I know there is talk of a resolution of this matter…
We are prepared to vote. Again, I thank my colleagues. I think this is a good amendment. I appreciate my colleague from Pennsylvania as well as my colleague from Illinois, and my home State colleague, Senator Lieberman, and Senator McCain…
If my colleague would withhold, maybe we can temporarily set this aside if Senator Inhofe wanted to go forward with his amendment. He can explain his amendment. If the Senator would withhold a minute, Madam President, I suggest the absence…
If we could see the amendment our colleague would like to offer, it would be helpful to us. Why don't we do that while I am talking about this amendment, and then before we break from this, we can agree to what the Senator wants. I need to…
Yes. I would like to do that, if we could, just to maintain the order here. I believe what the Senator would do, Madam President, after the consideration of the Wyden-Grassley-Inhofe amendment, is then be next in line for his amendment. Is…
The two Senators from Illinois, I say to my colleague, want to be heard on the Reid amendment as well. We are losing some time. We might have some private conversations on other matters, but let's get through on the Reid amendment before…
In a bizarre situation, pursuant to section 904 the Congressional Budget Act----
Does my colleague not further agree that in recent reports one of the major companies we are talking about, in effect, bragged that they had reduced production by 3 percent while profits over the same year had increased 50 percent? That…
I say to my colleague, since 1980, 176 refineries have closed their doors, not because environmentalists shut them down. Is it not true, I ask my colleagues, these were decisions made by the industry themselves?
Is it possible in some order here after the Senator from Oregon, could I be heard for 10 minutes on the bill itself on another amendment?
I understand that we have a 45-minute time agreement on this amendment. Is that correct?
I hope that will be the case. We have been trying to be responsive by being here to offer amendments when we have been asked to be here. It sort of throws off our schedule for the day. But I am happy to talk to my colleague.
We turned around and voted overwhelmingly for that law. President Bush wanted it. The Department of Education wanted it. The Congress wanted it. We said: This is what we will do. Yet month after month, since enactment of that legislation…
I thank our Chairman, and my good friend, and commend him for his leadership on this issue. I look forward to working with him to ensure that, no matter the devastation of this natural disaster, all eligible citizens will be able to…
I cannot underscore enough what my colleagues have already stated--that this is a one-time, emergency aid program. All of the authors of the bill have agreed that next school year, in terms of assistance to nonpublic schools, we will go…
You are going to have your way if this bill is adopted, but that is the only industry in America with this special status. You would not do it for the automobile or chemical industry.
Again, the Senator from Maryland is absolutely correct. These issues come back and come around and the word spreads: You can get away with this. It is not just this administration. The Senator is correct. Future administrations will use…
I am the only one who asked the question of Mr. Bolton. I asked the question in this way: I want to read the question because I want to make sure I do not overstep a line here, and then I asked the question: Did you . . . My concern is…
If he would yield, this sentence in this letter suggests that this Senator--because I am the one who asked the question--crossed the line. Let me read my whole question.
Politicians like Chris Dodd
