Biography -

Christopher John Dodd is an American lawyer and politician from Willimantic, Connecticut and is a member of the Democratic Party. Dodd served as the U.S. Representative from Connecticut from 1975 until 1981, when he became a U.S. Senator. He has been Connecticut's senior Senator since 1989. Dodd is fluent in Spanish and is a Latin Rite Catholic. 

Dodd was born in Willimantic, Connecticut. His parents, Grace Mary Murphy and Senator Thomas Joseph Dodd were Irish-Americans; all eight of his great-grandparents were born in Ireland. Dodd attended Georgetown Preparatory School, a Jesuit boys school in Bethesda, Maryland, and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English Literature from Providence College in 1966. Dodd served as a Peace Corps volunteer in a small rural town in the Dominican Republic until 1968, then joined the U.S. Army Reserve, where he would stay until 1975. In July 1970, he married Susan Mooney, later divorcing in late 1982. In 1972, Dodd earned a Juris Doctor at the University of Louisville, where he served as vice president of the law school's student body. The following year, he was admitted to the Connecticut bar, and began practicing law in New London. 

Dodd lives in East Haddam, when Congress is not in session, with his wife Jackie and their two daughters, Grace and Christina.  Dodd married Jackie Marie Clegg in June 1999. She held high posts at the Export-Import Bank of the United States. He is the godfather of actress/singer Christy Carlson Romano, who once interned in his office. His brother, Thomas J. Dodd Jr., is an emeritus professor of the School of Foreign Service of Georgetown University, and served as U.S. ambassador to Uruguay and Costa Rica under president Bill Clinton.

The Dodd Pod is the official name of Chris Dodd's Apple iPod. It is unknown when or where Dodd acquired the Pod; however, it has become a part of his quest for the Democratic nomination for President. According to a statement on the Senator's campaign website, the idea was presented to him by friends and family, who sought to provide Dodd with a 'song or message of the day.' Dodd took to the idea, as he states that he loves to use his iPod to "listen to music, books on tape, and podcasts." One unique feature of the Dodd Pod is that Dodd allows visitors to his website to submit their own requests for the playlist. The playlist is available at the official Dodd Pod page.

Dodd was part of the "Watergate class of '74" which David Gergen credited with bringing "a fresh burst of liberal energy to the Capitol." Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's second congressional district, and reelected twice, he served from January 4, 1975 to January 3, 1981. During his tenure in the U.S. House, he served on the House Select Committee on Assassinations. Dodd was elected to the U.S. Senate in the 1980 election and was subsequently reelected in four more elections. He is the first Senator from Connecticut to serve five consecutive terms. From 1995 to 1997, he served as General Chairman of the Democratic National Committee. As General Chairman, Dodd was the DNC's spokesman. Donald Fowler served as National Chairman, running the party's day to day operations.

Senator Dodd's issue positions are generally ranked left of center. His rankings from Americans for Democratic Action have been 95% and above since 2000. Similarly, Dodd receives low ratings from conservative groups, such as the John Birch Society, the American Conservative Union, and the Christian Coalition of America.

Dodd voted in favor of the Iraq War Resolution in 2002 but has since become an opponent of the war.  Dodd has said the Iraq War has been waged “for all the wrong reasons” and that it is eroding both the nation's security and its moral leadership. Dodd has criticized his congressional colleagues for failing to be more forceful in challenging President Bush's Iraq War troop surge of 2007. "This was debating about debating. This was the House and the Senate at some of its worst. ... I think we missed an opportunity to put our foot down and stop [the surge]." In May 2007, he voted in the Senate against continued funding for the Iraq war. He was the only 2008 presidential candidate to co-sponsor the Democrats' most aggressive anti-war bill.

Dodd voted for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and says that such agreements have "...brought increased cooperation and communication. They have been positive forces that promote political and economic stability, as well as growth and democracy." In the same article he continues, "successful efforts to achieve a Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), and eventually in 2005, a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), will help further these goals. As well, the United States stands to benefit along with our neighbors from increased trade relations throughout the hemisphere."

Senator Dodd is considered left of center with respect to Latin America. His record especially with regard to the Sandinistas in Nicaragua and the Farabundo Martí rebels in El Salvador has led to conflict with Republican administrations. He is highly critical of the United States embargo against Cuba. He favors more lenient U.S. immigration laws. In January 2005, he met with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez in an effort to mend the strained relations between the two countries. Dodd stressed the need for closer ties, both economically and in the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking. On that occasion, he said that Chávez has “demonstrated he was Venezuela’s legitimate democratically elected president by winning a national referendum (on August 15, 2004)…We know there have been problems between the two countries, but today is a new year and we are here to find out if we can begin a new relationship,” adding, “It is not worthwhile to continue speaking of what is in the past. I hope we can overcome this.”

Senator Dodd supported the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union between 60 and 80% of the time from 2000 to 2006. In 2004, he introduced a bill to enact a Federal Shield law. Dodd, along with Senators Patrick Leahy, Russ Feingold, and Robert Menendez introduced the "Restoring the Constitution Act of 2007", which he claims "restores Habeas Corpus rights, bars evidence gained through torture or coercion and reinstates U.S. adherence to the Geneva Conventions in order to protect the nation’s military personnel abroad." The bill is supported by the American Civil Liberties Union, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights First, The Center for Victims of Torture, Open Society Institute, and Torture Abolition and Survivors Support Coalition International.

In the 108th and 109th Congress, Dodd voted against the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment intended to ban same-sex marriage in the United States.

Senator Dodd supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters between 80 and 100% of the time from 1999 to 2006. Dodd has proposed a carbon tax on corporations as a measure to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and reduce global warming.

Dodd proposes mandatory community service for all high school students. A returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in the Dominican Republic, Dodd also proposes doubling the size of the Peace Corps to 15,000 volunteers by 2011 and expanding AmeriCorps to 1 million participants . Dodd says his goal is to see 40 million people volunteering in some form by 2020.

Senator Dodd is perhaps best known for bringing attention to children’s issues. He formed the first children’s caucus in the Senate and spent almost a decade fighting to enact the Family and Medical Leave Act. He also authored legislation aimed at providing better access to safe and affordable child care. Dodd has received a 100% rating from the Children's Defense Fund each year since 2000.

Dodd was one of 16 senators who voted against the Vitter Amendment to prohibit federal funding of the confiscation of legally owned firearms during a disaster

As a senior member of the Senate committee responsible for health care, Chris Dodd has been a voice for innovation in patient care. He was instrumental in extending health insurance to 5 to 7 million of the nation’s uninsured children and has consistently fought to support community health centers and initiatives aimed at child nutrition, maternal and child health, and infant mortality prevention. He successfully led the effort to modernize the Food and Drug Administration approval process for drugs and medical devices, getting innovative therapies to patients more quickly without compromising safety and effectiveness. He authored critically important legislation to protect the mentally ill from abusive and deadly restraint and seclusion practices in mental hospitals. He continues to push for a patient’s bill of rights, which would give Americans basic assurances in their health care services and a greater right to choose their health care provider. And he is working to enact new legislation to ensure that the medicines taken by consumers are safe and effective.

(See http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2007/05/from_foods_to_m.html.)
(See http://www.vote-smart.org/bio.php?can_id=53277.)
(See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Dodd.)

(See http://www.chrisdodd.com/home.)

(See http://www.issues2000.org.)

CHRISTOPHER DODD QUOTES

"All Americans should have access to quality, affordable health care."

"By strengthening the economy, providing job opportunity and meeting the needs of working families, we can ensure the continued prosperity of our nation."

"Firefighters are indispensable foot soldiers here at home."

"Low-income taxpayers deserve the same rights as everyone else. It was wrong of the IRS to target low-income taxpayers, and I am please by the decision to correct this unfair practice."

"Our children are our greatest resource and Head Start grants help them reach their full potential."

"Our military should spare no expense to ensure the safety of our troops, particularly as they confront a hostile insurgency and roadside bombs throughout Iraq."

"Our seniors have worked long and hard to better the economy, raise families and serve their communities. They deserve to live independent and active lives in their golden years."

"Pell Grants are, and have been, critically important tools in making higher education a possibility for lower- and middle-income students."

"We owe it to each other - and to our children and grandchildren - to leave our planet in a better state than when we found it."

"When the public's right to know is threatened, and when the rights of free speech and free press are at risk, all of the other liberties we hold dear are endangered."

"Working families need to know that we will work to protect their health needs, promote the development of safe, effective medicines, and guarantee patient rights."

(See http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/c/christopher_dodd.html.)

We thank the following resources:

Christopher Dodd Official Website
http://www.chrisdodd.com
USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com
Project Vote Smart
http://www.vote-smart.org
Wikipedia
http://www.wikipedia.com
On the Issues
http://www.issues2000.org
Brainy Quote
http://www.brainyquote.com