Fire Fighters for Chris Dodd

Chris Dodd on the Issues

The members of the International Association of Fire Fighters have no greater advocate or leader in the United States Senate than Chris Dodd (D-CT). His tireless work on behalf of fire fighters, emergency medical personnel and their families has helped make the fire fighting profession safer, more adequately funded and equitable to those on the frontline. Chris Dodd currently serves as the chair of the Congressional Fire Service Caucus and is one of only two recipients of the IAFF Lifetime Achievement Award.

Collective Bargaining

Chris Dodd has consistently cosponsored legislation to provide collective bargaining rights for all fire fighters (S.513; 3/3/05) and voted in favor of the IAFF Employer-Employee Cooperation Act in November 2001. Chris has supported fire fighters' rights to negotiate wages, hours and working conditions with their employer since legislation was first introduced in the Senate in 1999. In addition, Chris has used his position as the second-ranking Democrat on the Senate's Labor Committee to help win approval in Committee on two occasions (2001 and 2003).

SAFER Act

Chris Dodd authored and introduced the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Act in the U.S. Senate to address the critical shortage of fire fighters throughout the country by providing funding to hire additional fire fighters (S.544; 3/5/03). Thanks to Chris's leadership, the IAFF was able to double funding for SAFER to $115 million.

Since the SAFER Act became law, Chris Dodd has aggressively sought to secure and increase its funding. Not only did Chris Dodd introduce SAFER legislation and execute creative strategies that succeeded in having it signed into law, but nearly every year when the Senate has taken up the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriation, Chris introduces an amendment to increase funding for SAFER. More than two-thirds of fire departments in the United States are understaffed, and Chris Dodd understands that in order to respond efficiently and safely to emergency situations, fire departments must be adequately staffed according to national standards. Without Senator Dodd, the SAFER program would not exist - or if it did, funding would have been slashed long ago.

FIRE Act

Chris Dodd authored and introduced the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (FIRE Act) in the United States Senate, which provides critical funding to fire fighters for equipment and training (S.1941; 11/17/99). In addition to introducing the FIRE Act and ensuring it was signed into law, Chris Dodd has introduced an amendment to increase funding for FIRE Act grants nearly every year when the Senate has taken up the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriation. Without Senator Dodd, the FIRE Act program would not exist - or if it did, funding would have been slashed long ago.

The historic FIRE Act legislation - passed into law in 2000 - marked the first time the federal government acknowledged its obligation to share in the cost of providing fire and emergency protection. After a year of opposition, Senator Dodd broke the gridlock to pass the FIRE Act and ensured it was signed into law. Since the FIRE Act became law, through Chris Dodd's leadership, more than $3 billion has been provided to fire departments across the country.

Family & Medical Leave Act

Chris Dodd authored the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and fought for seven years and two presidential vetoes until it finally became law. Since the legislation was enacted in 1993, an estimated 50 million workers have been able to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to recover from an illness or injury, or to care for a new child or a sick family member. Because of Chris's leadership, American families never have to choose between the job they need and the family they love.

Retirement & Benefits Security

Chris Dodd has consistently led the effort in the United States Senate to protect fire fighter benefits and pensions, including fighting for passage of the Healthcare Enhancement for Local Public Safety (HELPS) Retirees Act.

Chris Dodd's leadership in the Senate helped secure the passage of HELPS, which allows all existing and future IAFF retirees to allocate up to $3,000 of their pension or deferred compensation savings tax free to pay for health or long-term premium care. Chris was one of only 13 senators to sign a Senate letter asking the Pension Conference Committee to include HELPS in the pension package. Additionally, he has successfully fought against proposals from the Bush administration and others that would undermine fire fighter retirement systems.

Chris Dodd also advocates that every fire fighter should be afforded a defined benefit retirement program with provisions to provide pension benefits for any fire fighter injured or disabled in the line of duty and unable to continue work as a first responder.

In addition, he supports employer-sponsored health care for all active and retired fire fighters and their dependents.

Public Safety Officers Benefit

Chris Dodd has been a long-time champion of the Public Safety Officers Benefit (PSOB) program for fire fighters. In fact, one of his first votes as a young congressman was to authorize the original PSOB program in September 1976.

For 30 years since, Chris Dodd has fought to expand the payable amount and coverage under the program. Originally approved for $50,000 to cover only certain fire fighters and only in the event of death, PSOB legislation now is $300,000, covers all public sector fire fighters and includes a disability benefit. Most recently, in 2003, Chris championed the Hometown Heroes Act to expand PSOB to include heart attacks and strokes.

Homeland Security

Chris Dodd has been at the forefront in demanding that adequate resources be expended to protect our homeland. He has advocated for more robust funding to protect our cities and towns, secure our borders, protect our ports, guarantee transportation safety and harden targets such as nuclear facilities, water treatment plants and communications centers.

Chris Dodd supports increased funding for Urban Area Security Investment (UASI) grants, the Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) program and other block grants to assist first responders. He also recognizes that communities are best protected by well-trained, fully staffed career fire, rescue and EMS departments.

Commitment to Working Families

Senator Dodd has championed the rights of all working men and women. He has a 91 percent career voting record on labor issues.

Federal Employee Rights

Chris Dodd has led the fight against the Bush administration's assault on collective bargaining rights of federal employees. He has worked to overturn regulations that deny basic labor protections to Department of Defense employees, air traffic controllers and airport screeners.

Restore Workers' Freedom to Form Unions and Protect Collective Bargaining Rights

Chris Dodd authored the RESPECT Act (S. 969), which would reverse a series of decisions from the National Labor Relations Board that unfairly expanded the definition of a "supervisor" so that many workers would be denied the right to join a union. Chris believes the freedom to form a union is one of our most fundamental rights and was an original cosponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act (S. 1041), also known as the "Card Check" bill, which will remove obstacles to joining a union, such as the cumbersome election process that can be delayed by employers to intimidate or discourage workers.

Paycheck Protection

Chris Dodd has repeatedly opposed so-called "Paycheck Protection" legislation. This legislation unfairly targeted unions to silence their political voice by requiring unions to obtain permission from dues-paying members before spending money on political activities.

Opposed Bush Administration Rule to Eliminate Overtime Pay

Chris Dodd supported a measure to block implementation of the Labor Department's controversial overtime pay rule in 2004. Under the rule, millions of workers lost their right to overtime pay - including those making as little as $23,600 a year. Chris also criticized the overtime rule, stating, "For three years, President Bush and his allies have worked to deny overtime pay to eight million Americans. They want people to work harder, but not be paid for their effort."

Minimum Wage

Chris Dodd has a long record of supporting legislation to increase the minimum wage - including the long-overdue measure to increase it from $5.15 to $7.25 per hour. (Senate Vote #42, 2/1/07; Senate Vote #179, 6/21/06; Senate Vote #257, 10/19/05; Senate Vote #26, 3/5/05; Senate Vote #75, 4/7/00; Senate Vote #356, 11/9/99; Senate Vote #239, 7/30/99; and Senate Vote #77, 3/25/99).

Sign up for News updates

-----------

Visit the Chris Dodd Web site