WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, held a conference call today with local Connecticut auto dealers, union officials and representatives from the Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association to discuss the ongoing efforts to stabilize the U.S auto industry and save the thousands of jobs in Connecticut that depend on it.

“After days of negotiations with the White House and Congressional Republicans, last night a handful of Senators prevented us from passing bipartisan legislation that would have helped stabilize our domestic automobile industry,” said Dodd. “This is not a Detroit issue or a Washington issue; it is an American issue that will have an impact in Connecticut and across the country.

“This afternoon, I talked with local auto dealers from our states, union officials and others, and I share their concern that doing nothing for the auto industry will have detrimental effects here in Connecticut. That is why I am strongly urging the White House to use their authority to stabilize the industry and therefore our economy.”

“We were very thankful for Senator Dodd’s efforts on behalf of the 14,000 auto employees and 300 auto dealers in Connecticut,” said Jim Fleming, President of the Connecticut Automotive Retailers Association. “The only reason these small business people were at the table is because Senator Dodd asked us what we thought and then worked on our behalf. I don’t think the White House would be supporting using the TARP money at this point if it had not been for the effort of Senator Dodd to push this bill in Congress.”