New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Ex-senator to serve as Biden adviser for summit
NEW HAVEN — Former U.S. Sen. Chris Dodd will serve as a special adviser to the administration of President Joe Biden for the upcoming Summit of the Americas diplomatic gathering, according to the White House.
Dodd will be joined by former U.S. Repr. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, D-Fla., as part of the administration's delegation for the summit, which brings “together the leaders of North, South, and Central America and the Caribbean,” Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said in an email.
Psaki said the summit “will play a central role in shaping the future of the Americas at a critical time in our history,” noting that Dodd and Mucarsel-Powell are “confident that President Biden will renew and strengthen the collaboration and respect essential for a bright future for the Americas” as part of the gathering.
“The region's governments, civil society, and private sector will work to develop a shared vision built around the theme for this year's meeting, ‘Building a Sustainable, Resilient, and Equitable Future,” Psaki said. “The United States looks forward to welcoming the hemisphere to Los Angeles to work together on strengthening our democracies, building more prosperous and inclusive economies, and better protecting the human rights, health, dignity, and security of our people. The United States previously hosted the inaugural Summit of the Americas in Miami, Florida, in 1994.”
Dodd previously “served as a member and chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere for over three decades,” including working with Biden on “the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for over 28 years,” according to the White House.
“Senator Dodd's interest in Latin America began years before his election to the U.S. Congress. In the 1960s, Dodd joined President John Kennedy's Peace Corps, serving for two years as a volunteer in the Dominican Republic. During his service in the
Peace Corps and in the Senate, he traveled extensively and on numerous occasions throughout the hemisphere,” Psaki said in the release.
“Congresswoman Mucarsel-Powell was a leading voice in the charge to support Venezuelans fleeing their country through securing Temporary Protected Status in the United States and providing humanitarian and other aid to the Venezuelan people and neighboring countries. She served as chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Women's Task Force and also sponsored environmental and public health legislation,” said Psaki.