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Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ) and other members of the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee at their hearing on religious persecution in Nigeria on November 20, 2025.

Article

The Southern Examiner article on Smith's House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee hearing on Nigeria'Lawmakers sound alarm on "deadliest place on earth to be a Christian" as Nigeria violence escalates'
November 21, 2025

By Godswill Udoh Published Friday, November 21, 2025 The chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Representative Chris Smith, opened a hearing on Thursday with a stark warning about what he described as rapidly escalating, religion-driven violence in Nigeria, calling President Donald J. Trump’s recent redesignation of the country as a “Country of Particular Concern” a necessary and overdue alarm bell. Mr. Smith, a New Jersey Republican who has spent decades spotlighting abus... More

Statements by Congressman Smith Office

Rep. Smith on the horrific attack and abduction of students and staff at St. Mary’s Catholic Schools in Nigeria
November 21, 2025
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, issued the following statement in response to the gruesome attack on St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Niger state, Nigeria, wherein gunmen assaulted and abducted staff and approximately 52 students: “My wife, Marie, and I are absolutely appalled to hear of the monstrous attack on St. Mary’s Catholic Schools in Nigeria, which took place early this morning. So far, this vicious assault has r... More

Article

The Daily Wire article on Smith, Harshbarger-led letter'"Reverse This Wrong": Republicans Push RFK To Fix Biden's Abortion Drug Mistakes'
November 21, 2025

By Mary Margaret Olohan Published November 21, 2025 WASHINGTON—Republicans are calling on the Department of Health and Human Services to take “immediate action” to reinstate safety requirements on abortion drugs, highlighting a growing body of evidence showing that the drugs are causing severe and underreported harm to women. In a letter first obtained by The Daily Wire, New Jersey Rep. Christopher Smith and Tennessee Rep. Diana Harshbarger call on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. K... More

Committee Hearing Opening Statements

Opening statement of Chairman Smith at hearing on religious persecution in NigeriaPresident Trump’s Redesignation of Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern": A Serious, Well-Founded Wake-Up Call
November 20, 2025

The following are excerpts of Chairman Chris Smith’s (R-NJ) opening statement at the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee’s November 20th hearing, entitled “President Trump’s Redesignation of Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’: A Serious, Well-Founded Wake-Up Call”: Welcome to this critical hearing on the systematic and accelerating violence against predominantly Christian communities in Nigeria. This is my 12th hearing focused exclusively on Nigeria—with scores of other hearings... More

Committee Hearing Opening Statements

Opening statement of Co-Chairman Smith at hearing on religious freedom in ChinaChina’s War on Religion: The Threat to Religious Freedom and Why it Matters to the United States
November 20, 2025

The following are excerpts of Co-Chairman Chris Smith’s (R-NJ) opening statement at the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)’s November 20th hearing, entitled “China’s War on Religion: The Threat to Religious Freedom and Why it Matters to the United States”: Thank you, Senator Sullivan, and good morning, everyone. I’m very glad the CECC is holding this hearing, and to be working with you on this critical—and indeed, urgent—issue that is so close to my heart. I say urgent because, ... More