Responding to reports that South Korea’s parliament was on the verge of passing legislation that would criminalize the sending of leaflets, Bibles and money across the border to the Communist North, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chair of the bipartisan Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, made the following statement. “I am troubled that legislators in an ostensibly vibrant democracy would contemplate criminalizing conduct aimed at promoting democracy and providing spiritual and humanitarian succor... Read more

By News12 Staff - With the world potentially days away from having a COVID-19 vaccine, research continues to help treat other life-threatening diseases like Lou Gehrig's disease. Forked River resident Josh Smith, 31, was an athlete and football coach who ran a construction business with his father. But his world was turned upside-down when he was diagnosed with ALS in March of 2019. “When I first got diagnosed, I mean honestly, I felt like I died on that day…You lose every dream that you had. It... Read more

By Carly Baldwin, Patch Staff Dec 9, 2020 2:36 pm ET Legislation authored by this area's Congressman, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), to help veterans heal through outdoor recreational therapy, has now been signed into law by President Trump. Smith's bipartisan Accelerating Veterans Recovery Outdoors Act, which was endorsed by more than 120 veteran service organizations, outdoor recreation groups and conservation organizations, will provide increased access to federal lands for the purposes of veteran... Read more

The House passed and Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) voted for the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) today, new legislation that will protect the airlift and air refueling missions at America’s only tri-service installation, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB-MDL), and brings $37 million in construction jobs that will support construction work for the local economy. “The bill requires the Secretary of the Air Force to maintain a minimum of 50 KC–10 Extender tankers—many of which a... Read more

Legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to help veterans heal through outdoor recreational therapy has been signed into law by President Trump. Smith’s bipartisan Accelerating Veterans Recovery Outdoors Act (H.R. 2435), which was endorsed by more than 120 veteran service organizations, outdoor recreation groups and conservation organizations, will provide increased access to federal lands for the purposes of veterans’ medical recovery therapy. Smith’s bill—cosponsored by 136 bipartisan ... Read more

Excerpts of remarks by Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) at a hearing of the House Africa Subcommittee on the crisis in Ethiopia held on December 3, 2020: I’d like to thank Chairwoman Bass for once again convening a hearing on an extremely important topic–the unfolding conflict in Ethiopia, centered around the Tigray region, but one which impacts the entire country. Indeed, it is my belief that Ethiopia is one of the two most strategically significant countries in Africa–Nigeria being the other ... Read more

U.S. Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Richard Neal (D-MA), who spearheaded a bipartisan congressional letter urging an independent UK inquiry into government collusion in the 1989 assassination of human rights lawyer Patrick Finucane, today released the following statement in response to UK Secretary of State Brandon Lewis’ disappointing decision to block a public hearing into the murder: “The British Government’s announcement today, its most recent attempt to break its promise for a public inquiry ... Read more

Given the state of global affairs, it is not a given that we -- a bipartisan group of elected officials from Israel, the US, Canada, Australia and the UK -- would find common ground in the midst of a global pandemic. However, the disconcerting proliferation of anti-Semitism through new technology demands that we take urgent action. We recently launched the Inter-Parliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism in order to hold social media companies accountable for what takes place on the... Read more

The United Kingdom must end years of delay and establish an independent inquiry into collusion in the 1989 murder of human rights lawyer Patrick Finucane, said Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who with Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) sent a bipartisan letter signed by 24 members of the U.S. Congress to Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “Pat Finucane was a courageous defense attorney, a loving father and husband, gunned down because of his commitment to human rights and the rule of law,” said Smith, who has chaired... Read more

By Jerry Carino, Asbury Park Press staff, USA TODAY NETWORK – Jim and Karen Raffone thought they had the perfect fundraiser for their charity, which sponsors major research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy: All American Ford in Old Bridge donated a 2020 Ford Mustang convertible for them to raffle off. “We thought we could raise $100,000,” Jim Raffone said. “We raised approximately $25,000 before we had to stop.” Then the office of New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal informed them they were ... Read more