Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chair of the House Global Human Rights Subcommittee, introduced legislation (HR 7891) this week aimed at ensuring that cobalt—a key natural resource used to power electric vehicles, solar panels and other “green” products—that is extracted or processed with the use of child or forced labor in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) does not enter the United States market. China processes 90 percent of the world’s cobalt, most of which comes from China-owned mines in the ... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, today chaired a congressional hearing exposing the shocking human rights abuses and aggressive transnational repression of the Government of Turkey under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. “Since 2016, the government of Turkey has, according to the US Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, ‘arrested or imprisoned more than 95,000 citizens, and closed more than 1,500 nongovernmental organizations…primarily for alleged ... Read more

Rep. Smith, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Co-Chair of the Israel Allies Caucus, issued the following statement in response to Iran's drone missile attack on Israel. "Iran has launched an unprovoked, massive terror attack on our great friend and ally Israel and the United States must make absolutely clear in both word and deed not just today but every day going forward—no more equivocation—that we unequivocally stand with the Jewish state. “Both defensive weapons... Read more

At a Capitol Hill hearing chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) today, a panel of global experts sounded the alarm on the often overlooked yet growing malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) at the United Nations (UN). “The Chinese Communist Party is an unelected, highly deceptive, and unimaginably cruel political entity—a dictatorship—that rules by force, torture and coercion and stands credibly accused of genocide and a plethora of human rights abuses,” said Smith, the Chairman of ... Read more

The Borough of Belmar has announced a significant financial boost for the Belmar Housing Authority (BHA) with the receipt of $676,000 in federal appropriations earmarked for critical repairs to its housing facilities. The funding, championed by U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), was secured through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Fund as part of a broader federal appropriations bill that received bipartisan support in Congress and was promptly signed... Read more

By Bob Vosseller - Assistant News Editor The township police department will receive $1,148,000 in federal funds for emergency vehicles and other equipment. “This federal support will enable the Manchester Police Department to continue delivering critical emergency and law enforcement services to a geographically large municipality,” said Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th). He personally secured the funds for the project through a congressional earmark that was signed into law on as part of a negotiated ... Read more

U.S. Congressman Chris Smith, Chair of the House Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, today issued the following statement regarding the need to establish a War Crimes & Economic Crimes Court in Liberia to help redress the wounds of the country’s civil wars: “In recent decades, Liberia’s people have suffered untold human rights violations and economic crimes while perpetrators acted with near-complete impunity during the country’s multiple civil w... Read more

By Jeanne Wall HOLMDEL, NJ: Today, there are 49.6 million people in modern slavery worldwide and 35% of them are children. Women and girls account for 71% of all modern slavery victims. Human trafficking is the second most profitable illegal industry in the U.S. and is a $150 Billion industry world-wide. Human trafficking also includes forced labor and child labor. Victims often feel trapped and hopeless, especially individuals in more vulnerable situations, including those without permanent U.... Read more

Veronica Flesher,Patch Staff Western Boulevard will receive a “critical” extension thanks to $1 million in federal funding, Rep. Chris Smith announced in a news release. Smith said that he secured more than $20.8 million in funding for critical infrastructure improvement and humanitarian services projects in Ocean and Monmouth counties. “These federal dollars will go a long way to provide much-needed relief of significant traffic hazards and gridlock on Route 9 through additional avenues for th... Read more

Due to security restrictions at the naval base, advanced registration is required. To register for the event, click here or call Smith’s office at 732-504-0567. A United States Service Academy Information Night will be held on Thursday, April 18, 2024, from 5:30 to 7:00pm at Naval Weapons Station Earle, 201 Highway 34 in Colts Neck, NJ, announced Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester). The event will provide important information for high school and college students—and their parents, counselors or te... Read more