Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) joined The Story with Martha MacCallum on Monday to discuss his new legislation—HR 1056—requiring an investigation into the environmental review process for the rushed development of massive offshore wind farms along the New Jersey-New York coastline. Smith’s legislation comes on the heels of at least ten unexplained whale deaths in the area since early December. Read more

By Jonathan D. Salant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com New Jersey House Republicans responded to the latest whale death off the Jersey Shore by announcing new legislation to address offshore wind projects. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd Dist., on Friday proposed a moratorium on existing wind farms and a ban on future ones, while Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist., introduced a measure calling for an investigation into how the wind farms gained environmental approval. “We still have no meaningful answers from... Read more

While presiding over the House of Representatives today, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) was formally selected by Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to chair the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC) for the 118th Congress. The position marks the third committee leadership appointment this year for Smith, who has also been tapped to chair the Congressional-Executive Commission on China in addition to the Subcommittee on Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations. Smith has previ... Read more

Rep. Smith speaks at the Save the Whales rally in Point Pleasant Beach on Sunday. Pictured with Smith are (left to right) Trisha DeVoe, a naturalist and rally organizer; Leslie Mangold, rally organizer; Seaside Park Mayor John Peterson Jr; and Cindy Zipf, Executive Director of Clean Ocean Action and rally organizer. At a rally in Point Pleasant Beach today, Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) called for immediate answers from the Biden Administration and Governor Murphy to the growing questions rai... Read more

A dead whale washes ashore in Manasquan on Monday, February 13th—the ninth one along the New Jersey-New York coastline since early December. Photo: Asbury Park Press. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) today introduced new legislation—HR 1056—requiring an immediate, comprehensive investigation into the environmental approval process for offshore wind projects as Governor Murphy and the Biden Administration continue to ignore growing calls to pause offshore wind development over concerns about the ... Read more

Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOs) operate as official representative offices of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region to the United States and enjoy a series of privileges, exemptions, and immunities. HKETOs were granted these privileges under the assumption Hong Kong would remain free from the Chinese Communist Party’s authoritarian grip. That reality changed after the imposition of Beijing’s draconian 2020 National Security Law in Hong Kong. Following the enactment of the bi... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) issued the following statement on the tragic death of Central Regional High School student Adriana Kuch and the ongoing concerns for student safety: “Words are inadequate to convey the sorrow my wife Marie and I share over the tragic death of Adriana Olivia Kuch just days after a group of students violently attacked her at Central Regional High School and shared the video of the horrific assault online. There must be absolutely zero tolerance for bullying, harass... Read more

Source: Toms River Fire District No. 1. Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) today announced Toms River Fire District No. 1 will receive $508,256 in federal funds to help recruit and retain volunteers as part of the federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. The Fire District oversees six of the township’s nine fire stations. “The vitality of Toms River’s volunteer fire department depends greatly on retaining its dedicated firefighters who selflessly risk their ... Read more

Two weeks after urging top Biden Administration officials to immediately suspend all offshore wind projects over growing concerns about recent whale deaths, Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) today renewed his call for a moratorium after the ninth dead whale in two months washed ashore in Manasquan on Monday: “The Biden Administration and Governor Murphy continue to ignore the resounding calls for an investigation to address the historic surge of dead whales while offshore wind development ramps u... Read more

Victoria Cardenas (left) and Berta Valle (right) share compelling testimony at a hearing chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (July 21, 2022) on the fate of their husbands, two presidential candidates who were imprisoned by Ortega. On Thursday, their husbands were finally released from jail along with over 200 other human rights defenders. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chair of the House Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations Subcommittee, today issued the following statement on t... Read more