Today — Oct. 28 — marks 20th anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 — the comprehensive, historic law that I authored to aggressively combat sex and labor trafficking both within the United States and around the world. The TVPA created a new, well-funded whole-of-government domestic and international strategy and established numerous new programs to protect victims, prosecute traffickers and, to the extent possible, prevent human trafficking in the first place. Thou... Read more

October 28th marks 20th anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000—the comprehensive, historic law authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to aggressively combat sex and labor trafficking both within the United States and around the world. The TVPA created a new, well-funded whole-of-government domestic and international strategy and established numerous new programs to Protect victims, Prosecute traffickers and to the extent possible, Prevent human trafficking in the first... Read more

Health and fitness centers trying to survive the COVID-19 pandemic that has devastated their industry could qualify for federal grants under HR 8485, the Health and Fitness Recovery Act of 2020, a new bill cosponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ). “The wellness and fitness industry has been especially hard hit by the global pandemic caused by COVID-19,” Smith said. “Gyms and fitness facilities were ordered to shut down completely in March when stay-at-home orders began, and have only recently been... Read more

By Amanda Oglesby, STAFF WRITER More wildfire protection is coming to the Roosevelt City section of Whiting, along the densely forested western side of Manchester, due to a $380,000 project by the U.S. Department of Defense. The project will build a five-mile long firebreak, or stretch of land cleared of vegetation, in the forest between the Roosevelt City neighborhood and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith R-N.J., whose Fourth Congressional District includes Manchester... Read more

Residents of the Whiting community in Manchester Township south of Joint-Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB-MDL) will receive added protection from the threat of wildfires because of new federal funding, said Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04). The Department of Defense will provide funding to six projects in New Jersey (see list below) that promote land conservation near military sites, including $380,000 for a firebreak project to be built near the Roosevelt City section of Whiting. The firebreak will simul... Read more

New Jersey congressmen Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew today introduced legislation to significantly increase the annual cost-of-living-adjustment (COLA) for Social Security recipients after it was announced earlier this week by the Social Security Administration that the COLA effective December 2020 is going to be 1.3 percent. The Smith-Van Drew proposal would increase the 2020 COLA to 3 percent in 2020, and no less than 3 percent more in 2021. With the average Social Security payment to individu... Read more

By Alex N. Gecan, Asbury Park Press If you run a small business in Middletown, the township may have $15,000 worth of good news for you. The township will begin awarding grants of up to $15,000 for businesses with up to 50 employees through the new Middletown Economic Relief Program, Mayor Tony Perry announced Thursday. The township has approximately $400,000 in grants, obtained through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to distribute to local businesses impacted by ... Read more

Ground has been broken for the construction of the Gordon H. Mansfield Veterans Village in Tinton Falls, a four-story building with apartments that will be available to veterans of the armed forces at a range of low and moderate income levels. The building will be run by the nonprofit organization Soldier On, according to a press release from the office of Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ). Smith was a guest speaker at the Sept. 12 ceremony. About 50 people attended the groundbreaking ceremony hel... Read more

by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) October 9, 2020 I am deeply concerned that since late September, Pastor Bob Fu, founder of the nonprofit ChinaAid, and his family have been the targets of outrageous slander, libel and intimidation by suspected members of the Chinese Communist Party, and their enablers, and are at grave risk of serious bodily harm. They have been forced to flee their home in Midland, Texas after protestors in chartered buses arrived at their home. Pastor Fu and his family are currently... Read more

Thirty-six years ago this Oct. 8, Bishop James Su Zhimin was arrested by the Chinese government. He was never to be seen publicly again. It’s an appalling tactic and human rights violation the Chinese government inflicts on its citizens when it “disappears” a victim. But Chinese Communist Party (CCP) General Secretary Xi Jinping, the dictator of China, knows where the bishop is and what happened to him. Having met him in Beijing in 1994, I remain deeply concerned for the well being of Bishop Su... Read more