After more than a week of letters, phone calls and personal intervention to bring home Americans stuck in Peru, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced today that almost all those he championed are back on U.S. soil. The last of the 17 Americans seeking Smith’s assistance is in transit and expected back in the U.S. Monday. Smith, an experienced human rights leader in Congress and a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, worked with the stranded Americans, their families here at home, t... Read more

The following are excerpts of remarks by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) in the House of Representatives during debate on the CARES Act on March 27, 2020: Mr. Speaker, my home state of New Jersey—like many parts of the country and world—has been hard hit by COVID-19. As of today, 6,876 people have tested positive with 81 deaths. Tragically, in my district, four members of one family have died from the virus. Containing the Coronavirus pandemic, developing and deploying reliable therapeutics and creating... Read more

The following are excerpts of remarks by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) in the House of Representatives during debate on the CARES Act on March 27, 2020: Mr. Speaker, my home state of New Jersey—like many parts of the country and world—has been hard hit by COVID-19. As of today, 6,876 people have tested positive with 81 deaths. Tragically, in my district, four members of one family have died from the virus. Containing the Coronavirus pandemic, developing and deploying reliable therapeutics and creatin... Read more

A comprehensive bipartisan $2 trillion stimulus package to help restore the U.S. economy devastated by the Coronavirus pandemic, was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed into law by President Trump today. “Containing the Coronavirus pandemic, developing and deploying reliable therapeutics and creating a safe and effective vaccine must be our highest priority—no matter the cost,” said Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) who returned to Washington to participate in the floor debate and supp... Read more

Within 24 hours of being contacted, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) persuaded the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to release a massive shipment of 41.3 million medical-grade gloves for distribution in the United States for medical professionals including nurses and doctors and to first responders. The gloves had been held by CBP since late September of last year. “At this critical juncture, when supplies of personal protective equipment—PPE—are scarce and medical professionals need to be safe... Read more

By Erik Larsen, APP Staff Writer At the request of Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has agreed to release 41.3 million medical-grade gloves that were being held at ports in Maryland and California. The gloves will be distributed throughout the United States to medical professionals, including to doctors, nurses and first responders, the congressman’s office said in a prepared statement on Thursday. The gloves had been held by the federal agency since late Septem... Read more

Ocean County will open its coronavirus drive thru testing site at Ocean County College at 9 a.m. Monday, March 30 to Ocean County residents that must be registered to be tested and must have a doctor's prescription for the test. To register for the coronavirus test visit the Ocean County Health Department website at www.ochd.org and follow the online directions. For more information on COVID 19 call the Ocean County Health Department hotline at 732-341-9700, Ext.7411. "We want these tests to ru... Read more

Twenty-seven members of the House of Representatives and five Senators today call on Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar and U.S. Attorney General William Barr to expeditiously issue guidance to states to protect Americans with disabilities from discrimination during the coronavirus outbreak. A letter, written by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and led in the House by Smith and Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI), cites stories by major media outlets reporting insufficient heal... Read more

With thousands of Americans stranded overseas, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee who has been working to get Americans currently stuck in Peru, teamed up as the lead Republican sponsor on legislation written by Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY), HR 6376, that would waive fees for travelers who require evacuation assistance from the U.S. Department of State. “This legislation would provide important relief for American citizens stranded abroad due to the... Read more

In an urgent phone conversation Saturday, March 21st with U.S. Ambassador to Peru, Krishna Urs, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, urged the Ambassador to reach out to U.S. citizens and reassure those spread-out across Peru that they have not been forgotten nor abandoned. “There are reportedly 5,000 Americans trapped in Peru needing the immediate assistance of the U.S. government in order to get home,” said Smith, who has been contacted by more than ... Read more