Jersey Shore Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), appeared in Avon-by-the-Sea on Friday saying that he intends to fight for full transparency and accountability for Braeden’s family after Garden City Community College, the Kansas college where Bradforth died last year on his second day on campus, "stonewalled the family’s request for an independent investigation into his death." Smith was joined at a press conference by Bradforth’s mother, Joanne Atkins-Ingram. “From day one, I’ve just been trying to... Read more

NEPTUNE, New Jersey (WABC) -- A mother from New Jersey is still heartbroken and angry months after her son's sudden death on the football field. Braeden Bradforth, 19, collapsed after practice at Garden City Community College in Kansas on Aug. 1, 2018, and died a few hours later -- apparently due to heat stroke. The sudden tragedy has raised a lot of questions that have been ignored, according to Bradforth's family and supporters. His mother broke her silence on Friday and is now demanding answe... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) is spearheading an effort to fully fund a newly-created federal program that could kick-start important federal-local infrastructure projects around military bases and which could benefit Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. Along with Rep. Denny Heck (D-WA), Smith is the co-lead of a bipartisan letter asking for $100 million to be appropriated in the Defense Community Infrastructure Program (DCIP), which was created last year to help improve local traffic flow and protect m... Read more

The 2019 Congressional Art Competition sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who holds the annual show for high school students in the Fourth Congressional District, opened Tues., April 2. “Our student artists did a marvelous job. They make the art competition a success year after year and I am sure visitors to the 2019 show will once again be impressed by the talents of our students,” Smith said. “We have more than 70 entries from across Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties in the Fourth Congres... Read more

The pursuit of liberty and justice for all unites us as Americans — which is why I am so concerned that the United States is poised to extradite Judge Neringa Venckiene to face criminal charges in Lithuania for not returning a sexually exploited young girl to the alleged exploiter. Even more concerning is that at least two Lithuanian judges directly involved in her case were recently jailed, along with politicians, as part of an ongoing bribery and corruption investigation rocking the Lithuanian... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Global Health, issued the following statement on Monday: “Although I am cautiously optimistic that China, as part of trade negotiations, will list all variants of fentanyl on its list of controlled substances, this action means nothing without proper enforcement. Chinese-produced fentanyl has been trafficked into the U.S. and is killing Americans, and China has had the capability to crack down on this drug trade and has not don... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) on Thursday testified before members of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, urging them to advance his legislation (HR 1427) to fight human trafficking in the hotel industry. “Many hotels partner with law enforcement and advocacy groups and have spent considerable resources to be effective in the fight against human trafficking,” Smith said in his testimony before the Committee. “This bill aims to reward these hotels by prioritizing them for government-sponsored ... Read more

By L.A. Parker, Trentonian Columnist - The past caught up to Adam Pietras finally as memories tethered with blood and courage, stitches and heroism, fear and familial devotion resurfaced. Pietras, a Boy Scout enjoying life in Hamilton Township in the Fourth Congressional District represented by Chris Smith (R-NJ), gained recognition as a hero brother who saved his sister from a dog attack. Rep. Smith made his young constituent part of the Congressional Record on March 14. Two days later, Pietras... Read more

Stephen Edelson, Asbury Park Press - Kansas officials have already rejected a plea from one New Jersey state lawmaker to take action in the wake of last summer’s heatstroke death of former Neptune football player Braeden Bradforth. Now a federal lawmaker from New Jersey is seeking answers. U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, has written to Garden City Community College president Ryan Ruda requesting an independent investigation into the events of Aug. 1, at the junior college in Garden City, Ka... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) today announced that a behavioral health agency based in his district has received a $95,000 grant from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for its “PROUD to be Well” project. The grant recipient, Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey, Inc. (CSPNJ), is a peer-led behavioral health agency with centers throughout New Jersey. “I am pleased to announce this federal grant which will help strengthen crucial mental health and recovery programs in our state,”... Read more