By NJJN Staff January 16, 2019, 12:52 pm THE U.S. HOUSE of Representatives on Jan. 11 passed legislation calling for the position of special envoy to monitor and combat anti-Semitism to be swiftly filled. The bill would also strengthen the position to more adequately deal with a rise in anti-Semitism worldwide. Under the bill, the special envoy would be elevated to the rank of ambassador at the State Department and would be the primary adviser to the U.S. government on fighting anti-Semitism. Th... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) is to remedy a flaw in the 2018 tax law that is expected to result in a significant decline in charitable donations and leave many unable to meet the humanitarian needs that they have supported for decades. “Many Americans want to give generously to charities, but they may not be able to afford to do so now with the changes implemented in the 2018 tax law,” Smith said. “My legislation would fix this problem, protecting taxpayers while encouraging continued support to char... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), immediate past chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, issued the following statement after a Tuesday attack on a hotel complex in Nairobi, Kenya, killed at least 14: “I am saddened and appalled by yesterday’s terror attack on civilians in Nairobi, Kenya. Among the reported victims are one American citizen and two Somali staff members of the United States Agency for International Development. Our hearts go out to the victims and their families. The Islamist group a... Read more

The House on Friday voted overwhelmingly to pass Rep. Chris Smith’s (R-NJ) legislation calling for a swift appointment of a new Anti-Semitism Special Envoy at the State Department and strengthening the position—created by Smith’s legislative provisions in 2004—to more adequately deal with a rise in anti-Semitism worldwide. “Over the past decade, there has been a rapid rise in anti-Semitic acts and rhetoric in many countries: Jews harassed, assaulted and even murdered; synagogues attacked; graves... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), author of five comprehensive laws to fight human trafficking, issued the following statement on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day: “On National Human Trafficking Awareness Day—and during National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month—I call on Congress, the State Department, and all citizens to redouble efforts to eradicate the scourge of human trafficking once and for all. Evil thrives in the shadows—we must bring to light the prevalence of this multi-bi... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the immediate past chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, issued the following statement on the announced election result in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: “A surprise victor has been declared winner of the recent presidential election in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix Tshisekedi. Independent election observers question whether this reflects the actual results as independent tabulations appear to have favored another opposition candidate, Marti... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the immediate past chairman of the House Subcommittee on Global Human Rights, issued the following statement on the new arbitrary charges brought against Mehman Huseynov by the government of Azerbaijan: “I urgently call on President Aliyev to immediately and unconditionally release Mehman Huseynov. Mehman has spent two years in jail for his work exposing the corruption of the Aliyev regime. The government compounded this injustice two weeks ago by imposing new arbitrary ... Read more

By Joshua Jongsma, North Jersey Record-USA Today Network Over $430 million will go toward combating human trafficking after New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith's bill was signed by President Donald Trump on Tuesday. The bill named after Frederick Douglas is the fifth anti-human trafficking law from Smith, a Republican representing the 4th Congressional district. The $430 million that will be spent over four years in the latest bill includes funding for: Age-appropriate prevention education for children... Read more

By Sulaiman Abdur-Rahman Sulaiman HAMILTON — African-American hero Frederick Douglass escaped from slavery as a young man in 1838 and then became a leader in the abolitionist movement, arguing for equal rights during the Civil War and later serving as a U.S. diplomat to Haiti. Douglass, 77, died in 1895, but his legacy lives on as President Donald Trump signed a human rights bill into law named after the great abolitionist and aimed at stopping modern-day slavery. The Frederick Douglass Traffic... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism, delivered excerpts of the following remarks on the House Floor on Thursday on his legislation, HR 221, the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to vote for H.R. 221, the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act. In 2004, I authored the provisions of law that created and required this position and office it leads a... Read more