Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) today praised the determination by the Trump administration to accurately reflect the conditions in Japan on international parental child abduction, and thereby to support left-behind parents. “For the first time, the State Department has held Japan accountable for its repeated failures to return abducted American children, including the Elias children who were abducted from their family in New Jersey in 2008,” said Rep. Smith. The State Department on Wednesday released i... Read more

State officials, family and friends of a New Jersey man imprisoned in Iran held a vigil at Princeton University Friday to call for his release. Princeton graduate student Xiyue Wang was studying Farsi and 19th Century Iran in the country when he was arrested and convicted of spying in 2016. His family says that he is innocent. Wang’s wife says that she had given up hope until three Americans were released from North Korea this week. "That is encouraging and that is a huge thing for me and I hope... Read more

A bipartisan bill, the Charitable Giving Tax Deduction Act, was introduced today by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) with Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) as an original co-sponsor, to protect taxpayers and encourage charitable giving. “Charitable organizations, including churches, synagogues, and other religiously-based entities, are the life-blood of services to those in need in our society, and I am committed to a tax policy that amplifies their ability to serve our community,” said Rep. Smith. “Ameri... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith’s (R-NJ) landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (PL 106-386) is the law being used in the recent high-profile indictment of a trafficking ring in New York that involved actress Allison Mack of the TV series “Smallville,” as well as the indictment of former Middletown, N.J. police officer James Keenan on child sex trafficking charges. “This law, the TVPA, sends a message to traffickers of the gravity of their offense,” Rep. Smith, co-chair of the Congressional... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) issued the following statement on Burundi's suspension of the operations of Voice of America within the country: “Voice of America’s suspension in Burundi is an outrage and must be reversed. “VOA is an independent media and provides an opportunity for both government leaders and citizens to express themselves in a fair manner. VOA’s Kirundi-language call-in radio shows give voice to the people, and report on a wide variety of matters including on critical health issues. “... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, issued the following statement on the detention of Franck Nzila, human rights advocate, in the Republic of the Congo: “Yesterday’s detention of Franck Nzila, human rights advocate, is a worrisome indicator that the Republic of the Congo is beginning to use China’s repressive and regressive blueprint of government control and is moving in the wrong direction ... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chair of the House panel on global human rights and co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, issued the following statement on Wednesday on the release of three Americans detained in North Korea: “We welcome the release of the three Americans unjustly detained by Kim Jong-un, and look forward to their safe return home. Their release was the result of much work and many prayers. The President deserves the credit for this, as it was his policy ch... Read more

Aid workers, journalists, and religious and political leaders are being harassed, detained and silenced by governments in sub-Saharan Africa, and a Congressional global human rights panel held a critical hearing on Wednesday, chaired by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), to examine what the U.S. can do now to protect them. “The closing of space for faith-based organizations and other civil society organizations is a worrying trend in a number of sub-Saharan countries,” Rep. Smith, long-time human r... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) made the following remarks on Wednesday in support of H.R. 5141, the United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act I am pleased to be a co-sponsor of H.R. 5141, the United States-Israel Security Assistance Authorization Act, and commend my good friend, Chairwoman emeritus Ros-Lehtinen, for her leadership in introducing H.R. 5141—a critical, important bipartisan measure—along with Congressman Deutch. This bill responds to a crisis of converging threats that im... Read more

Federal funding through the U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program approved by Congress for 2018 was awarded to several towns in New Jersey’s Fourth Congressional District, announced Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04). “The Community Development Block Grant is a flexible grant that allows towns to develop housing and community improvement projects that best fits their needs and goals,” said Smith. “I am a longtime supporter of the CDBG program, which c... Read more