By Catholic News Service WASHINGTON -- A U.S. congressman told attendees at a Washington summit on Christian persecution that "more than ever before, vigorous U.S. leadership and diplomacy are needed to address religious freedom violations globally." "Religious persecution is festering and exploding around the world. What has been unconscionable for decades, centuries, has gotten worse," Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, said May 12 in remarks at the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christian... Read more

By David Levinsky, BCT staff writer - The first KC-46 air-refueling tankers aren't due to arrive at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst until 2020, but members of New Jersey's congressional delegation are already mobilizing to get the base ready. U.S. Reps. Tom MacArthur, Chris Smith, Frank LoBiondo and Donald Norcross teamed on a letter sent to U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis on Wednesday seeking the inclusion of funding for construction of new hangars for the KC-46 tankers in the upcoming ... Read more

In emotional testimony before a congressional committee today, several wives of jailed and tortured human rights lawyers appealed to the Trump Administration and congress to use its voice and all relevant U.S. laws, including the recently enacted Global Magnitsky Act, to stop the Chinese Government’s torture of their husbands. Chen Guiqiu, wife of detained lawyer Xie Yang, said “Due to his work defending human rights, he was jailed and brutally tortured,” including, “beatings delivered in rotati... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), co-chair of the Bipartisan Taskforce to Combat Anti-Semitism, delivered the follow remarks on H.R. 672, the Combating European Anti-Semitism Act of 2017: Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 672, the Combating Anti-Semitism Act of 2017, sponsored by my friend NITA LOWEY. I and all of our fellow Co-Chairs of the Bi-Partisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism are original cosponsors. Among its provisions, the bill would require the Sta... Read more

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, yesterday in my capacity as Co-Chairman of the U.S. Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, I participated in a hearing to examine Russian military threats in the OSCE region. Russia today stands in violation of the central commitments of the Helsinki Final Act. These commitments include respect for the territorial integrity of States, fundamental freedoms, and the fulfillment in good faith of obligations unde... Read more

After three and a half decades of service to our nation, Col. Eric Mellinger (Ret.) of the U.S. Marines, who was first nominated to the U.S. Air Force Academy by Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) in 1982, has retired from the military. At a ceremony held in Smith’s office today, his astonishing career was honored—and today’s pressing issues were discussed. “When I saw Eric in action it was clear that he has earned extraordinary respect,” said Smith referencing Mellinger’s leadership after Typhoon Haiyan ... Read more

Today the Trump Administration announced the implementation of the expanded Mexico City Policy, now known as “Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance.” Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) issued the following statement: “Today’s implementation by the State Department of the ‘Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance’–the reinstatement and expansion of Ronald Reagan’s 1984 Mexico City Policy—ensures that U.S. taxpayers will no longer subsidize foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that perform... Read more

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith addressed the World Summit in Defense of Persecuted Christians on May 12 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, DC. Excerpts of his remarks: Thirty-seven years ago during my first term in Congress, I read Tortured for Christ by Romanian pastor Richard Wurmbrand. As so many of you know, it is the true story of unspeakable physical torture and psychological abuse of underground Christians under Romania’s dictator Nicolae Ceausescu and Pastor Wurmbrand’s harrowing 14-year incar... Read more

Nearly five years after Superstorm Sandy ravaged New Jersey’s coastline, many unmet needs remain, even after the victims received some insurance support and funding from several federal agencies to help rebuild, lift, renovate and mitigate damage from future natural disasters. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) and other members of the New Jersey Delegation still continue to close these gaps homeowners and individuals continue to face. In addition to the individual funding shortfalls, there were many nonp... Read more

Today, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) made the following comments on the nomination of former Congressman Mark Green from Wisconsin to lead the U.S. Agency for International Development: “I am thrilled to see that Mark Green has been nominated by President Donald Trump as the next Administrator of USAID,” said Smith, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “I cannot think of a better leader to head up USAID at this critical time. Mark brings a wealth of experience–as a past collea... Read more