By Kala Kachmar, APP Staff Writer - Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst has been chosen to receive the Air Force's next generation of air refueling tankers, securing a future for the base that's been on the chopping block in the past. The 24 new KC-46A Pegasus planes and the mission that comes with them are expected to ensure the economic viability of the base for decades to come, officials said Thursday. The Air Force will invest $154 million in new construction at the Joint Base to accommodate th... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, issued the following statement on the Obama Administration’s intention to ease sanctions on the Republic of the Sudan: “The decision by the Obama Administration to ease sanctions on Sudan imports and exports of goods and services and related commercial activity is unjustified at this point since the Khartoum government has not ceased its violations of the human rights of its citizens. Violent government actions continue agai... Read more

BY JACK HERETIK, WRITER FOR THE WASHINGTON FREE BEACON - Rep. Chris Smith (R., N.J.) is fighting for Christian refugees who have been displaced by fighting in Iraq and Syria and demanding the United States do more to help. The lawmaker serves as a senior member on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and is chairman of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations. Promoting international human rights and religious freedom has been a staple fea... Read more

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced today that the Air Force has chosen Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB-MDL) to host the next generation KC-46 refueling tankers. With the designation of a Main Operating Base (MOB), JB-MDL is now slated to receive 24 new KC-46 Pegasus tankers to replace the current fleet of KC-10 Extenders. “Securing this vitally important air refueling mission not only significantly enhances US military power but will help the sustainability of the Joint Base from any f... Read more

By David Levinsky, BCT staff writer - After months of lobbying and waiting, New Jersey officials expect to finally learn whether Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst will become the home of the Air Force's new KC-46 air-refueling tankers. The Air Force plans to announce its decision Thursday. The joint base is one of five finalist installations the service was considering to accept between 24 and 36 of the new jets, which are being built by Boeing as upgrades for the Air Force's aging tanker fleet. ... Read more

As the U.S. marks Human Trafficking Awareness Day today, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), along with Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06), introduced legislation to help combat the world-wide scourge of international human trafficking. “The Human Trafficking Prioritization Act will help keep the fight against human trafficking as a major priority in U.S. foreign policy,” said Smith, Chairman of the House panel on global human rights. “We must stop countries from gaming the system by limiting the amount of time repe... Read more

By APP Staff writer Kala Kachmar - Air Force officials are expected to announced Thursday whether Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst will be the recipient of a fleet of new KC-46A air refueling planes, a decision that New Jersey officials say would ensure the long-term sustainability of the base. In June, the Air Force narrowed the pool of bases to five. The one that's given the planes would be the second active duty base in the country to be selected and would receive the planes sometime in 2020,... Read more

Following his December 2016 mission to Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq to meet with Christian survivors of ISIS genocide, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), along with his Democratic colleague Rep. Anna Eshoo (CA-18), today reintroduced their bipartisan legislation to provide emergency relief to survivors of genocide and ensure accountability for perpetrators. The Iraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act (H.R. 390) is an enhanced version of the Smith-Eshoo bill (H.R. 5961) th... Read more

The US House of Representatives passed H.Res.11 today, which will codify strong support and friendship between the United States and Israel through condemnation of a recent, extreme and dangerous anti-Israel UN Security Council-passed resolution, 2334. “President Obama’s decision to abstain and not veto Security Council Resolution 2334 seriously undermines the peace process, abandons Israel at a critical hour in its life as a nation, and does serious injury to the historical record,” said Smith,... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), took to the House Floor during debate on H.Res.11 to show strong support for the Resolution and for Israel: Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for yielding and for offering this important resolution, along with the ranking member, and I am proud to be a cosponsor. President Obama’s decision to abstain and not veto Security Council Resolution 2334 seriously undermines the peace process, abandons Israel at a critical hour in its life as a nation,... Read more