Jean Mikle Asbury Park Press Staff Writer - "It's finally here!" Patricia O'Kane exclaimed, to a round of raucous applause. O'Kane, executive medical center director of the VA New Jersey Healthcare System, was hailing the grand opening ceremony of the long-awaited Veterans Affairs Clinic on Hooper Avenue, a 68,000-square-foot facility that began seeing patients late last month. But on Monday, O'Kane, Dr. Shereef Elnahal, the VA's under secretary for health, and a raft of dignitaries, including U... Read more

BY KANIS LEUNG Updated 9:39 AM EST, November 19, 2024 - Forty-five prominent activists in Hong Kong were sentenced to jail for up to 10 years on Tuesday, sparking criticism from foreign governments and rights groups, but Beijing defended the decisions. The democracy advocates were among 47 people charged under a Beijing-imposed national security law in 2021 for their involvement in an unofficial primary election to pick opposition candidates. In the city’s biggest national security case to date... Read more

At a congressional hearing chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) today, the widow and three adult children of renowned Northern Ireland human rights attorney Patrick Finucane shared their expectations for the recently established, long-overdue independent inquiry into British collusion in Patrick’s murder on February 12, 1989—when he was gunned down in his Belfast home in front of his wife and children. “For 35 years, the Finucane family has steadfastly and honorably pursued an independent public ... Read more

At a ceremony in Toms River today, Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) was joined by veterans and other federal, state and local officials to cut the ribbon for the new Ocean County Veterans Affairs (VA) clinic on Hooper Avenue, which will replace the Brick clinic that Smith secured in the 1980s but can no longer accommodate the large veteran population in the area. “Words are inadequate to fully convey America’s thanks to our veterans,” said Rep. Smith. “Still, we gather here today to solemnly and... Read more

Karen Wall,Patch Staff Posted Mon, Nov 18, 2024 at 6:00 pm ET - For the last month, U.S. veterans needing health care have been streaming through the doors of the gleaming new Veterans Affairs clinic in Toms River, a long-anticipated facility to serve those who served the United States. On Monday, dignitaries and those who fought to get a new clinic in Ocean County gathered under a tent in front of the building along with veterans it will serve to celebrate the achievement of that long-sought g... Read more

In a follow-up letter to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights today, Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Maria Salazar (R-FL), Darrel Issa (R-CA) and Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) requested information on reported ongoing human rights violations in Brazil, including and especially the crackdown on free speech and illegitimate blockade of X. “We write to you in our capacity as members of the U.S. House of Representatives regarding the ongoing situation in Brazil and the actions taken by the Brazilian sup... Read more

Geraldine Finucane, the widow of the renowned Northern Ireland human rights attorney Patrick Finucane, and her three adult children are set to testify next week at a Capitol Hill hearing chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) on the recent establishment of a long-overdue independent inquiry into Patrick’s brutal murder in 1989. WHEN: Tuesday, November 19, 2024 – 11:00am ET WHERE: 2200 Rayburn House Office Building WITNESSES: Geraldine Finucane John Finucane Katherine Finucane Michael Finucane Patri... Read more

With the strong support and vote of Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester), the House of Representatives today passed (327-75) the Social Security Fairness Act (HR 82) to repeal two unjust provisions known as the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) that penalize police officers, firefighters, teachers and other public servants by unfairly reducing their Social Security benefits. “It is egregiously unfair that our fellow Americans who have spent substantial port... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) today slammed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to collaborate on offshore wind development, saying the haphazard move “heightens serious concerns over whether projects that have already been approved were thoroughly and properly vetted by the U.S. military for adverse impacts on national security and military readiness.” “It is extremely disconcerting that BOEM is only no... Read more

In a new report mandated by legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General (IG) noted improvements made following Kyle Mullen’s death but admonished the Navy to “reassess” the “medical capabilities” at the Navy SEALs Hell Week training, raising serious questions over whether their medical and communications equipment can “provide the appropriate standard of care” and if their medical staffing requirements “meet clinical demand.” “The new polici... Read more