Karen Wall,Patch Staff Posted Mon, Oct 21, 2024 at 12:27 pm ET|Updated Mon, Oct 21, 2024 at 2:45 pm ET When ground was broken in May 2022 for the new Veterans Affairs clinic in Toms River, there was a pledge made to try to name the clinic after the town's World War II hero. As the clinic prepares to open Tuesday to start serving veterans in the area, that pledge has not been forgotten. On Friday, a resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives to name the clinic for Lt. Leonard G. "... Read more

In the wake of the reported murder of outspoken Azerbaijani dissident Vidadi Isgandarli who was brutally beaten and stabbed to death in his house in France, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) is urging the Biden-Harris Administration to “establish a U.S. Government effort to provide increased protection to Azerbaijanis living in the United States who may be in danger of escalating transnational repression in the run-up to next month’s COP29 Climate Change Conference in Baku.” “This shocking crime perpetra... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester), the author of more than a dozen laws to help our nation’s veterans and their families, today introduced legislation (HR 9997) to name the new veterans clinic in Toms River after World War II hero and longtime Toms River resident, Second Lieutenant Leonard G. “Bud” Lomell. Smith’s bill, which notes that Lomell is “exceedingly deserving of the posthumous honor,” is already cosponsored by Reps. Donald Norcross (D-NJ), Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) and Andy Kim (D-NJ). “A de... Read more

Critical beach replenishment for Jersey Shore towns in the Fourth Congressional District is primed to begin after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officially awarded a contract for the project to Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, announced Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester). “After several contracting delays, this long-awaited project to restore our beaches that have suffered considerable erosion over the past years is finally ready to move forward,” said Smith, who secured $30.2 million in fed... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester), Co-Chair of the House Task Force for Combating Antisemitism, said the $4 million fine levied against Lufthansa today for discriminating against Jewish passengers—including some from Smith’s congressional district—“sends a strong message that discrimination and antisemitism has absolutely no place in our society and will not be tolerated.” The record fine comes in response to a May 2022 incident when 128 members of the Orthodox Jewish community were denied boardi... Read more

In a bicameral letter to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) today, more than two dozen Members of Congress—led by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO), and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)—admonished the human resources agency for violating federal law that prohibits congressional health plans from subsidizing elective abortion. “It is a clear violation of the Smith Amendment for health plans available to Members and staff to offer elective abortion,” wrote the 22 House Members and... Read more

Carly Baldwin,Patch Staff Posted Mon, Oct 7, 2024 at 10:56 am ET|Updated Tue, Oct 8, 2024 at 8:57 am ET — Nearly 500 people rallied in Sea Girt Sunday morning to protest the planned installation of wind turbines off the Jersey Shore. Gov. Phil Murphy drove by the crowd as he entered the National Guard Training Center, located in Sea Girt, where he had to attend an annual military review. Organizers say they planned the protest specifically because they knew Murphy would be in the area. Murphy d... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Israel Allies Caucus, today issued the following statement marking one year since Hamas’ barbaric terrorist attack on Israel: “Today, we remember with deep sadness the more than 1,200 innocent men, women and children who were mercilessly slaughtered by Hamas terrorists in the most fatal incident of antisemitic violence since the Holocaust. We also continue to grieve with the families of the hostage... Read more

In response to Sudanese warlord Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s recent meeting in New York with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) today called on the Biden-Harris Administration to sanction the leaders of both the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for their gross violations of internationally recognized human rights. “Burhan has blood on his hands and should never have been let into the United States—let alone received by the UN Secretary-Gener... Read more

By Jim Lonergan SEA GIRT, NJ – On Sunday morning, around 500 residents from Sea Girt, Manasquan, Wall Township, and Howell gathered to protest the offshore wind projects and high-risk power cables slated to run through their towns. Organized by the nonprofit group Stop The High-Risk Power Cables, the rally aimed to raise awareness about the impact these transmission lines could have on local communities and draw the attention of Governor Phil Murphy. Protesters assembled outside the New Jersey ... Read more