At an international summit in Geneva today, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chair of the House Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations Subcommittee, joined a panel of key experts and legislators from across the world to address the failed United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). The following are excerpts of Smith’s remarks for the meeting organized by UN Watch entitled “International Summit for A Future Beyond UNRWA”: Excerpts of remarks by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) Uni... Read more

At a congressional hearing co-chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), victims of “transnational repression” shared personal accounts of harassment, threats and intimidation by foreign governments attempting to silence criticism by members of their exile or diaspora communities living here in the United States. “I’d like to be able to say that these stories of transnational repression are rare—that it is unusual or uncommon for foreign governments to harm, intimidate, silence, abduct, or spy on memb... Read more

In a landslide vote of 414-11, the House of Representatives today passed comprehensive legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to reauthorize the Trafficking Victims Protection Act for five years and strengthen and expand successful anti-trafficking programs to bolster the fight against modern-day slavery. “This critical legislation reauthorizes funding for FY2024 through 2028—a total of five years—to continue current year enacted appropriation and authorization levels to enhance progra... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Co-Chair of the Israel Allies Caucus, joins Fox News Live on Saturday to discuss his legislation to end US funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). The discussion comes just days after Smith’s legislation cleared a major hurdle, winning support from the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a vote to send the bill to the House Floor for consideration and passage: Read more

By Jonah McKeown CNA Staff, Feb 9, 2024 - The bishops of the United States have urged Congress to pass a bill aiming to combat human trafficking that would, among other things, provide grants to aid organizations in areas with high rates of trafficking. The Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023 (H.R. 5856), sponsored by Republican Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, would reauthorize a number of previous anti-trafficking measures first passed i... Read more

Legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) that would prohibit any US contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) cleared a major hurdle, winning support from the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a vote (30-19) to send the bill to the House Floor for consideration and passage. Smith’s bill—the Stop Support for UNRWA Act of 2024 (HR 7122)—is cosponsored by Reps. Brian Mast (R-FL), Joe Wilson (R-SC) and Vern Buchanan (R-FL). “UNRWA is the most corrupt, antisemitic, ... Read more

The House Foreign Affairs Committee this week approved legislation (HRes 82) authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) that calls on the Biden Administration to designate Nigeria as one of the world’s severe religious freedom violators, teeing it up for a vote on the House Floor. Smith’s resolution rejects the Biden Administration’s decision to omit Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) in its 2021, 2022 and 2023 International Religious Freedom Reports despite widespread religious persecut... Read more

At a news conference hosted by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and attended by Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), a panel of experts from a wide-range of backgrounds raised the alarm on mounting concerns regarding the World Health Organization’s (WHO) “pandemic treaty.” The briefing comes amid the WHO’s mad dash to finalize text for the agreement in time for a vote on May 27th by the World Health Assembly. Smith’s press conference highlighted “a slew of significant issues surrounding the proposed treaty—includ... Read more

By Mark A. Kellner - The Washington Times - Thursday, February 1, 2024 Rep. Chris Smith’s journey as a campaigner for human rights and religious liberty began decades ago in a small New Jersey eatery over a meal with a Holocaust survivor. Mr. Smith’s father ran a wholesale sporting goods business next to a Jewish delicatessen in the small town of Colonia, New Jersey. One day his father took him to lunch with a man who “used to come into a Jewish delicatessen near our store, and he was a Holocau... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chair of the House Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations Subcommittee, co-chairs a hearing on Wednesday, January 31 highlighting the shocking abuses committed by UN peacekeepers stationed abroad. A congressional hearing co-chaired today by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chair of the House Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations Subcommittee, highlighted shocking abuses committed by UN peacekeepers stationed abroad—especi... Read more