As the top-ranking official for human trafficking for an international bloc of 57 countries, U.S. lawmaker Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) this week called on member nations to step up their efforts to implement and strengthen laws combating modern-day slavery. Smith’s keynote remarks were offered at the 29th Annual Session of the Parliamentary Assembly (PA) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Birmingham, England. “The predators who exploit and abuse vulnerable women, c... Read more

$3,000,000 requested by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to address serious traffic congestion and expand mental health services in Lakewood cleared a major hurdle in Congress this week as the House Appropriations Committee voted to advance legislation funding projects for the upcoming fiscal year to the House Floor. The federal dollars championed by Smith include $2 million for the construction of two roads in the densely populated town as well as associated improvements, such as street lighting, sanit... Read more

$500,000 in federal funds requested by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) for designing and planning a new Ocean County 9-1-1 Call Center and Emergency Management Office (OEM) cleared a major hurdle in Congress this week as the House Appropriations Committee voted to advance legislation funding projects for the upcoming fiscal year to the House Floor. “This modest but meaningful federal support will help scope out the requirements for a new emergency call center which is needed to meet the growing needs o... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) today hosted a follow-up meeting with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Commander Lt. Col. Ramon Brigantti, Dennis Reinknecht from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and local officials from Ocean County to help advance the critical beach replenishment project slated for Jersey shore towns in the Fourth Congressional District that have suffered serious erosion over the years. “Today’s productive meeting with Ocean County mayors and state representatives marked an i... Read more

For decades—right up to this very moment—abortion advocates have gone to extraordinary lengths to ignore, trivialize, and cover up the battered baby victim. They’ve aggressively fostered a culture of denial, disrespect, and bias against babies. The United States Supreme Court’s 7-2 majority in 1973 infamously wrote in Roe v. Wade—that: ‘‘We need not resolve the difficult question of when human life begins.’’ (Page 159) Sidestepping that fundamental question and giving absolutely no benefit of t... Read more

The Co-Chairs of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus—Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Andy Harris (R-MD) and Kat Cammack (R-FL)—today applauded the Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs that empowers elected representatives to protect unborn children. “For decades—right up to this very moment—abortion advocates have gone to extraordinary lengths to ignore, trivialize, and cover up the battered baby victim,” said Rep. Smith. “Today, at long last, Justice Alito writing for the major... Read more

At a human rights hearing he chaired today, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) called on the Government of South Korea to embrace a larger role on the global stage in helping those fleeing oppression, especially defectors from Communist North Korea, who seek refuge in the nation. “Today, South Korea is at a crossroads,” said Rep. Smith, Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC). “Combined with its economic prowess, South Korea has become a soft power leader. However, true soft power and l... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a stalwart champion for Israeli sovereignty and security, today slammed the Biden Administration for its unprecedented move to establish a separate diplomatic office to Palestine in Israel’s capital. “The Biden Administration’s egregious decision to create a distinct diplomatic office separate from our embassy signals division and is a slap in the face to our great ally Israel,” said Rep. Smith, who co-chairs the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism. ... Read more

In the midst of Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) this week called on Congress to advance legislation he recently sponsored to bolster federal support for research on Alzheimer’s disease in the ongoing search for improved treatments and a potential cure. “During Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, we bring additional attention to the heartbreak, pain and agony of those suffering from Alzheimer’s and their loved ones and recognize the tireless advocacy of groups l... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), an internationally renowned leader in the fight for religious freedom, today petitioned a top U.S. State Department official to meet with Nigerian Bishop Jude Arogundade in the wake of last week’s horrific massacre at a Catholic church in the Diocese of Ondo that left 40 people dead and over 60 injured. In a letter to Victoria Nuland, the U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Smith said, “In the aftermath of the horrific attack that took place on June 5 a... Read more