Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country and oldest independent state, plays a key leadership role in the region and on the continent. They are an important partner in the War on Terror, but also a source of growing concern over their human rights record. Recently, government forces have killed as many as 100 Oromo demonstrators. Thursday's hearing, announced by Chairman Chris Smith (NJ-04) and entitled “Democracy Under Threat in Ethiopia,” will allow for a discussion of the restrictions ... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith recently received an award from the Alzheimer’s Association Delaware Valley Chapter, part of the National Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association, at a meeting with families dealing with Alzheimer’s in February 2017. The award was presented in February 2017 by Wendy Campbell, President and CEO of the Delaware Valley Chapter, which honored Mr. Smith with a painting symbolizing the struggles of victims of Alzheimer's. An inscription on the framed artwork read:... Read more

U.S. Representative Chris Smith, Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, gave the following statement as he opened the hearing “China’s Pervasive Use of Torture” on April 14, 2016: Gao Zhisheng’s account of the torture he experienced is shocking, offensive, and inhumane. From the time he was first arrested in 2006 until his provisional release in 2014, Gao was regularly hooded and beaten, shocked with electric batons, had toothpicks inserted in his genitals, was sleep depriv... Read more

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) gave the following opening statement at a congressional hearing today entitled “Combating Ebola in West Africa: The International Response,” held by the House Committee Foreign Affairs: "The unprecedented West African Ebola epidemic has not only killed more than 5,000 people, with nearly 13,000 known to be infected, it also has skewed the planning for how to deal with this outbreak," said Smith, a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee who has held two hear... Read more

Assaults on the religious freedoms of people in China, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran and other places around the globe—and U.S. efforts to address this abuse—were the focus of a congressional hearing Thursday afternoon chaired by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights issues. “The headlines are filled with examples of religious freedom violations,” Smith said. “A 27-year-old expectant mother, Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, is imprisoned and f... Read more

Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association (OGCMA) in Monmouth County has been awarded a $2.377 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help in the rebuilding of its boardwalk destroyed by Superstorm Sandy, Congressman Chris Smith announced today. The approved federal support, which comes after Smith and others worked with the Association as they appealed two previous denials, includes construction work for the outflow at Fletcher Lake, replacing decking, numerous sets of ... Read more

The largely underreported assaults on the religious freedoms of Christians around the globe were the topic of a congressional hearing Tuesday chaired by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights issues. “This subcommittee has and will continue to highlight the suffering of religious minorities around the globe, be they Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan, Ba’hai in Iran, Buddhists in occupied Tibet, Yazidis in Iraq or the Muslim Royhinga pe... Read more

Members of U.S. and New Jersey law enforcement agencies who took part in a Joint Super Bowl Operation deserve tremendous credit for rescuing 25 children ages 13-17 from lives of misery and sexual abuse, and for arresting 45 suspects who allegedly exploited the children for commercial sex, said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights, and author of the landmark law, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-... Read more

(AFP) - Child prostitution networks are exploiting sporting events like next weekend's Super Bowl, US lawmakers and rights groups warned Monday as they addressed ways to mitigate sex trafficking that abuses countless children each year. "In less than a week, New Jersey will be hosting the Super Bowl, and along with welcoming enthusiastic fans, the state also is preparing for a likely influx of both domestic and international traffickers," congressman Christopher Smith told a House of Representat... Read more

Human trafficking and the Super Bowl, Olympics and other mega sporting venues were the topic of a hearing held Monday by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights, and author of the landmark law, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. “Lessons Learned from Super Bowl Preparations: Preventing International Human Trafficking at Major Sporting Events,” featured the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security, and airline, train and non-governm... Read more