Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-Chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and senior member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the U.S. House of Representatives, made the following statement regarding the trial of former judge and parliamentarian Neringa Venckiene, which commenced today in Lithuania. “I appeal to the Lithuanian government to end the prosecution and persecution of Judge Neringa Venckiene, who exposed a human trafficking ring and corruption in her country. Judge Venckien... Read more

After working through the week to win a safe easing of the COVID-19 restrictions on the for-hire fishing boats, Rep. Chris Smith met with captains and customers early this morning as they boarded local vessels and kicked-off the 2020 fluke fishing season. “Today’s partial reopening is a good start,” Smith said. “The weather could be better, but people are here to go fishing and the eased restrictions mean more people can participate and our local businesses can start making money again. After sp... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith released the following statement regarding the loosening of restrictions allowing up to 25 people on for-hire party fishing boats in New Jersey. “Like so many businesses in New Jersey, the party fishing boats—or ‘head boats,’ as they are known locally—have taken a financial beating because of COVID-19 restrictions. Working with Ray Bogan, the effective legal counsel for the United Boatmen and Recreational Fishing Alliance, I have been urging Governor Murphy to reopen the fishing... Read more

U.S. Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Tom Suozzi (D-NY) today introduced the World Press Freedom Protection and Reciprocity Act, legislation to protect journalist around the world who are too often censored, jailed, tortured or killed for exercising the freedom of expression and to ensure that U.S. media personnel overseas are given the same access and protections granted to foreign journalists in the U.S. “Freedom of the press and freedom of speech are enshrined in the Bill of Rights in t... Read more

Under a new bill introduced by Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Peter King (R-NY), on Friday, May 15th, states hit hardest by COVID-19—like New Jersey and New York—would receive more federal COVID-19 disaster assistance than less-affected states. Smith’s bill, the New Jersey, New York, and Highly Impacted States COVID-19 Relief Fund Act (H.R. 6914), provides $500 billion to the states and territories, dispensing the monies based, in part, on population but also, very importantly and specifically, t... Read more

The Chinese government through its propaganda organ the Global Times threatened Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey and a handful of American lawmakers and officials seeking to legally empower victims of the COVID-19 pandemic to bring lawsuits in U.S. courts against the Chinese government. The Global Times wrote on May 14, “China is extremely dissatisfied with the abuse of litigation by the US against China over the COVID-19 epidemic, and is considering punitive countermeasures against US indi... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) introduced bipartisan legislation today to lift the veil of secrecy on how the World Health Organization (WHO) deals with governments around the world, including the Chinese government, in the wake of misinformation the People’s Republic of China provided to the WHO that delayed a global response and enabled the coronavirus to spread throughout the U.S. and around the globe. “The WHO should not be a partisan organization, and this bill would ... Read more

As the U.S. and all nations aggressively combat the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of African countries also face a very serious threat of starvation caused by a devasting locust plague, leading Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)—the former chairman and current ranking Republican of the congressional panel that oversees U.S. policy on Africa and all global health issues—to author bipartisan legislation to help mitigate the crisis and protect critical food supplies in the region. Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), the cu... Read more

Saying that “Alzheimer’s doesn’t stop and neither do we,” members, friends and advocates from the Alzheimer’s Association met with Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) for a virtual town hall “Coffee with Congress” to receive an update on federal efforts, and thank Smith for his steadfast advocacy. “Congressman Smith is a true champion in the fight against Alzheimer’s…a man we all know and admire for his devotion to a world without Alzheimer’s,” said Christine Hopkins, Alzheimer’s Ambassador for the Fourth ... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith (NJ04) joined Fox News Channel anchor Jon Scott's Sunday news show to discuss Smith's legislation to allow U.S. citizens and local governments to file suit against the government of China to hold it accountable for the deaths, pain and suffering, and the economic crisis stemming from its intentional misrepresentations to the World Health Organization (WHO) which enabled the coronavirus to spread viciously throughout the U.S. and around the globe. Click here to read about ... Read more