"Mr. Speaker, the people of South Sudan have endured two decades of wanton violence, rape, torture and hunger systematically imposed upon them by the Bashir dictatorship in Khartoum. More than two million people were killed, four million people displaced, and countless families decimated. The Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2005 ended the war and put South Sudan on the path to nationhood... ." To read Cong. Smith's full remarks on the Congressional Record, click here. To watch Cong. Smith's flo... Read more

Support for people struggling to obtain basic human rights in Belarus—often called Europe’s last dictatorship—came today in the form of the House of Representatives passage of the Belarus Democracy and Human Rights Act of 2011. The bill, H.R. 515, calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Belarus, including those detained in the post-election crackdown, and refuses to recognize the results of the flawed recent elections. “The repressive regime in Belarus was... Read more

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed landmark legislation by Congressman Chris Smith, HR 3, "The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” to permanently prohibit taxpayer funding for abortion across all federal programs. The bill passed by a vote of 251-175. Congressman Smith (NJ-04), co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, vigorously delivered several speeches in support of the bill during debate on the House floor. Smith's remarks on HR 3 can be read by clicking on: A... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith spoke in support of H. Con. Res. 36, a measure to block federal monies from going to Planned Parenthood in H.R. 1473, the appropriations bill for federal departments and agencies for the remainder of 2011 fiscal year: "In its slick TV ads and PR blitz, the billion-dollar-a-year abortion giant Planned Parenthood appears to be hiding something. "Could it be they are hiding the dismaying fact that just one organization—Planned Parenthood—today performs over 25% of all aborti... Read more

"Mr. Speaker, I rise to convey to the House the extremely sad news that our former colleague from New Jersey, John Adler, passed away earlier today... . In Congress, John served with distinction on both the Financial Services and Veterans Affairs Committees. As a New Jersey State Senator for 17 years, John served as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and sponsored laws requiring pension forfeitures and mandatory prison for corrupt officials... ." To view Smith's floor remarks on April 4,... Read more

On the floor of the House today Congressman Smith lauded the spirit and tenacity of human rights leader Oscar Biscet, who endured nearly 12 years imprisonment in Cuba and for whom Smith recently led a congressional nomination to receive the Nobel Prize: "Nobel Peace Prize nominee Dr. Oscar Biscet of Cuba, one of the bravest and brightest human rights defenders on Earth, was released on March 11 from a wretched Cuban prison where he had endured 8 years of torture with periods of solitary confinem... Read more

"Mr. Chairman, it's time Americans, especially policymakers, health officials, the media, and law enforcement, took a second and critical look at Planned Parenthood," Smith said. "Not only does Planned Parenthood vigorously lobby and litigate against parental notification and parental consent laws, thus enabling secret abortions for very, very young girls to be procured in their clinics, but now we've learned from recent undercover taped investigations at several of its clinics that Planned Pare... Read more

Congressman Smith made the following remarks on the floor of the House last night: "Mr. Speaker, yesterday an abortionist in Philadelphia—Dr. Kermit Gosnell—was arrested and charged in the death of a mother, and seven babies who were born alive but then killed by severing their spinal cords with a pair of scissors. "According to the Philadelphia CBS TV affiliate, the District Attorney said that in one year alone, Dr. Gosnell made approximately $1.8 million performing abortions. The abortion indu... Read more

Congressman Smith gave the following statement for the Congressional Record today: "Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask that my colleagues listen to the American people and vote for H.R. 2, legislation to repeal Obamacare and, in essence, open the door to the passage of replacement legislation that offers needed, meaningful and bipartisan health care reform. "Considered in its entirety, Obamacare is a crippling blow to both health care in America and our economy. Not only will Obamacare over time er... Read more

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) sadly recalled the plight of Liu Xiaobo, the Chinese political prisoner was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize Dec. 10 in absentia in Oslo because the Chinese government would not allow him to attend. Smith submitted the following into the Congressional Record today: "Madam Speaker: In the theatrical adaptation of Victor Hugo‟s Les Miserables, Marius sings a haunting song – 'Empty Chairs and Empty Tables' – an expression of agony at the loss of his idealistic comrades, g... Read more