The House passed and Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) voted for the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) today, new legislation that will protect the airlift and air refueling missions at America’s only tri-service installation, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB-MDL), and brings $37 million in construction jobs that will support construction work for the local economy. “The bill requires the Secretary of the Air Force to maintain a minimum of 50 KC–10 Extender tankers—many of which a... Read more

Legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to help veterans heal through outdoor recreational therapy has been signed into law by President Trump. Smith’s bipartisan Accelerating Veterans Recovery Outdoors Act (H.R. 2435), which was endorsed by more than 120 veteran service organizations, outdoor recreation groups and conservation organizations, will provide increased access to federal lands for the purposes of veterans’ medical recovery therapy. Smith’s bill—cosponsored by 136 bipartisan ... Read more

Excerpts of remarks by Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) at a hearing of the House Africa Subcommittee on the crisis in Ethiopia held on December 3, 2020: I’d like to thank Chairwoman Bass for once again convening a hearing on an extremely important topic–the unfolding conflict in Ethiopia, centered around the Tigray region, but one which impacts the entire country. Indeed, it is my belief that Ethiopia is one of the two most strategically significant countries in Africa–Nigeria being the other ... Read more

U.S. Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Richard Neal (D-MA), who spearheaded a bipartisan congressional letter urging an independent UK inquiry into government collusion in the 1989 assassination of human rights lawyer Patrick Finucane, today released the following statement in response to UK Secretary of State Brandon Lewis’ disappointing decision to block a public hearing into the murder: “The British Government’s announcement today, its most recent attempt to break its promise for a public inquiry ... Read more

Given the state of global affairs, it is not a given that we -- a bipartisan group of elected officials from Israel, the US, Canada, Australia and the UK -- would find common ground in the midst of a global pandemic. However, the disconcerting proliferation of anti-Semitism through new technology demands that we take urgent action. We recently launched the Inter-Parliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism in order to hold social media companies accountable for what takes place on the... Read more

The United Kingdom must end years of delay and establish an independent inquiry into collusion in the 1989 murder of human rights lawyer Patrick Finucane, said Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who with Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) sent a bipartisan letter signed by 24 members of the U.S. Congress to Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “Pat Finucane was a courageous defense attorney, a loving father and husband, gunned down because of his commitment to human rights and the rule of law,” said Smith, who has chaired... Read more

By Jerry Carino, Asbury Park Press staff, USA TODAY NETWORK – Jim and Karen Raffone thought they had the perfect fundraiser for their charity, which sponsors major research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy: All American Ford in Old Bridge donated a 2020 Ford Mustang convertible for them to raffle off. “We thought we could raise $100,000,” Jim Raffone said. “We raised approximately $25,000 before we had to stop.” Then the office of New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal informed them they were ... Read more

The following are excerpts of remarks by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) in the House of Representatives during debate on H.R. 8428, Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020 on November 18, 2020: Madam Speaker, I urge swift enactment into law of the bipartisan Belarus Democracy, Human Rights and Sovereignty Act of 2020 which I introduced. And here’s why this legislation is absolutely needed now. Belarus was perhaps the nation most mired in its Soviet past, with an inefficient economy... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), author of the House-passed Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act,” said: “the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) forced removal of four duly elected pro-democracy lawmakers from Hong Kong’s Legislative Council is outrageous, unjustified and absolutely dishonorable and tells the world that human rights and the rule of law are a cruel joke under the dictatorship of Xi Jinping.” Smith continued, “Today’s mass resignation of all the remaining pro-democracy lawmakers to prote... Read more

On the eve of the Veterans’ Day holiday, legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to help veterans heal through outdoor recreational therapy cleared the Senate and was on its way to the President’s desk for signing and implementation. Smith’s bipartisan Accelerating Veterans Recovery Outdoors Act (H.R. 2435), which was endorsed by more than 120 veteran service organizations, outdoor recreation groups and conservation organizations, will provide increased access to federal lands for the p... Read more