Bipartisan legislation named in honor of Samantha “Sami” Josephson—a senior at the University of South Carolina who was kidnapped and brutally murdered in 2019 by a predator pretending to be her Uber driver—was passed today in the House of Representatives. Sami’s Law—HR 4686—passed in a unanimous voice vote. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the bill's prime sponsor, said that among its provisions, Sami’s Law will “require ride-hailing companies like Uber and Lyft to deploy a verifiable electronic access... Read more

By CHAD GARLAND | STARS AND STRIPES A Vietnam veteran has received his second Silver Star more than five decades after he earned it in a fierce battle at an enemy base camp, where he saved the lives of 10 other soldiers. Bart “Doc” Fabian, a medic with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment during the war, received the medal during a ceremony in Rep. Chris Smith’s office in Freehold, N.J., on Saturday. He’d been promised the medal a day after the roughly hourlong battle of April 13, 1969, but “it jus... Read more

By Jonathan D. Salant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Did the Pentagon look at using ticks with pathogens to infect America’s enemies during the Cold War? And did some of those ticks escape into the U.S., bringing Lyme disease with them? Those are the questions Rep. Chris Smith has been asking for years, and his House colleagues have once again agreed that they deserve answers. The Democratic-controlled House voted to ask the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, to... Read more

An amendment offered by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) which directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the possible involvement of DOD biowarfare labs in the weaponization of Lyme disease in ticks and other insects from 1950-1975 was passed by the House last night. During the debate on his amendment, Smith said Lyme disease patients have “a right to know” whether credible assertions made about causes for the explosion in Lyme disease are true. He also said that with Lyme, like m... Read more

The Belmar Borough Fire Department will receive modest but critical federal funding to purchase essential personal protection equipment (PPE) needed to protect the public—and public servants—during the ongoing coronavirus emergency, said Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) today. “Belmar runs an all-volunteer fire department whose members are often the first on the scene and they need good, reliable, medical-grade quality PPE,” stated Smith (NJ-04). “Specifically, this federal funding will help pay for was... Read more

Today U.S Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) presented the Silver Star to Vietnam War combat Army medic and Monmouth County resident, Bart Fabian. This is the second Silver Star awarded to “Doc” Fabian, a highly decorated veteran who received his first Silver Star for his heroism during an ambush by the North Vietnamese on January 11, 1969. He has previously been awarded two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, and an Army Commendation Medal (ACM) with Valor. “Bart ‘Doc’ Fabian is a hero for all ages, earning... Read more

“Congressman John Lewis’ courageous legacy of working for civil rights and racial equality, began at the side of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the turbulent 1960s. Like Martin Luther King, John Lewis rejected violence and successfully worked to advance civil rights through peaceful protest and nonviolent civil disobedience. Congressman Lewis was known for his advocacy of peace stating, ‘As a student of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela, I have long believed tha... Read more

Tuesday, Jul. 14, 2020 - 5:44 PM - New Jersey Republican Rep. Chris Smith, one of the lawmakers being banned, speaks out. Congressman Smith, a commissioner on the bipartisan House-Senate-White House human rights panel called the Congressional-Executive Commission on China since 2007 and two-time chairman, has held more than 60 hearings on human rights abuses in China. This story aired throughout the day on July 14, 2020 and can be found at: https://video.foxnews.com/v/6171480286001#sp=show-clips... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), an internationally recognized American human rights lawmaker, said the “proximate cause” of today's sanction against him appears to be his authorship of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act. “In my remarks on the floor of the House during debate, I underscored the fact that President Xi Jinping is directly responsible for the genocide against the Muslims. “The U.S. sanctions Chinese officials for egregiously abusing human rights and Beijing responds by sanctioning Members... Read more

Heard on Morning Edition - Steve Inskeep talks to Republican Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey about sanctions against U.S. officials by China. The sanctions are in response to U.S. sanctions against Chinese officials. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: With a diplomatic fight over human rights, the United States imposed sanctions on Chinese officials linked with mistreatment of China's Uighur minority. And now China says it's imposing sanctions on four U.S. officials. One is an ambassador, two are senators and ... Read more