In response to Secretary Mike Pompeo that Hong Kong is no longer autonomous from China, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Ranking Member of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, said the following: Smith said: "The United States and the world can no longer enable—however unwittingly—the Chinese government's massive crimes against humanity including violations of the Basic Law and, as Secretary Pompeo stated today, the loss of auto... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) gave remarks on the floor of the House today during consideration of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act. The bill passed 413-1. The following are excerpts of his statement: Madame Speaker, Communist party general secretary Xi Jinping’s ongoing genocide against the approximately 10 million Uyghurs living in Xinjiang in northwestern China demands action. Today, more than a million Uyghurs are in concentration camps. Millions more are harassed, beaten, raped and tortured. S ... Read more

The winners of the 2020 Congressional Art Competition were announced today by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who sponsors the annual competition and art show for high school students in the Fourth Congressional District as part of the nationwide competition organized by the Congressional Institute to help recognize and foster artistic talent in each congressional district. “We’re glad this event, though modified, remained popular and competitive ensuring that NJ-04 high school artists, who had... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith met with captains and customers over the Memorial Day weekend as they boarded local vessels and kicked-off the 2020 fluke fishing season. Smith has been working with the United Boatmen and Recreational Fishing Alliance, and their effective representative, Ray Bogan, to urge Governor Murphy to reopen the fishing boats at a capacity that is both safe and economically viable. News of the change came Friday morning. Click here or image below to watch News12 clip. This clip ran numer... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the author of the House-passed Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, released the following statement condemning the Chinese government’s latest assault on Hong Kong freedoms. “I unequivocally condemn Beijing’s efforts to destroy Hong Kong as we know it—with its freedoms of press, speech and assembly, which are now imperiled—and I stand with the people of Hong Kong during this dark period,” Smith said. “We are witnessing the death knell of the ‘high degree of autonom... Read more

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

By Bill Spadea NJ101.5 Radio Host My friend Congressman Chris Smith joined me on the morning show to talk about his efforts to help families impacted by COVID-19. He was the champion of a bill to allow 9/11 victims families to sue Saudi Arabia. Congressman Smith is no stranger to taking risks on behalf of human rights, he’s had other run ins with Chinese authorities and that hasn’t stopped him. We also chatted about his push for hydroxychloroquine which we have reported previously as being effec... Read more