More than $4.5 million in emergency funding was awarded today to local governments in the Fourth Congressional District to help areas stabilize and recover from the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) announced today. Smith noted the funding comes from the comprehensive, bipartisan $2 trillion stimulus bill he supported to help communities devastated by the Coronavirus pandemic. The legislation was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed into law... Read more

After a long two weeks stuck in a foreign country, Kirby Given is finally home. The 2013 Point Pleasant Beach High School graduate saw herself trapped just outside of Lima in Peru when that government declared a state of emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic and sealed the borders. International flights out of Peru were canceled and a mandatory 15-day quarantine was issued. Given, 24, was in the country for a spring break vacation with six of her teammates of the Salisbury University (Maryla... Read more

By Isaac Avilucea, Trentonian Staff - A township teenager stranded in Peru while visiting family during the global coronavirus pandemic is back home. Sixteen-year-old Noelia Manion was one of 17 New Jerseyans who Congressman Chris Smith helped get back to the Garden State, his office said in a statement. The congressman contacted the U.S. Ambassador to Peru, the Deputy Chief of Mission at the American Embassy in Lima, and top officials at the State Department in Washington to bring home stranded... Read more

After more than a week of letters, phone calls and personal intervention to bring home Americans stuck in Peru, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced today that almost all those he championed are back on U.S. soil. The last of the 17 Americans seeking Smith’s assistance is in transit and expected back in the U.S. Monday. Smith, an experienced human rights leader in Congress and a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, worked with the stranded Americans, their families here at home, t... Read more

The following are excerpts of remarks by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) in the House of Representatives during debate on the CARES Act on March 27, 2020: Mr. Speaker, my home state of New Jersey—like many parts of the country and world—has been hard hit by COVID-19. As of today, 6,876 people have tested positive with 81 deaths. Tragically, in my district, four members of one family have died from the virus. Containing the Coronavirus pandemic, developing and deploying reliable therapeutics and creating... Read more

The following are excerpts of remarks by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) in the House of Representatives during debate on the CARES Act on March 27, 2020: Mr. Speaker, my home state of New Jersey—like many parts of the country and world—has been hard hit by COVID-19. As of today, 6,876 people have tested positive with 81 deaths. Tragically, in my district, four members of one family have died from the virus. Containing the Coronavirus pandemic, developing and deploying reliable therapeutics and creatin... Read more

A comprehensive bipartisan $2 trillion stimulus package to help restore the U.S. economy devastated by the Coronavirus pandemic, was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed into law by President Trump today. “Containing the Coronavirus pandemic, developing and deploying reliable therapeutics and creating a safe and effective vaccine must be our highest priority—no matter the cost,” said Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) who returned to Washington to participate in the floor debate and supp... Read more

Within 24 hours of being contacted, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) persuaded the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to release a massive shipment of 41.3 million medical-grade gloves for distribution in the United States for medical professionals including nurses and doctors and to first responders. The gloves had been held by CBP since late September of last year. “At this critical juncture, when supplies of personal protective equipment—PPE—are scarce and medical professionals need to be safe... Read more

By Erik Larsen, APP Staff Writer At the request of Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has agreed to release 41.3 million medical-grade gloves that were being held at ports in Maryland and California. The gloves will be distributed throughout the United States to medical professionals, including to doctors, nurses and first responders, the congressman’s office said in a prepared statement on Thursday. The gloves had been held by the federal agency since late Septem... Read more

Ocean County will open its coronavirus drive thru testing site at Ocean County College at 9 a.m. Monday, March 30 to Ocean County residents that must be registered to be tested and must have a doctor's prescription for the test. To register for the coronavirus test visit the Ocean County Health Department website at www.ochd.org and follow the online directions. For more information on COVID 19 call the Ocean County Health Department hotline at 732-341-9700, Ext.7411. "We want these tests to ru... Read more