On the 75th anniversary of the founding of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) praised the organization for the life-saving work it has done for decades in 110 countries worldwide. “For 75 years, CRS and thousands of leaders, staff and volunteers have saved and enhanced the lives of the weakest, most vulnerable in over 100 countries,” Smith stated at a 75th anniversary reception for Catholic Relief Services on Capitol Hill on Tuesday . “Whether it be programs for healt... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), dean of the New Jersey Congressional delegation, delivered excerpts of the following remarks on Friday at Point Pleasant Beach at the signing of the STOP Offshore Oil and Gas Act by New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy: Special thanks to Governor Murphy for his invitation to join him as he signs this extraordinarily important legislation to ban oil and gas exploration, development and production in State waters—that is to say, within three nautical miles from our coastlin... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chair of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, issued the following statement on April 18, Zimbabwe Independence Day: Today I extend my sincere congratulations and best wishes to the people of Zimbabwe on the 38th anniversary of the country’s independence. Their aspirations to freedom and peace have been stymied far too often since that time by strongman rule, government corruption and a repression of freed... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith’s (R-NJ) reauthorization of a landmark food security bill, the Global Food Security Reauthorization Act of 2018 (HR 5129) is scheduled to be marked up on Tuesday in the House Foreign Affairs Committee, bringing it one step closer to a House Floor vote. “The original Global Food Security Act (GFSA) promoted food security, resilience and nutrition in developing countries in keeping with U.S. national security interests,” Rep. Smith, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Afr... Read more

Barbara Bush was a woman full of grace, dignity, and spirited wit and humor. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother, and a straight-talking First Lady who truly cared about others. Her commitment to literacy was legendary and it left enormous contributions to our country, helping so many improve their lives. She will be sorely missed. May she rest in peace, and may the Bush family take some consolation in knowing she was loved by many. Read more

The following are excerpts of remarks by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) during Holocaust Remembrance Week: Mr. Speaker, I rise for this Holocaust Remembrance Week to honor the people murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust, especially the six million Jews singled out for genocide. The methods of mass murder were unspeakable, horrifying and modern. The anti-Semitic hate fueling the killing was an ancient, persistent evil, a disease of the heart that dehumanizes and destroys. The late, iconic Holocaus... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) received the Legislator of the Year award from the Humane Society of the United States and the Humane Society Legislative Fund on Wednesday at the U.S. Capitol, for his leadership in “path-breaking animal protection legislation” in 2017 in Congress. “I have long worked to ensure that animal welfare laws are properly funded and strongly enforced,” Smith stated. “I am pleased to be honored as a leader on this issue—we must ensure that any and all horrifying abuse and exploi... Read more

“On this Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, we commemorate the more than six million Jewish people murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators. That genocide of European Jewish communities was fueled by the persistent, unique evil of anti-Semitism. “We should honor the dead by never wavering in our solidarity with the living. This requires prioritizing the safety and security of Jewish communities – especially strengthening formal partnerships between Jewish communities and law enforcemen... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), chair of the House Subcommittee on Global Human Rights, today called on the Trump Administration to take action on behalf of America’s kidnapped children in the subcommittee hearing entitled, “No Abducted Child Left Behind: An Update on the Goldman Act,” for families suffering from international parental child abduction. “Congress unanimously adopted the Goldman Act in 2014 to ensure that the U.S. government and foreign governments would prioritize the return of abducted... Read more

Two members of the U.S. House of Representatives addressed this open letter to President Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, Mike Pompeo. From: Nita Lowey, Chris Smith To: Mike Pompeo Last week, many of our constituents, as well as Jewish families here and abroad, sat down for a seder to commemorate the Exodus story of Passover. Anti-Semitic attacks, threats and incidents were likely a topic of discussion at many tables. Conversations about Jewish communities around the world focused on a ke... Read more