With 9/11 victim's families looking on, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) delivered the following remarks on the House Floor today: Mr. SMITH of New Jersey… Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chairman GOODLATTE for his extraordinary work on this legislation, Mr. CONYERS, and, of course, PETER KING who has been absolutely tenacious picking up the good work that Dan Lungren, a former member of Congress and Attorney General of California, had done on this legislation previously. This is a bipartisan piece of... Read more

Excerpts from Congressman Chris Smith's (NJ-04), Chairman of a House panel on Human Rights, Statement on the House Floor: Mr. SMITH of New Jersey… Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce H.R. 5961, the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2016. Since ISIS’ blitzkrieg across the multiethnic and religiously diverse mosaic of eastern Syria and western Iraq in 2014, I have chaired four hearings focused on the implications of this appalling advance for religious and ethnic minoriti... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) and Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) today introduced legislation to provide relief for survivors of the ISIS-perpetrated genocide against vulnerable religious and ethnic groups in Syria and Iraq, and to ensure that perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in those countries are punished. The Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2016 directs the U.S. Administration to treat these he... Read more

By Jonathan D. Salant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com The Star-Ledger - Gold Star families would be welcome to tell stories of their loved ones killed while serving in the U.S. military under legislation passed by the U.S. House Tuesday. The measure, sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), would expand the Library of Congress veterans history project to include interviews with family members of those killed or missing in action. Currently, the Library of Congress collects stories told by veterans.... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) today issued a statement regarding Jersey Central Power & Light Company (JCP&L) and Mid-Atlantic Interstate Transmission, LLC (MAIT) withdrawing their petition to the Board of Public Utilities for the transfer of some of JCP&L’s transmission assets to MAIT. “I am encouraged that Jersey Central Power & Light Company (JCP&L) has withdrawn its petition to the Board of Public Utilities for the transfer of some of JCP&L’s transmission assets to a new sister company,” Smith sa... Read more

The breakdown of the fragile peace in South Sudan, illustrated by the government’s inability to prevent an attack on American and international aid workers this past July, was highlighted by State Department and human rights experts at a Capitol Hill hearing chaired today by Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04). “Peace was never fully established in South Sudan as a result of the August 2015 agreement,” said Smith, Chairman of the House panel on Africa. “In fact, fighting spread to areas that had not previo... Read more

In a unanimous 399-0 vote, the House of Representatives has approved the Survivors’ Bill of Rights Act (HR 5578), legislation which outlines basic rights the justice system must provide to sexual assault survivors as they navigate the complex legal process, and takes critical steps to standardize the treatment of victims who come forward. “The Survivors’ Bill of Rights Act is designed to ensure that the necessary legal protections are in place so victims are not re-traumatized by a system intend... Read more

By Chris Smith for the Washington Times - Since the civil war began in South Sudan in December of 2013, the news from one of the world’s newest countries has been consistently gruesome — targeted ethnic killings, rape, kidnappings and disappearances, arbitrary arrests and detentions, recruitment and use of child soldiers, massive social upheaval, millions of hungry people and an economy on the brink of total collapse. As one of the members of Congress who has supported the people in what is now ... Read more

Rep Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the China Commission, provided the following remarks: Mr. SMITH of New Jersey… Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the distinguished chairman for yielding and for his leadership on this issue and Ranking Member ENGEL, and especially thank Chairman SALMON for authoring this important piece of legislation. North Korea, as we know, poses an existential threat to its neighbors and requires constant vigilance and close cooperation of regional allies. The alliance between... Read more

The House of Representatives today passed legislation that will expand the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project (VHP) to include family members of veterans who died as a result of their service or who are missing in action. The Gold Star Families Voices Act was approved by a voice vote and now moves to the Senate for consideration. “The Gold Star Families Voices Act ensures we record and remember the lives and sacrifices of all who have served and provide family members with an opportun... Read more