The U.S. House on Wednesday cleared legislation to expand a federally funded health care program for seniors. The bill, sponsored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.) would make more individuals eligible for the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, which provides health care and social services at community facilities to senior citizens who otherwise would have to be placed in nursing homes. The measure, which earlier passed the Senate, now goes to President Obama for his signature. ... Read more

"The world is witnessing a global religious freedom crisis that poses a direct challenge to U.S. interests in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa,” said the Chairman of the House global human rights subcommittee, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, noting special concerns in China and Russia. “The stakes are too high and the suffering too great to downplay religious freedom.” Smith will hold a hearing to examine religious freedom restrictions and religion-related violence since President Cli... Read more

The American Hungarian Federation honored Helsinki Commission Chair Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) on October 22 with its Colonel Commandant Michael Kovats Medal of Freedom, awarded to outstanding individuals to recognize their life's achievements, dedication to freedom and democracy, promotion of transatlantic relations, and meritorious contribution to society. “I am delighted to have received the Kovats award, which represents the long-standing commitment of Hungarian Americans to the United States ... Read more

Four countries plagued by democracy, governance, human rights abuses, ongoing conflict, international resource plundering and transnational threats such as the terrorist Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), were the subject of a hearing today by Chairman Chris Smith’s (NJ-04) Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations. U.S. policy toward four countries of Africa’s Great Lakes region–Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda–was laid... Read more

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced today that the House has passed key legislation providing flexibility for the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) to bring its model of care to more seniors and new populations. By a voice vote, the House sent S. 1362, the Senate companion bill to the Smith-Blumenauer bill (H.R. 3243, the PACE Innovation Act of 2015) to the President for his signature. “The PACE Innovation Act will provide the federally supported PACE organizations with mu... Read more

At a hearing convened today by the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, Chairman Chris Smith (NJ-04) and other lawmakers scrutinized actions being taken to deal with Europe’s largest refugee crisis since World War II by the United States, European governments, regional bodies like the OSCE and the EU, and civil society. The Commission also reviewed recommendations on developing a long-term solution to the crisis. “The European crisis requires a... Read more

The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, will hold a hearing on the actions of the Russian government which have raised questions about Russia’s failure to respect its commitment to the rule of law in the areas of military security, commerce, and laws bearing on human rights–each corresponding to one of the three dimensions of security established by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Using the Helsinki ... Read more

“Africa’s Great Lakes Region: A Security, Political, and Humanitarian Challenge,” is the title of a congressional hearing to be chaired Wednesday by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the Africa and global human rights subcommittee. High-level U.S. State Department officials will testify. WHAT: Congressional hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee WHO: Smith, members of the Subcommittee on Africa and global human rights, and witnesses: The Honorable Linda Thomas–Greenfield, Assist... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) attended the Thursday evening ribbon-cutting of a new Medicare-sponsored program designed to provide all-inclusive health care for eligible seniors, while allowing them to remain independent in their own homes. PACE—Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly—is the federal program that enables nursing home-eligible seniors to obtain all inclusive care, without moving into a nursing home facility. The Beacon of Life PACE program will be run by Beacon Health and ... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) was a guest speaker and award recipient of the 2015 Federal Legislative Leader Award from the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies (NJAMHAA) at its Fall Behavioral Healthcare Meeting this afternoon at the Robert Wood Johnson Fitness and Wellness Center in Hamilton. Smith was honored for his work with autism, veterans and other mental health issues. He was welcomed at the Oct. 15 event by Dr. Debra Wentz, CEO of NJAHMAA, as well as Shauna... Read more