Today, Rep. Chris Smith (R‑NJ), Co‑Chair of the Congressional‑Executive Commission on China (CECC), introduced two strong, complimentary bills designed to defend human rights and hold authoritarian regimes accountable for their abuses. The first bill, HR 4829, the Transnational Repression Policy Act, confronts the growing menace of foreign governments that seek to intimidate and silence dissidents on American soil. The second bill, HR 4830, the Uyghur Genocide Accountability and Sanctions Act o... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the House Pro-Life Caucus, applauded the humane decision by Trump Administration Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Doug Collins to reverse the illegal 2022 Biden Administration policy, which forced taxpayers to pay for abortion-on-demand in VA healthcare facilities, and released the following statement: "In reversing the Biden Administration’s VA abortion policy, President Trump and Secretary Collins both honor the will of the American people, who do... Read more

By James T. Areddy and Lindsay Wise Lawmakers in both houses of Congress introduced legislation targeting China on Thursday, a reminder of Capitol Hill’s deep-seated desire to punish Beijing over human rights even as President Trump gives priority to a trade deal. The bipartisan bills touch on issues that have long vexed American policymakers, namely signs that Beijing tries to stifle Chinese dissent in the U.S. and that, at home, it has abused ethnic minorities including Uyghurs. China remains... Read more

By the Ocean County Leader July 30, 2025 The Veterans Administration clinic on Hooper Avenue in Toms River may soon bear the name of Leonard G. "Bud" Lomell, a decorated World War II veteran recognized for his actions during the D-Day invasion. On July 21, the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation to rename the facility after Lomell, whose leadership helped disable German artillery at Pointe du Hoc and aided Allied landings on Utah and Omaha beaches. Historian Stephen Ambrose credi... Read more

On World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a leading U.S. lawmaker in the global fight against human trafficking, commended the community of trafficking survivors and underscored the advancement of new anti-human trafficking legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives. “The United States’ unwavering commitment to combatting modern-day slavery is ongoing. Just last week, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Preventi... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) today announced that he has secured a $1 million federal earmark in the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill due for a final vote in the full House of Representatives in September. “This critical funding will boost the federal/local partnership already underway to address the critical water quality issues at Silver Lake,” said Smith, who has represented Belmar in Congress for many years. “Ultimately, the restoration project will help return a healthy estua... Read more

By Jim Lonergan Published July 27, 2025 at 3:15 PM JERSEY SHORE — Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) has secured a $1 million federal earmark to help restore Silver Lake in Belmar, one of several critical coastal lakes and waterways stretching from Belmar through Brielle—including Spring Lake, Lake Como, and Wreck Pond—that are vital to local ecosystems and flood management. The funding, included in the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, is set for a final House vote in September. If appr... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), joined Rep. Tom Tiffany and Rep. Andy Ogles in urging Secretary of State Marco Rubio to meet with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te when the leader of the democratic nation transits through New York and Texas later this year. In a letter led by Congressman Tiffany, the three lawmakers said that “Taiwan has become a vibrant, multi-party democracy, while Communist China has become more oppressive, more ... Read more

“Would it be better to have the people who entered the U.S. illegally and ‘have a nexus to a transnational criminal organization or criminal drug activity’ just walking around our streets and threatening the well-being of our young people,” asked Rep. Chris Smith after a comprehensive briefing from the Department of Defense (DOD) regarding plans for detention and removal of alien detainees, which may include Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL). “Or is it better that they be in a secure loc... Read more

By Jean Mikle Asbury Park Press staff TOMS RIVER -- The Veterans Administration clinic here is one step closer to being named for a hometown hero. The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill July 21 to name the Hooper Avenue clinic after the late Leonard G. "Bud" Lomell, an Army veteran who was one of the most highly decorated combat soldiers of World War II. Lomell, then a staff sergeant, is best known for leading a group of Army Rangers up the steep cliffs of Pointe du Hoc on D... Read more