On Jan. 21, 1945 Francis B. Hayes Jr. was captured by German forces during the Battle of the Bulge. "We became completely cut off," Hayes, 89, Manasquan, said. "Germans were all around us. We were neither able to pull back nor advance and were running out of ammunition. Relief could not get through to us." He was moved several times between various prison camps. As the Allies pushed the Germans back, the Germans brought their prisoners deeper into Germany. "I had to share a bunk with another pr... Read more

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), current co-chairs of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, announced today that Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-PA) will join them as new co-chairs for the 114th Congress. “I am pleased that Reps. Burgess and Fattah have agreed to bring their vision and expertise to our team,” said Rep. Smith, who in 1999 founded the Task Force with then-Rep. Ed Markey. “Alzheimer’s is a national epidemic, and more r... Read more

U.S. Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) presented a long-overdue POW Medal to an Army veteran nearly 70 years to the day after he was captured by the Germans during the bloody Battle of the Bulge in January 1944. Francis B. Hayes, Jr. was with the 94th Infantry Division (ID) which sailed across the Atlantic on the Queen Elizabeth from New York on August 6, 1944. He was only 19. In December 1944 into early January 1945, the 94th ID was moved east across France by truck to the southern section of the... Read more

The recent invitation extended by House Speaker John Boehner to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel to address a joint session of Congress this March was welcomed by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04). “Israel completely shares the U.S. commitment to human rights, democracy, and the rule of law,” said Smith, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “This makes it nearly unique in the Middle East, and it is only right that Congress hear a direct report from the leader of our clo... Read more

The dire situation in Nigeria and the U.S. effort to maintain positive relations with the largest U.S. trading partner in Africa and a major ally in international peacekeeping were the focus of a House hearing held Jan. 27 by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the House Africa and global human rights subcommittee. “Unfortunately, Nigeria is beset by various challenges that threaten the peace and stability of this African giant,” said Smith, who has recently twice traveled to Nigeria, Afr... Read more

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) spoke at a press conference today highlighting House legislation taken up on the House floor Monday and Tuesday, including two bills authored by Smith to step up the fight against modern day slavery. Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights and a longtime anti-human trafficking advocate, Smith authored the landmark law, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA, Public Law 106-386). On Monday, two other Smith measures w... Read more

Two bills authored by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) to step up the fight against modern day slavery were taken up by the House today. Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights and a longtime anti-human trafficking advocate, Smith authored the landmark law, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA, Public Law 106-386). Today, two other Smith measures were debated by the House and unanimously passed in voice votes. These measures will challenge moder... Read more

The recent widely-reported terrorist killings and 2013 kidnapping of school girls in Nigeria, the Nigerian government’s efforts to fight the notorious terror group Boko Haram and upcoming elections next month will be among topics of a House hearing set for Tuesday, Jan. 27 by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the Africa and global human rights subcommittee. Smith, who has traveled to Nigeria twice in the past 18 months, will chair the hearing. WHAT: Congressional hearing entitled “Niger... Read more

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) spoke at the 2015 March for Life in Washington, D.C., attended by hundreds of thousands of Americans from across the country. He gave the following remarks: You and I are here today because we have a compelling duty to protect the weakest and most vulnerable from the violence of abortion. You and I are part of the most important human rights cause on earth. The right to life is the first right. You and I are working, praying even fasting for that day when every lif... Read more

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, co-chair of the congressional bipartisan Pro-Life Caucus, applauded today’s overwhelming passage of legislation, No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2015 (HR 7) which will permanently prohibit federal funding for abortion and funding for any insurance plan that includes abortion on demand. “The American people strongly oppose taxpayer funding for abortion,” Smith said during the floor debate on the bill that coincided with the arr... Read more