Save the Children today praised the passage in the House of Representatives of the bipartisanFeed the Future Global Food Security Act of 2014 (H.R 5656). The bill, introduced by food security and nutrition champions Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Betty McCollum (D-MN), is a strong showing of bipartisan cooperation and action to maintain the U.S. commitment and progress in combating global hunger and malnutrition for the more than 800 million children and families suffering worldwide. "Feed the Fut... Read more

Promoting and protecting human rights should be a central part of U.S. foreign policy around the world, including in dealings with rising powers such as China, developing nations like Sudan and Nigeria, and every other nation where human rights violations occur, said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) today. The Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights issues, Smith marked Wednesday, Dec. 10, as the anniversary of the founding of International Human Rights Day. “C... Read more

“Is Academic Freedom Threatened by China's Influence on U.S. Universities?” is the title of a hearing held today by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the global human rights subcommittee in the House of Representatives and co-chairman of the U.S. Commission on China. Smith, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, said the U.S. needs to take a long hard look at the costs and benefits of the growing number of Chines... Read more

NICOLE GUADIANO, USA Today - Lawmakers are investigating whether academic freedom is being threatened at universities building campuses in China and partnering with the Chinese on "Confucius institutes" in the U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., chairman of a House subcommittee focusing on human rights, said at a hearing before the panel Thursday that he will seek a Governmental Accountability Office study of agreements between U.S. universities and China that allow China to promote its culture and l... Read more

China defended its relationship with U.S. universities on Friday after critics of Beijing told a panel of U.S. lawmakers that those growing ties challenge their commitment to academic freedom. The hearing held Thursday by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) – who has held a number of hearings on China’s human-right practices — took a critical look at the increasing ties between U.S. universities and Chinese schools, including Chinese-funded language and culture institutes at U.S. campuses as well as ... Read more

China's authoritarian government is gaining a foothold on American campuses by funding dozens of institutes that project a rose-tinted view of the Asian nation that compromises the academic integrity of U.S. universities, a congressional hearing was told Thursday. Scholars of China testified that these state-funded Confucius Institutes teach nonpolitical subjects like Chinese language and culture but suppress discussion on sensitive topics like Tibet and the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown on democracy... Read more

By MATT HANSEN of the LA Times - The Chinese government's influence over American universities is broad and deep, ranging from such subtle pressures as the denial of visas for vocal American scholars to more overt efforts, including opening Chinese cultural institutes on U.S. college campuses, experts on human rights and education told lawmakers Thursday. That influence has become more pronounced as American universities open satellite campuses in the country and welcome Chinese government-funde... Read more

(Reuters) - China defended its government-funded Confucius Institute programs on Friday after new questions were raised in the United States about their transparency and effect on academic freedom. China says its Confucius Institutes around the world are established by universities voluntarily, and that such centers promote Chinese-language learning and academic and cultural exchange. But the institutes have raised concerns that they threaten academic freedom, conduct surveillance of Chinese stu... Read more

WASHINGTON — The cutouts of human figures stood in neat rows in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol, each decorated by a group of New Jersey middle and high school students paying tribute to 800,000 Rwandans massacred two decades ago. More than 70 such figures, each 5-feet tall, some covered in black with drawings of skulls and others with doves flying in bright blue skies, stood on exhibit in the Rayburn House Office Building here to remember the 100-day period beginning in April 1994 where the majo... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) hosted “100 Days of Silence,” a one-of-a-kind art exhibition on Tues. Dec. 2, 2014, coordinated by the Center for Holocaust, Human Rights & Genocide Education (Chhange) at Brookdale Community College to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. The collection brings together works created by over 450 New Jersey students and includes more than 60 life-size human forms which illustrate students’ artistic responses to learning about the genocide, ... Read more