By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR — Sep. 15, 2014 10:03 PM EDT (Associated Press) — A nonpartisan congressional agency is raising new questions about compliance with a key compromise on abortion that allowed the federal health care law to pass in 2010. The Government Accountability Office said in a report released late Monday that only 1 of 18 insurers it reviewed was separately itemizing a charge for coverage of elective abortions on enrollees' bills. That detail is important because the original comp... Read more

The recent and widespread murders, rapes, displacements and other violence and assaults on the religious freedoms of people in Syria and Iraq and the U.S. effort to address them were the topics of a congressional hearing Wednesday held jointly by the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations and the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa. The hearing “Genocidal Attacks Against Christian and Other Religious Minorities in Syria and Iraq,... Read more

Daughters of China Plea for Release of their Imprisoned Fathers WASHINGTON, D.C. – The daughters and relatives of political prisoners held in China will make an appeal to Beijing to let their fathers and loved ones out of prison at a press conference Wednesday, said Chairman Chris Smith (NJ-04), head of the global human rights subcommittee in the House of Representatives, and co-chairman of the U.S. Commission on China. China continues to detain and torture prisoners of conscience, including hum... Read more

The House of Representatives tonight passed legislation cosponsored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith—the Tick-Borne Disease Research Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 (HR 4701)—which, if enacted, will be the first federal law to identify and seek to address chronic Lyme disease. “The bill before us begins the process of helping Lyme patients by establishing an interagency Working Group on Lyme disease and creating a strategic plan to guide existing federal Lyme disease research and treatment p... Read more

Less than two weeks after apparently coming to agreement on a plan to move forward on a peace agreement negotiated by regional leaders, South Sudanese rebels indicate they will not sign an agreement that leaves President Salva Kiir in power. Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the House subcommittee that oversees issues on Africa, said today that while politics are at the heart of what has become a civil war, political grievances must be put aside in the interest of peace. The president... Read more

This story was originally printed in the Sept. 8 edition of the Asbury Park Press at: http://www.app.com/story/news/local/neptune-wall/belmar/2014/09/07/belmar-beach-bash-draws-thousands-affected-autism/15256407/ Read more

The recent beheadings, murders, rapes and other violence and assaults on the religious freedoms of people in Syria and Iraq and the U.S. effort to address them will be the topic of a congressional hearing planned for Wednesday, to be held jointly by the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations and the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa. “Genocidal Attacks Against Christian and Other Religious Minorities in Syria and Iraq,” is the ... Read more

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) gave the keynote address Tuesday at the groundbreaking ceremony of the New Jersey Army National Guard Regional Training Institute (RTI) to be constructed at the National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt, Monmouth County. “This groundbreaking is a huge achievement,” said Smith. “This Training Center will provide a state-of-the-art venue designed to facilitate superior training opportunities for medics, OCS and NCO classes among others not just for New Jersey but for... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) issued the following statement today following reports that Aharon Sofer’s body was found: “This is an extremely difficult time for his family and friends, and they are in our prayers,” said Smith, who represents Lakewood, N.J., Aharon’s hometown. “I would also like to thank the Israeli government for its assistance in the search.” Read more

Amid family, friends and supporters of missing Lakewood student Aharon Sofer, Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today said the search for Aharon, missing in Israel since Friday, Aug. 22, continues vigorously in the hopes that he will be found and safely returned to his family. “I was assured as late as a few hours ago by our Consul General that they are working closely with Israeli police at all levels of Israeli government to comb the Jeru... Read more