Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) and his bipartisan congressional delegation (CODEL) traveled to the region devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan, locally called Typhoon Yolanda, meeting with victims of the typhoon, emergency workers and U.S. and Filipino government officials. “It’s mind numbing and heart numbing,” Smith said. “I’ve been to many places around the world when there have been catastrophic typhoons hurricanes, earthquakes and even more. It is powerful to witness the Filipino people’s re... Read more

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Co-Chairman of the Congressional Pro-life Caucus, today released the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to take up Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood’s Religious Freedom cases. “President Obama’s use of the coercive power of the state to force people of faith and people of conscience to violate their fundamental convictions or suffer severe penalty is unconscionable and violates the basic principles of religious freedom that are so central to our ... Read more

Typhoon Haiyan — perhaps the strongest tropical storm ever to make landfall — has shifted the international humanitarian-assistance machine into high gear. On Nov. 22, I led a bipartisan fact-finding congressional delegation that included Reps. Al Green, Texas Democrat, and Trent Franks, Arizona Republican, and senior staff to the Philippines. We visited storm-ravaged areas, including Tacloban and Ormoc. In Manila, we visited government officials, church representatives and leaders of numerous ... Read more

By Christopher Robbins/NJ.com The Star-Ledger -- After witnessing Hurricane Sandy’s impact on his own district, a New Jersey congressman is surveying a devastating typhoon’s damage half way around the world. Congressman Chris Smith (R-4th) and his bipartisan congressional delegation traveled to the region impacted by Typhoon Haiyan to meet with victims of the typhoon, emergency workers and U.S. and Filipino government officials. “You listen to the victims and talk directly to the people who are ... Read more

By 1st Lt. Luke Kuper | Headquarters Marine Corps | November 25, 2013 - Marines with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 assisted in rescue efforts of two pilots involved in a civilian helicopter crash Nov. 24 over Manila Bay. A KC-130J Super Hercules assigned to the squadron was returning to Villamor Air Base from Tacloban after delivering relief supplies in support of Operation Damayan, the U.S. military response to Typhoon Haiyan. Maj. Jason Kauffman, a pilot with the squadron, hea... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) is expected to arrive in the Philippines Saturday leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to the region devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan. The former U.S. territory, and one of the U.S.’s closet allies in the Far East, suffered a direct hit by one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in history on November 8. More than 4,000 people were killed and many more thousands were injured. Basic necessities, including food, clean water, housing and sanitation, ... Read more

After decades of elusive justice and failed U.S. government efforts to extradite the convicted murderers of a New Jersey State trooper and a World War II veteran, as well as other fugitives, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) and Rep. Albio Sires (NJ-08) today unveiled the “Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act” (H.R. 3585). “The bill is named after Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster because they were both brutally murdered by people who have been convicted, escaped priso... Read more

The national epidemic and potential world pandemic of Alzheimer’s Disease was the topic of a congressional hearing today before the House global health panel chaired by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who also co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease. Over five million Americans suffer from the debilitating disease. Some experts estimate that Alzheimer’s costs Americans over $180 billion annually, which could rise to over $1 trillion a year by 2050. Next month at... Read more

“The Increasing American Jobs Through Greater Exports to Africa Act” —legislation to support American jobs by growing U.S. exports to Africa—was passed Thurday by the full House Foreign Affairs Committee, which voted unanimously to pass the bill, written by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees African issues. H.R. 1777, “The Increasing American Jobs Through Greater Exports to Africa Act of 2013,” was passed as an amendment in the form of a subs... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) today led an effort in the House Foreign Affairs committee calling on the Government of Iran to release a U.S. citizen, Pastor Saeed Abedini, or face additional sanctions. By unanimously consent, the full committee accepted Smith’s amendment to broaden and revise pending legislation, H.Res. 147, introduced by Rep. Bill Cassidy back in April. The updated provisions, which Cassidy supports, reflect new and more serious dangers the unjustly imprisoned pastor faces an... Read more