Helping low income veterans in Central New Jersey who are at risk of losing their homes is the aim of a $2 million federal grant that has been awarded to the veterans organization Soldier On, announced Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who helped bring Soldier On to New Jersey and is a longtime champion programs aimed at reducing homeless including and especially among vets. “Last year, we were successful in securing $1 million for a VA-Soldier On partnership that is already helping our veterans,... Read more

“It has been five long months since the House overwhelmingly passed my legislation to ensure that houses of worship are no longer discriminated against under Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) rules,” said Rep. Chris Smith, author of H.R. 592, the "Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2013.” “When a bill passes the House by such a strong, bipartisan margin of 354-72, it is hoped that the Senate will work aggressively to send it to the President’s desk. The legislation is... Read more

Argentina should be suspended from the Group of 20 major economies over its blatant failure to comply with debt obligations to bond holders, including American firms that manage savings and investments for U.S. pension funds, charitable foundations, university endowments and U.S. taxpayers, said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04). The senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee announced a House resolution today that calls on the Argentine government to live up to its economic obligations. T... Read more

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSEC) Parliamentary Assembly today adopted U.S. Congressman Chris Smith’s (NJ-04) proposal to change how the transportation and hospitality industry works to identify and assist victims of human trafficking. Smith, a U.S. member of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and its Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues, proposed the plan to increase global co-operation in the fight against modern day slavery. The vote comes just weeks af... Read more

By CARLOS AVILA Trentonian Staff - Isles Inc. and U.S. Rep. Chris Smith are teaming-up to help inner-city youth further their education. Smith (NJ-04) has helped Isles’ YouthBuild Institute secure a federal grant totaling $1,099,643. The money from the grant will help provide educational, vocational, and leadership skill training for at-risk youths over a 40-month period. The grant is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. To make the program more effective, Isles will partner with the College ... Read more

By Alyssa Mease/The Times of Trenton on June 28, 2013 at 8:20 AM -- Isles Inc., a group that tries to make the city more liveable and helps families improve their situations, was awarded more than $1 million from the U.S. Department of Labor to advance its program for helping high school dropouts develop construction skills. The money will go toward Isles’ YouthBuild Institute, which helps youths between the ages of 16 and 24 earn their GED or high school diploma while working in the constructio... Read more

Isles YouthBuild Institute in Mercer County, N.J. will provide educational, vocational, and leadership skill training for at-risk youths over a 40-month period with the help of a U.S. Department of Labor grant for Isles Incorporated totaling $1,099,643, announced U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) today. To make the program more effective, Isles will partner with the College of New Jersey, Mercer County Community College, the Trenton Board of Education, Habitat for Humanity, the Mercer County Workfor... Read more

Legislation on human rights issues in Vietnam was passed by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) author of the legislation, the Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2013. The bill was approved in a unanimous voice vote of the full Committee. Smith’s Vietnam bill, H.R. 1897, would institute measures to improve human rights in Vietnam by prohibiting any increase in non-humanitarian assistance to the Government of Vietnam above Fiscal Year 2012 levels unless the government make... Read more

The fight against some of the most neglected diseases in the world were the focus of a hearing held Thursday by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global health. The hearing, entitled “Addressing the Neglected Diseases Treatment Gap,” was held before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations chaired by Smith. Most often affecting people from the world’s most underdeveloped nations, in rece... Read more

New Jersey Sandy recovery efforts will receive a boost with the announcement that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will reimburse communities at a rate of 90 percent for certain Sandy related expenses, said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04). Smith met with FEMA highest official, Administrator Craig Fugate, earlier this month to press for the increase and discuss FEMA’s ongoing New Jersey flood recovery efforts during a meeting in Rep. Smith’s Washington office. At the meeting, Administ... Read more