The international threat of drug-resistant diseases around the world was the sobering topic today of head of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), who testified at a congressional hearing of the House global health panel chaired by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04). “In the last 10 years, these drug-resistant diseases have been identified in patients in more than 200 hospitals in 42 states in this country. Over that period, their prevalence rate has increased from one percent of patients... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), a leading human rights lawmaker in the U.S. Congress, was the keynote speaker today at the “Consultation on Conscience,” hosted by the 1.5 million member Union for Reform Judaism, and the 2,000 rabbis of the Central Conference of American Rabbis, at the largest Jewish public policy conference focusing on both international and domestic issues of concern to the American Jewish community. Smith, co-chair of the Bi-Partisan Anti-Semitism Task Force and co-chair of t... Read more

The international threat of drug-resistant diseases around the world will be the topic of a congressional hearing of the House global health panel chaired by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04). The head of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the chief U.S. government office tasked with addressing health threats and policy, will testify. “Meeting the Challenge of Drug-Resistant Diseases in Developing Countries,” is the topic of a congressional hearing to be held by the Subcommittee on Af... Read more

As the completion and release of the U.S. State Department’s 2013 Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP) draws near, efforts by Watch List governments to fight the modern day slavery of human trafficking were the topic of a hearing held today by Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House panel that oversees global human rights. In particular the status of Russia, China, Uzbekistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and Republic of Congo, which each must, under U.S. law, be moved off the Tier 2 Watch List in t... Read more

Among several meetings in his Washington office today, Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) met with members of the New Jersey American Bar Association (ABA). The members presented and discussed a number of issues with Smith, including his leadership on human trafficking and international child abduction, as well as funding for the judiciary system, filling judicial vacancies, access to legal services, and the importance of the rule of law. The group is in Washington for ABA Day 2013, an event arran... Read more

A hard look at efforts of the governments of China and Russia to fight human trafficking in their countries, and whether they should be demoted to Tier 3 in the State Department’s 2013 Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP), will be the topic of a hearing to be held Thursday by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees Africa and international human rights. Russia and China, along with Uzbekistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and the Republic of Congo, must, by U... Read more

Kenya’s recent elections—which included important changes to its government and electoral process funded in part by the United States and which had sharply reduced levels of violence than had followed the bloody 2007 elections—were the topic of a hearing held Tuesday by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees Africa and international human rights. Smith called Kenya a “critically important” African ally, noting that the United States has devoted m... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) spoke during a House Special Order about the murder trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell. The following are excerpts of his remarks. "Mr. Speaker, will the decades-long major national news media cover-up of the brutality—and violence—of abortion methods ever end? "Will Americans ever be told the horrifying details as to how—and how often—abortionists dismember, decapitate, and chemically poison innocent babies? "Will Americans ever be informed by a conscientious, unbiased news me... Read more

The newest named ship in the U.S. Navy will bear the name of the city where the nation saw its origins forged in battle under the leadership of Gen. George Washington during the Revolutionary War. Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), the Dean of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation, was informed of the decision today in a conversation with the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus this afternoon. The new, revolutionary vessel—the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV)—will bear the name of one of the nation’s ... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith, Chairman of the House subcommittee on global human rights, held a hearing Thursday, April 11 entitled “Highlighting Vietnamese Government Human Rights Violations in Advance of the U.S.-Vietnam Dialogue.” He gave the following opening statement: "Thank you for joining us for this important hearing to examine the ongoing human rights situation in Vietnam. "The Vietnamese government continues to be an egregious violator of a broad array of human rights. Our distinguished witnesses... Read more