Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus and stalwart defender of mothers and the unborn, today debated on the House floor on the need to apply Hyde Amendment protections to pending legislation that would extend the COVID-era Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credit. The Hyde Amendment, which prohibits federal funds from paying for elective abortion, was neither included in the original ACA enacted by President Obama in 2010, nor was it appended when President ... Read more

By Karen Wall Published January 8, 2026 at 3:23 PM ET TOMS RIVER, NJ — After lengthy delays, the new Veterans Affairs outpatient medical clinic in Toms River finally bears the name of Leonard G. "Bud" Lomell, the World War II hero from Ocean County. The clinic opened in November 2024, and efforts to name it for Lomell — a D-Day hero whose actions as an Army Ranger in Normandy saved the lives of thousands of soldiers during the D-Day invasion — had stalled for nearly two years. On Tuesday, Lomell... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, sat down with Tony Perkins on Washington Watch with Tony Perkins to discuss the importance of the Hyde amendment, which prohibits federal funds from paying for elective abortion, and the need to apply it to Obamacare subsidies. The full interview can be viewed by clicking here. ### Read more

By Andrew Rice Published January 6, 2026 TOMS RIVER – The Veterans Administration clinic just hosted its official naming ceremony, as it will now be known as the Leonard G ‘Bud’ Lomell VA Clinic. Leonard ‘Bud’ Lomell was a local World War II hero. After his service, he assisted other veterans when they arrived home via his work with the local veterans affairs offices. His impact rippled throughout the local veterans communities in Toms River. Lomell’s service included the raid on Pointe Du Hoc w... Read more

In accordance with legislation offered by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) in July and signed into law by President Trump in September, the newly constructed Toms River VA facility was today named in honor of Second Lieutenant Leonard G. “Bud” Lomell, a World War II hero and longtime Toms River resident. Rep. Smith, the former Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said, “Today, directed by an act of Congress, signed by the President of the United States, this world-class VA outpatient clinic... Read more

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By Lakewood Alerts Published January 5, 2026 The newly constructed Toms River Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic was formally named Monday in honor of World War II hero Second Lieutenant Leonard G. “Bud” Lomell, following legislation sponsored by Chris Smith and signed into law by Donald Trump last fall. The designation was marked by a ceremony inside the Toms River Veterans’ Clinic attended by lawmakers, veterans, local officials, and members of the Lomell family. The act of Congr... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) gavels in the second session of the 119th Congress on Saturday, January 3, 2026. Today, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the Dean of the New Jersey delegation, presided over the U.S. House of Representatives and commenced the second session of the 119th Congress. “From securing the official naming of the Bud Lomell VA Clinic to mandating a Government Accountability Office investigation into the true origins of Lyme disease, the first session of the 119th Congress saw the fruitio... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), issued the following statement in response to China’s deliberately provocative and antagonistic military exercises around Taiwan: “Communist China’s egregious violations of Taiwan’s air space, its ships’ crossing the median line of the Taiwan Strait, and live-fire drills, which commenced on December 29, are belligerent provocations, which constitute the crime of aggression under international law. Commu... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee issued the following statement after the U.S. military’s coordinated strikes on ISIS settlements in northwestern Nigeria: “President Trump’s decisive action reflects the United States’ unyielding commitment to standing up to the Nigerian terrorists, who have been murdering, raping, torturing and violently harassing Christians and non-radical Muslims in the region for decades. “Coordinated under Secretary Pete... Read more