Congressman Chris Smith, Co-Chairman of the House Pro-Life Caucus, expressed his sorrow at the passing of Nellie Gray, founder and organizer of the March for Life, who died in her Washington, D.C. home this weekend. “Since 1974, Nellie Gray, a former corporal in the Women’s Army Corps during World War II, marshaled an army of young bright faces who marched on Washington protesting the Supreme Court decisions of 1973 which imposed abortion on demand up until the moment of birth on Americans,” sai... Read more

Legislation that would hold foreign government officials accountable if they violate fundamental due process and human rights of imprisoned Americans by blocking the officials’ entry into the United States was unveiled today by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the House subcommittee that oversees international human rights. Smith also blasted a congratulatory statement by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday, only one day after a congressional hearing was held on the ongoi... Read more

The plight of American Jacob Ostreicher, who has been held without formal charges or bail in Bolivia since June 2011, was the focus of a hearing chaired by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the House human rights subcommittee that oversees international human rights, Wednesday. “The Subcommittee continues to shine a spotlight on and to search for a resolution of the extreme injustice being perpetrated by Bolivian government officials against Jacob Ostreicher, an American trapped in the ... Read more

The blind Chinese activist who made a daring escape from house arrest in China last April, eventually gaining entry in the U.S., was on Capitol Hill today for meetings to discuss ongoing human rights abuse in China, including forced abortion, and to request specific efforts needed to protect his family members still in China. After meeting Speaker of the House John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Congressman Smith hosted Chen at an informal gathering of members of Congress who supporte... Read more

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the House panel that oversees international human rights, will chair a congressional hearing Wednesday on the case of American Jacob Ostreicher, who has been held without formal charges in Bolivia since June 2011. A hearing will be held entitled “Seeking Freedom for American Trapped in Bolivian Prison.” Smith was asked to become involved in the case by Mr. Ostreicher’s daughter Chaya Weinberger, a Lakewood, N.J. resident who is a constituent in Smith’s ... Read more

Reports documenting poor working conditions at factories in China producing electronic products for well-known brands such as Apple, HP, Nokia, Dell, AT&T, Motorola and other companies were the topics of a hearing held today by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the U.S. Executive-Congressional China Commission House and the congressional panel that oversees international human rights. The AFL-CIO testified, did human rights groups. “As a member of the World Trade Organization, China h... Read more

A significant majority in the House of Representatives, 220-154, today voted for legislation to prohibit abortions in the District of Columbia on pain-capable, unborn children after 22 weeks gestation. The bill, H.R. 3803, the “District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act,” was authored by Rep. Trent Franks (AZ-02). “Pain. We all dread it. Avoid it. Even fear it. And go to extraordinary lengths to mitigate its severity and duration,” said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Co-chai... Read more

The case of an American jailed in Bolivia without trial for more than a year is gaining increased attention from human-rights groups and members of the U.S. Congress, adding to frictions between the U.S. and Bolivia over the country's antidrug efforts. On Wednesday, the case of Jacob Ostreicher, a Brooklyn native jailed on money-laundering charges in Bolivia, is due to be taken up by a House subcommittee that is chaired by Rep. Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican. holding Mr. Ostreicher for pol... Read more

In response to the release of the State Department’s annual International Religious Freedom Report, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) expressed concern about the administration’s failure to prioritize religious freedom in the face of extreme abuse, as well as its refusal to condition aid on improvements in religious freedom. Covering nearly every country of the world, the International Religious Freedom Report was mandated by Congress to document religious freedom violations so that the U.S. government c... Read more

The world watched as New Jersey’s Sean Goldman was returned to his father in 2009 – five years after being abducted by his mother and taken to Brazil. Today, the reunited father and son are working to help other families fighting custody battles in foreign countries. By Jayne Jacova Feld It’s an iconic image: 12-year-old Sean Goldman and his father David are boarding a plane in Rio Di Janeiro bound for the United States. After a six-year battle, David is finally bringing home the son who had bee... Read more