By Jonathan D. Salant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Legislation sponsored by a New Jersey lawmaker to renew programs to combat human trafficking overwhelmingly passed the House Tuesday. The Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022 would earmark more than $1.1 billion to provide shelters, mental health care, education, life skills and job training for victims of trafficking. It would spend $35 million for housing to help women escaping their cap... Read more

The so-called CHIPS Act championed by President Biden and passed by the House of Representatives this week blatantly ignores grave threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), said Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who voted against the legislative package in part for its failure to protect America’s manufacturing industry from the growing threat of China’s ambitions. “As China works to expand its power and steals American intellectual property, the United States must take bolder—not weaker—actio... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) is pushing new legislation (HR 8382) to restore the Trump Administration’s effective Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP)—widely known as the “Remain in Mexico” policy—to combat the worst border crisis in U.S. history. Under HR 8382, migrants apprehended at the border would be required to stay in Mexico as they await their application review by U.S. immigration officials. “President Biden’s disastrous border policies—including and especially his reversal of the Trump Admin... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) today met with Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt—the top U.S. official tasked with combating antisemitism—together with members of the Congressional Task Force for Combating Antisemitism to discuss bolstering the United States’ efforts to tackle the alarming rise in attacks against Jews throughout the country and across the world. “Tragically, antisemitism won’t disappear by ignoring it or wishing it away—it must be defeated,” said Rep. Smith, who authored the law that created... Read more

Ahead of this Saturday’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the House of Representatives today overwhelmingly passed critical anti-trafficking legislation—the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022—authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) together with Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) in a strong bipartisan vote of 401-20. “Human traffickers never take a holiday, nor can we,” said Smith, who has chaired more than 35 hearings and written five anti-tr... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, today issued the following statement on recent confirmed reports of the slaughter of over 400 ethnic Amhara by the Oromo People’s Liberation Army last month in the Oromia region of Ethiopia: “Ethnic-based violence in Ethiopia must stop. We cannot scapegoat one group as each group has both victims and victimizers. The bloodshed must end—and those who... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) released the following statement on the death of longtime New Jersey State Assemblyman Ronald Dancer: “Ron Dancer was a tireless public servant who served his country in the Army before becoming a highly respected and enormously popular mayor of Plumsted and assemblyman for the 12th Legislative District. A great friend to many and true civic leader, Ron was as gracious and considerate as he was hard working and effective. I cannot think of anyone who loved Plumsted and pe... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today condemned the Biden Administration’s announcement of an additional $201 million for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)—a troubled UN agency that has a history of fostering terrorism and anti-Semitism. “UNRWA has a long and dark history of promoting violence and anti-Semitism while condoning terrorism,” said Rep. Smith, who co-chairs the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-S... Read more

By John T. Ward It’s a viper’s pit these days. With public trust in government trending at or near all-time lows, and political debate as bitter as ever heard in American history, who in their right mind would go into the public sector? These 14 TCNJ alums did. Some have been in it for decades; a few left, but went back; and two started at a time when they weren’t exactly alumni yet. But while all have had their ideals tested in some way, they remain in government, because as banal as it may sou... Read more

The predators engaged in human trafficking "never take a holiday, nor can we," a U.S congressman who holds a top international anti-trafficking post told world leaders gathered July 2-6 in Birmingham, England. Those "who exploit and abuse vulnerable women, children and men never cease in their nefarious work," U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said during the 29th annual session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. "Our commitment to preventing ... Read more