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

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

Jerry Carino Asbury Park Press Staff Writer In the months after Manalapan’s Kyle Mullen died while trying to become a Navy SEAL because he did not receive the proper medical attention, his mother Regina Mullen has sought to reform the process. Her quest took a step forward Thursday. The U.S. House of Representatives voted 362 to 64 to include an amendment, titled “Kyle Mullen Naval Safety Enhancements,” to the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2023. The amendment was authored by... Read more

By Kurt Jensen, Catholic News Service U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., called forced organ harvesting in China "a horror story" that is affecting tens of thousands of individuals" of "various religions" who are killed there "for body parts, including skin." On May 12, Smith, a Catholic from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Whiting, led a discussion of organ harvesting at an online hearing of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, which he co-chairs. The hearing was prompted by an April 4 article ... Read more

At a Capitol Hill press conference today, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), an internationally recognized leader in the fight to combat human trafficking, joined trafficking survivors and top anti-trafficking organizations in urging members of Congress to take immediate action and advance the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022 (H.R.6552) to the House Floor for a vote. The bill would reauthorize the historic Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2... Read more

By L.A. PARKER | laparker@trentonian.com | The Trentonian PUBLISHED: June 1, 2022 at 3:39 p.m. Had just filed an article last week on the death of Hamilton Twp. MSGT World War II hero Gilbert Howland when the phone rang. Howland’s son, Robert, had called to double-check the accuracy of a Trentonian article about his dad, a member of the famous Merrill’s Marauders. Had pulled up to George Page Park in East Trenton for a walk and in that same moment, two city employees arrived. They exited their ... Read more

B y TAPINTO HAMILTON/ROBBINSVILLE STAFF Published May 30, 2022 at 9:23 PM Artwork from the winners of the 2022 Fourth Congressional District Art Competition announced earlier this month by Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-4) have been on display at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton (RWJUH-Hamilton.) This art contest recognizes and fosters artistic talent in the local community and had a record 102 submissions by students across Smith’s district—the highest number of participants since Smi... Read more

By EmmaLee Italia | Contributing Editor In the wake of a violent crime spree in which a Manchester man allegedly targeted members of the Orthodox Jewish community in Lakewood and Jackson, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) penned a letter to the Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation April 10, asking for an investigation into whether antisemitism had motivated the attacks. Coinciding with the eve of the Jewish Sabbath on April 8, the attacks were allegedly carried out by Dion Mars... Read more

By Chris Lundy - Staff Writer It's said that healing takes a long time, and it also took a long time to get to this stage: the groundbreaking of a new Veterans Administration clinic in Toms River. The official address is 1051 Hooper Avenue. The groundbreaking was on Caudina Avenue, which is the back road past two banks that leads to the Seacourt Mall. It is expected to open in spring of 2024. Currently, veterans travel to Brick's James J. Howard Outpatient Clinic for their needs. They have compl... Read more