This story was originally printed in the Sept. 8 edition of the Asbury Park Press at: http://www.app.com/story/news/local/neptune-wall/belmar/2014/09/07/belmar-beach-bash-draws-thousands-affected-autism/15256407/ Read more

Carl LaGrotterria is getting his wish. After years of overcrowding brought on by burgeoning numbers of veterans, the James J. Howard Veterans Clinic will open a new supplemental location in September. "They want to help their vets, but the staff sometimes is overwhelmed and overworked," said the 66-year-old veteran from Brick. "The phones are ridiculous. You can rarely get through and have to wait for callbacks." The news comes as the federal Department of Veterans Affairs faces a litany of comp... Read more

WASHINGTON – New Jersey is prepared to handle Ebola or any other infectious disease that may appear in the state, Republican Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey said Thursday. “New Jersey Health Commissioner Mary O’Dowd reiterated to me yesterday that New Jersey hospitals have infection control programs,” Smith said. “They train and are ready to deal with potentially infectious patients that come through their doors.” Congress is not in session, but Smith, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs subco... Read more

By Times of Trenton Editorial Board You’re a parent with a child on the autism spectrum and you’ve just gotten the phone call you’ve dreaded for a decade or so: “Your son (or daughter) has aged out of the system.” Every year, more and more fathers and mothers in New Jersey hear those words. They mean families no longer have access to the support systems that school-based programs provide for young adults who desperately need them. They mean, essentially, you’re on your own. U.S. Rep. Chris Smit... Read more

(Agence France -Presse) Congress gave its final approval Friday to legislation that compels US authorities to assist American mothers and fathers whose children are victims of international parental abductions. More than 1,000 international child abductions each year are reported to the State Department, with children often taken illegally from the United States by a foreign parent to countries like Brazil, England, India, Japan and Russia. Most of them are not returned. By simple voice vote, th... Read more

BY BECCA STANEK - A new report suggests that the current situation in North Korea may amount to genocide. Although the world has long been aware of potential human rights violations and crimes against humanity in North Korea, few have called the situation there an outright genocide. The report came to light at a House Committee on Foreign Affairs hearing Tuesday, during which South Korea Human Rights Ambassador Lee Jong-hoon said the possible genocide extends to three groups: the so-called “host... Read more

BY NICOLE GUADIANO-GANNETT NEWS SERVICE- Federal officials are investigating whether the Lyons campus of the Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System mishandled the scheduling of veterans' appointments, according to a VA audit released Monday. The Lyons campus in Bernards Twp. is among 112 VHA facilities being investigated because of concerns about "undesired scheduling practices" or because staffers indicated they had received instructions to modify scheduling dates to hide the length of ... Read more

TRENTON – New Jersey will receive nearly $882 million in the final significant round of aid from the federal government for superstorm Sandy relief. An announcement by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is expected today. The new money will bring the total of New Jersey aid over the three rounds of funding to $4.2 billion, less than half the allocation to New York, though the federal government still has about $1.1 billion left to distribute. No plan has been announced for how ... Read more

BY HILL STAFF WRITER CRISTINA MARCOS -- Reps. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) have introduced a measure to reauthorize federal autism research and support programs. The bill, H.R. 4631, would extend research grants, including at the National Institute of Health, and support services for people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for five years. “This is a critical investment that is working to determine the cause of ASD, identify autistic children as early as possible to begin treat... Read more

The nation’s top housing official gave New Jersey lawmakers “an iron-clad commitment ... to meet the housing needs of the victims of Sandy in New Jersey,” a congressman said Thursday. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan used the phrase “bedrock commitment” in pledging his department’s help during his meeting with nine New Jersey congressmen. “All unmet housing needs would be met in New Jersey,” Smith said Donovan told the lawmakers. Smith told Don... Read more