Smith, Chris RSS Articles

IntraFish article on new Smith bill'Lawmaker moves to ban Chinese seafood from Congressional dining facilities'

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

By Rachel Spain
Published September 2, 2026 at 13:04

A U.S. House Republican is pushing new legislation that would bar Chinese seafood from congressional dining facilities, citing forced labor concerns and a lack of traceability in the country’s supply chains.

Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey on Aug. 27 introduced the “No PRC Seafood in Congress Act,” a bill that would prohibit any Chinese seafood product from being procured, served, or sold in cafeterias and restaurants across the U.S. Capitol complex. The measure was referred to the Committee on House Administration.

The bill asserts that “forced labor is pervasive in fishing, seafood harvesting, aquaculture, and seafood processing supply chains in the People’s Republic of China,” and argues that poor transparency makes it “impracticable” to verify that seafood from China is free of forced labor.

Under the proposal, congressional dining facilities would be required to stop sourcing Chinese seafood entirely. Within 180 days of enactment, covered entities — including the House Administration Committee, the Senate Rules Committee, and the Architect of the Capitol — must issue regulations to implement the ban.

Suppliers would also face new documentation requirements. Any vendor providing seafood to congressional dining facilities would need to “certify each and every country in which the seafood contained in such product was fished, harvested, raised, produced, or processed,” and maintain records to substantiate those claims.

The bill defines a “Chinese seafood product” as any seafood intended for human consumption that is fished, harvested, raised, produced, or processed — in whole or in part — in China, or caught by vessels owned, operated, or registered in the People’s Republic of China. The definition includes Hong Kong and Macau but excludes Taiwan.

Seafood covered under the act spans fish, shellfish, processed seafood, and any food in which marine or aquatic animal life is a characterizing ingredient.

This article was published on September 2, 2026 and can be found online at: https://www.intrafish.com/legal/lawmaker-moves-to-ban-chinese-seafood-from-congressional-dining-facilities/2-1-2038356?zephr_sso_ott=6gXp7Q

Fox News article featuring Smith commentary'Baby killed after illegal immigrant allegedly strikes family at grocery store parking lot'

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

By Charles Creitz
Published September 1, 2026 2:14pm EDT

An illegal immigrant from Guatemala was charged with manslaughter after allegedly crashing into a mother and her two children, killing her 9-month-old son, in a New Jersey grocery store parking lot Friday, according to authorities.

A 9-month-old boy was pronounced dead at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune after Maria Cobon-Guzman allegedly struck his mother and the baby carriage carrying him and his 5-year-old sister in the parking lot of a kosher grocery store in Jackson on Friday.

"An innocent baby would still be alive today had it not been for Joe Biden’s disastrous open border and reckless immigration policy that released countless illegal aliens into our country," a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill, left; Maria Cobon-Guzman, inset (Jim Watson/Getty Images; Ocean County Sheriff's Office)

"We are urging the Ocean County Jail to honor ICE’s detainers on these two criminal illegal aliens to take them out of American communities once and for all," the spokesperson said of the Republican-friendly county in the otherwise blue state.

Another woman, Ariadna Lazaro-Flores, was also charged in the incident after she reportedly allowed Cobon-Guzman to drive her car knowing she was unlicensed. An inmate report listed Lazaro-Flores as charged with "endangering the welfare of an incompetent person."

Both women illegally entered the U.S. during the Biden administration, with Lazaro-Flores doing so five times in October 2023 and being removed each time, DHS told Fox News Digital.

"She last illegally entered the United States through the Biden Administration’s open border at an unknown place and time," the agency said.

Cobon-Guzman entered once but was released unvetted into the nation’s interior, DHS added. On July 31, an immigration judge issued an order of removal against her.

"New Jersey must honor ICE's detainers on these two criminal illegal aliens to take them out of American communities once and for all," the agency tweeted.

Democratic New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who signed legislation codifying New Jersey’s Immigrant Trust Directive, had not commented as of Tuesday morning.

When reached for comment, a Sherrill spokesman directed Fox News Digital to Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. Davenport did not immediately respond.

Observers took notice of the relative silence as Sherrill's social media posts about other things including a critique of President Donald Trump's battle with Iran sparked outrage:

"How about sticking to doing something about the highest property taxes in the US [or] stopping illegals from killing and maiming us?" read one response.

"Any comment yet? Hello?" another said.

In comments to Fox News Digital, Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., the senior-most member of the state delegation, lambasted Sherrill, saying Trenton, "must repeal its so-called sanctuary state status and allow local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials and ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime—and all others—are held accountable and/or removed from the United States."

"Despite being deported from the United States five times and being previously charged with operating a motor vehicle without a license, Ariadna Lazaro-Flores—the owner of the vehicle that caused the death of a nine-month-old baby and the hospitalizations of his mother and five-year-old sister—was still able to obtain a driver’s license in New Jersey. That is shocking," Smith said.

"Likewise, Maria Cobon-Guzman—the individual in the driver’s seat at the time of the accident—was also in the United States illegally and had never been licensed to operate a motor vehicle."

He added that the tragedy was "completely avoidable, if not for the Biden Administration’s lax and grossly irresponsible immigration enforcement policies. Criminals who are in this country illegally should not be and should never have been able to obtain a driver’s license, either personal or commercial, in the United States."

The Trust Directive, as drafted by Davenport predecessor Gurbir Grewal, limits voluntary assistance New Jersey law enforcement may provide DHS.

New Jersey Republicans fired back at Trenton leadership, suggesting they created the conditions to allow the tragedy to occur.

"An innocent baby is dead. A mother and another child were seriously injured. Now, ICE is seeking custody of the two women charged in connection with the crash," the state party said in a statement.

"This should not be complicated: New Jersey must comply with ICE detainers. Governor Sherrill has a responsibility to put the safety of New Jersey families ahead of sanctuary policies. When federal immigration authorities seek custody of individuals charged with serious crimes, the state should cooperate — not stand in the way."

This article was published on September 1, 2026 and can be found online at: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/baby-killed-after-illegal-immigrant-allegedly-strikes-family-grocery-store-parking-lot

SeafoodSource article on new Smith bill'US lawmaker moves to ban Chinese seafood from Congress' dining halls'

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

By Nathan Strout
Published September 1, 2026

U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-New Jersey) has introduced a bill to ban Chinese-origin seafood from Congress’ dining facilities.

If passed, the No PRC Seafood in Congress Act would prohibit Chinese seafood from being procured for, served in, or sold by congressional dining facilities. The ban applies to any seafood harvested, produced, or processed in China and any seafood harvested by a vessel owned or operated by Chinese nationals or companies. As part of the legislation, Congressional dining halls would be required certify any country a seafood product was “fished, harvested, raised, produced, or processed.”

The bill text justifies the ban over forced labor in China’s seafood supply chain.

“Forced labor is pervasive in fishing, seafood harvesting, aquaculture, and seafood processing supply chains in the People’s Republic of China,” the bill reads. “The lack of reliable supply-chain transparency and traceability makes it impracticable to verify that seafood products from the People’s Republic of China are free from forced labor.”

As a chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-New Jersey) has pushed for restrictions on Chinese seafood imports | Photo courtesy of CECC

A series of bombshell investigations released by the Outlaw Ocean Project in 2023 documented evidence of forced labor across China’s seafood supply chain, including the use of Uyghur labor at Chinese seafood processing facilities, the use of North Korean laborers, and a slew of labor violations within China’s distant water fishing fleet. U.S. lawmakers have leaned on those reports to call for increased scrutiny of China’s seafood sector. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) listed seafood as a high-priority sector in enforcing the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), a law that bars importing products made with Uyghur labor.

As a chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), Smith has pushed for restrictions on Chinese seafood imports and has urged U.S. President Donald Trump to ban all seafood from China. On 14 July, Smith and other members of the CECC signed a letter to Trump arguing that Chinese seafood should be banned over forced labor concerns in alignment with the president’s Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness executive order.

“China is the most immediate test of your policy, leveraging its vast fishing fleets and processing plants to cheat American fishermen, exploit vulnerable workers, and project power at sea. The United States should not help pay for these egregious behaviors. We urge you to use your authority to make our country the least hospitable market in the world for Chinese harvested seafood. We urge you to use your authority to make our country the least hospitable market in the world for Chinese harvested seafood,” the lawmakers stated in the letter. “Chinese seafood is too often produced through forced labor and enters our market at prices honest American fishermen cannot match. That is not competition. It is abuse shipped into the United States.”

U.S. lawmakers have made similar calls for a ban on Chinese seafood in recent years and introduced other bills to ban Chinese seafood from government purchases. Last year, Congress used budget legislation to ban Chinese seafood from school lunches. In fiscal year 2026 funding legislation, Congress voted to bar the U.S. Department of Defense from purchasing seafood from China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia to serve in dining halls or commissaries, and an amendment to the 2027 legislation would again bar Chinese seafood.

“American seafood producers desperately need support,” Southern Shrimp Alliance Executive Director Blake Price said when the amendment was introduced in July. “Serving our troops Chinese seafood rather than domestically harvested and processed seafood is an insult to the men and women serving our country and to U.S. commercial fishermen across the nation.”

This article was published on September 1, 2026 and can be found online at: https://www.seafoodsource.com/news/us-lawmaker-moves-to-ban-chinese-seafood-from-congress-dining-halls

Fox News article on Smith-signed letter to NJ Gov. Sherrill'Republicans tighten screws on Sherrill as noncitizen voter probe enters new phase'

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

By Charles Creitz
Published August 30, 2026 9:00am EDT

A coalition of House Republicans is escalating its push for answers after lawmakers said New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill failed to address most of their questions about the state's noncitizen voter-registration scandal and instead directed criticism at President Donald Trump.

Republican Study Committee member Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., told Fox News Digital there will be consequences after Sherrill sent a response that he characterized as "snarky" and politicized and said largely sidestepped the lawmakers' questions.

"The response that we got from the governor was almost like she took a political mailer and embossed it upon her official letterhead," Van Drew said. "As governor of the state of New Jersey, it was beneath her, it was beneath me, and it was unfortunate."

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill delivers remarks at her election night watch party at the Hilton East Brunswick Hotel on Nov. 4, 2025, in East Brunswick, New Jersey. (Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)

"I state the obvious," Van Drew said. "If you are an American, you should be voting in an American election. If you're not an American, you shouldn't be voting in an American election."

Lawmakers focused their original inquiry on how the registration failure occurred, its potential consequences and how New Jersey would prevent another breakdown.

President Donald Trump meets with Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, in Washington.

The July 24 letter from dozens of RSC members, led by Van Drew and Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, posed 12 specific questions about the registration failure and its potential impact.

Sherrill replied that affected residents have been mailed notifications, but Van Drew said the overall response failed to address Congress’ concerns.

"We're not done with this," Van Drew pledged.

Van Drew said he is planning a hearing as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee’s Oversight Subcommittee, with expert witnesses expected to testify.

Van Drew said he is working with the full committee under Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, to get the requested information from Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell, the state's elections chief.

"If there's a complete lack of cooperation after we build up a case, there is a possibility, it's not definite," Van Drew said. "But if they're not, we do, in my opinion, have to look at subpoenas as well."

Sherrill defended her administration while criticizing Congress, Trump and the Republican-backed SAVE America Act.

"Washington Republicans … seem much more concerned with using the issue for political gain than they are with protecting our elections," Sherrill wrote, accusing several signatories of supporting Trump’s efforts to "undermine our election system" and noting that seven had challenged electoral votes after the 2020 election.

Sherrill also disputed Republicans’ contention that the SAVE America Act would have prevented the error, writing, "I encourage you to become more familiar with the legislation you have cosponsored." She also raised privacy and abuse-of-power concerns about proposals to expand the federal government’s role in voter registration, including through a centralized voter registry.

Van Drew told Fox that "when you have a motor-voter law, [via which] people basically are automatically registered to vote – First of all, New Jersey is a sanctuary state… Illegal criminals shouldn't be even in the state. But now we find out that illegals were also obviously having the ability to register to vote and were being registered and some of them actually were voting."

The White House also rebuked Sherrill’s response, calling it "laughable" that she would criticize the Trump administration on election integrity.

"[This] after she and her fellow Democrats have denied for years that non-citizens are registering and voting in our elections," said White House spokeswoman Lauren Bis.

Sherrill spokesperson Sean Higgins hit back at the criticisms, telling Fox News Digital the governor's reply detailed how Trenton "moved with transparency and accountability to remediate this error from 2023."

"But Republicans are more interested in playing political games. Considering that Jeff Van Drew's campaign employed an operative convicted of voter fraud, bribery and blackmail, he might not be the best voice on what is too ‘political’ on this topic," Higgins said, pointing to a 2020 Politico report about ex-Atlantic City council president Craig Callaway.

Pfluger told Fox News Digital that Sherrill spent "three pages on political theater and barely a sentence answering our questions," adding that she "dodged" whether any elections were decided by fewer votes than the number of illegal ballots cast.

"We are not letting this story get buried. It is high time we pass the SAVE America Act to make sure our elections are secure, transparent, and worthy of the public's trust," he said.

Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., the state delegation's most senior member and an RSC colleague, said Trenton must give Congress "complete transparency" and a corrective path forward.

"Secure elections are the bedrock of democracy; we must take all steps necessary to ensure that votes are cast only by those who have a right to vote," Smith said.

The inquiry will continue on several tracks. Van Drew's subcommittee is preparing a hearing, the Judiciary Committee is seeking additional state records and lawmakers are weighing further compulsory action as separate executive branch scrutiny continues.

This article was published on August 30, 2026 and can be found online at: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/republicans-tighten-screws-sherrill-noncitizen-voter-probe-enters-new-phase

Christian Daily International article on Smith-led letter'U.S. lawmakers urge protection for Christian girl in Pakistan'

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

By Christian Daily International / Morning Star News
Published August 28, 2026 12:08 EDT

Members of the U.S. Congress have urged the Pakistani government to take steps to protect an 18-year-old Christian woman who her family says was abducted and forcibly converted to Islam.

In an Aug. 20 letter sent to Pakistan Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, the 11 congressional members expressed concern over legal procedures following the disappearance of Neha Faqir and her subsequent appearance in court after she was located in Lahore, according to Christian Solidarity International (CSI), which is supporting the family.

Faqir disappeared on March 24 after leaving her family home in Kot Radha Kishan, in Punjab’s Kasur District, to attend a course at a nearby sewing center and did not return home, according to CSI.

A attorney assisting the family later traced Faqir to an Islamic seminary in Lahore, where the family learned that she had converted to Islam mere days after her disappearance, CSI stated. The family disputes the validity of the conversion and says Faqir had never expressed an intention to change her religion, the group added.

Neha Faqir (R) in Islamic dress on way to court in Lahore, Pakistan. CSI

The family subsequently petitioned the court seeking her return. The Lahore High Court heard their petition on June 9 but dismissed it, according to CSI. The organization said Faqir appeared in court accompanied by Islamic clerics and that her family was not allowed to speak with her.

The congressional letter stated the circumstances “have raised serious questions about the cause of her disappearance and whether she was able to communicate her wishes independently.”

“We are particularly concerned by reports that her family was not permitted to speak with her before or during those proceedings,” the lawmakers wrote, according to CSI.

Rep. Chris Smith (R-New Jersey) and 10 other members of Congress signed the letter: James P. McGovern, French Hill, Gus Bilirakis, Andy Harris, Maria Elvira Salazar, Riley Moore, Randy Weber, Michael Cloud, Brad Sherman and Blake Moore.

The lawmakers urged Tarar to take steps to ensure Faqir’s physical safety and well-being, provide her with confidential access to independent legal counsel, and allow her to communicate freely and privately with her family. They also called for any further judicial proceedings to be conducted in conditions that would enable her to express her wishes “freely and without intimidation or undue influence.”

Faqir is the third of four children of a Christian couple who work at a brick kiln. Her parents had enrolled her at a sewing center operated by a local Muslim family about two months before her disappearance, hoping she would learn a vocational skill and become more economically independent, according to CSI.

On March 24, Faqir did not return home. Her family was subsequently told that she had not attended the sewing center that day. A police report concerning her disappearance was registered on April 1. The complaint named the sewing center’s operators – Islamic cleric Muhammad Sajid – and his two wives, according to CSI.

The family alleged that they faced intimidation and pressure to withdraw the complaint and accused police of failing to act with urgency in investigating Faqir’s disappearance.

A lawyer engaged by CSI later filed a habeas corpus petition with the Lahore High Court. On May 6, the court directed the District Police Officer in Kasur to locate Faqir and submit a progress report. Police subsequently reported that Faqir had been located at a government shelter in Lahore, according to CSI. Because the shelter fell under the administrative jurisdiction of Lahore rather than Kasur, the organization said the jurisdictional issue delayed efforts to secure her appearance before the court.

The lawyer then filed a fresh habeas corpus petition on behalf of Faqir’s father, Faqir Masih, and the Lahore High Court subsequently ordered police to bring Faqir before the court on June 9. The family saw Faqir for the first time in more than two months at the hearing, according to CSI, adding that she appeared wearing Islamic clothing and accompanied by a Muslim woman and several Islamic representatives.

Faqir’s mother and sister attempted to speak with her but were not permitted to do so, and CSI noted that the court also did not allow the family to speak with her inside the courtroom. The court dismissed the family’s petition seeking her return.

The circumstances surrounding Faqir’s disappearance, conversion and subsequent court appearance have raised concerns among rights advocates about whether she was able to express her wishes independently. The U.S. congressional intervention follows similar efforts in the United Kingdom.

CSI presented Faqir’s case on June 16 to a meeting convened by British parliamentarian David Alton in the House of Lords. Alton subsequently wrote to the U.K. minister responsible for the Middle East and Pakistan, Hamish Falconer, asking him to intervene in the case.

“We are grateful to these members of Congress for taking this stand for Neha and for all persecuted Christians in Pakistan,” said Joel Veldkamp, CSI’s director for public advocacy. “This is an opportunity for the government of Pakistan to end the impunity that fuels violence and extremism in their country, and show that attacks on Christians and other religious minorities will not be overlooked. It is time to bring Neha home.”

Faqir’s case comes amid longstanding concerns over the abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage of Christian and other religious minority women and girls in Pakistan.

A report titled “Stolen Girls” presented by advocacy organization Jubilee Campaign at the European Parliament on July 14 documented 210 cases involving alleged abduction, forced religious conversion, child marriage and sexual violence against Christian and other minority girls between 2019 and 2025.

The report stated that the cases reflected a broader pattern of abuse facilitated by fraudulent documentation, manipulation of legal processes and institutional failures. According to the report, 186 of the 210 documented cases, or 88.6 percent, occurred in Punjab Province, while 22 cases, or 10.5 percent, were recorded in Sindh Province, and two, or 1 percent, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.

More than 83 percent of the victims were under 18. The report identified 134 victims aged 14 to 17, 41 younger than 14, and 35 adults. It put the average age of victims at 12.8 years and the average age of alleged perpetrators at 35.8 years.

In several of the documented cases, the age difference between the victim and alleged perpetrator exceeded 30 years.

Pakistan ranked eighth among the 50 countries where Christians face the most severe persecution in Open Doors’ 2026 World Watch List, which cited systemic discrimination, mob violence, forced conversions, bonded labor and gender-based abuses. The organization also said weak law enforcement and widespread impunity have enabled perpetrators of anti-Christian violence to escape accountability.

This article was published on August 28, 2026 and can be found online at: https://www.christiandaily.com/news/us-lawmakers-urge-protection-for-christian-girl-in-pakistan

The Hindustan Times article on Smith-led letter'11 US lawmakers demand Pakistan action after Christian woman "abducted, converted to Islam"'

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

By Karishma Ayaldasani
Published August 27, 2026, 14:22:12 IST

A bipartisan group of 11 US lawmakers have urged Islamabad to safeguard the fundamental rights of a Pakistani Christian woman who was allegedly kidnapped and converted to Islam.

Neha Faqir, an 18-year-old Pakistani Christian woman was allegedly abducted in March and subsequently converted to Islam. Congressman Chris Smith, the co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, asked the Pakistan government to protect the safety and fundamental rights of Faqir.

"The circumstances surrounding Neha Faqir's disappearance and subsequent conversion raise profoundly troubling questions about her safety, freedom of religion, and ability to exercise her rights without coercion or intimidation," said Smith.

Congressman Chris Smith urged the Pakistani government to protect the safety and fundamental rights of Neha Faqir. (chrissmith.house.gov)

How did the case come to light?

The US reaction comes after Christian Solidarity International (CSI) raised concerns over Faqir's case on June 10 and reported that she went missing on March 24 after attending a sewing course.

Faqir was later found at a madrassa in Lahore, where she had been converted to Islam.

However, a Pakistani court has rejected a petition brought by her family seeking her return.

What US lawmakers said in the letter

Smith, along with ten other members of the US Congress, wrote a letter to Pakistan’s federal minister for law and justice Azam Nazeer Tarar on August 20, expressing concerns over Faqir’s case. They urged the government of Pakistan to take “appropriate action to ensure a just resolution of this matter.”

In addition to Smith, the letter was also signed by Reps James P McGovern, French Hill, Gus Bilirakis, Andy Harris, María Elvira Salazar, Riley Moore, Randy Weber, Michael Cloud, Brad Sherman, and Blake Moore.

The lawmakers also called Pakistani authorities to take the necessary steps within their judicial system to ensure Faqir's physical safety and well-being, and that she has confidential access to independent legal counsel.

They further requested Pakistan to provide Faqir an opportunity to communicate with her family freely and privately. The lawmakers urged Islamabad to ensure that any future judicial proceedings are conducted under conditions that allow her to express her wishes freely, without intimidation or undue influence.

The members also referred to Pakistan’s own constitutional protections, including Article 20, which guarantees freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion, and Article 25, which guarantees equality before the law.

“Pakistan’s Constitution protects religious freedom and equality before the law—but this means little if a young woman cannot safely and freely express her own beliefs,” Smith added.

He stressed the importance of the case for Pakistan’s religious minorities, who he said, have been subjected to “forced conversions and marriage.”

"This case is particularly important for Pakistan's religious minorities, who have been subject to abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage."

Smith, a leading religious freedom lawmaker, has been long involved in raising concerns regarding the abduction and forced conversion of religious-minority women and girls, as well as the failure of authorities to hold perpetrators accountable.

This article was published on August 27, 2026 and can be found online at: https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/11-us-lawmakers-demand-pakistan-action-after-christian-woman-abducted-converted-to-islam-101787816170971.html

95.9 The Rat article'Manchester Township Introduces Ban on Artificial Intelligence Data Centers'

Thu, 27 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

By J. Mayhew
Published August 27, 2026 at 3:38 PM EDT

Manchester Township Council brought forth an ordinance Monday night. It bans AI data centers in the municipality. The measure, Ordinance No. 26-48, came before a packed crowd who carried signs and chanted "No Data Centers. No Means No."

The ordinance repeals a measure approved in August 2025 that designated a property owned by Stavola Corporation off South Hope Chapel Road for redevelopment. That earlier legislation included a provision listing data centers as an acceptable use.

Council President Michele Zolezi announced the repeal at the start of the public meeting session. Mayor Joseph Hankins was absent due to a prior commitment in Whiting. He attended the executive session to reiterate his opposition.

"Tonight the Council took an important step toward listening to the concerns our residents have raised," Hankins said after the meeting, according to Patch. "Repealing this provision removes data centers from our redevelopment plan entirely, and reflects our commitment to ensuring that future development in Manchester Township aligns with the character, resources, and priorities of our community."

GETTY IMAGES

The ordinance will receive a second reading, public hearing, and final vote on Sept. 14, said township attorney Lauren Staiger. It takes effect 20 days after publication following the final vote in early October.

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, who represents the area as part of New Jersey's 4th District, issued a statement Monday afternoon supporting the ban. "AI data centers pose critical environmental risks and impose undue stresses on local resources — including water and electricity — which place significant financial burdens on ratepayers and residents," Smith said.

Residents packed the meeting for the second time this month. A packed crowd attended the Aug. 10 council meeting after rumors spread that a developer had approached the town about building a facility in the Pine Barrens.

Carl Block, the township's business administrator, said no plans have been submitted. He said the 2025 ordinance had created the only place where such a facility was possible under zoning rules, and repealing it removes that option completely.

Block said a developer could have moved forward by filing a complete application with the planning board. Getting an application deemed complete is a process that doesn't happen quickly in most cases, he said.

One resident in costume as the Jersey Devil urged the council to protect the Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer, a massive underground reserve that provides drinking water to millions of New Jersey residents. The man, who identified himself as "JD," thanked the council. He urged officials to buy more parcels as open space through the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust program.

This article was published on August 27, 2026 and can be found online at: https://wrat.com/2026/08/27/manchester-township-introduces-ban-on-artificial-intelligence-data-centers/

Smith leads bipartisan congressional letterSmith calls on Pakistan to protect and return abducted Christian woman Neha Faqir to her family

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC), today called upon the government of Pakistan to protect the safety and fundamental rights of Neha Faqir, an 18-year-old Pakistani Christian woman, who was allegedly abducted in March and subsequently converted to Islam. A Pakistani court has rejected a petition brought by her family seeking her return.

“The circumstances surrounding Neha Faqir’s disappearance and subsequent conversion raise profoundly troubling questions about her safety, freedom of religion, and ability to exercise her rights without coercion or intimidation,” said Smith.

On August 20^th, Smith and ten other Members of Congress sent a letter to Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, expressing concerns over Faqir’s case and urging “the Government of Pakistan to take appropriate action to ensure a just resolution of this matter.”

In addition to Smith, the bipartisan letter was also signed by Reps. James P. McGovern (D-MA), French Hill (R-AR), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Andy Harris (R-MD), María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), Riley Moore (R-WV), Randy Weber (R-TX), Michael Cloud (R-TX), Brad Sherman (D-CA), and Blake Moore (R-UT).

In the letter, the lawmakers urge Pakistani authorities to take the necessary steps within their judicial system to “ensure Ms. Faqir’s physical safety and well-being; ensure she has confidential access to independent legal counsel and an opportunity to communicate freely and privately with her family; and ensure that any further judicial proceedings are conducted under conditions that allow her to express her wishes freely and without intimidation or undue influence.”

The Members also refer to Pakistan’s own constitutional protections, including Article 20, which guarantees freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion, and Article 25, which guarantees equality before the law.

“Pakistan’s Constitution protects religious freedom and equality before the law—but this means little if a young woman cannot safely and freely express her own beliefs,” continued Smith.

“This case is particularly important for Pakistan’s religious minorities, who have been subject to abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage.”

Christian Solidarity International (CSI) brought international scrutiny to Faqir’s case on June 10^th, reporting that she disappeared on March 24^th after attending a sewing course. She was later found at a madrassa in Lahore, where she had been converted to Islam.

According to CSI, Faqir appeared before the Lahore High Court on June 9. Her family requested an opportunity to speak with her privately, but the request was denied, and the court subsequently rejected the family’s petition seeking her return.

CSI also highlighted Faqir’s case at a June 16^th hearing at the Palace of Westminster on coerced conversion and marriage of religious-minority women, sponsored and chaired by Lord Alton.

A leading religious freedom lawmaker, Smith has long raised concerns about the abduction and forced conversion of religious-minority women and girls, as well as the failure of authorities to hold perpetrators accountable.

Smith is the author of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016 (PL 114-281), which significantly enhanced and upgraded the State Department’s toolkit to better promote and advance religious freedom throughout the globe. In July of 2025, Smith chaired a TLHRC congressional hearing on human rights in Pakistan.

###

Patch article'Data Center Ban Introduced In Manchester'

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

By Karen Wall, Patch Staff
Published Wed., August 26, 2026 at 5:34 am ET

MANCHESTER, NJ — The Manchester Township Council took the first step to banning artificial intelligence data centers in the township on Monday night with the introduction of an ordinance to do just that.

The ordinance, No. 26-48, was introduced before another overflow crowd that carried dozens of signs and chanted its message: "No Data Centers. No Means No."

The council had been faced with an overflow crowd at the Aug. 10 council meeting, where residents turned out in force because of rumors that a developer had approached the town about building one in the midst of the Pine Barrens.

Of particular concern was an ordinance approved in August 2025 by the council that designated a property owned by the Stavola Corporation off South Hope Chapel Road for redevelopment and included a provision that specifically included data centers as an acceptable use.

(Karen Wall/Patch)

The ordinance introduced Monday night repeals the 2025 measure. It also includes a definitive statement banning data centers in any part of Manchester.

The ordinance is scheduled for a second reading, public hearing and final vote on Sept. 14, township attorney Lauren Staiger said. It will take effect 20 days after publication of the ordinance following the final vote, in early October, Staiger said.

Council President Michele Zolezi announced the repeal ordinance at the start of the public meeting session, after the council returned from executive session discussions.

Mayor Joseph Hankins was absent from the meeting due to a prior commitment in Whiting. Zolezi said he attended the executive session to reiterate his opposition to data centers, which Hankins had expressed in a statement after the Aug. 10 meeting.

"Tonight the Council took an important step toward listening to the concerns our residents have raised," Hankins said after the meeting. "Repealing this provision removes data centers from our redevelopment plan entirely, and reflects our commitment to ensuring that future development in Manchester Township aligns with the character, resources, and priorities of our community."

"I want to thank the Council for their thoughtful consideration and swift action on this issue. Their willingness to listen and respond to the community speaks to their dedication to serving the residents of Manchester Township," Hankins said. "I also want to thank the residents who have shown up to meetings, written letters, and made their voices heard throughout this process. Local government works best when it responds to the people it serves, and this ordinance is a direct result of that engagement."

Hankins and members of the township administration had met with Ocean County Commissioner Robert Arace and U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, who represents Manchester as part of New Jersey's 4th District in the House of Representatives.

"AI data centers pose critical environmental risks and impose undue stresses on local resources — including water and electricity — which place significant financial burdens on ratepayers and residents," Smith said in a statement Monday afternoon. "The reasonable concerns of local residents must no longer be steamrolled by tech companies seeking profit over Americans’ quality of life — not on my watch."

At the meeting, residents applauded the introduction of the ordinance, but some questioned whether it will prevent a developer from getting plans for one in place before the ban takes effect.

Carl Block, Manchester's business administrator, reiterated statements from the Aug. 10 meeting that no plans have been presented to the township for any data center.

He said the 2025 ordinance that addressed redevelopment of the specific site had created the only place in the township where a data center was possible under the township's zoning, and by repealing that ordinance, that option was completely removed because it was specific to the redevelopment.

The ordinance repealing it adds a section completely banning data centers, removing any possibility in the town.

Block also said that the only way a proposal could have been considered is if a developer had filed a complete application for one with the township's planning board. Getting a planning application deemed complete is a process that doesn't happen quickly in the vast majority of cases.

Block also said following the process and the rules for putting the ordinance in place is important, because rushing the process out of fear that someone will try to sneak in a project under the wire would backfire and give the courts reason to reject it.

One man warned that the ban may be put in place, but that it doesn't mean the fight will be over.

"These guys will keep coming at us," the man said, "not just New Jersey, not just Manchester Township, but the whole country."

As happened at the Aug. 10 meeting there was a diverse range of residents who came out in opposition to data centers.

That included the "Jersey Devil," a man who came in costume with a sign urging the council to ban data centers and to protect the Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer, a massive underground reserve of freshwater that provides drinking water to millions of New Jersey residents.

At the microphone the man identified himself only as "JD," to the dismay of Zolezi, but he thanked the council for taking the first step to ban the centers.

He then took it a step farther, urging the council to seek more parcels to protect as open space in connection with the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust program, to avoid issues in the future.

The "Jersey Devil" made an appearance at the Manchester Township Council on Monday to advocate for a ban on data centers. (Karen Wall/Patch)

This article was published on August 26, 2026 and can be found online at: https://patch.com/new-jersey/manchester-nj/data-center-ban-introduced-manchester

Calling upon U.S. Postmaster General SteinerSmith leads push with state and local officials to urge USPS to resolve ongoing postal issues in Jackson Township

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ-04) is leading state and municipal officials representing Jackson Township, New Jersey in a new push to address and resolve the ongoing postal service crisis at the Jackson Post Office.

In a joint letter to U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner, Smith and his fellow elected officials—NJ-LD-12 Senator Owen Henry, NJ-LD-12 Assemblymen Alex Sauickie and Robert Clifton, and Jackson Township Mayor Jennifer Kuhn—call attention to the “overwhelming concerns voiced by… the residents and businesses of Jackson Township, [who] have repeatedly expressed frustrations over deteriorating service conditions, unsafe access, excessive wait times,” and inadequacies of the existing facility.

“While the USPS has previously stated that they are aware of and looking into the ongoing challenges facing the Jackson Post Office, these issues have only intensified in recent years, resulting in poor customer service, and above all, serious public safety risks,” said Smith. “As Jackson Township’s population continues to grow, so do the shortcomings and limitations of its only postal facility.”

The letter notes that “Jackson Township is the third-largest municipality in New Jersey by land area, encompassing approximately 100 square miles,” and stresses that the town’s population has grown exponentially in recent decades.

“According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Jackson's population increased from 25,644 residents in 1980 to 58,544 residents in 2020, with more recent estimates placing the population at nearly 61,000 residents,” the officials write. “This growth has been accompanied by continued residential and commercial development, significantly increasing the demand for postal services.”

“The Jackson Post Office has proven to be woefully ineffective in adequately serving the needs of its booming population,” Smith continued. “Postal customers at this facility have been repeatedly subjected to overcrowded conditions, extended wait times, inadequate parking, severe traffic congestion, and insufficient staffing.”

The letter specifically cites eyewitness accounts from Mayor Kuhn, who stated that she “has personally visited [the facility] on numerous occasions and has witnessed firsthand the unsafe conditions created by vehicles backing onto Bennetts Mills Road, traffic congestion extending beyond the property, and residents struggling to safely access postal services.”

These conditions, the lawmakers argue, “create legitimate public safety concerns, not only for postal customers, but also for motorists, pedestrians, emergency responders, and the community as a whole.”

Moreover, the authors of the letter note that Jackson Township was historically served by two postal facilities—the Cassville Post Office, located at 520 West Veterans Highway, and the Jackson Post Office, located at 915 Bennetts Mills Road—that helped distribute customer demand and provided residents in different sections of the municipality with reasonable, effective access to postal services; however, in 2012, the Cassville facility closed its doors, forcing Jackson Township’s tens of thousands of residents to now rely upon a singular, ill-equipped facility for all of their postal needs.

In the conclusion of their letter, the lawmakers call for “decisive action” from the USPS and urge the agency to seriously evaluate:

The establishment of a second, full-service postal facility within Jackson Township to restore adequate access for residents and businesses;
The significant modernization and/or expansion of the existing Bennetts Mills Road facility, including improvements to parking, traffic flow, customer service areas, accessibility, and operational capacity; and
The immediate operational improvements to address staffing levels, customer wait times, and public safety concerns while long-term solutions are being evaluated.

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