{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where party = \"Republican\", state = \"NJ\" and year = 2026 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415879", "Washington Examiner Op-Ed by Rep. Smith'Over 2 million people are alive today because of one law \u2014 and Washington wants to kill it'", "2026-09-30", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Rep. Chris Smith\n\nPublished September 30, 2026 at 5:00am ET\n\nFifty years ago \u2014 on Sept. 30, 1976 \u2014 Congress first enacted an amendment offered by the late, great Rep. Henry Hyde of Illinois to prohibit federal Medicaid funds from being used to subsidize the killing of unborn children by abortion.\n\nDuring debate in the House, Henry said: \u201cAn innocent, defenseless human life, in a caring and humane society deserves better than to be flushed down a toilet or burned in an incinerator.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe promise of America,\u201d he said, \u201cis that life is not just for the privileged, the planned, or the perfect.\u201d\n\nAccording to Dr. Michael J. New of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, approximately 2.7 million people are alive today \u2014 and each year, another 60,000 evade the irreversible consequence of abortion and survive \u2014 because of Henry Hyde\u2019s amendment.\n\nThanks to Henry Hyde, 2.7 million people \u2014 who would have otherwise been aborted \u2014 have experienced the joys and challenges of life and opportunities to thrive.\n\nBeginning in 1981, I had the honor of serving alongside Henry Hyde in the House of Representatives.\n\nHe was brilliant, compassionate, tenacious, incredibly articulate, self-effacing, a man of great wisdom and humor \u2014 a one-of-a-kind lawmaker \u2014 who, to this day, remains the greatest defender of unborn children and their mothers.\n\nHe was so good at debate, you always wanted him to be your closer.\n\nHenry believed sound moral principles and courage should inform and guide the decisions we make in government, and he addressed the 1990 class of incoming freshmen members of Congress with these words:\n\n\u201cThis may sound odd, even ironic. You are here in the flush of victory. And yet it is precisely now that I ask you to contemplate the possibility of defeat \u2014 perhaps even the necessity of defeat. \u2026 If you don\u2019t know the principle, or the policy, for which you are willing to lose your office, then you are going to do damage here.\u201d\n\nNo one wants to lose an election. However, we do great \u201cdamage\u201d when we sacrifice our core convictions on the altar of political expediency.\n\nIt\u2019s truly sad that far too many politicians \u2014 who know better \u2014 have abandoned unborn children and their mothers to the abortionists for political gain or upward advancement.\n\nThe Hyde Amendment is under relentless legislative assault. Yet polling data consistently reflect what the 2026 Marist Poll found: A significant majority of people do not support taxpayer funding for abortion.\n\nAs pro-life advocates work to replace abortion violence \u2014 the culture of death \u2014 with compassion and empathy for women and children, the Hyde Amendment continues to stand as one of the most important human rights policies of the past 50 years.\n\nHowever, the billion-dollar abortion industry continues to cleverly market the cheap sophistry of choice, while going to extraordinary lengths to downplay the suffering and pain experienced by the battered baby victims in the womb \u2014 as well as the coercion or pressure exerted on the mother to end the life of her unborn child.\n\nThe abortion pill \u2014 mifepristone \u2014 kills the baby by starving the child to death, while other methods of abortion dismember and decapitate the baby.\n\nWe now know that mifepristone is extremely dangerous to women. The Ethics and Public Policy Center conducted the largest-known study of the abortion pill ever, and is based on analysis of data from an all-payer insurance claims database.\n\nThis database includes 865,727 prescribed mifepristone abortions from 2017 to 2023, and found that 10.93% of women experience sepsis, infection, hemorrhaging, or another serious adverse event within 45 days following a mifepristone abortion.\n\nThe real-world rate of serious adverse events following mifepristone abortions is at least 22 times as high as the summary figure of \u201cless than 0.5%\u201d in clinical trials reported on the drug label.\n\nSomeday, future generations will look back and wonder how and why such a seemingly smart and enlightened society could have permitted and perpetrated the violent deaths of more than 66 million children by abortion, often with government authorization, enabling, and subsidy.\n\nHistory will note, however, the struggle of Henry Hyde and the millions of pro-life advocates who joined him in his quest to protect and defend the rights of the weakest and most vulnerable.", 1, "2026-10-01T11:23:28Z", "2026-10-01T11:25:15Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415880", "FEMA Region 2 Administrator Hartnett to survey Nor\u2019easter damage with Chris Smith", "2026-09-30", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "On Friday, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) will join FEMA Region 2 Administrator Christopher Hartnett and local officials in surveying the extensive damage wrought by the severe Nor\u2019easter from September 25-28, 2026.\n\n\u201cLast week, New Jersey\u2014and especially the shore communities within our Fourth Congressional District\u2014experienced a severe Nor\u2019easter, bringing heavy rains, damaging winds, and substantial, prolonged flooding. The storm also caused significant and dangerous beach erosion, as well as thousands of power outages across the state,\u201d said Smith, who secured millions of dollars in federal grants for Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts.\n\nAs the Nor\u2019easter ripped through New Jersey, several communities in Ocean County were isolated from the mainland, first responders conducted hundreds of rescues from flooded homes and vehicles, and many schools in both Monmouth and Ocean County remained closed on Monday, September 28th.\n\n\u201cAs the impacted towns in my district take stock of the damage and needs to rebuild, I am committed to helping our local leaders through this tenuous process\u2014first, by surveying the damage first-hand and documenting the storm\u2019s impacts to residents\u2019 safety and quality of life,\u201d continued Smith.\n\n\u201cWhile we still do not know the full extent of the Nor\u2019easter\u2019s damage, this visit will give us a greater understanding of how the federal government can best assist our shore communities during this perilous time.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-10-01T11:23:28Z", "2026-10-01T11:25:15Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2101", "Congressman Van Drew Recognizes Childhood Cancer Awareness Month", "2026-09-30", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC - As Childhood Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, Congressman Van Drew released the following message:\n\n\"No child should have to spend their childhood fighting cancer. But every day, children and families across the country are facing treatments, hospital stays, and uncertainty that most of us can hardly imagine,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"Childhood Cancer Awareness Month is a chance to recognize those kids and the families who are right there beside them. It is also a reminder that we have to keep supporting the research, treatments, and doctors working to give these children the best possible chance. To every child fighting cancer, and every parent, sibling, and loved one going through it with them, we are thinking about you and praying for you. And we are going to keep supporting the doctors, researchers, and families doing everything they can to beat this disease.\"", 1, "2026-10-01T11:23:28Z", "2026-10-01T11:25:15Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2102", "Congressman Van Drew Applauds President Trump's Executive Order Addressing Alpha-gal Syndrome", "2026-09-30", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew applauded President Trump's executive order addressing alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-borne allergy that can cause serious reactions to certain foods, medicines, and other products containing mammal-derived ingredients. The order includes efforts to improve treatment options and explore clearer labeling for food and drug products that may contain alpha-gal.\n\n\"Alpha-gal is something I have been working on for a long time because I have heard directly from people who have to think about it every single day,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"They have to constantly worry about what is in their food, what is in their medicine, and whether something they use could cause a serious reaction. President Trump's executive order is a very important step because it focuses on two of the biggest things I have been pushing for: better treatment options and clearer labeling.\n\n\"My Alpha-gal Allergen Inclusion Act would formally add alpha-gal to the list of major food allergens under federal law so people have clearer information about when it may be present in the products they use. Now, with the administration also directing federal agencies to explore labeling for food and drug products and look at potential treatments, we have real momentum behind this issue. I am going to keep working to build on that and move my bill forward so people living with alpha-gal have the protections and treatment options they deserve.\"", 1, "2026-10-01T11:23:28Z", "2026-10-01T11:25:15Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415877", "Smith welcomes release of Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu", "2026-09-29", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chairman of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, today welcomed the long-awaited release of Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, an imprisoned Azerbaijani economist, anti-corruption advocate, and former New Jersey resident. Dr. Ibadoghlu has safely arrived in Berlin for urgently needed medical treatment.\n\n\u201cI am overjoyed that Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu is finally free and safe in Germany, where he can receive the medical care he so urgently needs,\u201d said Smith, who has consistently advocated for Dr. Ibadoghlu\u2019s release and access to medical care since his arrest in 2023.\n\n\u201cThis is a wonderful day for Gubad; his wife, Irada; their children; and all those who have stood with this courageous family,\u201d he continued.\n\n\u201cGubad\u2019s son, Emin\u2014a New Jersey resident\u2014and the entire Ibadoghlu family were extraordinary in their steadfastness and determination. They never stopped working for Gubad\u2019s freedom, building support for him across governments, parliaments, human rights organizations, universities, and civil societies around the world. Their persistence and courage have been remarkable, and today, they have every reason to rejoice.\u201d\n\nSmith also expressed his gratitude for the German government and other U.S. officials, who worked tirelessly to secure Dr. Ibadoghlu\u2019s release and safe arrival in Germany.\n\nDr. Ibadoghlu\u2019s son, Emin Bayramli, said, \u201cWe want to express our deepest gratitude to everyone who has helped and supported our family throughout this difficult journey. We are especially grateful to Congressman Chris Smith, who have stood with our family from day one and have never stopped advocating on our behalf. We would also like to thank the German government, the State Department, and the Administration for their continued support and for all the assistance they have provided to our family.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile we celebrate Gubad\u2019s freedom today, I call upon Azerbaijani authorities to fully drop the criminal charges that remain against him following his release on medical grounds, as well as the charges against his brother,\u201d stated Smith.\n\n\u201cWe must also remember the more than 300 political prisoners who remain in Azerbaijan. Their families are still waiting, and I will continue to advocate for their freedom and ensure that their cases are not forgotten.\u201d\n\nFor more than three years, Smith has remained a persistent and tenacious advocate for Dr. Ibadoghlu\u2019s release and access to medical care.\n\nAs his Defending Freedoms Project advocate, Smith has led congressional appeals to senior U.S. officials\u2014including officials traveling to Azerbaijan and meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev abroad\u2014and has repeatedly raised Ibadoghlu\u2019s case in congressional hearings and public statements. Most recently, Smith pressed for his immediate release and the lifting of restrictions preventing him from obtaining medical treatment abroad.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-30T10:57:52Z", "2026-09-30T10:59:04Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415878", "Smith authored the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act (PL 113-150)Smith applauds State Department\u2019s new visa restriction policy to combat international parental child abduction", "2026-09-29", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the author of the landmark Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act (PL 113-150)\u2014the law created to help return kidnapped American children\u2014issued the below statement following U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio\u2019s announcement that the State Department will be implementing a new policy to \u201crestrict visa issuance to individuals responsible for, or complicit in, impeding the prompt resolution of international parental child abduction cases, as well as their immediate family members\u201d:\n\n\u201cAs the author of the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act (PL 113\u2013150)\u2014which listed specific diplomatic tools and gave the State Department other authorities to enact critical, groundbreaking policies to combat international parental child abduction\u2014I want to thank Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar for taking such bold and decisive action to prevent and punish this incredibly heartbreaking and life-altering crime.\n\n\u201cThe specified policy, which will restrict visa issuance to foreign nationals found to be responsible for, or complicit in, cases of international parental child abduction, is another critical addition to the United States\u2019 toolkit for reuniting families and securing the return of abducted children to the U.S.\n\n\u201cThis escalated action is exactly what the Goldman Act envisioned over ten years ago\u2014a United States visa is a privilege, not a right, and it is reserved for those individuals who fully comply with U.S. law and policy.\n\n\u201cAny judge, official, law enforcement officer, or individual, who deliberately obstructs the court-ordered return of an American child to their left-behind parent, should not be afforded the opportunity to travel to the United States.\n\n\u201cI commend Secretary Rubio and Assistant Secretary Namdar for taking critical steps to ensure that American children abducted from their parent(s) are returned, and that all noncompliant actors are held accountable.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-30T10:57:52Z", "2026-09-30T10:59:04Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2099", "Congressman Van Drew Issues Statement on FCC Review of Verizon Copper Service Proposal", "2026-09-28", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC -Today, Congressman Van Drew welcomed the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) decision to prevent Verizon's application to discontinue copper-based telephone service in portions of New Jersey from being automatically approved while the Commission conducts further review. Earlier this month, Congressman Van Drew sent a letter to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr urging the Commission to reject Verizon's proposal.\n\n\"This is a good first step, and I appreciate Chairman Carr and the FCC for taking these concerns seriously,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"People across South Jersey reached out to us because they are genuinely worried about losing a service they still depend on, especially in rural areas where cell coverage is not always reliable. I will continue working with Chairman Carr and the FCC as they review this proposal, and I am still asking that it ultimately be rejected.\"", 1, "2026-09-29T11:07:12Z", "2026-09-29T11:08:49Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2098", "Congressman Van Drew Provides Update on Storm Response Across South Jersey", "2026-09-27", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew provided an update on the ongoing response to the nor'easter impacting South Jersey and the work underway to prepare for recovery efforts.\n\n\"Teams are already in the district assessing conditions and damage, and that work will continue throughout the week,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"In the coming days, I will be personally meeting with officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Army Corps of Engineers, including the FEMA Administrator and the Secretary of the Army, both in the district and on the ground. We are going to stay on top of this and make sure our communities get every federal resource and dollar they are eligible for. We have been through storms like this before. South Jersey is strong, and we will recover. My office will be there every step of the way.\n\n\"If you are without power, or if there is another storm-related issue in your community that you believe needs attention, please fill out the form below. This will help my office know where problems remain so we can follow up with the appropriate agencies, utilities, or local officials.\n\n\"Finally, I want to thank our first responders, emergency management teams, utility crews, law enforcement, firefighters, and everyone else who has been working to keep our people safe. We are incredibly grateful for everything they have done and continue to do.\"", 1, "2026-09-28T11:29:07Z", "2026-09-28T11:30:58Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415873", "Storm Resources", "2026-09-26", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "TOMS RIVER, NJ , Sep 26, 2026\n\nImportant Storm Resources:\n\nCall 911 for emergencies\n\nReport power outage to JCP&L - text \u201cOUT\u201d to 544487 or call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877)\n\nIf you see downed power lines: Call 911 immediately if you see a downed power line. Stay at least 30 feet away and instruct others to do the same.\n\nState of NJ\u2019s 24-hour helpline: 211\n\nState of NJ\u2019s preparedness info: ready.nj.gov\n\nNational Weather Service for Central and Southern NJ\n\nAdditional resources:\n\nOcean County Sheriff\u2019s Office of Emergency Management (OEM): (732) 929-2044\n\nMonmouth County Sheriff\u2019s Office of Emergency Management (OEM): (732) 577-8700\n\n** Be sure to keep cell phones fully charged during this emergency**\n\nSept 2026 National Weather Service Map.", 1, "2026-09-27T10:23:37Z", "2026-09-27T10:25:08Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415871", "The Daily Wire exclusive article on Smith legislation'Federal Pro-Life Protection Hits Major Milestone As New Attacks Emerge'", "2026-09-25", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Leif Le Mahieu\n\nPublished September 25, 2026\n\nFifty-years ago, a Republican congressman from Illinois named Henry Hyde took action to successfully protect American dollars from being used to end the life of an unborn child.\n\nTo honor the lawmaker\u2019s legacy, Senator James Lankford (R-OK) on Friday introduced a resolution calling for the continued support of the Hyde Amendment, a measure prohibiting the use of federal dollars to fund abortions. Lankford credits the amendment with saving over 2.5 million babies, according to a copy of a resolution first obtained by The Daily Wire.\n\nLankford\u2019s resolution marks the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Hyde Amendment, which occurred on September 30, 1976. Since that time, the Hyde Amendment has been repeatedly passed ensuring that federal dollars are not paying for abortions. In recent years, some Democrats have pushed to end the amendment and force Americans to pay for abortions.\n\nCredit: YsaL via Getty Images.\n\n\u201cFor 50 years, the Hyde Amendment has been an important protection for American taxpayers. Every child is valuable. No American should ever wonder if the check they\u2019re sending to the IRS on April 15 will be used to pay for someone\u2019s elective abortion,\u201d Lankford Told The Daily Wire. \u201cHyde was a bipartisan agreement five decades ago, and it has been included in appropriations bills every year since. We should keep that commitment in place.\u201d\n\nThe resolution says its purpose is to recognize the Hyde Amendment\u2019s \u201cenduring legacy of saving the lives of more than 2,600,000 unborn children and respecting the conscience rights of the American people.\u201d It adds that it wants to \u201cencourages the people of the United States to reflect upon the history and significance of the Hyde amendment and the loss of 63,000,000 babies through abortions that have taken place since Roe v. Wade.\u201d\n\nA companion resolution was introduced in the House by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ).\n\n\u201cI had the honor of serving alongside Rep. Hyde in the House for more than two decades, and I can personally attest to his unrivaled brilliance, unparalleled compassion, and unwavering commitment to protecting and defending the rights of the unborn\u2014the weakest and most vulnerable among us,\u201d he said.\n\nCredit: Photo by Diana Walker/Getty Images.\n\nThe Hyde Amendment, supported by members of both parties at the time, came three years after the Supreme Court ruled that there was a constitutional right to an abortion \u2014 a decision that would later be struck down by the high court in 2022.\n\n\u2018\u2018We who seek to protect that most defenseless and innocent of human lives, the unborn \u2014 seek to inhibit the use of federal funds to pay for and thus encourage abortion as an answer to the human and compelling problem of an unwanted child,\u201d Hyde said at the time.\n\nIn recent years, the Hyde Amendment has faced challenges from Democrats who have floated appealing the amendment. In 2019, then Senator Kamala Harris called for Hyde to be repealed claiming it was blocking access to \u201creproductive health care.\u201d Those efforts have so far fallen flat when Democrats controlled Congress and would likely require a 60-seat majority in the Senate.\n\nEarlier this year, President Donald Trump suggested that Republicans should be \u201ca little flexible on Hyde.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou have to be a little flexible on Hyde, you know that. You\u2019ve got to be a little flexible,\u201d Trump said. \u201cYou\u2019ve got to use ingenuity. You\u2019ve got to work. We\u2019re all big fans of everything.\u201d\n\nDespite that comment, Trump has moved to keep dollars from going toward abortions. The president signed an executive order in January 2025 to enforce the Hyde Amendment and crack down on taxpayer funding for abortion.\n\nThere still appears to be some federal dollars paying for abortions. A recent report from the Government Accountability Office found that almost a quarter of Affordable Care Act plans cover abortions. Some lawmakers argues this violates the provisions of the Hyde Amendment.", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2097", "Congressman Van Drew Statement on Nor'easter This Weekend", "2026-09-25", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC -Today, Congressman Van Drew released the following statement as South Jersey prepares for a strong coastal storm this weekend.\n\n\"We are praying for the best, but preparing for the worst,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"My office is in touch with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the White House so that if South Jersey is hit hard, we can make sure our communities get any federal help they need as quickly as possible. South Jersey has been through major storms before, and we know how important it is to be ready before conditions get bad. Be prepared for possible flooding and power outages, and pay close attention to updates from your local officials. We will be monitoring the storm closely, and if our towns need help, we will do everything we can to make sure South Jersey gets it.\"", 1, "2026-09-28T11:29:07Z", "2026-09-28T11:30:58Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415869", "The Daily Signal exclusive article on Smith letter to Sec. Rubio and Pres. Trump'China Hawk Urges Trump and Rubio to Discuss Chinese Prisoner Release in New Letter'", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Pedro Rodriguez\n\nPublished September 24, 2026\n\nFIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL\u2014The chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China sent a letter to President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, urging them to discuss with Chinese leader Xi Jinping the release of worshippers and American citizens who remain imprisoned in China.\n\nRep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., penned the letter after he held two hearings in late September on the detainees, including media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai, Christian worshippers, Uyghur Muslims activists, Falun Gong, and American citizens detained for minor crimes.\n\n\u201cThey are people\u2014sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters\u2014whose families have spent years waiting and pleading for their loved ones to come home,\u201d the letter, exclusively obtained by the Daily Signal, reads. \u201cI respectfully ask that you raise the following cases directly with President Xi and press for their release, including through medical or humanitarian transfer where appropriate.\u201d\n\nPresident Donald Trump (right) talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping during an arrival ceremony on Sept. 23, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)\n\n\u201cAt this critical moment, I ask that you make the freedom and humanitarian treatment of these individuals a priority in your discussions with Beijing,\u201d the letter adds. \u201cSeveral of these prisoners face serious medical conditions that warrant immediate consideration for medical or humanitarian release or transfer.\u201d\n\nDuring the first summit between the second Trump administration and the Chinese Communist Party earlier this year, Trump raised the issue of releasing Pastor Ezra Jin, who was imprisoned for operating a non-state-approved church in China, which eventually led to his release from a Chinese prison.\n\nIn his letter to the president and the secretary of state, Smith urged them \u201cto bring that same commitment directly to the table with President Xi.\u201d\n\nAmong the prisoners are eight leaders of Zion Church, who were originally imprisoned with Jin, as well as three Light of Zion Church leaders\u2014Pastor Gao Quanfu, Pang Yu, and Tang Bingyi\u2014who are still in confinement after refusing to register their house churches and submit to Communist Party monitoring.\n\nLai, who has already served six years of his 20-year sentence for running a non-state-sponsored media outlet, now faces serious health concerns and has just received notice that his eldest daughter is undergoing cancer treatment in the United Kingdom.\n\nThe two American prisoners detained in China, Dawn Michelle Hunt and Nelson Wells Jr., have been imprisoned for more than a decade, \u201cfollowing procedures that raise serious due process concerns,\u201d the letter adds.", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2096", "Congressman Van Drew Urges FCC to Reject Verizon Plan to End Copper Service in South Jersey", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC -Today, Congressman Van Drew sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr urging the FCC to reject Verizon's proposal to discontinue copper-based telephone service in parts of New Jersey, including Salem County.\n\n\"Many people in South Jersey still depend on these copper lines, especially in rural areas where cell service can be unreliable,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"These lines are used for medical-alert systems, alarm monitoring, elevator phones, and dependable 911 access. I have heard the concerns from people across South Jersey, and I agree with them. I am asking the FCC to turn this proposal down and make sure residents are not left without a reliable option.\"", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-introduces-ai-kill-switch-legislation", "Kean Introduces AI Kill Switch Legislation", "2026-09-24", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(SEPTEMBER 24, 2026) WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Today, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) introduced the AI Emergency Button Act to require artificial intelligence developers to install an emergency kill switch.\n\n\u201cWhile AI can be a helpful tool, it is essential that humans remain in control of complex artificial intelligence systems,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cThis legislation would ensure that advanced artificial intelligence systems include a technical capability for a human operator to shut down the system.\u201d\n\nSenator John Kennedy (R-LA) introduced the AI Emergency Button Act in the Senate earlier this month.\n\nIn July, Congressman Kean introduced the Spot the Fakes Act with Representatives Gottheimer (NJ-05) and Liccardo (CA-16) to require that all AI-generated content carry a label embedded in its metadata, giving Americans the transparency they need to verify the authenticity of the content they view.\n\nIn September 2025, Congressman Kean introduced the LIFT AI Act with Congressman Amo (RI-01) to improve artificial intelligence literacy for students K-12. The bill passed the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology in June of this year.\n\nRead the text of the bill HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-26T09:43:57Z", "2026-09-26T09:44:55Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415853", "The Epoch Times article on Smith hearing'Families Call for Release of Loved Ones in China as Xi Visits US'", "2026-09-23", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Eva Fu\n\nPublished September 23, 2026\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014These are the faces that Beijing doesn\u2019t want the world to see.\n\nThey are political prisoners, ranging in age from their early 20s to nearly 80, each held behind bars because their beliefs or speech do not align with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).\n\nEach of them is a father or a mother, a son or a daughter. In the United States and elsewhere, someone is thinking of them, waiting for the day they will be allowed to go home.\n\nAmong those waiting are a mother of an 8-year-old, and a daughter undergoing chemotherapy, wishing to hold her father\u2019s hand.\n\nAs the U.S.\u2013China summit looms over Washington, advocates see an opening to make that happen.\n\nOne phone call to Beijing from the Oval Office, they argue, and these detainees could walk free.\n\nOn Capitol Hill, the plight of the political prisoners has galvanized bipartisan lawmakers ahead of the bilateral talks.\n\nHouse Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said at a presser that he believes the \u201crelease of the hostages\u201d is on the agenda.\n\nFive Democratic lawmakers have also presented the president with the names of 22 prisoners he could bring up with Chinese counterparts.\n\nRep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) hosted two hearings this month championing their cause.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s like that could be me. That could be my wife if she lives in China,\u201d he told The Epoch Times.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re all God\u2019s children. If we don\u2019t raise [this cause], who will?\u201d\n\nButterfly in the Kitchen\n\nOn the kitchen counter of her Florida home, Ziba Murat keeps an embroidered image of a swallowtail butterfly.\n\nIt\u2019s a small, tangible piece of Gulshan Abbas, Murat\u2019s reticent mother, who\u2019s now in Chinese jail under a 20-year sentence on terrorism-related charges. The United States has deemed those accusations as unfounded.\n\nZiba Murat holds a photo of her mother, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, at Murat's home in Virginia in 2024.\n\nZiba Murat keeps a framed image of a butterfly that was cross-stitched by her mother, jailed political prisoner Dr. Gulshan Abbas, in her kitchen.\n\nIt was hard for Murat to connect the person she knows so intimately with the reality of life in prison. Abbas, as Murat remembers, smiled quietly at jokes and embroidered for hours with a patience Murat never possessed.\n\nEven after retiring, Abbas continued to go out of her way to help Uyghur patients, getting up early to meet them at the hospital just so they could see the right doctor and have everything they needed, Murat told The Epoch Times.\n\nMurat misses her. She misses her mother\u2019s humming in the kitchen and the wonderful stir-fries she cooked during the months she spent visiting the United States.\n\nWhen it was time for Abbas to leave in 2016, Murat wanted her to stay.\n\nShe remembers her mother telling her: \u201cI have a 10-year-visa. I can come back anytime I want.\u201d\n\nMurat said she had a sinking feeling as she watched her mother disappear through airport security. That was the last time they saw each other in person.\n\n(L\u2013R) Ziba Murat; her mother, Dr. Gulshan Abbas; and her younger sister Zamira Murat during a 2015 visit to the United States by Abbas, in this file photo.\n\nFor the next two years, the two talked on the phone every day. Then in 2018, days after Abbas\u2019s sister Rushan made a public speech denouncing the Party\u2019s mass detention of Uyghurs, Abbas became unreachable. It took two years for her family to learn of her imprisonment and sentencing in a secret trial.\n\nHolding her baby daughter, Murat walked around Congress frantically looking for help. Never a news junkie, she became glued to the screen, scanning for the slightest hint of change in U.S.\u2013China policy.\n\nGuilt gnawed at Murat as she wondered what she could have done, thinking about how she was here in the United States living her life while her mother was suffering in a Chinese jail.\n\nMurat still can\u2019t bring herself to tell the truth to her 8-year-old daughter.\n\nWhen the girl saw a photo of Rushan holding a photo of Abbas, she asked Murat what was going on.\n\nMurat responded that her grandmother was \u201cvery far away\u201d and that they were asking people to bring her back.\n\nThrough all these years, Murat said, the girl hasn\u2019t hugged her grandmother. She knows her grandmother through stories, photographs, and the hope that one day they will finally meet.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s the cruelty of transnational repression,\u201d Murat said at a Sept. 16 event on China\u2019s religious freedom. \u201cIt did not harm only one person. It steals birthdays. It steals holidays, ordinary family moments that you can never get back.\u201d\n\nDr. Gulshan Abbas's image is shown during a congressional hearing by the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party titled \u201cThe Chinese Communist Party's Ongoing Uyghur Genocide,\u201d in Washington on March 23, 2023.\n\nZiba Murat with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) during a visit for the State of the Union address in Washington on Feb. 24, 2026.\n\nZiba Murat with Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), head of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, in Washington in March 2026.\n\nA Card From Jail\n\nAlisa Zhou experienced that cruelty when she was around 7 years old.\n\nIt was 2000, one year after the Chinese regime went all out against her faith, Falun Gong.\n\nThe meditative practice spread widely by word of mouth in the 1990s, reaching an estimated 70 million practitioners by decade\u2019s end. Then, in 1999, the Chinese leadership ordered a full-fledged eradication campaign. Overnight, the practitioners became outlaws.\n\nZhou was too young to make sense of it all, and her father tried to shield her from the hard reality. When her mother, Wang Youmei, vanished suddenly, he told Zhou that she had gone on a business trip far away.\n\nBut the persecution found a way to reach Zhou. After her mother\u2019s arrest, Zhou\u2019s best friend, with whom she walked to and from school every day, stopped playing with her. Then her father took her to an unfamiliar place.\n\nHer mother was there. She handed Zhou a bag of snacks and a handwritten card.\n\nOne message is etched into her memory: her mother\u2019s wish that her children \u201cgrow up healthy and happy.\u201d\n\nThe young Zhou cried as she took in the words. Some time later, she grasped that her mother was in jail.\n\nThere were a lot more tears during those nights when Zhou was alone. To encourage herself, she wrote down \u201ctruthfulness, compassion, and forbearance\u201d\u2014the three core principles of Falun Gong\u2014and hung it on her bedroom wall.\n\nMore than two decades later, the same three words keep Zhou going after her mother\u2019s fifth arrest this April.\n\nShe had learned about it while driving to Virginia Beach for a weekend retreat. Back at work on Monday, she burst into tears when her boss greeted her with \u201cHow was your weekend?\u201d\n\nZhou is now an American citizen. But despite living in the free world, the persecution follows her like a shadow, she said.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s not a moment where I can shake it off,\u201d she told The Epoch Times. Whenever she trawls the internet for information on China, she\u2019s haunted by revelations of new arrests and deaths.\n\nBelieving in truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance poses no threat to anyone, Zhou said, but if the CCP is out to get someone, \u201cthere\u2019s no shortage of excuses.\u201d She said she can\u2019t fathom how a state could turn on its own people.\n\nNeither can Smith, the co-chair of the bicameral Congressional-Executive Commission on China that monitors human rights in the communist country.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve been in Congress for 46 years. I don\u2019t get it,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cThese [people] are assets to your country. ... This is the salt of the earth\u2014Christian believers, Falun Gong practitioners, the Uyghurs, Tibetan Buddhists. Why would you look to hurt these people?\n\n\u201cLet them thrive, and your nation thrives.\u201d\n\nTo Hold a Daughter\u2019s Hand\n\nIt\u2019s difficult to know how many political prisoners there are in China. The Chinese regime doesn\u2019t provide such information and asserts that it doesn\u2019t hold them.\n\nA database from human rights nonprofit Dui Hua Foundation, last updated in December 2025, recorded more than 50,000 entries. The Congressional-Executive Commission on China has tracked more than 11,000 cases. Neither comes close to the true number, advocates say.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s millions of people that have to go through that,\u201d Sam Brownback, former ambassador at large for international religious freedom, told The Epoch Times. \u201cThese are people that have families like I do, and they\u2019ve just done what they believe is right and stood up for freedom.\u201d\n\nIn Hong Kong, the number of political prisoners has also been rising over the six years since Beijing imposed a national security law to crush dissent.\n\nOne of the most prominent is Jimmy Lai, founder of one of the largest pro-democracy newspapers in Hong Kong, which folded following a 500-strong police raid in 2021.\n\nHis daughter Claire was diagnosed with cancer weeks ago and just started chemotherapy in London.\n\nLai received the news at the maximum-security prison where he\u2019s serving a 20-year sentence.\n\nAt a Sept. 16 hearing highlighting Lai\u2019s case, Claire\u2019s brother Sebastien pleaded for compassionate release so that their father could \u201csit beside his daughter in her hardest moment\u201d and hold her hand.\n\n\u201cShe wants nothing more than to have him with her for this fight,\u201d Sebastien Lai said.\n\nSebastien Lai said he hears about his father\u2019s health declining every single day.\n\nIn a report two days before the hearing, the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation found that Hong Kong prison guards have rehearsed Jimmy Lai\u2019s death.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s really scary to hear,\u201d Sebastien Lai said.\n\nThe Hong Kong authorities\u2019 actions against his father are a \u201creal disgrace,\u201d he said. \u201cThey went through all this kangaroo court show trial and found nothing. His record is unblemished, yet they still keep going.\u201d\n\nThe Long Game\n\nJimmy Lai is one of an estimated 2,000 Hong Kong pro-democracy figures ensnared under the national security law.\n\nFormer student leader Joshua Wong is currently awaiting sentencing for \u201cforeign collusion\u201d for lobbying Western lawmakers, and potentially faces life in prison.\n\nFor democracy activist Frances Hui, who has a HK$1 million (about $127,000) bounty on her head, the word that comes to mind is \u201chorror.\u201d\n\n\u201cI knew [Wong] when he was 16; I don\u2019t know if he will ever come out alive, or if I will ever be able to see him,\u201d she told The Epoch Times.\n\nWong was already serving a four-year, eight-month prison term. Seven months before Wong was due to be released, prosecutors began a second trial.\n\n\u201cThey waited until the very end to come up with this charge. It\u2019s just so apparent that they are trying to keep him behind bars for as long as they can,\u201d Hui said.\n\nThe two met when they were both teenagers campaigning for Hong Kong\u2019s democratic freedoms. Wong, in Hui\u2019s telling, had a lot of energy, taking interviews even while on hunger strike and physically frail.\n\n\u201cHe inspires so many of us,\u201d Hui said, suggesting that the Party authorities are acting out of fear.\n\n\u201cThey are afraid that if he gets out next year, he will create something that they can\u2019t control.\u201d\n\nThe regime is playing the long game, she said, betting that over time, the outside world will \u201cforget the prisoners as they slowly go quiet.\u201d\n\nThe families of the prisoners fear forgetting, too.\n\nAt a recent human rights panel, Uyghur lawyer Rayhan Asat held up a photo of her brother, Ekpar, who was detained upon returning from a 2016 U.S. exchange program.\n\nThey had seen each other that March. She was studying at Harvard Law School and expecting to see him at her graduation ceremony in two months. She regrets not taking many videos of them together. After 10 years of separation, it\u2019s now difficult to imagine what he sounds like.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s a very painful thought,\u201d she said.\n\nHope for a Miracle\n\nThe release of Pastor Ezra Jin in July is helping to keep their hopes alive.\n\nAfter nearly nine months in custody, the Zion Church leader walked onto a plane bound for the United States and was reunited with his family.\n\nChinese authorities charged him with fraud and illegal business operations\u2014allegations frequently used to prosecute religious activities in China. They told him they could imprison him for 15 years but would be lenient if he pleaded guilty. He refused.\n\nOn July 3, he was pulled from prison and sent in an empty train car to the airport. Even after stepping onto the plane, Jin said, he had no idea where he was going. He had no paperwork or visa.\n\nHe arrived on July 4\u2014America\u2019s 250th birthday. It felt like a dream. The previous day, he was a prisoner. The following evening, he was sitting by the seaside, watching fireworks with family he hadn\u2019t seen in eight years.\n\nMany had thought it was mission impossible, he said, as he accepted an award in July celebrating his freedom. He thanked Trump and many human rights advocates for their support.\n\n\u201cWhen we stand together, changes do happen,\u201d he said.\n\nThis article was published on September 23, 2026 and can be found online at:", 1, "2026-09-24T09:44:48Z", "2026-09-24T09:45:52Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415866", "On the eve of Trump-Xi meeting in Washington, D.C.Capitol Hill hearing features heartfelt appeals to Xi Jinping: let these wonderful people go", "2026-09-23", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "At yesterday\u2019s Capitol Hill hearing chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), lawmakers heard compelling, emotional testimony about the people imprisoned and persecuted by the Chinese government, the families and religious communities working for their freedom, and the retaliation faced by those who speak out on their behalf in China.\n\n\u201cBehind every statistic about political prisoners is a person with hopes and dreams, and a life filled with isolation and pain. Behind every person in a Chinese prison is a family waiting, praying, and hoping that someone will not forget them. And behind many of those families is an entire community that feels threatened and intimidated,\u201d Smith said during his opening remarks.\n\n\u201cToday, we appeal to Xi Jinping to release women and men of conscience and goodness\u2014as a tangible good faith expression of good will, benevolence, respect, and strength. We appeal to Xi Jinping\u2019s heart,\u201d continued Smith, the Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC).\n\n\u201cWe again ask President Trump\u2014who helped Pastor Ezra Jin gain his freedom\u2014to appeal to Xi Jinping to show compassion and courage.\u201d\n\nAt the hearing\u2014entitled \u201cThe Faces of Repression: Prisoners, Families, and Communities Targeted by the CCP\u201d\u2014members of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) heard from multiple highly anticipated witnesses, including Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, the founder and pastor of China\u2019s underground Zion Church, who was recently released from Chinese detention after spending more than 260 days in custody.\n\nDuring the first panel of witnesses, Pastor Jin\u2014accompanied by his daughter and translator, Grace Jin Drexel\u2014testified before Congress for the first time since his long-awaited release in July. Pastor Jin described the persecution, harassment, and intimidation inflicted upon his church and congregants by the Chinese government, explaining that \u201cthe government put pressure on the landlords to terminate our leases, police came to stop church activities and demanded that attendees register their ID cards, [and] police came and cut off the water and power of our meeting place.\u201d\n\nPastor Ezra Jin Mingri and his daughter and translator, Grace Jin Drexel, testify before the CECC at their September 22nd hearing.\n\nEventually, after years of relentless harassment, the Chinese government \u201cmobilized several hundred police to forcibly shut down the Zion Church sanctuary, and the congregation was scattered,\u201d according to Pastor Jin. Zion Church\u2019s services were then moved to online platforms, such as Zoom, where their number of congregants only grew.\n\nShortly thereafter, however, Pastor Jin and other church leaders were arrested and detained by Chinese authorities on the bogus charge of \u201cillegal use of the internet.\u201d The charges were later changed to \u201cillegal business operations\u201d and \u201cfraud.\u201d\n\n\u201cDuring detention, our basic rights were severely restricted. We were not able to have normal correspondence with our families. The only channel for communicating with the outside world was through lawyers,\u201d said Pastor Jin.\n\n\u201cOn July 3, without any notice whatsoever, I was taken out of the detention center and brought to Guangzhou Airport, where the prosecutor\u2019s office withdrew the indictment against me, and I was put on a plane bound for the United States,\u201d he continued. \u201cIt was only through the U.S. Embassy\u2019s consular officer that I learned this happened because President Trump had specifically requested my release from President Xi Jinping during his visit to China!\u201d\n\nConcluding his testimony, Pastor Jin called upon U.S. Congress to \u201ccontinue to pay attention to religious persecution and human rights within China,\u201d and he expressed hope that \u201cthis meeting between the two heads of state can produce genuine consensus and breakthroughs in improving China\u2019s human rights situation and ending the persecution of religious believers.\u201d\n\nThe hearing\u2019s second panel contained other high-profile witnesses, including Nelson Wells Sr., the father of detained American citizen Nelson Wells Jr.; Tim Hunt, the brother of detained American citizen Dawn Michelle Hunt; Rushan Abbas, the sister of detained Chinese political prisoner Dr. Gulshan Abbas and the founder and Executive Director of the Campaign for Uyghurs; and Erping Zhang, a spokesperson for Falun Gong and the Director of Government and Advocacy at the Falun Dafa Information Center.\n\nNelson Wells Jr., an American citizen from Louisiana, was arrested in China in 2014 and sentenced to 22 years in prison after being duped by a so-called friend into carrying bags allegedly containing narcotics. \u201cFor that one mistake\u2014that one betrayal, his life, his wife\u2019s life, his children\u2019s lives, and our lives will never be the same,\u201d said Nelson Wells Sr.\n\nNelson Wells Sr., the father of detained American citizen Nelson Wells Jr., speaks to lawmakers at the CECC's September 22nd hearing.\n\nTestifying before the Commission, Wells Sr. described his son\u2019s declining health, as well as the abusive treatment he endures while in prison:\n\n\u201cOver the years, Nelson has been targeted as one of the few Americans and the only Black American in the prison, which has exposed him to harsher treatment and sometimes physical attack. He has suffered from debilitating chronic pain, seizures (a Chinese MRI report shows he has brain atrophy), malnutrition, internal issues, dental pain, severe depression and thoughts of self-harm\u2026 And now, as of a few weeks ago, we discovered that he has been diagnosed with Hepatitis C\u2014the news of which has devastated Nelson and our family.\u201d\n\nThrough tears, Wells Sr. continued, \u201cWe need President Donald Trump, our President, a father himself, to personally advocate on Nelson\u2019s behalf to President Xi when the two meet this week. We have come a long way and are at the last mile. We believe that he\u2014and perhaps only he\u2014can bring Nelson, can bring Dawn home.\n\n\u201cWhen our country asked us to serve, my wife and I did so unreservedly and without hesitation. I even served hardship posts, including during the Gulf War. President Trump, now I am asking for your help\u2014father to father\u2014on behalf of my child. He is a man, but as every parent here knows, he is still my child, and I cannot leave him behind. I am asking you also not to leave him\u2014an American citizen\u2014behind,\u201d he concluded.\n\nTim Hunt\u2014whose sister, Dawn, an American citizen from Chicago, was also arrested in China in 2014 and sentenced to life imprisonment after being lured into a fraudulent sweepstakes scheme\u2014spoke powerfully and movingly about the hardships his sister and his family have endured since her arrest.\n\n\u201cShe has aged dramatically. Her posture is that of someone much older. She is slumped over. She is frail. Her teeth have yellowed and shifted. Her hair is much grayer than it was just two years ago. Those are the things I could see,\u201d said Hunt.\n\nHunt revealed that in January, Gene Hunt\u2014his and Dawn\u2019s father\u2014sadly passed away at 92 years old, \u201cwith his only daughter still in prison.\u201d\n\nTim Hunt, the brother of detained American citizen Dawn Michelle Hunt, speaks to lawmakers at the CECC's September 22nd hearing.\n\n\u201cOur father died knowing that his little girl was incarcerated. Dawn was not home when he died. She could not be there with him. He could not tell her that he loved her one last time. He could not see her one last time. He could not give her words of encouragement. He could not help her prepare for a life of freedom. And he could not be there for her if she struggled after twelve years of incarceration,\u201d stated Hunt.\n\nTowards the end of his testimony, Hunt urged lawmakers to push for and secure Dawn\u2019s and Nelson\u2019s releases: \u201cPlease use your voices. Please ask President Trump to ask President Xi to release Dawn. And please ask for the release of Nelson Wells Jr. as well\u2026 I need help for the average American. The two-job American. The three-job American. The American who served his country with honor and pride.\u201d\n\nRushan Abbas, a prominent Uyghur activist, discussed how her sister, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, was punished by the Chinese government for Rushan\u2019s advocacy in the United States. \u201cI come before you first and foremost as a sister to an innocent woman who has been jailed in China for the past 8 years in retaliation for my advocacy in the U.S. as an Uyghur American,\u201d said Rushan.\n\n\u201cHer imprisonment is a blatant act of transnational repression\u2014an attempt to punish me for speaking the truth and to send a chilling message to Uyghurs everywhere: speak out, and your family will pay the price,\u201d she continued.\n\n\u201cBut Beijing\u2019s cruelty did not silence me. It transformed the course of my life. I walked away from my professional career and became a full-time advocate for my people, determined to turn the pain they inflicted on my family into a relentless fight for freedom, justice, and accountability.\u201d\n\nAbbas urged Congress to pass three bills authored and introduced by Rep. Smith\u2014the Transnational Repression Policy Act (HR 4829), the Stop Forced Organ Harvesting Act of 2025 (HR 1503), and the Uyghur Genocide Accountability and Sanctions Act of 2025 (HR 4830)\u2014which, together, would strengthen the United States\u2019 framework for addressing, preventing, and prosecuting many of China\u2019s human rights abuses.\n\nWitnesses Rushan Abbas and Erping Zhang speak at the CECC's hearing, \"The Faces of Repression: Prisoners, Families, and Communities Targeted by the CCP.\"\n\nErping Zhang, a spokesperson and advocate for Falun Gong\u2014a spiritual practice in the Buddhist tradition that has been the subject of decades-long persecution and repression at the hands of the CCP\u2014echoed Abbas\u2019 recommendations and urged the United States to continue speaking up for Falun Gong practitioners.\n\n\u201cThe Party has tried all means to bankrupt us, to silence us, and to delegitimize us\u2026 What it has done to Falun Gong is one of the most comprehensive demonstrations available of how the Party behaves when it believes it is threatened,\u201d said Zhang.\n\n\u201cIt is therefore one of the best available predictors of how it will behave toward the United States which the CCP regards as its ultimate adversary. We believe that Falun Gong matters, more than ever, to China, to the United States, and to the world, and thus hope the CCP\u2019s repression of our community can receive the attention it deserves,\u201d he concluded.\n\nThroughout the hearing, Rep. Smith and various witnesses raised the importance of his bipartisan Nelson Wells Jr. and Dawn Michelle Hunt Unjustly Detained in Communist China Act (HR 5491), which would mandate a coordinated U.S. government response to the unjust imprisonment of American citizens in China\u2014and the use of family members as hostages to silence or punish American citizens critical of the CCP.\n\n\u201cThe bill would strengthen the government\u2019s ability to identify Americans unjustly detained in China, coordinate their cases, engage with their families, pursue humanitarian releases and prisoner transfers, and identify additional tools for holding responsible Chinese officials accountable,\u201d said Smith.\n\n\u201cBecause when an American is unjustly detained, that person\u2019s family should not have to navigate the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s system alone.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-24T09:44:48Z", "2026-09-24T09:45:52Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-gillen-van-drew-introduce-legislation-reduce-commuting-expenses", "Kean, Gillen, Van Drew Introduce Legislation to Reduce Commuting Expenses", "2026-09-23", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(SEPTEMBER 23, 2026) WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Recently, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07), Congresswoman Laura Gillen (NY-04), and Congressman Jefferson Van Drew (NJ-02) introduced the Lowering Commuting Costs Actthat would help hardworking families save money on their daily commutes to work.\n\n\"Commuting costs strain hardworking New Jerseyans' bottom lines,\" said Congressman Kean. \"The Lowering Commuting Costs Act would create a new deduction for taxpayers to save thousands of dollars of costs incurred when commuting, whether on train fare, on congestion pricing tolls, and more. I am proud to co-lead this bill to help families keep more of their hard-earned money and reduce the monetary strain of daily commutes.\u201d\n\n\u201cHardworking Long Islanders are forced to pay skyrocketing costs just to get to work, making the cost of living crisis even worse,\u201d said Rep. Gillen. \u201cWith the rising price of gas, LIRR fares and the NYC congestion tax, working families are left with no affordable way to get to their jobs. This bipartisan bill will help families save money as they commute to work and contribute to the economy by creating the first-ever tax credit for personal commuting expenses.\u201d\n\n\u201cFor millions of Americans, just getting to work every day is expensive,\u201d said Rep. Van Drew. \u201cGas is expensive, tolls are expensive, and for a lot of families, those costs add up to thousands of dollars a year. If businesses can deduct the cost of doing business, working people should be able to deduct what it takes to get to and from their jobs. I am proud to join Congresswoman Gillen on this bill and give some of that money back to the people who earn it.\u201d\n\nThe Lowering Commuting Costs Act would establish a federal income tax deduction of $340 a month for individuals or $680 for joint filers, for personal commuting expenses, including the cost of gas, public transit, and tolls such as New York City\u2019s congestion pricing.\n\nCongressman Kean has championed efforts to provide tax relief and lower costs for New Jersey families in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Kean also led the fight to restore the full State and Local Tax (SALT) Deduction for middle-class families. In the 2025 Reconciliation law, Congressman Kean successfully fought to quadruple the SALT deduction to $40,000, delivering a major victory for New Jersey homeowners. In March 2026, he introduced the Tax Relief for Renters Actthat would put more money back into the pockets of Americans by allowing renters to claim a deduction of one month\u2019s rent on their personal taxes each year. In January 2026, he introduced theMake American Housing AffordableAct, legislation that would establish a new tax credit for Americans purchasing their primary home.\n\nRead the text of the Lowering Commuting Costs Act HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-24T09:44:48Z", "2026-09-24T09:45:52Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415867", "The Epoch Times article on Smith hearing'\"Bring Them Home\": Americans Push to Free Loved Ones Jailed in China'", "2026-09-23", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Eva Fu\n\nPublished September 23, 2026\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014With the U.S.\u2013China summit approaching, Americans who have loved ones detained in China are pleading with President Donald Trump not to forget them.\n\nOne of them is 20-year U.S. Army veteran Nelson Wells, whose son, Nelson Wells Jr., has been in Chinese prison for 12 years on charges that the family says are dubious.\n\nAt a hearing held by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China on Sept. 22, Wells appealed to the U.S. president \u201cfather to father.\u201d\n\nWeeks ago, his son was diagnosed with hepatitis C. He is set to be released in 2041. But with Wells Jr.\u2019s deteriorating health, including chronic pain, high blood pressure, diabetes, and seizures, Wells said he\u2019s not sure whether his son could last that long.\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s sick. His family has suffered. There\u2019s no justice in allowing him to die in prison,\u201d Wells said.\n\nHe said Wells Jr.\u2019s daughter, now 12, \u201chas never seen her father outside photographs\u201d and prays at night \u201cfor someone who can bring him home.\u201d\n\nTrump can be that someone, he said.\n\nRep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), who hosted the hearing, agreed that the United States cannot look away.\n\nFreeing political prisoners needs to be on the U.S.\u2013China summit agenda, he told The Epoch Times.\n\n\u201cIt has to be\u2014period,\u201d he said.\n\nThe congressman said he hopes the president can convey \u201ca sense of urgency and compassion\u201d for \u201cthese suffering individuals.\u201d\n\nSeated next to Wells at the witness table was Tim Hunt, whose sister, Dawn Michelle Hunt, like Wells\u2019s son, was arrested in China in 2014 for alleged drug smuggling. Both families deny the accusations.\n\nWhile visiting his sister in July, Hunt said, he didn\u2019t recognize the sibling he had last seen two years ago.\n\n\u201cShe has aged dramatically. Her posture is that of someone much older. She is slumped over,\u201d he said. He noticed how her teeth had yellowed and shifted, and how her hair had grayed.\n\nWhen they met, he said, she kept asking when she would be freed, and he couldn\u2019t give her an answer.\n\nIn January, their father passed away at age 92.\n\n\u201cHe lived a long life before he died, with his only daughter still in prison,\u201d Hunt said, tears rolling down his face. \u201cHe could not see her one last time.\u201d\n\nWells put his arm around Hunt while wiping off his own tears.\n\nHis deepest hope is to \u201cbring them home alive, and bring them home this year,\u201d Wells said.\n\n\u2018Can\u2019t Delay It Further\u2019\n\nMore than 200 Americans are currently detained in China, according to the Dui Hua Foundation, a human rights group focused on the country.\n\nThe Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has also heavily suppressed religious and ethnic minority groups, such as Uyghurs, Christians, and practitioners of the spiritual practice Falun Gong, subjecting them to arbitrary arrests, harsh sentences, and other forms of abuse.\n\nThose imprisoned include many who have families in America.\n\nRushan Abbas, executive director at Campaign for Uyghurs, described the case of her sister, Gulshan Abbas, as an example of the CCP\u2019s transnational repression.\n\nGulshan Abbas disappeared days after Rushan Abbas spoke in public about the mass detention and torture of Uyghurs in China\u2019s Xinjiang region. The former was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a secret trial.\n\n\u201cBehind every statistic is a human being, a family torn apart, and a voice the CCP is trying to silence,\u201d Rushan Abbas said.\n\nErping Zhang, a spokesperson for Falun Gong, noted the case of Alisa Zhou, a Maryland accountant in the audience whose mother has been detained in China since April.\n\nHer mother\u2019s arrest followed months of covert Chinese police surveillance of two Falun Gong study groups, Zhang noted in his written testimony.\n\nAmerican Grace Chen, who\u2019s in the U.S. Army, was a teenager when the Chinese authorities arrested her parents in 2020. Only after their release in 2025 did Chen learn about the \u201chorrors\u201d that her father experienced, Zhang said at the hearing. Chen\u2019s father was denied sleep, scalded with hot water, and forced to drink urine, according to Zhang.\n\nHer parents are still in China.\n\nTrump in July helped Pastor Ezra Jin of Beijing\u2019s Zion Church gain his freedom. Jin also testified at the hearing, with his daughter, Grace Jin Drexel, as the translator.\n\nHe said later in an interview that he considers the upcoming meeting between Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping to be the best shot to raise the political prisoners\u2019 case.\n\n\u201cWe can\u2019t delay it further,\u201d Jin said. He added that he hopes the freedom he enjoys can soon extend to many others who still don\u2019t have it\u2014including eight church fellows arrested at the same time as him in October 2025 and two Light of Zion Church leaders, Gao Quanfu and his wife, Pang Yu.\n\nWells has about 10 minutes of call time with his jailed son each month. He has saved this month\u2019s allotment for after the summit, hoping to deliver some good news, he told The Epoch Times.\n\nHunt said he is cautiously hopeful. Speaking slowly at the hearing, he told the audience that if his sister and Wells\u2019s son can\u2019t come home at the same time, he hopes that Wells\u2019s son gets the priority.\n\n\u201cHe still has a mother and a father that are alive. He still has that family that can support him. He needs that,\u201d Hunt said.", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415868", "The Epoch Times article on Smith hearing'Congress Warned About Beijing's Repression on US Soil'", "2026-09-23", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Eva Fu\n\nPublished September 23, 2026\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014The Chinese Communist Party\u2019s (CCP\u2019s) sweeping repression targeting one faith group is creating a challenge to the United States and allowing Beijing to expand its toolbox to persecute other communities, a Falun Gong spokesperson testified to Congress.\n\nErping Zhang described a wide spectrum of Beijing-linked tactics targeting the spiritual community, playing out in America\u2014including assault, anonymous violent threats, spying, disinformation, and frivolous lawsuits.\n\nThe tactics can be used against \u201cany group the CCP decides is a problem,\u201d Zhang told the Congressional-Executive Commission on China on Sept. 22.\n\n\u201cThe regime\u2019s actions undermine the basic rights of Americans and the rule of law,\u201d he said in his written testimony.\n\n\u201cThe impact of this activity reaches far beyond our own community, creating a playbook of tactics that the regime can use against other targets while undermining U.S. democracy, freedom, and sovereignty.\u201d\n\nZhang pointed to a June report by the Falun Dafa Information Center, which identified more than 600 cases of transnational repression incidents across 30 states.\n\nFalun Gong practitioners have faced these threats for simply practicing their faith in the United States, Zhang said.\n\nFalun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a meditation practice with spiritual teachings based on the core tenets of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance. In the 1990s, 70 million to 100 million people began practicing, with many crediting Falun Gong for uplifting their physical and mental well-being. In 1999, the Chinese communist regime marked it for eradication.\n\nOrganizations monitoring the persecution have verified thousands of deaths, which they say represent a drop in the ocean.\n\nBetween March and April, nearly 800 practitioners in China reported experiencing harassment, arrest, or house raids, according to Minghui.org, a clearinghouse for such information. The oldest of them was 94.\n\nSince 1999, Falun Gong practitioners have been \u201cdetained by the millions, tortured, sexually abused, forced into producing goods that reached American shelves, subjected to forced organ harvesting,\u201d Zhang said. \u201cThat apparatus was later turned onto the Uyghurs.\u201d\n\nSeveral Chinese officials hit with U.S. sanctions for repressing Uyghurs in China\u2019s Xinjiang region have a history of persecuting Falun Gong, an Epoch Times review of their records found.\n\nRep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), who chaired the congressional hearing, noted that the repression doesn\u2019t end at the prison gate.\n\nTo see \u201cspiritual disciplines like Falun Gong suffer so horribly in China underscores that we have to do more, not less,\u201d he said.\n\nBe it Falun Gong practitioners, Christians, or Uyghurs, Smith said, \u201cthey are the best citizens imaginable.\u201d\n\n\u201cVery often, they have a code of conduct that\u2019s written on their hearts,\u201d he told The Epoch Times. \u201cWhy wouldn\u2019t you want more of that? I don\u2019t get it.\u201d\n\nBeyond China, the Falun Gong community has become a top target for the regime\u2019s \u201cunrestricted war\u201d against religious freedom, Zhang said in his written testimony.\n\nIn 2023, the Department of Justice charged two Chinese agents for trying to bribe an IRS official to act on a fake whistleblower complaint against Shen Yun Performing Arts, a New York-based arts company founded by Falun Gong practitioners. John Chen, one of the alleged agents acting under Chinese authorities\u2019 orders, stated his goal was to help the regime \u201ctopple\u201d Falun Gong, according to court documents. Both Chen and the other Chinese national pleaded guilty.\n\nSince March 2024, more than 300 anonymous death threats and bomb threats linked to Chinese individuals have been sent, targeting Falun Gong and Shen Yun, as well as lawmakers supportive of Falun Gong, and several civil institutions, according to Falun Dafa Information Center.\n\nThe center also counted dozens of cases in which individuals impersonated Falun Gong practitioners to make fake threats.\n\nIn late January, foreign influence research group Graphika flagged a cluster of websites linked to Chinese companies that push Beijing\u2019s propaganda overseas while masquerading as legitimate Western media, corroborating an Epoch Times report finding similar operations on X.\n\nZhang said Falun Gong has long served as a target of Beijing\u2019s repression tactics.", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415850", "The Washington Times Op-Ed by Rep. Smith'A presidential appeal to release unjustly detained U.S. citizens'", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Rep. Christopher H. Smith - Tuesday, September 22, 2026\n\nPolitical prisoner in China Jimmy Lai illustration by Linas Garsys / The Washington Times\n\nOPINION:\n\nPresident Trump and General Secretary Xi Jinping will meet in Washington this week with trade, technology, Taiwan and Iran on a crowded agenda.\n\nThese critical, wide-ranging disputes require intense focus and attention but are unlikely to be resolved in a single day. Yet, the summit can produce one immediate result: bringing home Americans unjustly detained in China and political prisoners such as Jimmy Lai, whose time behind bars must come to an end.\n\nMr. Xi should leave the U.S. knowing four names by heart: Nelson Wells Jr., Dawn Michelle Hunt, Youlin Chen and Min Zin.\n\nMr. Trump already understands why detention cases require leader-level diplomacy. In May, Mr. Trump personally raised the case of Mr. Lai, the 78-year-old Hong Kong publisher nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, who is serving a 20-year sentence for his peaceful advocacy. We hope the president will raise Mr. Lai again. Only Mr. Xi can approve a release of that political significance. Only Mr. Xi can do the same for Americans whose cases have already become U.S. priorities.\n\nMr. Wells and Ms. Hunt have spent more than 12 years behind bars. Mr. Wells is a Louisiana-born father of three. Ms. Hunt is a Chicago artist. They were prosecuted in a judicial system controlled by the Communist Party. Testimony at hearings I have chaired has documented failures of evidence, legal defense and due process in these cases.\n\nMr. Wells was first sentenced to life; his sentence was later reduced to 22 years, which could keep him imprisoned until 2041. Ms. Hunt received a death sentence with a two-year reprieve, which was later commuted to life. Their health is now deteriorating.\n\nMr. Wells\u2019 family reports seizures, diabetes and high blood pressure. He also has endured physical attacks in prison.\n\nMs. Hunt needs blood transfusions, has experienced sexual abuse and mistreatment while in prison, and has severe, untreated medical problems, including tumors in her uterus and ovaries. Her father died this year without seeing her come home.\n\nThe administration has already asked China to release Mr. Wells and Ms. Hunt on humanitarian grounds. Family advocates say Chinese officials have indicated Beijing is prepared to consider release if the request comes from a sufficiently senior level. More than a year of diplomatic work has therefore brought these cases to the point where only political intervention can move them. That leaves the essential appeal for the summit: to make these requests directly to Mr. Xi.\n\nAfter all, the final decision is Mr. Xi\u2019s. Beijing can choose clemency, medical parole, commutation or transfer, but no Chinese judge, foreign minister or Politburo member can authorize the release of two Americans sought by the U.S. president without approval from the top. That is how authority works in China\u2019s autocratic system.\n\nThe president was recently asked by a reporter about Mr. Wells and Ms. Hunt. He had their names repeated and said he would speak with Mr. Xi about many matters.\n\nThank you, Mr. President. These names are worth repeating until Mr. Xi no longer needs the reminder. This is not for rhetorical effect. It is to ensure that imprisonment remains a top U.S. concern and an irritant in bilateral relations until they are home.\n\nTragically, Mr. Chen and Mr. Zin now require the same attention. Mr. Chen, a Boston-area seismologist who worked on U.S.-funded research, has been held since November 2024 after Chinese authorities stopped him at Beijing\u2019s airport as he tried to return from a family visit. He was accused of \u201cespionage\u201d and has been held without charge.\n\nMr. Zin, a respected scholar of Burma-China relations, was invited to an academic gathering by Chinese hosts and detained upon arrival. He also faces a bogus espionage accusation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has designated both men as \u201cwrongfully detained\u201d and promised to use State Department resources to secure their release.\n\nThere may be U.S. officials and pundits who object to using presidential time to raise these cases, but their objections would not be persuasive here. Raising these cases does not require trading away a tariff concession, a technology restriction or a security interest to secure the release of a U.S. citizen. Mr. Wells and Ms. Hunt are already the subjects of a humanitarian request; Mr. Chen and Mr. Zin are formally designated wrongful detention cases by our State Department. Presidential attention simply takes existing U.S. policy to the level where a decision can be made.\n\nThe release of unjustly detained U.S. citizens is a tangible result of a meeting that every American understands and will celebrate.", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415851", "Opening statement of Co-Chairman Smith at CECC hearingThe Faces of Repression: Prisoners, Families, and Communities Targeted by the CCP", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "The following are excerpts of Co-Chairman Chris Smith\u2019s (R-NJ) opening statement at the Congressional-Executive Commission on China\u2019s (CECC) September 22nd hearing, entitled \u201cThe Faces of Repression: Prisoners, Families, and Communities Targeted by the CCP\u201d:\n\nBehind every statistic about political prisoners is a person with hopes and dreams, and a life filled with isolation and pain. Behind every person in a Chinese prison is a family waiting, praying, and hoping that someone will not forget them. And behind many of those families is an entire community that feels threatened and intimidated.\n\nPerhaps, that is what the Chinese Communist Party wants. It wants the prisoner isolated. It wants the family frightened. And it wants everyone watching to conclude that speaking out is either futile or simply too costly.\n\nBut today, we are here to say: we will not look away. The real cost is failing to speak out. Silence is not an option. Today, we appeal to Xi Jinping to release women and men of conscience and goodness\u2014as a tangible good faith expression of good will, benevolence, respect, and strength. We appeal to Xi Jinping\u2019s heart.\n\nWe again ask President Trump\u2014who helped Pastor Ezra Jin gain his freedom\u2014to appeal to Xi Jinping to show compassion and courage.\n\nPastor Jin founded Beijing Zion Church, which grew to a congregation of approximately 1,500 people before Chinese authorities forcibly shut down its sanctuary in 2018. Even after the physical church was closed, the congregation continued to meet, worship, teach, and evangelize across China. By 2025, Zion Church had nearly 100 meeting points in 40 cities.\n\nThe response from the Chinese Communist Party was a nationwide crackdown. In October 2025, authorities carried out arrests in 11 cities, taking approximately 30 pastors and church leaders into custody. Eighteen were ultimately criminally detained. Pastor Jin was one of them. His amazing daughter, Grace, came before this Commission and told us what his imprisonment meant for him and their family.\n\nBoth Congress and the President listened and acted. The House passed my resolution, H.Res. 1259, asking the President to help secure Pastor Jin\u2019s release during engagement with Xi Jinping. President Trump personally pushed for Pastor Jin\u2019s freedom, and he was released and reunited with his family this summer. That is something worth celebrating.\n\nPastor Jin himself has said that he believes the direct intervention of President Trump with President Xi was instrumental in securing his freedom. And he returned to America after eight months apart from his family. But Pastor Jin\u2019s freedom also reminds us of the people who are still behind bars. Eight of his Zion Church colleagues remain detained.\n\nAnd according to our Commission, their families have raised concerns about extreme temperatures, malnutrition, inadequate medical care, and mistreatment in detention. Even the lawyers attempting to defend them have faced pressure.\n\nWe also must remember Americans who remain imprisoned in China. Nelson Wells, Sr. has been here before, almost two years to the day. On September 18th, 2024, he testified at the CECC hearing, \u201cBringing Home Americans Detained in China,\u201d I chaired about his son, Nelson Wells Jr., who has now spent more than a decade imprisoned in China.\n\nNelson Jr. was arrested in 2014 after traveling to China for medical treatment. He was initially sentenced to life imprisonment; that sentence was later reduced to 22 years, leaving him incarcerated until 2041. His family has also reported serious and debilitating medical problems.\n\nMr. Wells\u2019 testimony was heartbreaking. He told us about the call that changed his family\u2019s life\u2014the call telling them that their son had been arrested in China. And he told us about the deterioration of Nelson\u2019s health. His father and mother have spent years trying to bring their son home.\n\nThe tragedy of Dawn Michelle Hunt\u2019s imprisonment has also taken a devastating toll on her family. After more than 12 years without his daughter, Dawn\u2019s father, Gene Hunt, passed away on January 25, 2026, without ever seeing her come home.\n\nHer brother, Tim Hunt, is with us today and has continued the fight their father began, promising to do everything he can to bring Dawn back to her family. Dawn is reportedly in declining health, making the family\u2019s plea for her humanitarian release all the more urgent.\n\nGene\u2019s greatest wish was to see his daughter free; his family now carries that hope forward and asks that Dawn be given the opportunity to come home. That is why I introduced HR 5491\u2014the Nelson Wells Jr. and Dawn Michelle Hunt Unjustly Detained in Communist China Act. The legislation recognizes that we need more than expressions of concern\u2014we need a coordinated American response.\n\nThe bill would strengthen the government\u2019s ability to identify Americans unjustly detained in China, coordinate their cases, engage with their families, pursue humanitarian releases and prisoner transfers, and identify additional tools for holding responsible Chinese officials accountable. Because when an American is unjustly detained, that person\u2019s family should not have to navigate the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s system alone.\n\nAnd this repression is not limited to Christians, Americans, or any one community. Last week, our Commission heard a compelling appeal from Jimmy Lai\u2019s son, Sebastien. Both Sebastien and his sister, Claire, are asking that their heroic father be freed.\n\nGulshan Abbas is a retired Uyghur doctor, who was detained in Xinjiang and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Her detention came just days after her sister, Rushan Abbas\u2014who will testify today\u2014spoke publicly here in Washington about the persecution of Uyghurs. Gulshan\u2019s case is an example of transnational repression because of the obvious connection between her detention and her sister\u2019s advocacy in the United States.\n\nWe must also remember the Falun Gong practitioners, who have endured decades of persecution. Falun Gong was banned by the Chinese government in 1999, and practitioners who refuse to renounce their beliefs have faced imprisonment, forced organ harvesting, and other forms of repression. The Commission\u2019s 2025 annual report identified 485 Falun Gong practitioners among cases of active detention.\n\nBut once again, the repression does not necessarily end at the prison gate. Falun Gong practitioners living here in the United States have reported surveillance, harassment, threats, physical assaults, property damage, and reprisals against relatives in China. The Justice Department has also prosecuted individuals for acting as agents of the People\u2019s Republic of China in efforts targeting Falun Gong practitioners in the United States.\n\nToday\u2019s hearing is a heartfelt appeal to Xi Jinping.\n\nLet these wonderful people go.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415852", "OSV News article on Smith hearing'Ezra Jin Mingri, lawmakers call on Trump to push Xi to free prisoners of conscience'", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Kate Scanlon\n\nPublished September 22, 2026 at 5:03 PM\n\nWASHINGTON (OSV News) \u2014 Ezra Jin Mingri, founder and pastor of an underground church in China and a former prisoner of conscience in that country, called for the release of other individuals imprisoned for their religious beliefs Sept. 22 at a hearing by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.\n\nWith his daughter Grace Jin Drexel acting as translator, Jin said in remarks at the hearing that \u201creuniting with my family after eight years apart and watching the fireworks together on America\u2019s 250th Independence Day felt like a dream.\u201d\n\n\u201cEven as I rejoice and enjoy such freedom and joy with my family, I cannot stop thinking and worrying about my eight fellow church leaders who remain in prison,\u201d he said.\n\nJin was released from imprisonment and reunited with his family in the U.S. shortly before Independence Day. President Donald Trump previously sought his release during a May summit with China\u2019s President Xi Jinping.\n\nU.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington March 10, 2021. (OSV News photo/Ken Cedeno, Pool via Reuters)\n\nEzra Jin Mingri, founder and pastor of an underground church in China and a prisoner of conscience in that country until his release, is pictured in a 2018 file photo in Beijing. Mingri arrived in Los Angeles July 3, 2026, after he was released from imprisonment and reunited with his family in the U.S. shortly before Independence Day, U.S. officials said. (OSV News photo/Thomas Peter, Reuters)\n\nEzra Jin Mingri calls for release of pastors\n\nAs Trump prepared to host Xi for a state visit in Washington, advocates have urged him to again push for the release of additional prisoners of conscience and political prisoners of interest to the U.S., including Jimmy Lai, Hong Kong\u2019s prominent Catholic and pro-democracy campaigner. Lai remains in prison, where he is serving a 20-year sentence.\n\n\u201cI sincerely hope that the members of Congress will continue to pay attention to religious persecution and human rights within China,\u201d Jin said. \u201cI hope that this meeting between the two heads of state can produce genuine consensus and a breakthrough in improving China\u2019s human rights situation and ending the persecution of religious believers.\u201d\n\nIn 2018, Jin, the founder of Zion Church, and his family moved to the U.S. amid pressure on the church from Chinese officials. But Jin later returned and was prohibited from leaving China. He was among dozens of members imprisoned in a crackdown by Chinese authorities on his church in October 2025. Some other members of his religious community remain imprisoned.\n\nJin stressed that if he, as the \u201cmain leader of our church,\u201d was released, then it should \u201calso be the case that my coworkers, those other leaders of my church, should also be released without any guilt.\u201d He also called for the release of other Christian pastors held in China.\n\nHong Kong protesters hold East Turkestan Uyghur flags at a rally in support of Xinjiang Uyghurs\u2019 human rights, in Hong Kong Dec. 22, 2019. (OSV News photo/Lucy Nicholson, Reuters)\n\nCatholic lawmakers speak out\n\nAt the hearing, two Catholic lawmakers, Reps. Chris Smith, R-N.J., co-chair of the CECC, and Jim McGovern, D-Mass., one of the commissioners, called for the release of those who were \u201cunjustly detained\u201d by the Chinese government, including Lai.\n\nSmith called on Trump to raise the issue of the release of these prisoners \u201ceyeball to eyeball\u201d with Xi during their meeting.\n\n\u201cThis summit is a golden opportunity for the president to speak out and to do so boldly,\u201d Smith said.\n\nSmith said at the hearing that behind every such prisoner there \u201cis a family waiting, praying, and hoping that someone will not forget them, and behind many of those families is an entire community that feels threatened and far too intimidated.\u201d\n\n\u201cPerhaps that is what the Chinese Communist Party wants,\u201d he said. \u201cIt wants the prisoner isolated. It wants the family frightened, and it wants everyone watching to conclude that speaking out is either futile or simply too costly. But today we are here to say we will not look away. The real cost is failing to speak out. Silence is not an option.\u201d\n\nU.S. President Donald Trump meets with Chinese President Xi at the start of their bilateral meeting at the G20 leaders summit in Osaka, Japan, June 29, 2019. Trump and Xi are scheduled to meet on Sept. 24, 2026, at the White House in Washington. (OSV News photo/Kevin Lamarque, Reuters)\n\n\u2018A clear and unified message\u2019 for Trump\n\nMcGovern said, \u201cWe convene with a clear and unified message to President Trump: advocate for the release of prisoners of conscience in China.\u201d\n\n\u201cPastor Jin is proof that this goal is achievable,\u201d he said. \u201cWe sincerely hope for more releases.\u201d\n\nMcGovern also urged Trump not to \u201cabandon human rights in our foreign policy.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-24T09:44:48Z", "2026-09-24T09:45:52Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415870", "The Washington Stand article featuring Smith's commentary'Advocates, Lawmakers Press Trump to Uphold Prisoners of Faith, Conscience during Xi Visit'", "2026-09-22", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Dan Hart\n\nPublished September 22, 2026\n\nWith President Trump set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday as part of a state visit to Washington, human rights advocates and lawmakers are urging the commander in chief to champion the cause of Christians and other citizens who are imprisoned in China simply for practicing their faith or for advocating for freedom.\n\nA large-scale crackdown on non-government approved churches is being carried out by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) over the past year. Last October, almost two dozen pastors and other workers from a single church called Zion Church were arrested, including founder and head pastor Ezra Jin. But in July, the power of personal advocacy was put on display as Xi\u2019s communist regime released Jin following a personal appeal to Xi from Trump in May for Jin\u2019s release.\n\nNow, human rights advocates such as Voice of the Martyrs\u2019 Todd Nettleton are highlighting the plight of other imprisoned pastors such as John Cao. As detailed by Family Research Council\u2019s Bob Fu, Cao \u201cspent seven years in a Chinese prison for conducting humanitarian work along the China-Myanmar border,\u201d but even two years after completing his sentence, he is still being prevented from reuniting with his family in the U.S. by the CCP. Others are urging Trump to fulfill a promise to secure the freedom of Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong media mogul and champion of democracy.\n\nAs Fu catalogs, the list of the wrongfully imprisoned in China goes on and on: Gao Zhisheng, a human rights lawyer; Dr. Wang Bingzhang, a leader of the overseas Chinese democracy movement who was kidnapped by CCP agents in Vietnam; Zhang Zhan, a citizen journalist who exposed the truth about COVID-19. Then there are the eight pastors and members of Ezra Jin\u2019s Zion Church who remain imprisoned, as well as Elder Li Yingqiang, Pastor Yang Rongli of Golden Lampstand Church, and Pastor Wang Yi of Early Rain Covenant Church. These Christians are imprisoned simply for refusing to surrender the authority of their churches to the Communist Party, Fu notes.\n\nLawmakers like Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), who serves as co-chair of the Congressional Executive Commission on China, say that advocating on behalf of Christians and other prisoners of conscience is especially important now as persecution by the CCP \u201cis getting far worse.\u201d\n\n\u201c[T]he reason why Ezra Jin\u2019s church got targeted [is because] they refused to allow surveillance cameras into their churches,\u201d he pointed out during \u201cWashington Watch with Tony Perkins\u201d Monday. \u201cIt\u2019s one of those things where the Communist Party is ubiquitous, they want to be everywhere. And for the slightest perceived infraction, they will then arrest pastors and horribly mistreat them. So this is the time for the United States, I believe, and every freedom loving country to pivot and say, \u2018Religious freedom matters.\u2019 Human rights are at the core of our relationship and should be with a dictatorship like China. Raise it and make it stick. Link it to other things, including trade.\u201d\n\nSmith went on to emphasize that for Christians, advocating for those in prison is a direct command from God.\n\n\u201cOur Lord said, \u2018did you visit me when I was in prison\u2019 in Matthew 25? \u2018How about when you had the opportunity? Did you try to get me out of prison?\u2019\u201d he underscored. \u201cI\u2019ve met so many wonderful pastors and people over the years, including in the Soviet Union going back to 1981. My first trip there was in \u201982 on behalf of religious freedom. \u2026 Ronald Reagan always raised religious freedom. He always had a list of people that he was asking \u2014 in this case, the Russian or Soviet leadership \u2014 to allow to go free. And we need to persist and tell this dictatorship, \u2018This is a priority. [If] you want other things, [if] you want more trade, \u2026 well, this is the linchpin. This opens up the door.\u201d\n\nSmith further stressed how critical the stakes are for those caught in the CCP\u2019s brutal prison system. \u201cIf you\u2019re arrested in China, political or religious prisoner, you\u2019re almost always going to be tortured, and I mean horribly tortured. I had a number of hearings on what the Chinese government actually does to people, and you can\u2019t even repeat some of it [because] it is so, so horrific. And that leaves scars on that individual, the likes of which we can\u2019t even fathom. So I would ask all of us to be praying.\u201d\n\nSmith, who serves as a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and as co-chair of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, recalled what Wei Jingsheng, a father of China\u2019s democracy movement, once told him about how powerful the West\u2019s advocacy efforts are for those in China\u2019s prisons.\n\n\u201c[H]e told me something I will never forget. He said, \u2018When you Americans and the West kowtow and try to be all nicey-nice with these dictators, they beat us more in prison.\u2019 He said, \u2018When you are tough, when you are well-founded in your knowledge about what\u2019s going on, and you\u2019re able to present a case and do so right from the heart, but also filled with facts, they beat us less and it effectuates the freedom of people from these gulags.\u2019 So it\u2019s it works. But we have to be serious. \u2026 [Secretary of State] Marco Rubio, who used to chair the China Commission \u2026 he knows this like the back of his hand. He should be raising it.\u201d\n\nSmith additionally detailed how decades of pro-China trade policies by the U.S. has undercut America\u2019s ability to effectively fight against the CCP\u2019s human rights abuses.\n\n\u201c[I]n 2005 [and] 2006 \u2026 Google, Microsoft, and Yahoo were conveying all of this technology to the Chinese Communist Party to surveil their own people to limit what can be searched on a Google search engine, for example, in China,\u201d he explained. \u201c\u2026 [O]ur technology has seriously enabled their public security police, their military, their command and control, and then the entirety of their weapons systems to be state of the art. I fault our Big Business for that. \u2026 Bill Clinton was the worst of all when it came to conveying all of that. [He] lost China on human rights for the purposes of trade, and that means technology transfers that have dual use that are military. We gave them the store, and we wonder why we\u2019re now worried about a potential conflict vis \u00e0 vis Taiwan and beyond.\u201d\n\nThe congressman also pointed out that the measures that the U.S. has taken to combat illicitly-made Chinese goods ending up in the U.S. have not been effective, which has further hampered human rights.\n\n\u201cBill Clinton had a memorandum of understanding on enforcement of the Smoot-Hawley Act [which says] we can\u2019t import gulag-made goods. And it wasn\u2019t worth the paper it was printed [on]. I went over to China and I said to our people in our embassy, \u2018How do you enforce this? You can\u2019t get to the factories where they\u2019re making these things. There\u2019s no on-site inspection. They don\u2019t allow unfettered access.\u2019 \u2026 So all these things are being produced by forced labor, including child labor [and it] ends up in our department stores.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-25T10:04:52Z", "2026-09-25T10:05:46Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415849", "The Washington Times article featuring Smith's commentary'Republican Rep. Chris Smith urges Trump to confront Xi about Americans jailed in China'", "2026-09-21", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Kerry Picket\n\nPublished Monday, September 21, 2026\n\nWith as many as 300 Americans detained in China, where some are subjected to sexual abuse and torture, Rep. Chris Smith is demanding that President Trump make their release a centerpiece of his upcoming summit with China\u2019s President Xi Jinping.\n\nThe New Jersey Republican, who co-chairs the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, warned that quiet, piecemeal diplomacy has only emboldened Beijing to keep taking American hostages.\n\nMr. Smith, who has been chairing hearings with witnesses testifying about people imprisoned and persecuted by the Chinese government, told The Washington Times that China \u201conly recognizes strength.\u201d\n\nHe cited his 1994 meeting with Chinese dissident Wei Jingsheng, who warned that Western pleading is held in contempt by the Chinese Communist Party.\n\n\u201cThey only recognize one thing, and that is strength. I met with [Wei Jingsheng] in 1994 when he was released briefly in Beijing,\u201d Mr. Smith said.\n\n\u201cThey rearrested him. \u2026 We worked really hard to make sure he got out, because they were going to kill him. When we, the West, and especially the United States, in any way kowtow \u2026 they hold that in contempt.\u201d\n\nMr. Smith said, \u201cThat\u2019s why we have to be firm. Very civil, but very firm. Our hope is that the president will have a very well-defined list \u2026 to effectuate the release of these individuals.\u201d\n\nLawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been advocating for all American citizens unlawfully or wrongfully detained in China.\n\nAmong the people detained or imprisoned by China, the most well-known include Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai; Uyghur economics professor Ilham Tohti; American think tank scholar Min Zin; American businessman Kai Li; Americans Dawn Michelle Hunt, Nelson Wells Jr., and John Chen; Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu; and the Zion 8 \u2014 eight pastors and co-workers of Beijing Zion Church.\n\nA senior official told The Washington Times that Mr. Trump raises the issue of Americans and others detained in China every time he has met with Mr. Xi. \u201cIf I had to guess, he will be consistent again this time,\u201d the official said.\n\nMr. Smith is also calling on the Trump administration to elevate China\u2019s travel advisory to Level 4, the most severe, saying the current rating of Level 2 dangerously understates the risk, which includes exit bans and arbitrary criminal charges, to American businesspeople and travelers.\n\n\u201cIf you go there even as a businessman or woman, and your interlocutors and your business associates over there don\u2019t like what you\u2019re doing, good luck,\u201d Mr. Smith said. \u201cThey bring charges, you\u2019re in prison, and you won\u2019t get out anytime soon. \u2026 Once accused, you\u2019re convicted. There\u2019s no due process.\u201d\n\n\u201cIf you\u2019re in a Chinese prison camp, you\u2019re going to be tortured,\u201d Mr. Smith said. \u201cSome of the most horrific tortures on the face of the earth against women \u2014 many of them are sexual. I chaired the hearing on [Dawn] Hunt and with [Nelson] Wells [Jr.], with the family members. And I have to tell you, it was heartbreaking,\u201d Mr. Smith said.\n\n\u201cThe sexual abuse that is being visited upon them, the racial prejudice that is being further exacerbating their situation in prison,\u201d he said.\n\nMr. Smith co-authored legislation known as the Nelson Wells/Dawn Michelle Hunt bill, introduced after a congressional hearing held two years ago, which would establish a formal \u201ccases of concern\u201d framework, require State Department engagement with families, and create an action plan for detained Americans.\n\nHowever, the Foreign Affairs Committee pulled the bill from markup early last year, stalling legislative progress.\n\nThe legislation requires the Secretary of State to develop a diplomatic plan of action within 60 days of enactment to secure detainees\u2019 release, including \u201ca determination on expanded use of the International Prison Transfer Program.\n\nThe bill also calls for an explanation of why allied nations without a prisoner transfer treaty with China have nonetheless used China\u2019s own Law of International Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters to get their citizens transferred/released.\n\nThe State Department has so far declined, and Mr. Smith says the agency\u2019s legal interpretation holds that humanitarian prisoner transfers cannot occur without an extradition treaty with China, a position the New Jersey Republican disputes, noting France and other countries have achieved such transfers.\n\nThe Washington Times reached out to the State Department for comment.\n\nMr. Smith said the Trump administration has several legislative tools to deploy to gain leverage over China when the country engages in what has been called hostage diplomacy against the U.S.\n\nThis includes the Global Magnitsky Act sanctions, visa bans, and relinking Most Favored Nation trade status to human rights progress.\n\nMr. Smith criticized previous administrations, particularly the Clinton administration, for delinking human rights from trade in May 1994, calling it a damaging precedent of capitulation.\n\n\u201cWhen Bill Clinton delinked human rights on May 26, 1994 \u2014 human rights from most favored nation status from trade, he sold out the Chinese people like nobody else has ever sold out a group of people.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-23T09:45:16Z", "2026-09-23T09:46:14Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415846", "The Washington Stand article on Smith Special Order'Hyde Amendment Approaches 50th Anniversary Having Saved almost 3 Million Babies'", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Quinn Delamater\n\nPublished September 18, 2026\n\n\u201cAn innocent, defenseless human life, in a caring and humane society, deserves better than to be flushed down a toilet or burned in an incinerator.\u201d Such are the words of Henry Hyde, the former U.S. congressman from Illinois who tirelessly championed life and introduced the Hyde Amendment in 1976. Almost 50 years later, the legislative rider faces the opportunity to be renewed again.\n\nFor a half-century, the Hyde Amendment has stopped taxpayer dollars from funding abortion.\n\nOn Wednesday evening, Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), co-chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, hosted a Special Order on the House floor to acknowledge the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment on September 30. \u201cThe promise of America is that life is not just for the privileged, the planned, or the perfect,\u201d Smith said, quoting Hyde. \u201cThis may sound odd, even ironic; you are here in the flush of victory. And yet it is precisely now that I ask you to contemplate the possibility of defeat, perhaps even the necessity of defeat. If you don\u2019t know the principle or the policy for which you are willing to lose your office, then you are going to do damage here.\u201d\n\nQuena Gonz\u00e1lez, senior director of Government Affairs at Family Research Council, explained to The Washington Stand that Smith and Hyde have a history. \u201cRepresentative Chris Smith served with Representative Henry Hyde for 26 years; he\u2019s been a tireless defender of the unborn in Congress for 45 years and comes as close as anyone to carrying Hyde\u2019s inimitable mantle.\u201d\n\nAfter the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, the U.S. government paid for an estimated 300,000 abortions each year via Medicaid. According to the Charlotte Lozier Institute, since the Hyde Amendment\u2019s first enactment in 1976, approximately 2.7 million lives have been saved.\n\nDuring Wednesday\u2019s event, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) asserted that society has a duty to protect the unborn. \u201cLife matters. Who are we as a people if we cannot stand up in defense of the most innocent form of life there is \u2014 a child in the womb of its mother? That should be our calling. And we should be able to unite as human beings in defense of the defenseless.\u201d\n\nLegislative Assistant for FRC\u2019s Government Affairs Chantel Hoyt praised what House members shared during the Special Order. \u201cI appreciated seeing Representative Chip Roy connect this important anniversary to the toll that chemical abortion is taking,\u201d she told TWS. \u201cIt\u2019s encouraging to see members like Representative Chris Smith carrying on Henry Hyde\u2019s legacy and seeking to not only retain but build on the protections of the Hyde Amendment.\u201d\n\nRep. Tracey Mann (R-Kan.) observed during the House event that he believes that abortion is not consistent with the Constitution. \u201cHyde should not be viewed as the finish line for the pro-life movement. It\u2019s the floor. It\u2019s a bare minimum compromise,\u201d he shared. \u201cAmerica is founded on the self-evident truth that every person is created equal and endowed with our creator with an inherent right to life. That right is the foundation of every other right that we enjoy. As a father, I believe that every child is fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Every life has value, every child has purpose, and no child is a mistake.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415847", "Tues., Sept. 22: Rep. Chris Smith to chair CECC hearing\u201cThe Faces of Repression: Prisoners, Families, and Communities Targeted by the CCP\u201d", "2026-09-18", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "On Tuesday, September 22nd, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), will chair a congressional hearing on people imprisoned and persecuted by the Chinese government, the families and religious communities working for their freedom, and the retaliation faced by those who speak out on their behalf.\n\nThe hearing will examine the treatment of prisoners in China, the prolonged detention of U.S. citizens, and the persecution of Christians, Falun Gong practitioners, and Uyghurs. Witnesses will also discuss Beijing\u2019s campaign to suppress Uyghur and Tibetan identity, including through the new Ethnic Unity Law, and the threats, surveillance, legal harassment, pressure on relatives, and online abuse directed at advocates outside China.\n\nWHAT: Congressional hearing on how Congress and the Administration can press for the release of those still detained in China, protect their loved ones and the people who advocate for them, and impose consequences on those responsible for their persecution\u2014including through the passage and enactment of the Nelson Wells Jr. and Dawn Michelle Hunt Unjustly Detained in Communist China Act (HR 5491), introduced by Rep. Smith earlier this Congress.\n\nWHEN: Tuesday, September 22, 2026 at 2:30 PM\n\nWITNESSES: (Partial list)\n\nPastor Ezra Jin Mingri, Founder and Pastor, Zion Church\n\nRushan Abbas, Founder and Executive Director, Campaign for Uyghurs\n\nErping Zhang, Spokesperson for Falun Gong\n\nNelson Wells Sr., Father of Detained American Citizen Nelson Wells Jr.\n\nTim Hunt, Brother of Detained American Citizen Dawn Michelle Hunt\n\nWHERE: 216 Hart Senate Office Building and livestreamed here\n\nWHO: Co-Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman Dan Sullivan (R-AK), other members of the CECC, and witnesses\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415843", "Shielding NJ families and communities from high energy costsSmith votes for Ratepayer Protection Act to protect Americans from footing AI data centers\u2019 energy costs", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Yesterday, with Rep. Chris Smith\u2019s (R-Manchester) strong support and vote, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the Ratepayer Protection Act (HR 9340)\u2014by a margin of 417-3\u2014to protect hard-working Americans from shouldering the hefty energy costs associated with the construction and operation of data centers.\n\n\u201cProtecting families and communities from increased energy costs is paramount\u2014especially after years of skyrocketing energy costs driven by Joe Biden\u2019s \u2018Green New Scam,\u2019\u201d said Smith.\n\n\u201cThe Ratepayer Protection Act will inject transparency and public scrutiny into the system to ensure that the largest users of energy\u2014including hyperscale data centers\u2014pay for energy infrastructure upgrades and generation capacity,\u201d continued Smith, who cosponsored HR 9340.\n\nThe Ratepayer Protection Act amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act by adding a new ratemaking standard for large-load customers, ensuring that the costs associated with grid upgrades and new generation requirements are borne by the project customer and not American families.\n\n\u201cAmerican families deserve protection from exorbitant and unpredictable energy bills, and this legislation ensures that the companies who want to build and operate data centers will be made to pay for the massive amounts of electricity they consume.\n\n\u201cI strongly support the Ratepayer Protection Act, and although the Senate blocked unanimous consent for the legislation, I urge my colleagues in that chamber to immediately reconsider this bill, pass it, and send it to President Trump\u2019s desk for his signature,\u201d concluded Smith.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-18T09:27:43Z", "2026-09-18T09:29:09Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415845", "The Epoch Times article on Smith hearing'Jimmy Lai's Son Pleads for Ailing Father's Release Ahead of Xi's US Visit'", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Eva Fu and Frank Fang\n\nPublished September 17, 2026\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014The son of imprisoned Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai has appealed for his father\u2019s release on humanitarian grounds ahead of Chinese leader Xi Jinping\u2019s expected meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump.\n\nLai founded the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily. He was detained in 2020 under the Beijing-imposed national security law and sentenced to 20 years in prison in February.\n\nSebastien Lai described the \u201cpainful realization\u201d of imagining his elderly father\u2019s physical and mental state if they were ever reunited, five years after their last meeting.\n\nSebastien Lai (R) and Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) stand for a photo after a Congressional-Executive Commission on China hearing regarding the continued imprisonment of his father, Jimmy Lai, on Capitol Hill on Sept. 16, 2026 Mariam Zuhaib/AP Photo\n\nJimmy Lai outside West Kowloon Magistrates' Court in Hong Kong on Sept. 18, 2020. Sung Pi-lung/The Epoch Times\n\n\u201cI hear about his health declining every single day,\u201d Sebastien Lai said on Sept. 16 at a congressional hearing hosted by the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China. \u201cIt\u2019s really sad. It\u2019s really worrying.\u201d\n\nSebastien Lai\u2019s sister, Claire Lai, was diagnosed with cancer recently and is undergoing chemotherapy in London.\n\n\u201cMy father learned of his own daughter\u2019s diagnosis from a maximum-security prison. He cannot hold her hand. She wants nothing more than to have him with her for this fight,\u201d Sebastien Lai said.\n\n\u201cWe hope the Chinese authorities will consider what compassionate release would mean for her and for a 78-year-old man who has already suffered enough.\n\n\u201cMy father poses no threat. His imprisonment makes him a symbol of injustice. His death in prison would be a disgrace.\u201d\n\nHe said that his father\u2019s release was just a \u201cphone call away\u201d for Xi.\n\nSebastien Lai speaks with reporters after a Congressional-Executive Commission on China hearing regarding the continued imprisonment of his father, Jimmy Lai, on Capitol Hill on Sept. 16, 2026. Mariam Zuhaib/AP Photo\n\nApple Daily was forced to cease operations in Hong Kong in June 2021, after 500 police officers raided its newsroom and arrested its top executives.\n\nAt the time, the newspaper was known for its critical coverage of the Chinese Communist Party and the Hong Kong government, particularly during the years of pro-democracy street protests in the former British colony.\n\n\u201cThis is all about whether or not journalists can report freely when the government can shut down a newspaper and prosecute its publisher,\u201d Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), the commission\u2019s co-chair, said at the hearing.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s about whether a society can retain meaningful freedom of speech when criticizing those in power becomes a national security offense.\u201d\n\nJimmy Lai has spent more than 2,000 days in prison since his arrest in August 2020. He was found guilty of two counts of \u201cconspiracy to collude with foreign forces\u201d under the national security law and a third count of \u201csedition\u201d under a colonial-era law.\n\nThe national security law criminalizes speeches or actions deemed secessionist, subversive, or terrorist, as well as those viewed as colluding with foreign forces against the Chinese communist regime. Punishments can be as severe as life imprisonment.\n\nSpeaking in an interview after the hearing, Sebastien Lai noted a recent report by the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation that states that guards at the place where his father has been imprisoned had \u201cformally rehearsed procedures in the event that Lai dies in custody.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s really scary to hear,\u201d he said, saying that the Hong Kong authorities\u2019 prosecution of his father is a \u201creal disgrace.\u201d\n\n\u201cThey went through all this kangaroo court show trial and found nothing. His record is unblemished, yet they still keep going.\u201d\n\nTrump raised the cases of Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, leader of a prominent underground church in China, and Lai during his May summit with Xi in Beijing, later saying Xi had called Lai\u2019s case \u201ca tough one\u201d for the Chinese leader.\n\nJin returned to the United States in early July, but no such breakthrough has come in Lai\u2019s case.\n\nSmith and three other lawmakers on the commission, on Sept. 16, introduced a bill that would require the State Department to impose sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials responsible for or complicit in the death of Hong Kong political prisoners.\n\nTrump is scheduled to meet with Xi on Sept. 24.\n\nSmith urged Trump to make Lai\u2019s case a priority during the meeting.", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415848", "WATCH: 'Free Jimmy Lai: Rep. Chris Smith | The World Over with Raymond Arroyo'", "2026-09-17", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), sat down with host Raymond Arroyo on EWTN's The World Over with Raymond Arroyo to discuss the congressional hearing he chaired this week to press for the release of incarcerated Hong Kong businessman and Catholic Jimmy Lai, and the hope that Lai might be released after next week's summit in DC between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping.\n\nThe full interview can be viewed by clicking here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-19T09:11:33Z", "2026-09-19T09:12:45Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415831", "Opening statement of Co-Chairman Smith at CECC hearingA Son and Daughter\u2019s Appeal to Xi Jinping to Release Their Dad, Jimmy Lai", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "The following are excerpts of Co-Chairman Chris Smith\u2019s (R-NJ) opening statement at the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)\u2019s September 16th hearing, entitled \u201cA Son and Daughter\u2019s Appeal to Xi Jinping to Release Their Dad, Jimmy Lai\u201d:\n\nToday\u2019s hearing is about Jimmy Lai\u2014and an earnest appeal to Xi Jinping from Jimmy\u2019s children to set him free on humanitarian grounds.\n\nThey are grateful that President Trump has personally raised Jimmy Lai\u2019s release with Xi Jinping, and they respectfully ask him to do so again at the upcoming summit.\n\nWe will hear directly from Jimmy Lai\u2019s son, Sebastien, speaking for himself and on behalf of his sister, Claire, who was initially scheduled to join her brother today. Sadly, Claire was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and has begun treatment. We are thinking of her, praying for her, and wishing her a full recovery.\n\nSebastien, who testified on behalf of his father in 2023, will tell us today:\n\n\u201cMy father learned of his own daughter's diagnosis from a maximum-security prison. He cannot hold her hand. She wants nothing more than to have him with her for this fight. We hope the Chinese authorities will consider what compassionate release would mean for her, and for a 78-year-old man who has already suffered enough\u2026Let Jimmy Lai come home to his family and let him sit beside his daughter in her hardest moment.\u201d\n\nJimmy Lai is 78 years old. He has spent six years in detention. In February, a Hong Kong court sentenced him to 20 years in prison following his conviction under the National Security Law. It was the longest sentence, thus far, imposed under that law.\n\nFor a man of Jimmy Lai\u2019s age, and given the serious concerns about his health, a 20-year sentence carries an obvious and deeply troubling humanitarian consequence. His son, Sebastien, has described it as a death sentence. That is why time matters.\n\nJimmy Lai is not being imprisoned because he committed an act of violence. His son has emphasized that his father has never advocated violence. Rather, Jimmy Lai used his voice, his newspaper, and his public platform to support freedom and democracy.\n\nHe founded Apple Daily, a newspaper that became one of Hong Kong\u2019s most prominent pro-democracy publications. The newspaper was forced to close in 2021 after authorities arrested its senior executives and froze its assets. Jimmy Lai himself was arrested in August 2020 and subsequently prosecuted under Hong Kong\u2019s national security regime.\n\nHis case, therefore, raises fundamental questions about the meaning of freedom of expression and freedom of the press in Hong Kong today. It also raises questions about the rule of law.\n\nHong Kong was promised a high degree of autonomy and the preservation of its existing legal and social systems under the \u201cOne Country, Two Systems\u201d framework. Yet, since the imposition of the National Security Law in June 2020, our Commission has documented the imprisonment of democracy advocates, journalists, former legislators, and civil society figures; weakened procedural protections; concerns regarding judicial independence; and a broader chilling effect on speech and political activity.\n\nJimmy Lai\u2019s case is emblematic of those changes. It is about whether a society can retain meaningful freedom of speech when criticizing those in power becomes a national-security offense. It is about whether journalists can report freely when the government can shut down a newspaper and prosecute its publisher. It is about whether courts can remain genuinely independent when national-security laws are used against political opponents and critics. And it is about whether the promises made to the people of Hong Kong still have meaning.\n\nWe should also remember the human dimension of this case. For more than five years, Jimmy Lai\u2019s children have had to live with the reality that their father is imprisoned thousands of miles away. Sebastien has spoken publicly about the possibility that he may never see his father again.\n\nClaire has spoken about her father\u2019s deteriorating health and the family's increasingly limited information about his medical condition.\n\nClaire has also spoken about something that I think is important to understand about Jimmy Lai: his faith. She has said that her father is not in prison because he is Catholic, but that his faith has been a major source of the courage he has shown throughout this ordeal. She described his trust in God and divine providence as something that has not wavered even as his physical condition has deteriorated.\n\nThat combination of faith and courage is part of Jimmy Lai\u2019s story. He is a businessman who built a successful enterprise. He is a publisher who believed that people should be free to read, write, criticize, and debate. He is a Catholic who has spoken openly about his faith. And he is a father whose children are asking for the chance to have their dad home.\n\nThis hearing comes at an important moment. The Commission\u2019s announcement notes the planned summit between President Trump and General Secretary Xi Jinping. That makes the appeal from Jimmy Lai\u2019s children especially timely. They are asking that their father\u2019s freedom be addressed directly.\n\nThis hearing also comes at a moment when Congress is considering concrete steps to address the treatment of political prisoners in Hong Kong.\n\nJust yesterday, I introduced, along with Senator Sullivan, the Jimmy Lai Hong Kong Political Prisoner Accountability Act of 2026 to establish a clear framework for accountability if a Hong Kong political prisoner were to die in custody as a result of inadequate medical care, abuse, inhumane conditions, or other actions or omissions by detaining authorities.\n\nUnder the bill, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of the Treasury, would be required to determine whether such a death resulted from those circumstances and identify foreign officials responsible for or complicit in the conduct. Those officials could then face mandatory sanctions under existing authorities, including the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and the Hong Kong Autonomy Act.\n\nThe bill would also require the State Department to report to Congress on the health status of Jimmy Lai and other Hong Kong political prisoners, including any denial or restriction of medical care, legal access, consular access, or family contact.\n\nAnd that broader requirement is important because many Hong Kongers remain imprisoned or targeted for exercising fundamental freedoms.\n\nThe National Security Law has had consequences affecting journalists, political candidates, legislators, activists, lawyers, religious figures, and ordinary citizens, who have expressed views considered unacceptable by the authorities. Most recently, we witnessed the brave 29-year old democracy advocate, Joshua Wong, pleading guilty to collusion with foreign entities, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison under Beijing's National Security Law.\n\nThe result of this law has been a profound change in Hong Kong\u2019s civic and political environment\u2014and not for the better.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415836", "Providing critical funding for Lyme disease researchKay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act passes House, on its way to President Trump\u2019s desk", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved legislation to provide $150 million over five years in continued funding for Lyme disease research at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sending the bill to President Trump\u2019s desk for his signature.\n\nThe Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act (S. 2398)\u2014sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)\u2014is the identical Senate companion legislation to Rep. Chris Smith\u2019s (R-NJ) HR 4348, which passed the House in late July. Having now passed both chambers, the President is expected to sign the final Senate version into law in the next several days.\n\nThe soon-to-be law will fund critical vector-borne disease research programs and initiatives at the CDC that were due to expire on September 30th.\n\n\u201cMy colleagues will recall that our distinguished colleague, North Carolina Senator Kay Hagan, suffered a tick bite and died in 2019 from encephalitis caused by Powassan virus\u2014the current law and reauthorization is named in her honor,\u201d said Smith, the founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Caucus, during the bill\u2019s debate on the House floor.\n\n\u201cVector borne diseases are now endemic in regions of the country where they have not historically been present. Disease-laden ticks are now found in all 48 contiguous U.S. states. The problem is exploding\u2014not abating,\u201d said Smith.\n\nThe Kay Hagan Tick Reauthorization Act will allocate $50 million over five years for the CDC\u2019s regional Centers of Excellence and provide funding for states in regions that have an elevated risk of Lyme or other tick-borne disease outbreaks, enabling them to work in tandem with the federal government to quickly identify and address such outbreaks.\n\n\u201cCritically, this new bill reauthorizes cooperative agreement funding for states and localities\u2014$100 million over five years\u2014to tangibly assist state public health departments and other local entities to support the development and implementation of evidence-based research, interventions, and treatment,\u201d Smith noted.\n\n\u201cThis legislation also supports the Trump Administration\u2019s whole-of-government assault on Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, including several recently announced bold and innovative initiatives to control the spread of Lyme and advance diagnostics and therapies for patients,\u201d stated Smith.\n\nHe also noted that \u201cU.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently established the Lyme Clinician Locator, which enables patients to easily search for Lyme-literate clinicians in their area. Secretary Kennedy also announced the launch of CURE ID, a new platform where patients can share directly with the NIH and FDA which treatments have worked for them, which have not, and what is needed for the future.\u201d\n\nSince 1992, Smith has authored numerous amendments and legislation to improve the lives and prognoses of those suffering from Lyme disease by enhancing and expanding federal tick-borne disease research, awareness, and collaboration. He and Sen. Susan Collins spearheaded the effort to enact the original Kay Hagan Tick Act in 2019, which later became law as part of the FY 2020 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act.\n\nThe original law created, among other things, a national strategy to combat Lyme and other tick-borne diseases, with a special focus on surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, education and prevention.\n\nIn February of this year, Smith also authored and introduced the LymeX Authorization Act (HR 7482), legislation to codify and authorize $5 million towards the LymeX Accelerator Program (LymeX), a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, which funds prize competitions to advance innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease.\n\nMoreover, in December of last year, Smith\u2019s amendment to probe whether the Cold War-era Department of War bioweapons program ever used ticks as hosts or delivery mechanisms for biological warfare agents was included within the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was later signed into law (PL 119-60) by President Trump.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415837", "Ahead of planned Trump-Xi meeting in Washington, D.C.An appeal from Jimmy Lai\u2019s son", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "At today\u2019s Capitol Hill hearing chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), lawmakers examined the unjust imprisonment of Jimmy Lai\u2014a well-known free-speech advocate and the publisher of the pro-democracy newspaper, Apple Daily\u2014by Hong Kong officials, as well as what his case reveals about the continued erosion of the freedom of the press, judicial independence, and the rule of law in Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-controlled Hong Kong.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s hearing is about Jimmy Lai\u2014and an earnest appeal to Xi Jinping from Jimmy\u2019s children to set him free on humanitarian grounds,\u201d said Smith, the Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC).\n\nSmith pushed for Jimmy\u2019s release on humanitarian grounds, highlighting the \u201chuman dimension of this case.\u201d He noted that \u201cfor more than five years, Jimmy Lai\u2019s children have had to live with the reality that their father is imprisoned thousands of miles away,\u201d and that Jimmy\u2019s son, Sebastien, \u201chas spoken publicly about the possibility that he may never see his father again.\u201d\n\n\u201cJimmy\u2019s children are grateful that President Trump has personally raised Jimmy Lai\u2019s release with Xi Jinping, and they respectfully ask him to do so again at the upcoming summit,\u201d said Smith. The hearing was intentionally scheduled in anticipation of the upcoming meeting between President Donald Trump and General Secretary Xi Jinping in Washington, D.C. on September 24th.\n\nGiven Jimmy\u2019s advanced age\u201478-years-old\u2014and the \u201cserious concerns about his health,\u201d Smith argued that \u201ca 20-year sentence carries an obvious and deeply troubling humanitarian consequence. Sebastien has described it as a death sentence. That is why time matters.\u201d\n\nSebastien, who testified at today\u2019s hearing about the urgency of his father\u2019s release, spoke on behalf of himself and his sister, Claire\u2014who was initially scheduled to testify alongside her brother, but was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.\n\n\u201cMy father learned of his own daughter\u2019s diagnosis from a maximum-security prison. He cannot hold her hand. She wants nothing more than to have him with her for this fight. We hope the Chinese authorities will consider what compassionate release would mean for her, and for a 78-year-old man who has already suffered enough,\u201d said Sebastien, the leader of the #FreeJimmyLai campaign.\n\n\u201cAmerica understands, in its bones, that freedom dies with the last man willing to defend it and that the cost of not standing up for liberty is not felt until it is too late. In my father, this nation has found a kindred spirit,\u201d continued Sebastien.\n\n\u201cA week from now, President Xi will be a guest in this city. Our appeal to him is simple: my father poses no threat. His imprisonment makes him a symbol of injustice; his death in prison would be a disgrace. Let Jimmy Lai come home to his family and let him sit beside his daughter in her hardest moment.\u201d\n\nAlso testifying at the hearing, entitled \u201cA Son and Daughter\u2019s Appeal to Xi Jinping to Release Their Dad, Jimmy Lai,\u201d two expert witnesses\u2014Steve Yates, the Senior Research Fellow for China and National Security and a Chung Ju Yung Fellow at The Heritage Foundation, and Mark L. Clifford, the President of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong and author of The Troublemaker, a biography of Jimmy Lai\u2014detailed how U.S. foreign policy towards Hong Kong must be adjusted to help secure Jimmy Lai\u2019s and other political prisoners\u2019 releases.\n\nBoth Yates and Clifford stressed the importance of congressional action, including the immediate passage of the bipartisan and bicameral Jimmy Lai Hong Kong Political Prisoner Accountability Act of 2026 (HR 10406), introduced today by Smith in the House and Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Chairman of the CECC, in the Senate.\n\nThe legislation would require the State Department to determine, within 30 days, whether abuse, medical neglect, torture, detention conditions, or other actions contributed to a political prisoner\u2019s death and identify those responsible.\n\nThe bill would then mandate sanctions, within 60 days, against responsible or complicit People\u2019s Republic of China (PRC) and Hong Kong officials, requiring international coordination, as well as requiring regular reporting to Congress on the health of and access to Jimmy Lai and other political prisoners.\n\nYates expressed that \u201cthe Jimmy Lai Hong Kong Political Prisoner Accountability Act of 2026 is a welcome addition\u2026 [to] strengthen the Executive Branch\u2019s negotiating position with Chinese counterparts,\u201d and Clifford noted that \u201cMembers of Congress and the Executive branch\u2026 have a special responsibility to help free Jimmy.\u201d\n\nSmith concluded his remarks by reminding attendees that Jimmy Lai is \u201ca businessman who built a successful enterprise; a publisher who believed that people should be free to read, write, criticize, and debate; a Catholic who has spoken openly about his faith; and a father whose children are asking for the chance to have their dad home.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415839", "Daily Signal article on Smith hearing'Congress Hears Pleas for Release of God-Fearing Chinese Democracy Advocate'", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Pedro Rodriguez\n\nPublished September 16, 2026\n\nA top congressional panel on Wednesday examined the imprisonment of Chinese media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai and the state of press freedom and judicial independence in China.\n\nThe Congressional-Executive Commission on China hearing, titled \u201cA Son and Daughter\u2019s Appeal to Xi Jinping to Release Their Dad, Jimmy Lai,\u201d comes a week before the Chinese Communist Party leader\u2019s visit to the United States.\n\nThe hearing featured testimony from Sebastien Lai, the son of the imprisoned media entrepreneur, who called for the immediate release of the 78-year-old democracy activist. Jimmy Lai was sentenced to prison after founding a non-state-sponsored newspaper and \u201cbelieving in the almighty,\u201d the panel\u2019s chairman, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said during the hearing.\n\nPeople gather in front of the Chinese Consulate General to protest the unjust conviction of media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai on Feb. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles. (Apu Gomes/Getty Images)\n\n\u201cAmerica understands, in his pains, that freedom dies with the last men willing to defend it. And that the cost of not standing up for liberty is not felt until it is too late,\u201d Sebastien Lai said.\n\n\u201cMy father poses no threat. His imprisonment makes him a symbol of injustice. His death in prison would be a disgrace.\u201d\n\nLai also said during his testimony that his sister, Claire Lai, was supposed to testify before the panel alongside him Wednesday but was diagnosed with cancer earlier this month and is currently undergoing chemotherapy in London.\n\nThe congressional panel also heard from Steve Yates, senior research fellow for China and national security at The Heritage Foundation, who provided the committee with insight into the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s control.\n\n\u201cThis is no longer principally an appeal to law, foreign or domestic,\u201d Yates said. \u201cIt is a litmus test of whether there remains any reason to believe there is a future in Xi Jinping\u2019s China for the kind of man that Jimmy Lai is.\u201d\n\nDuring his testimony, Yates, who lost his 25-year-old daughter in 2023 to a fentanyl overdose, added that the cancer diagnosis of Jimmy Lai\u2019s daughter only furthers the case for why he must be released.\n\n\u201cAs a father who held his daughter\u2019s hand through the truly terrible circumstances and ultimately lost her, I can attest there has been no greater pain in my life,\u201d Yates said. \u201cNot being permitted to hold her hand through those times would have been unimaginably worse.\u201d\n\n\u201cChina should not be making a dying man and a daughter, confronting grave illness, endure additional cruelty in the service of a political trophy,\u201d Yates continued.\n\nAfter the witnesses\u2019 remarks, Smith thanked them for coming forward and asserted that not many things can unite Congress, but Lai\u2019s imprisonment does.\n\n\u201cWe should also remember the human dimension of this case. For more than five years, Jimmy Lai\u2019s children have had to live with the reality that their father is imprisoned thousands of miles away,\u201d Smith said.", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415840", "OSV News article on Smith hearing'Advocates urge Trump to push for Jimmy Lai release during Xi\u2019s state visit to the US'", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Kate Scanlon\n\nPublished 2:43 PM September 16, 2026\n\nWASHINGTON (OSV News) \u2014 President Donald Trump is scheduled to host Chinese leader Xi Jinping at the White House in late September, and advocates for Hong Kong\u2019s prominent Catholic media tycoon and pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai said Trump should push for his release from prison during the summit.\n\nRep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., a Catholic, who is a longtime lawmaker and co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, held a hearing Sept. 16 examining Lai\u2019s imprisonment, with Lai\u2019s son, Sebastien Lai, among the witnesses.\n\nTrump and other U.S. officials have pushed for Lai\u2019s release and have cast the charges leading to Lai\u2019s conviction on national security offenses under the city\u2019s controversial national security law as fabricated, arguing that they were evidence that the Chinese Communist Party is seeking to silence dissent.\n\nSebastien Lai, son of Jimmy Lai, a prominent Hong Kong Catholic, philanthropist and media mogul, poses for a portrait in London Dec. 15, 2025, next to a campaign poster featuring imagery of his father during an interview with Reuters. He gave the interview after his father was found guilty under Hong Kong's national security law of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and to publish seditious material. Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment Feb. 9, 2026. He pleaded not guilty to all charges during his trial. (OSV News photo/Toby Melville, Reuters)\n\nSmith: Trump \u2018has to be absolutely unmovable\u2019\n\nAt a May summit in China, Trump asked Xi to release political prisoners of interest to the U.S., including Jimmy Lai and Ezra Jin Mingri, founder and pastor of Zion Church. U.S. officials expressed grave religious freedom concerns in both cases.\n\nRep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., is pictured in an Oct. 11, 2022. Smith, a Catholic who is a longtime lawmaker and co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, held a hearing Sept. 16, 2026, examining Jimmy Lai\u2019s imprisonment, with Lai\u2019s son, Sebastien Lai, among the witnesses. (OSV News photo/U.S House of Representatives/Handout via Reuters)\n\nAs a result of that summit, Jin was released from imprisonment and reunited with his family in the U.S. shortly before Independence Day, but Lai remains in prison, where he is serving a 20-year sentence.\n\nAsked after the hearing how he would advise the White House to shift its strategy on Lai\u2019s release, Smith told OSV News that during the upcoming meeting, Trump \u201chas to be absolutely unmovable.\u201d\n\n\u201cOne quick phone call, and it\u2019s done,\u201d Smith said of Xi\u2019s power to authorize the release. \u201cAnd that\u2019s what President Trump has to convey.\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t mince your words,\u201d Smith continued. \u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean you have to be rude. Just say, \u2018Hey, we care about this wonderful man. Why don\u2019t you?\u2019 So I\u2019m hoping President Trump will be very upfront and persistent. Don\u2019t take no for an answer.\u201d\n\nThe White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment about whether Trump plans to raise the issue of Lai\u2019s imprisonment with Xi during the state visit.\n\n\u2018Oldest political prisoner in Hong Kong\u2019\n\nAt the hearing, Sebastien Lai said, \u201cAt 78, he is the oldest political prisoner in Hong Kong, with his 20-year sentence looming over him. If he\u2019s not free soon, he will most likely die in prison.\u201d\n\nJimmy Lai\u2019s release, witnesses and Smith argued, has also taken on newfound urgency because his daughter, Claire Lai, 30, was recently diagnosed with cancer.\n\nClaire Lai, Smith said in remarks at the hearing, \u201cwas initially scheduled to join her brother today.\u201d\n\n\u201cSadly, Claire was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer and has begun treatment. We are thinking of her, praying for her, and wishing her a full recovery,\u201d he said.\n\nSebastien Lai testified he was with his sister as she began chemotherapy in London earlier in September.\n\n\u201cMy father learned of his own daughter\u2019s diagnosis from a maximum-security prison,\u201d Sebastien Lai said. \u201cHe cannot hold her hand. She wants nothing more than to have him with her for this fight. We hope the Chinese authorities will consider what compassionate release would mean for her, and for a 78-year-old man who has already suffered enough.\u201d\n\nJimmy Lai, a prominent Hong Kong Catholic, philanthropist and media mogul, is pictured in Hong Kong May 29, 2020. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., a Catholic who is a longtime lawmaker and co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, held a hearing Sept. 16, 2026, examining Lai\u2019s imprisonment, with Lai\u2019s son, Sebastien Lai, among the witnesses. (OSV News photo/Tyrone Siu, Reuters)\n\nBipartisan support for Lai\u2019s release\n\nLai has bipartisan support from U.S. officials. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., another Catholic lawmaker who has advocated for the release of Lai and other Chinese prisoners of conscience, said in remarks on the House floor earlier in September, \u201cthis House and this Congress have always joined together in a bipartisan way for freedom \u2014 whether in Hong Kong, Tibet or elsewhere in China \u2014 for human rights in China.\u201d\n\n\u201cLet us not forget Jimmy Lai,\u201d she said, adding, \u201cWe must speak out for freedom. We must not let this be ignored.\u201d\n\nSebastien Lai expressed appreciation for the support the family has received from Trump and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, calling it \u201cmoral courage, and my family does not take it for granted.\u201d\n\nImprisoned since December 2020\n\nJimmy Lai, who founded the now-defunct pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, protested in favor of democratic freedoms \u2014 such as freedom of the press and expression \u2014 in Hong Kong, which was designated a Special Administrative Region of China in 1997, ending British rule of that area after more than 150 years. Following pro-democracy protests in 2019, China implemented a purported national security law the next year, which critics have said has been used to silence the Chinese Communist Party\u2019s critics.\n\nUnder that law, Lai was arrested in August 2020 and has been imprisoned since December 2020. He pleaded not guilty to the charges before his Dec. 15 conviction.\n\nOn Sept. 15, Lai\u2019s international legal team called for his release at the United Nations\u2019 Human Rights Council.", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415841", "\u201cThe Hyde Amendment reaffirms the fundamental truth that every life is precious and irreplaceable.\u201dSmith hosts Special Order to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Tonight, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, hosted a Special Order on the House floor to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment, which protects taxpayer dollars from funding abortion, both directly and through federal health plans. Rep. Smith\u2019s remarks are provided below:\n\nFifty years ago\u2014on September 30th, 1976\u2014Congress first enacted an amendment offered by the late, great Congressman Henry Hyde of Illinois to prohibit federal Medicaid funds from being used to subsidize the killing of unborn children by abortion.\n\nDuring debate in the House, Henry said: \u201cAn innocent, defenseless human life, in a caring and humane society, deserves better than to be flushed down a toilet or burned in an incinerator. The promise of America is that life is not just for the privileged, the planned, or the perfect.\u201d\n\nMr. Speaker, according to Dr. Michael J. New of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, approximately 2.7 million people are alive today\u2014and each year, another 60,000 evade the irreversible consequence of abortion and survive\u2014because of Henry Hyde\u2019s amendment.\n\nThanks to Henry Hyde, 2.7 million people\u2014who would have otherwise been aborted\u2014have experienced the joys and challenges and opportunities to thrive.\n\nBeginning in 1981, I had the honor of serving alongside Henry Hyde in the U.S. House of Representatives.\n\nHe was brilliant, compassionate, tenacious, incredibly articulate, self-effacing, a man of great wisdom and humor\u2014a one-of-a-kind lawmaker\u2014who, to this day, remains the greatest defender of unborn children and their mothers.\n\nHe was so good at debate, you always wanted him to be your closer.\n\nHenry believed sound moral principles and courage should inform and guide the decisions we make in government, and he addressed the 1990 class of incoming freshman Members of Congress with these words:\n\n\u201cThis may sound odd, even ironic. You are here in the flush of victory. And yet it is precisely now that I ask you to contemplate the possibility of defeat\u2014perhaps even the necessity of defeat\u2026.If you don't know the principle, or the policy, for which you are willing to lose your office, then you are going to do damage here.\u201d\n\nNo one wants to lose an election. However, we do great \u201cdamage\u201d when we sacrifice our core convictions on the altar of political expediency.\n\nIt\u2019s truly sad that far too many politicians\u2014who know better\u2014have abandoned unborn children and their mothers to the abortionists for political gain or upward advancement.\n\nMr. Speaker, the Hyde Amendment is under relentless legislative assault. Yet polling data consistently reflects what the 2026 Marist Poll found: a significant majority of Americans do not support taxpayer funding for abortion.\n\nAs pro-life Americans work to replace abortion violence\u2014the culture of death\u2014with compassion and empathy for women and children, the Hyde Amendment continues to stand as one of the most important human rights policies of the past 50 years.\n\nHowever, the billion-dollar abortion industry continues to cleverly market the cheap sophistry of choice, while going to extraordinary lengths to downplay the suffering and pain experienced by the battered baby victims in the womb\u2014as well as the coercion or pressure exerted on the mother to end the life of her unborn child.\n\nThe abortion pill\u2014mifepristone\u2014kills the baby by starving the child to death, while other methods of abortion dismember and decapitate the baby.\n\nWe now know that mifepristone is extremely dangerous to women. The Ethics and Public Policy Center conducted the largest-known study of the abortion pill ever and is based on analysis of data from an all-payer insurance claims database that includes 865,727 prescribed mifepristone abortions from 2017 to 2023 and found that 10.93 percent of women experience sepsis, infection, hemorrhaging, or another serious adverse event within 45 days following a mifepristone abortion.\n\nThe real-world rate of serious adverse events following mifepristone abortions is at least 22 times as high as the summary figure of \u201cless than 0.5 percent\u201d in clinical trials reported on the drug label.\n\nMr. Speaker, someday, future generations of Americans will look back and wonder how and why such a seemingly smart and enlightened society could have permitted and perpetrated the violent deaths of more than 66 million children by abortion, often with government authorization, enabling and subsidy.\n\nHistory will note, however, the struggle of Henry Hyde and the millions of pro-life Americans who joined him in his quest to protect and defend the rights of the weakest and most vulnerable.\n\nHenry Hyde always encouraged all of us in the pro-life movement\u2014despite setbacks and harsh criticism\u2014to persevere and never give up, and famously said:\n\n\u201cWhen the time comes as it surely will, when we face that awesome moment, the final judgement, I've often thought, as Fulton Sheen wrote, that it is a terrible moment of loneliness. You have no advocates, you are there alone standing before God, and a terror will rip through your soul like nothing you can imagine. But I really think that those in the pro-life movement will not be alone. I think there will be a chorus of voices that have never been heard in this world but are heard beautifully and clearly in the next world, and they will plead for everyone who has been in this movement. They will say to God, \u2018Spare him because he loved us,\u2019 and God will look at you and say not \u2018Did you succeed,\u2019 but \u2018Did you try?\u2019\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2094", "Congressman Van Drew's PROOF Act Passes House to Crack Down on Fraud in Federal Programs", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC -Today, Congressman Van Drew announced that H.R. 10326, the Preventing Rip-offs and Obtaining Oversight of Funds (PROOF) Act, has passed through the U.S. House of Representatives. This bill would give federal investigators a direct way to obtain records from states when investigating fraud in programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Medicaid, unemployment benefits, disaster assistance, and other federally funded programs.\n\n\"To me, it is simple. If taxpayer money is being stolen, investigators should be able to get the records they need to find out where it went,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"Right now, that does not always happen. We just saw four states refuse twice to provide SNAP data, to the point where the Justice Department had to take them to court just to get the information. Meanwhile, the states that did cooperate provided data that showed billions of dollars a year going to overpayments and fraud.\n\n\"The PROOF Act fixes this problem. If the Attorney General is investigating fraud involving federal taxpayer dollars, the state has to provide the records needed for that investigation. We also made sure there are strong privacy protections in place to ensure that the information is only used for the investigation. Every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar not going to a family, senior, or individual counting on that help. It is our responsibility to make sure that these programs are working as they were intended.\"\n\nClick here to read the text of the bill.", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2095", "Congressman Van Drew Celebrates Passage of Major South Jersey Water Infrastructure Priorities", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC -Today, Congressman Van Drew celebrated the passage of the Water Resources Development (WRDA) Act of 2026 through the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation includes eleven priorities he secured for South Jersey, and it is expected to be signed into law.\n\n\"This is exactly the kind of work I came to Congress to do,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"South Jersey is surrounded by water, and our towns deal with flooding, erosion, aging dams, and waterways that need our full attention. I fought to get these priorities into the bill because they will directly address these concerns and make a real difference in the safety of the residents of South Jersey. Now they are on their way to becoming law. I am proud of what we were able to get done here, and I am going to stay on top of these projects to make sure the work gets done.\"\n\nPriorities Secured:\n\nEast Point Lighthouse Shore Protection- Expands the ongoing Maurice River dredging study to include shoreline protection for the East Point Lighthouse.\n\nNorth Wildwood Shore Protection- Expedites the North Wildwood hurricane and storm damage reduction project using Hereford Inlet as the source of sand.\n\nCoastal Storm Risk Management Trust Fund Study- Includes Congressman Van Drew's provision directing a study to create a dedicated funding source for beach projects.\n\nDam Assessment and Mitigation Support (DAMS) Act- Reauthorizes the National Dam Safety Program through 2031 and includes Congressman Van Drew's DAMS Act provision to strengthen dam safety nationally.\n\nGreat Egg Harbor River Watershed Assessment- Adds the Great Egg Harbor River Watershed to the Corps' authorized watershed and river-basin assessment list.\n\nNew Jersey Intracoastal Waterway Rerouting- Authorizes a study to reroute the New Jersey Intracoastal Waterway near Ventnor City to solve navigation challenges related to the Dorsett Avenue bridge.\n\nAbsecon Island Shoreline Project- Accelerates the Atlantic City hot spot erosion study.\n\nHot Spot Erosion Program Improvements- Strengthens Congressman Van Drew's program to address hot spot erosion by incorporating nature-based solutions.\n\nHigh Hazard Potential Dam Prioritization Study- Requires FEMA to study barriers preventing states from prioritizing dam projects with the greatest community benefit.\n\nBeneficial Use of Dredge Materials for Beaches- Requires the Corps to update its regulations to better account for the benefits of using dredged materials for beach nourishment and restoration projects.", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415842", "EWTN News article on Smith hearing'Jimmy Lai\u2019s family, advocates press for his release before Xi-Trump meeting'", "2026-09-16", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Tessa Gervasini\n\nPublished September 16m, 2026 at 5:32 PM ET\n\nFamily members and advocates of imprisoned Catholic pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai offered urgent pleas for his release ahead of President Xi Jinping\u2019s planned trip to the U.S. to meet with President Donald Trump.\n\nIn anticipation of Xi\u2019s visit to Washington on Sept. 24, Sebastien Lai, Jimmy Lai\u2019s son, met with leaders to advocate for his father. He joined a Sept. 16 congressional hearing led by Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey.\n\n\u201cJimmy Lai is not being imprisoned because he committed any act of violence whatsoever,\u201d Smith, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, said.\n\nRep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, left, holds a congressional hearing with testimony from Sebastien Lai on Sept. 16, 2026, in Washington, D.C. | Credit: Tessa Gervasini/EWTN News\n\n\u201cHis son has emphasized that his father has never, never advocated violence. Rather, Jimmy Lai used his voice, his newspaper, and his public platform to support freedom and democracy,\u201d he said.\n\nSmith said he introduced legislation Sept. 16 that would require the State Department to quickly assess any death in custody of a Hong Kong political prisoner and impose sanctions on officials found responsible. He titled the bill the \u201cJimmy Lai Hong Kong Political Prisoner Accountability Act of 2026.\u201d\n\nAt the hearing, Sebastien Lai offered testimony along with Steve Yates, a research fellow on China and national security policy, and Mark Clifford, president of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation.\n\n\u201cI want to thank America, President Trump, who has been a true champion of my father\u2019s, his administration, and the senators and members of both parties whose support has never wavered and only gotten stronger. That is moral courage, and my family does not take it for granted,\u201d Sebastien Lai said.\n\n\u201cBy the end of this year my father will have spent six years in a maximum-security prison in solitary. At 78, he is the oldest political prisoner in Hong Kong. With a 20-year sentence looming over him, if he\u2019s not freed soon, he will most likely die in prison,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cMy sister Claire was to testify beside me today. A few weeks ago, she was diagnosed with cancer,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cI was with her in London last week as she began chemotherapy. My father learned of his own daughter\u2019s diagnosis from a maximum-security prison. He cannot hold her hand. She wants nothing more than to have him with her for this fight,\u201d he said.\n\nClaire Lai, daughter of imprisoned pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, discusses her father\u2019s sentencing on \u201cEWTN News Nightly\u201d on Feb. 9, 2026. | Credit: \u201cEWTN News Nightly\u201d/Screenshot\n\n\u201cWe hope the Chinese authorities will consider what compassionate release would mean for her, and for a 78-year-old man who has already suffered enough,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cAmerica understands, in its bones, that freedom dies with the last man willing to defend it and that the cost of not standing up for liberty is not felt until it is too late,\u201d he said.\n\nThe appeal to Xi \u201cis simple,\" Sebastien Lai said. \u201cMy father poses no threat. His imprisonment makes him a symbol of injustice; his death in prison would be a disgrace. Let Jimmy Lai come home to his family and let him sit beside his daughter in her hardest moment.\u201d\n\nClifford, of the Washington\u2011based advocacy group promoting human rights in Hong Kong, spoke on behalf of his friend Jimmy Lai and to remind \u201cpeople that Jimmy is just one of hundreds of political prisoners being held in often appalling conditions.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019d like to emphasize the release of Jimmy Lai would be something President Trump, Republicans and Democrats, indeed, freedom-loving people around the world would applaud,\u201d Clifford said. \u201cIt would be a unifying event at the time when the world really needs it.\u201d\n\nYates said Jimmy Lai\u2019s case is \u201ca test of character, of Xi Jinping\u2019s leadership, of the president\u2019s relationship with his counterpart, and of whether there remains any credible basis for the assumptions on which American policy toward Hong Kong was long constructed.\u201d\n\nThe case is \u201ca litmus test of whether there remains any reason to believe there is a future in Xi Jinping\u2019s China for the kind of man Jimmy Lai is: a child of God, a lover of the real China, and, it may fairly be said, one of China\u2019s greatest entrepreneurs,\u201d Yates said.\n\nLai\u2019s health \u2018is going to get worse\u2019\n\nAt a subsequent event, Sebastien Lai spoke at a press conference at Georgetown University about his father.\n\nTrump has previously met with Xi about Jimmy Lai\u2019s case, which did not end with his release, but Sebastian Lai said he does not believe \u201cit is a lost cause.\u201d He said he hopes Trump raises his father\u2019s case \u201cagain and again.\u201d\n\nSebastian Lai detailed his father\u2019s health, which \u201chasn\u2019t gotten any better\u201d while in solitary confinement.\n\n\u201cHe now has heart issues. His nails fall off. His teeth are rotting. During the summer, he bleeds all over his body because [of] his rashes,\u201d he said.\n\nHis health was especially worrisome recently because \u201cHong Kong just had a record summer,\u201d Sebastien Lai said. \u201cThe heat traps in there and essentially bakes in itself. So we\u2019re very, very worried.\u201d\n\nCaoilfhionn Gallagher, human rights lawyer and leader of the international legal team representing Jimmy Lai, further laid out the urgency of the case.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s very clear that if someone is detained in solitary confinement for an extended period of time, there is a direct ramification for their mortality,\u201d she said.\n\n\u201cThe risk to prisoners detained in solitary confinement is particularly heightened if they\u2019re elderly or diabetic, and Jimmy Lai is both. So this couldn\u2019t be a more urgent and timely discussion,\u201d she said.\n\nGallagher also noted the broader human rights issues and lack of democracy in Hong Kong.\n\nHong Kong \u201chas become a place where you can be thrown in prison for singing the wrong song, or not singing the right song, or wearing the wrong T-shirt, printing the wrong newspaper. And I think Jimmy Lai\u02bcs case is hugely important in itself because of who he is,\u201d Gallagher said.\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s probably the world\u2019s most famous political prisoner at the moment. His case is hugely important, but we think part of why they\u2019ve gone for Jimmy Lai is because by getting the biggest fish of all, it sends the message to the small fry across Hong Kong,\u201d Gallagher said.\n\n\"It makes very clear that their message is keep silent or you\u2019ll be next,\u201d Gallagher said.", 1, "2026-09-18T09:27:43Z", "2026-09-18T09:29:09Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415828", "Hyde Amendment violations & transparency failures revealedNew GAO report: Taxpayers bankrolled Obamacare health insurance plans covering elective abortions for 4.4 million individuals in 2026", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "A new report from the U.S. government\u2019s nonpartisan watchdog agency revealed that federal taxpayers subsidized 1,719 Affordable Care Act (ACA) Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) that covered elective abortions for an estimated 4.4 million individuals this year alone. The report also showed that 683 more abortion-covering QHPs were available through the ACA than when GAO issued a similar brief in 2014.\n\nThe recent report, compiled by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), was requested by House and Senate majority leadership, Co-Chairs of the House and Senate Congressional Pro-Life Caucus and Values Action Teams, and Chairmen of the House and Senate Committees of jurisdiction.\n\nUpon the release of the report\u2014first reported by The Daily Wire\u2014Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, and Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), Chairman of the House Values Action Team (VAT), issued the following statement:\n\n\u201cFor far too long, pro-life Americans have been deceived by the ACA and strongarmed into paying for health plans that do not respect the sanctity of life. American taxpayers deserve complete transparency and truthfulness as to where their hard-earned dollars are going\u2014and under the ACA as it currently stands, that\u2019s just not possible.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s GAO report confirms the very concerns that Republicans have raised for over fifteen years: the ACA fails to apply the longstanding and bipartisan Hyde Amendment law, which protects taxpayer dollars from funding abortion, both directly and through federal health plans.\n\n\u201cThe ACA allows premium tax credits to be directed towards health insurance coverage that includes elective abortion. Federal taxpayer dollars\u2014even from individuals living in pro-life states\u2014are subsidizing plans that include elective abortion coverage for over 4.4 million people.\n\n\u201cThe report also found that some insurance issuers failed to comply with the ACA\u2019s consumer transparency provision, which requires plans to prominently disclose abortion coverage.\n\n\u201cAs we approach the 50th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment on September 30th\u2014which is estimated to have saved the lives of over 2.6 million children (about 60,000 lives per year)\u2014we renew the call to enforce this critical, lifesaving protection within the ACA without further delay. Taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize plans that cover the elective killing of an unborn child by dismemberment or baby poison pills.\n\n\u201cMoreover, until Congress can pass legislation requiring full Hyde protections for all ACA plans, we urge the Trump Administration to reissue the Exchange Program Integrity Final Rule to ensure that consumers understand whether a plan subsidizes elective abortion.\u201d\n\nMembers of Congress who signed the GAO request letter: House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA); Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD); House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA); Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, M.D. (R-WY); House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN); House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-MI); House Pro-Life Caucus Co-Chairs: Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. (R-MD), Rep. Michelle Fischbach (R-MN), Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL), Rep. Bob Onder (R-MO); Senate Pro-Life Caucus Chairwoman Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS); House Values Action Team Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL); Senate Values Action Team Chairman James Lankford (R-OK); Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID); Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA); House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY); and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO).\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415829", "The Daily Wire exclusive article on Smith-requested report'EXCLUSIVE: Obamacare Plans Use Taxpayer Dollars For Abortions, Watchdog Finds'", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Mary Margaret Olohan\n\nPublished September 15, 2026\n\nWASHINGTON\u2014A nonpartisan federal watchdog on Tuesday revealed that Obamacare subsidizes abortions, upending a longtime Democrat talking point, The Daily Wire can first report.\n\nNearly a third of Affordable Care Act plans cover abortions, the Government Accountability Office found. Of the 6,655 qualified health plans offered on Obamacare exchanges, 1,719 cover \u201cnon-excepted abortion services,\u201d meaning elective abortions that are not the result of rape, incest, or danger to the mother\u2019s life. States that have banned abortion prohibit exchange plans from covering these services.\n\nAbout 4.4 million Americans are enrolled in Obamacare plans that cover abortions, the report found.\n\n(Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)\n\n\u201cAs a strong defender of life, I find the results of today\u2019s GAO report deeply concerning,\u201d Senate Majority Leader John Thune told The Daily Wire. \u201cAmerican taxpayer dollars should not be used to subsidize elective abortions in violation of the longstanding Hyde Amendment.\u201d\n\nRepublicans have long said that the Hyde Amendment \u2014 which bans the use of federal funds to pay for abortions except in cases where the unborn baby is conceived through rape or incest, or when the mother\u2019s life is in danger \u2014 should apply to Obamacare plans. Critics say that Democrats have misled the public about when Obamacare plans are subject to Hyde rules.\n\nSenate Majority Leader Sen. John Thune (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s GAO report confirms the very concerns that Republicans have raised for over fifteen years,\u201d New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith told The Daily Wire. \u201cThe ACA fails to apply the longstanding and bipartisan Hyde Amendment law, which protects taxpayer dollars from funding abortion, both directly and through federal health plans.\u201d\n\nEarlier this year, some Republicans pushed back strongly when President Donald Trump suggested that they should be flexible on the Hyde Amendment. Smith, who leads the congressional Pro-Life Caucus, is urging the president to sound the alarm over Obamacare coverage of abortion unless and until Congress can pass legislation that mandates full Hyde protections for all ACA plans.\n\n\u201cAmerican taxpayers deserve complete transparency and truthfulness as to where their hard-earned dollars are going \u2014 and under the ACA as it currently stands, that\u2019s just not possible,\u201d Smith said.\n\nSmith is calling on President Trump to reissue the Exchange Program Integrity Final Rule, which would ensure that \u201cconsumers understand whether a plan subsidizes elective abortion.\u201d The congressman argues that Democrats have for years deceived pro-life Americans for years about whether ACA plans cover abortions, and that, as a result, Obamacare has \u201cstrong-armed\u201d Americans into \u201cpaying for health plans that do not respect the sanctity of life.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe ACA allows premium tax credits to be directed towards health insurance coverage that includes elective abortion,\u201d Smith says. \u201cFederal taxpayer dollars \u2014 even from individuals living in pro-life states \u2014 are subsidizing plans that include elective abortion coverage for over 4.4 million people. The report also found that some insurance issuers failed to comply with the ACA\u2019s consumer transparency provision, which requires plans to prominently disclose abortion coverage.\u201d\n\nSeveral pieces of legislation floating around Capitol Hill could subject Obamacare plans to the Hyde Amendment, a Senate aide told The Daily Wire. One is the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act, which would codify Hyde across the federal government. That legislation is led by Smith in the House of Representatives and Roger Wicker in the Senate, with 125 cosponsors in the House and 50 cosponsors in the Senate.\n\nRepublican leadership under Senator Mitch McConnell first requested that the GAO review Obamacare\u2019s coverage of abortion in 2014. A 2014 report found that 1,036 qualified health plans in 28 states covered abortions, while 1,062 did not. The 2026 report found that 1,719 of 6,655 qualified health plans in the 50 states and the District of Columbia covered abortions.\n\n\u201cAs we approach the 50th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment on September 30th,\u201d Smith said, \u201cwe renew the call to enforce this critical, lifesaving protection within the ACA without further delay.\u201d", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415830", "Washington Examiner article on Smith-requested report'GAO finds millions of Obamacare enrollees have abortions covered'", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Rena Rowe\n\nPublished September 15, 2026 1:32pm ET\n\nA new report from the Government Accountability Office found that federal premium tax credits have helped subsidize Affordable Care Act health plans that cover abortions for millions of enrollees this year.\n\nThe GAO found that 1,719 of the 6,655 ACA plans available nationwide in 2026, or roughly 26%, covered abortions. Those plans covered an estimated 4.4 million people.\n\nThat is an increase of 683 plans from the number GAO found in a similar review in 2014. The availability of abortion coverage varied widely by state, largely because of varied state abortion laws.\n\nThe findings come as Congress approaches the 50th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment, a long-standing federal policy that bars federal funds from being used to pay for abortions, with exceptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest and cases in which the woman\u2019s life is endangered. But Obamacare is not funded annually through the appropriations process, so it is not required to follow the rules of the Hyde Amendment.\n\nRep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chairman of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, and Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), chairman of the House Values Action Team, said the report shows Obamacare does not provide the same Hyde protections to marketplace plans as those that apply to other federal programs.\n\n\u201cThe ACA allows premium tax credits to be directed towards health insurance coverage that includes elective abortion,\u201d the lawmakers said, calling for stronger Hyde protections and greater transparency about abortion coverage.\n\nSmith has also called on the Trump administration to take action on abortion coverage in Obamacare plans until Congress passes legislation extending Hyde protections to those plans.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s GAO report confirms the very concerns that Republicans have raised for over fifteen years: the ACA fails to apply the longstanding and bipartisan Hyde Amendment law, which protects taxpayer dollars from funding abortion, both directly and through federal health plans,\u201d the lawmakers said.\n\nThe findings come after Trump drew criticism from some Republicans earlier this year when he suggested lawmakers should be willing to be flexible on the Hyde Amendment. He has frequently sparred with his right flank on the issue, on which he is more moderate than most Republicans.", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-hosts-fourth-annual-seniors-distinction-event", "Kean Hosts Fourth Annual Seniors of Distinction Event", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(September 15, 2026) BRIDGEWATER, NJ \u2013 Last week, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) hosted his fourth annual Seniors of Distinction event at the Bridgewater Township Senior Center to honor the outstanding seniors of New Jersey\u2019s Seventh Congressional District.\n\nThis year, Congressman Kean celebrated 24 seniors representing all six counties within New Jersey\u2019s Seventh Congressional District. Each honoree was nominated by their friends, families, or local officials in recognition of their exceptional service and dedication to others. The Seniors of Distinction were selected for their long history of giving back to their communities.\n\n\u201cThe people we recognize today represent what is best about our communities,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cThey have spent years giving their time, sharing their experience, helping their neighbors, and strengthening their hometowns. So much of what makes a community strong comes from people who simply choose, day after day, to show up for others. It is a privilege to recognize these extraordinary New Jerseyans and to thank them for the example they continue to set for all of us.\u201d\n\n\u201cI want to thank Congressman Kean for being here and for holding this event,\u201d said 2026 Honoree Gloria Padgett. \u201cIt was great getting to know the people here and hearing about their volunteering. They are doing wonderful things for their communities, and when you give to people, it deserves to be recognized.\u201d\n\n\u201cI want to thank Congressman Kean for hosting the Seniors of Distinction event and for his advocacy, which has made a real, measurable difference in our district,\u201d said Bernard Rosario. \u201cFor working families and seniors on fixed incomes in a high-property-tax state like New Jersey, the SALT deduction that Congressman Kean fought is often the difference between being able to afford to stay in the home and community we have spent our lives in or being forced to relocate out of state in retirement. Thank you, Congressman Kean, for your continued dedication to NJ-07 and for fighting for policies that keep our community strong and allow our working families and seniors to stay where they belong.\u201d\n\nThe 2026 Seniors of Distinction Honorees:\n\nHunterdon County:\n\nJames Barile(Raritan Township) - \u201cBig Jim\u201d has made a lasting impact on the Flemington Area Food Pantry, dedicating every Tuesday for the past nine years to leading volunteers, serving neighbors, and caring for the Pantry inside and out. Most meaningfully, Jim supports volunteers with special needs by treating them with respect and guidance, helping them develop new skills and confidence, making them irreplaceable members of the Pantry family.\n\nNancy Chobin (Lebanon) - Nancy has dedicated more than four decades to healthcare, advancing safe surgical instrument processing, infection prevention, sterilization, and patient safety through leadership, education, and published resources. She has also shared her expertise as a volunteer with national healthcare organizations and Hunterdon Medical Center, helping establish best practices and supporting the development of its new Sterile Processing Department.\n\nRobert Ent (Stockton Borough) - Bob and his family represent four generations of service to Stockton, with him helping manage the Borough\u2019s water and sewer systems for decades with expertise and dedication. A U.S. Army veteran, Bob has also served as a first responder for the water system and built a respected surveying career, training countless surveyors and taking on challenging projects throughout New Jersey.\n\nMary Elizabeth Lawler (Three Bridges) - Mary has dedicated decades to Mary, Mother of God Church in Hillsborough, where her work with the Altar Rosary Society and Adopt-a-Senior program has become a true calling to serve older adults. She brings the Eucharist and Sunday services to the homebound, regularly visits nursing home residents, delivers holiday and birthday gifts, and advocates for seniors while recruiting others to join her mission of ensuring they feel seen, valued, and cared for.\n\nGloria Padgett (Frenchtown) - Gloria has made a lasting impact on the Hillsborough Township community through nearly three decades of leadership, mentorship, and service to older adults, including 30 years as the Township\u2019s Senior Line Dance instructor. By adapting routines to different abilities and encouraging dancers to perform throughout the area, Gloria promotes inclusion, confidence, and the message that aging can be a time of purpose, creativity, joy, and service.\n\nRosemarie Platt (Clinton) - Rosemarie has dedicated herself to preserving and celebrating Clinton\u2019s history, serving as Chair of both the Town of Clinton Historic Preservation Commission and Historical Society while volunteering at the Red Mill and helping bring the annual Haunted Red Mill tradition to life. As a local Realtor, she also shares her passion for Clinton by helping families find homes and become part of the community, reflecting her commitment to giving back through both her civic and professional roles.\n\nIrene Stoller (Whitehouse Station) - After retiring from a career in pharmaceuticals, Irene dedicated herself to serving others through Literacy Volunteers of America, United Way, Girl Scouts, the Clinton library, a community garden, a local food bank, and countless handmade donations for those in need. Irene continues to volunteer weekly with United Way and recently completed training to serve at Hunterdon Medical Center, demonstrating an extraordinary lifelong commitment to helping her community.\n\nMorris County:\n\nKevin Franken, Sr. (Long Hill) - Kevin has revitalized the Long Hill Township Senior Center through expanded programming, modernized operations, improved facilities, and advocacy for services such as senior transportation. He has also provided hands-on assistance with tax preparation and senior tax relief programs while volunteering as Financial Secretary and Treasurer of the Ancient Order of the Hibernians in Morris County.\n\nRobert Grignon (Budd Lake) - Robert dedicated an extraordinary 48 years of service to Mount Olive Township, earning recognition as the township\u2019s first-ever Employee of the Month in 2000 and Employee of the Year in 2001. Beyond his professional service, Robert has also given back as a volunteer with the Budd Lake Fire Department, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to protecting and strengthening his community.\n\nGary Grimm (Flanders) - Gary is a longtime member of the First Congregational Church of Chester, where he has become a vital part of the church family and a hero to many who have needed his help. His acts of quiet generosity have extended throughout the church community, including getting a member\u2019s car fixed and paid for without being asked. Gary bravely served our country during the Vietnam War and was the recipient of a Purple Heart medal for his service.\n\nCarmine Salzano (Flanders) - Carmine has dedicated more than two decades to serving Mount Olive Township, beginning his township career in 2002 after successfully owning and operating his own landscaping company for 17 years. Known for his kindness, reliability, and genuine care for both township residents and fellow employees, Carmine has earned recognition as a valued and respected member of the township team.\n\nSomerset County:\n\nJohn Orfan (Basking Ridge) - John has dedicated more than three decades to the Bernardsville Fire Company No. 1 & First Aid Squad, serving in every available leadership role and earning multiple EMT of the Year honors while responding to major local emergencies. A longtime first responder and 9/11 response volunteer, John continues to be recognized by his colleagues as an EMS \u201cCaptain Emeritus\u201d for his extensive experience and unwavering commitment to his community.\n\nBernard Rosario (Branchburg) - Bernie has dedicated years to supporting local organizations by generously sharing his photography and videography talents, from Scouting and school activities to serving as Chair of the Branchburg Communications Committee. He also photographs for the Meghan Rose Bradley Pediatric Brain Cancer Foundation and volunteers at the St. Ann\u2019s Fest Pizzelle Tent, demonstrating his commitment to giving back in many ways.\n\nWilliam Sundburg (Warren) - Mr. Sundburg has dedicated years to serving Warren Township\u2019s senior community, including eight years as a member and President of the Warren Seniors Club and his current role as Chairman of the Senior Advisory Committee, where he has encouraged greater participation among younger seniors. He has strengthened senior programs and leadership while helping recruit new board members, and his commitment to the broader community also includes 13 years of service with the Warren Township Rescue Squad.\n\nSussex County:\n\nMary Butt (Hopatcong) - Mary has dedicated her life to serving others, including more than 40 years at St. Clare\u2019s Hospital while also volunteering as a Scout leader and CCD teacher. She continues to give back through her church and community organizations, serving as a Eucharistic Minister, Bingo organizer, fundraiser, and treasurer, and was recently named Hopatcong\u2019s 2026 Female Senior of the Year.\n\nAlfred Zotynia (Stanhope) - Al, known as the \u201cenergizer bunny\u201d of Hopatcong Seniors Inc., has spent decades serving his community through countless acts of volunteerism, from organizing events and helping with transportation to improving accessibility at the seniors\u2019 meeting space. A U.S. Army National Guard veteran, Al also supports St. Jude\u2019s Church and neighbors in need and was recently named Hopatcong\u2019s 2026 Male Senior of the Year.\n\nUnion County:\n\nPeggy Cowan (Fanwood) - Peggy founded and serves as President of the New Jersey Physicians Advisory Group, a nonprofit dedicated to helping students in grades 8\u201312 make healthy, informed life decisions, and she has never taken a salary so that resources can remain focused on its mission. Under her leadership, the organization has reached more than 40,000 students across New Jersey, while the curriculum she created has been adopted by more than 225 schools in 25 states, reflecting her extraordinary commitment to empowering young people.\n\nRuth Goense(Mountainside) - Ruth has dedicated her life to community service, volunteering as a Sunday school teacher, coach, ministry leader, and through organizations including the Foothill Club, Woman\u2019s Club, Garden Club, and Mountainside Active Retirees. An art teacher and founding member of the Mountainside Preservation Committee, Ruth helped preserve and relocate two historic homes while raising funds to support these important community efforts.\n\nTeddy Grossi (Mountainside) - Teddy Grossi has devoted his life to service, from serving in the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War to leading the Bricklayers\u2019 Union, where he helped organize skilled volunteers for community projects including local 9/11 memorials. A longtime Mountainside resident, recent cancer survivor, and devoted family man, Teddy is admired for his generosity, faith, passion for cooking, and commitment to his community, and was honored with the Union\u2019s Craft Award in 1995.\n\nMichael Pozyc (Clark) - Mike has spent more than two decades supporting young Clark athletes, volunteering with Clark Travel Basketball as well as Clark Baseball and Softball in countless behind-the-scenes and hands-on roles. His dedication to organizing tournaments, breakfasts, registrations, equipment, games, and concessions has helped generations of local boys and girls enjoy positive and memorable youth sports experiences.\n\nPatricia Roman (Clark) - Pat has turned a deeply personal family experience into more than 25 years of dedicated service to individuals living with mental illness and their families through NAMI Union County, helping build the organization and serving in numerous leadership roles. Her legacy includes creating the Traci Roman Enrichment Scholarship and organizing the first Rally for Recovery, helping reduce stigma and provide support to countless individuals and families throughout Union County.\n\nHenry Varriano (Clark) - Henry has dedicated decades to serving the Clark community, including more than 20 years on the Township Board of Education, where he advocated for music, arts, and extracurricular programs and helped restore the high school marching band. A founding member and longtime leader of Clark UNICO, Henry also established the annual Columbus Day Essay Contest and has generously supported the Clark Public Library through financial contributions, artwork, and community displays.\n\nWarren County:\n\nCandace Church (Hackettstown) - Candy has dedicated her time and talents to mentoring youth through the Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Program, preserving local history, improving community spaces, and bringing people together through Mahjong. For 14 years, she has provided hands-on support to preserve Rutherfurd Hall while also serving her church and local senior organizations and spearheading the creation of a community playground, walking trail, and dog park in Allamuchy Township.\n\nAnn LaPadula (Hackettstown) - Ann has dedicated more than 15 years to volunteer service in Allamuchy, supporting the Allamuchy Senior Citizens Club, Friends of Rutherfurd Hall, and numerous township and community events. Known for her tireless behind-the-scenes work, leadership, and willingness to help wherever needed, she has contributed to senior programs, historic preservation, fundraisers, family events, cleanups, and holiday activities. Her commitment has earned her induction into the Hackettstown Area Senior Hall of Fame and recognition as the Mary Louise Christine Outstanding Senior of Warren County.\n\nBack Row: Bernard Rosario, Robert Ent, Kevin Franken, Sr., Congressman Tom Kean, Jr., Alfred Zotynia, James Barile, John Orfan, Michael Pozyc, Nancy Chobin, Frank Manuella (for Patricia Roman), and Teddy Grossi\n\nFront Row: Ann LaPadula, Candace Church, Henry Varriano, Gloria Padgett, and Mary Butt\n\nView additional photos from the event HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2092", "Congressman Van Drew Chairs Hearing on New Jersey Voter Roll Scandal", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC -Today, Congressman Van Drew, Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight, held a hearing examining how 6,600 people who indicated they were not U.S. citizens were improperly registered to vote in New Jersey, with almost 400 later casting votes.\n\n\"The part that should make every person in New Jersey angry is that the state knew there was a problem in June of 2024 and did not tell the public what happened until two years later,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"How do thousands of noncitizens get registered, hundreds vote, and nobody thinks the people of New Jersey deserve to know? Now we are asking questions to find out exactly what went wrong, and we have been met with resistance from the state every step of the way. That is why I chaired this hearing today. Elections can come down to one vote, so yes, we are going to keep asking questions to make sure that it is only Americans voting in American elections.\"", 1, "2026-09-16T09:43:13Z", "2026-09-16T09:44:22Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415832", "National Review article on Smith-requested report'One in Four Obamacare Plans Cover Elective Abortions Despite Hyde Amendment Restrictions, GAO Finds'", "2026-09-15", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Kamden Mulder\n\nPublished September 15, 2026 5:42 PM\n\nTwenty-six percent of Obamacare exchange plans cover elective abortions, even as the Hyde Amendment prohibits federal funds from being used to pay for such procedures, according to a new Government Accountability Office report.\n\nThe Hyde Amendment only allows federal money to be used to pay for abortions under limited circumstances: when the life of the mother is at risk, or when the pregnancy is the product of rape or incest. But the GAO report found one in four Affordable Care Act plans cover \u201cnon-excepted abortion services.\u201d Of the 6,655 Obamacare plans on the market, 1,719 cover abortions outside of the federal exceptions.\n\nPro-life advocates have long voiced concerns about how the Hyde Amendment applies to Obamacare insurance plans and how effectively it prohibits taxpayer-subsidized insurance coverage from including abortion.\n\nAffordable Care Act forms in 2013(Jonathan Bachman/Reuters)\n\n\u201cObamacare was the largest expansion of taxpayer-funded abortion in American history after Roe v. Wade. Tax dollars have paid for the violent deaths of countless babies, in an end run around the longstanding protections of the Hyde Amendment. Democrats\u2019 gaslighting is inexcusable,\u201d SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement. \u201cWhile the Hyde Amendment has saved nearly 2.7 million lives in its 50-year existence, Obamacare is a glaring exception.\u201d\n\nRepresentatives Chris Smith (R., N.J.) and Robert Aderholt (R., Ala.) similarly said the report \u201cconfirms the very concerns that Republicans have raised for over fifteen years: the ACA fails to apply the longstanding and bipartisan Hyde Amendment law, which protects taxpayer dollars from funding abortion, both directly and through federal health plans.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe ACA allows premium tax credits to be directed towards health insurance coverage that includes elective abortion,\u201d the pair added in a joint statement. \u201cFederal taxpayer dollars\u2014even from individuals living in pro-life states\u2014are subsidizing plans that include elective abortion coverage for over 4.4 million people.\u201d\n\nUltimately, about 4.4 million Americans have Obamacare exchange plans that cover non-excepted abortion services, out of about 19 million Americans enrolled, according to the report. The fourteen states that prohibit abortion coverage under ACA plans, however, do not allow these plans to cover non-excepted abortions.\n\nAccording to the report, \u201canalysis of state laws and CMS data shows that QHPs [qualified health plans] in 19 states provided non-excepted abortion services as a covered benefit.\u201d\n\nAbortion remains a long term battle in Congress, regardless of the overturning of Roe v. Wade back in 2022. Previously, under the One Big Beautiful Bill, Medicaid payments were blocked from groups like Planned Parenthood. But the ban expired after one year and Planned Parenthood regained access to federal Medicaid reimbursement in July.\n\nIt remains unclear if the ban will be reinstated.\n\n\u201cAs a strong defender of life, I find the results of today\u2019s GAO report deeply concerning,\u201d Senate Majority Leader John Thune told the Daily Wire, in light of the recent report. \u201cAmerican taxpayer dollars should not be used to subsidize elective abortions in violation of the longstanding Hyde Amendment.\u201d\n\nA January 2025 Marist/Knights of Columbus poll found a majority of Americans oppose public funds being spent on abortion.\n\n\u201cPro-life voices warned from the start that its sham \u2018accounting gimmick\u2019 was a ruse to get pro-life holdouts\u2019 votes,\u201d Dannenfelser said. \u201cWe must always fight to protect unborn children and their mothers and keep American taxpayers entirely out of Big Abortion\u2019s brutal business.\u201d\n\nThis article was published on September 15, 2026 and can be found online at:", 1, "2026-09-17T09:52:05Z", "2026-09-17T09:53:00Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-visits-somerville-highlight-1942000-secured-federal-funding-0", "Kean Visits Somerville to Highlight $1,942,000 Secured in Federal Funding", "2026-09-14", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(September 14, 2026) SOMERVILLE, NJ \u2013 Last week, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) visited downtown Somerville with Mayor Brian Gallagher to highlight the $1,942,000 he secured in a House funding bill through the Community Project Funding process.\n\nThe funding will be used for two complementary capital improvement projects: the Division Street Arts Plaza and the Giardina Walk Improvements. Together, these projects will transform two heavily traveled public corridors into vibrant, safe, and fully accessible pedestrian spaces that anchor Downtown Somerville\u2019s arts and cultural identity.\n\n\u201cDowntown Somerville is truly the heart of Somerset County, and this investment will help make it an even better place to live, work, shop, and dine,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cI fought for this funding because Somerville deserves a downtown that reflects the energy, character, and pride of this special community. This project will be transformational in supporting local businesses, improving the downtown experience for residents and visitors alike.\u201d\n\n\"I'm grateful to Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. for securing nearly $1.94 million in federal funding for the Division Street Arts Plaza and Giardina Walk improvements,\u201d said Mayor Brian Gallagher. \u201cThis investment will make our downtown safer and more accessible, strengthen Main Street as a regional destination, and benefit the entire community. Congressman Kean's persistence in advancing this funding through Washington reflects his genuine commitment to Somerville and the region, and we're thankful for his leadership and partnership.\"\n\n\u201cThe Division Street and Giardina Walkway improvements are an investment in the future and economic vitality of Downtown Somerville, the county seat,\u201d said Dana Kessel, Executive Director of the Downtown Somerville Alliance. \u201cThis project demonstrates what is possible when a community, its businesses, municipal partners, and a strong Main Street organization work together toward a shared vision. By creating inviting places to gather, shop, dine, and experience downtown, we are strengthening Downtown Somerville\u2019s position as one of New Jersey\u2019s premier destinations.\n\n\u201cAs a Downtown Somerville business owner, I am incredibly grateful for everything the Downtown Somerville Alliance does to promote our downtown and support our businesses,\u201d said Allison Reilly Snyder, Co-Owner of Boulevard Seafood & Co. Restaurant and Bar and DSA Board of Trustees member. \u201cThe DSA creates opportunities, brings people downtown, and continually advocates for the businesses that make this community special. These improvements are another exciting step forward, and we are grateful to have an organization so committed to the future of Downtown Somerville.\u201d\n\nSince taking office, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. has secured more than $3.4 million for accessible walkways across New Jersey\u2019s Seventh Congressional District through the Community Project Funding process.\n\nIn July, Congressman Kean announced that 18 Community Project Funding requests made by his office totaling $17,765,906, are included in key House funding bills for the upcoming fiscal year. Learn more HERE.\n\nPictured left to right: Allison Snyder, Mayor Brian Gallagher, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr., and Dana Kessel\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-15T09:50:21Z", "2026-09-15T09:52:05Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2090", "Congressman Van Drew Condemns Immigration Failure After Attack on Six-Year-Old Girl in NJ", "2026-09-12", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC -Today, Congressman Van Drew released the following statement after an illegal immigrant who had previously been in ICE custody was charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl in New Jersey.\n\n\"There are no words for what this little girl and her parents are going through,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"Nothing we say can make this right. There is only one thing we can do, and that is to make sure this never happens again. This man should have been deported in 2024. He was already in ICE custody, but instead he was released back into our communities. And while this is happening, taxpayers should certainly not be funding legal defense programs for illegal immigrants fighting deportation. This little girl deserved to be protected. She was failed. We cannot allow that to happen again.\"", 1, "2026-09-15T09:50:21Z", "2026-09-15T09:52:05Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415826", "Remembering the Victims of 9/11", "2026-09-10", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "The following are excerpts of remarks prepared by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) for Monmouth County\u2019s September 11th Memorial Ceremony in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey:\n\n\u201cTwenty-five years later, we solemnly remember those who lost their lives and the pain suffered by the nearly 3,000 individuals\u2014including 147 Monmouth County residents\u2014 who were murdered by radical jihadists and the anguish endured by their families and friends, both then and now.\n\n\u201cWe remember and honor the courageous first responders running up the stairs of the burning buildings\u2014with total disregard for their own safety\u2014attempting to save others at the expense of their own lives.\n\n\u201cWe honor the heroic firefighters, police officers, paramedics and civilian support staff members, who have suffered and died from illnesses related to the rescue and recovery efforts in the aftermath of one of the darkest days in U.S. history.\n\n\u201cAccording to the World Trade Center Health Program, an estimated 400,000 people were exposed to toxic contaminants in New York, at the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Over 96,000 people have been diagnosed with physical and mental health conditions as a result of exposure to the dust, smoke, debris and traumatic events of 9/11, and more than 9,000 people have died from illnesses directly linked to the attack.\n\n\u201cIt is widely believed that Flight 93 was headed to Washington, D.C. to attack the Capitol or the White House when it was brought down in Shanksville, thanks in large part to N.J. hero Todd Beamer and his call to fellow passengers: \u2018Let\u2019s roll!\u2019\n\n\u201cA member of my staff since 2006, Kathy Wisniewski\u2014then a Howell resident\u2014lost her beloved husband, Alan, on 9/11.\n\n\u201cAlan was associate director for Sandler O\u2019Neill Investment, and his office was on the 104th floor of the South Tower. His last phone call before his tower fell was to say: \u2018I\u2019m OK.\u2019 Then United Airlines flight 175 crashed into his building.\n\n\u201cThrough Kathy, and their three children\u2014as well from the other survivors, like the \u2018Jersey Girls\u2019\u2014we\u2019ve all gotten a better understanding of the challenges suffered by family and close friends.\n\n\u201cAs an effective leader on behalf of 9/11 victims, Kathy is right now in New York City at the 9/11 ceremony.\n\n\u201cAs we remember all the victims of 9/11, may each of us seriously recommit to persevering prayer and good works for peace and reconciliation, as well as support for effective intelligence gathering and law enforcement to better interdict violence in all of its ugly manifestations, including terrorism.\n\n\u201cAs the 9/11 Memorial and Museum reminds us, \u2018100 million Americans are too young to remember the day that changed our city and nation forever. It is our shared promise\u2014made 25 years ago\u2014to never forget, so those born after 9/11 learn its significance and enduring legacy. As we commemorate this anniversary, a new generation will learn about the unimaginable loss we experienced and the inspiring stories of bravery, compassion, unity, and service that we witnessed, and have rippled through the decades.\u2019\n\n\u201cWe must never forget 9/11 and be ever mindful that the perpetrators of violence and terrorism never take a holiday\u2014nor can we.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-11T09:25:29Z", "2026-09-11T09:27:08Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415827", "Wed., Sept. 16: Rep. Chris Smith to chair CECC hearing\u201cA Son and Daughter\u2019s Appeal to Xi Jinping to Release Their Dad, Jimmy Lai\u201d", "2026-09-10", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "On Wednesday, September 16th, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), will chair a congressional hearing examining the imprisonment of Hong Kong media entrepreneur and democracy advocate Jimmy Lai and what his case reveals about the continued erosion of freedom of the press, judicial independence, and the rule of law in Hong Kong.\n\nGiven the planned summit between President Trump and General Secretary Xi Jinping, the hearing will underscore the appeal from Jimmy Lai\u2019s children to Xi Jinping for their father\u2019s immediate release and examine the broader implications of Lai\u2019s continued imprisonment.\n\nWHAT: Congressional hearing on the unjust, politically motivated imprisonment of Jimmy Lai, as well as what additional steps Congress, the Administration, and international partners can take to secure his release and hold accountable the officials responsible for undermining internationally recognized human rights and fundamental freedoms.\n\nWHEN: Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at 9:30 AM\n\nWITNESSES: (Partial list)\n\nSebastien Lai, Son of Jimmy Lai; Leader, #FreeJimmyLai Campaign\n\nSteve Yates, Senior Research Fellow for China and National Security and Chung Ju Yung Fellow, The Heritage Foundation\n\nMark L. Clifford, President, Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation; Author of The Troublemaker, a biography of Jimmy Lai\n\nWHERE: 2255 Rayburn House Office Building and livestreamed here\n\nWHO: Co-Chairman Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman Dan Sullivan (R-AK), other members of the CECC, and witnesses\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-11T09:25:29Z", "2026-09-11T09:27:08Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/remembering-911-kean-commemorates-25th-anniversary-september-11th-terrorist", "Remembering 9/11: Kean Commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks", "2026-09-10", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(SEPTEMBER 10, 2026) WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) introduced two pieces of legislation to honor the 25th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks.\n\nCongressman Kean said: \u201cSeptember 11th is deeply personal to New Jersey. For families across our state, that day still has a name, a face, an empty chair at the table. Hundreds of our neighbors left home that morning and never came back. Twenty-five years later, we carry their memory with us, along with the courage of the first responders who ran toward danger and the service members who answered the call to defend our country.\n\n\u201cThe truth of September 11th is clear. Innocent Americans were murdered in an act of evil against our country and our way of life. Our responsibility is to tell that story with honesty, to honor the people we lost, to stand with the families who still carry that loss, and to make sure every generation understands what happened that day and what followed.\n\n\u201cThis package is about fulfilling that responsibility to preserve the firsthand voices of September 11th, honoring the Americans who brought justice to the terrorists responsible in the years that followed, and supporting the victims and families. A quarter-century has passed, but our promise remains the same. We remember them. We honor them. America will never forget.\u201d\n\nThe 9/11 Legacy Preservation Act of 2026:\n\nThe 9/11 Legacy Preservation Act that Congressman Kean introduced with Representative Don Beyer (VA-08), would direct the Director of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress to establish an oral history program to collect video and audio recordings of personal histories from survivors of September 11, 2001.\n\nRead the text of the bill HERE.\n\nThe Seal Team Six Congressional Gold Medal Act:\n\nThe Seal Team Six Congressional Gold Medal Act would award a Congressional Gold Medal to SEAL Team Six in recognition of their critical role in bringing Osama bin Laden to justice. Congressman Kean introduced the bill with Representatives Madeline Dean (PA-04), Mike Lawler (NY-17), and Bill Keating (MA-09).\n\nRead the text of the bill HERE.\n\nCongressman Kean is also a cosponsor of a resolution to commemorate the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and a resolution to recognize New Jersey\u2019s first responders who carried out rescue, recovery, and medical relief efforts following September 11, 2001.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-12T09:02:30Z", "2026-09-12T09:03:27Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415824", "New York Post article featuring Smith commentary'Unlicensed, illegal migrant drove car that killed baby in NJ parking lot: officials'", "2026-09-05", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Adry Torres\n\nPublished September 5, 2026 at 12:06 p.m. ET\n\nThe unlicensed driver who crashed into a New Jersey family in a grocery store parking lot \u2014 killing a 9-month-old boy and injuring his mother and sister \u2014 and the car\u2019s owner are both illegal immigrants who ICE is now seeking to deport, officials said.\n\nMar\u00eda Cobon-Guzm\u00e1n, 20, a Guatemalan national living in Trenton, was charged Tuesday with five counts including manslaughter after she struck and killed Yitzchok Rosenberg on Aug. 28, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor\u2019s Office. She has never held a driver\u2019s license, investigators said.\n\nAriadna Lazaro-Flores, 22, a Mexican national living in Toms River, was charged with knowingly creating a substantial risk of death for letting Cobon-Guzm\u00e1n drive.\n\nOcean County Jail records show US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainers filed against both women. Judge Kimarie Rahill denied them both bail.\n\nICE seeks the custody of Mar\u00eda Cobon-Guzm\u00e1n, who was operating a car without a license at a supermarket parking lot in Jackson, New Jersey on Aug. 28 when she struck and killed a nine-month-old and injured his mother and sister. Ocean County Jail\n\nCobon-Guzm\u00e1n was behind the wheel of a Ford Fusion when she slammed into Golda Chana, who was pushing Yitzchok in a stroller, and her 5-year-old daughter, according to VIN News.\n\nAll three victims were transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where Yitzchok died.\n\nA Department of Homeland Security official told Fox News Digital that Cobon-Guzm\u00e1n and Lazaro-Flores crossed the US-Mexico border illegally during the Biden administration.\n\nLazaro-Flores did so on five occasions in October 2023 and was removed from the country each time.\n\nThe DHS official said that Cobon-Guzm\u00e1n entered the US once and was released, but an immigration judge approved a deportation order July 31.\n\nICE is seeking the deportation of Ariadna Lazaro-Flores, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, in connection to the death of a nine-month-old boy who was struck by a vehicle driven by her friend, Mar\u00eda Cobon-Guzm\u00e1n. Ocean County Jail\n\nRep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) told Fold News Digital he has called for the removal of the Garden State\u2019s sanctuary status that would permit state and local enforcement agencies to work with federal immigration departments.\n\nThe congressman noted that Lazaro-Flores was able to secure a driver\u2019s license despite her status as an illegal immigrant.", 1, "2026-09-09T09:27:09Z", "2026-09-09T09:29:04Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415825", "Save Jersey article featuring Smith commentary'Deported FIVE Times, Still Licensed in N.J.: Smith Blasts Sanctuary Policies After Baby\u2019s Death'", "2026-09-04", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By The Staff\n\nPublished September 4, 2026\n\nJACKSON TOWNSHIP, N.J. \u2013 Congressman Chris Smith (R, NJ-4) is demanding an end to New Jersey\u2019s sanctuary-state policies following revelations surrounding the horrific Jackson crash that killed a nine-month-old baby last week.\n\nSmith, whose 4th Congressional District includes Jackson Township, said Thursday that Ariadna Lazaro-Flores \u2014 the 22-year-old owner of the vehicle involved in the August 28th crash \u2014 had previously been deported from the United States five times and was nevertheless able to obtain a New Jersey driver\u2019s license.\n\n\u201cDespite being deported from the United States five times and being previously charged with operating a motor vehicle without a license,\u201d Smith said, Lazaro-Flores \u201cwas still able to obtain a driver\u2019s license in New Jersey.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat is shocking,\u201d the veteran Republican congressman added.\n\nThe vehicle allegedly struck a mother and her two children outside the NPGS grocery store on West County Line Road. The nine-month-old child died while his mother and five-year-old sister were hospitalized.\n\nAuthorities say Lazaro-Flores was not behind the wheel. The alleged driver, 20-year-old Maria Cobon-Guzman of Trenton, had never possessed a valid driver\u2019s license, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor\u2019s Office.\n\nSmith said both women were in the country illegally.\n\nCobon-Guzman faces manslaughter, assault by auto and other charges. Lazaro-Flores was charged with knowingly engaging in conduct that creates a substantial risk of death to another person. Smith laid blame for the circumstances surrounding the tragedy squarely at the feet of lax immigration enforcement.\n\n\u201cHad these individuals been properly vetted and denied entry into the United States, this innocent baby would still be alive, and a young family\u2019s lives would not have been completely shattered,\u201d Smith said.\n\nThe congressman also turned his fire on Trenton.\n\nNew Jersey has allowed residents without lawful immigration status to obtain standard driver\u2019s licenses since 2021. The state\u2019s Immigrant Trust Directive, meanwhile, restricts the circumstances under which state and local law enforcement agencies may assist federal civil immigration enforcement.\n\nSmith said the deadly Jackson incident demonstrates why those policies need to change.\n\n\u201cThe State of New Jersey must repeal its so-called sanctuary state status and allow local law enforcement to cooperate with federal immigration officials,\u201d Smith said.", 1, "2026-09-09T09:27:09Z", "2026-09-09T09:29:04Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2088", "New Jersey Congressional Delegation Unites in Push to Bring F-35s to Atlantic City", "2026-09-04", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew announced that the entire New Jersey congressional delegation has joined him in calling on Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink to select the 177th Fighter Wing in Atlantic City as a future home for the F-35 Lightning II.\n\n\"The 177th Fighter Wing is one of the best locations in the United States for the F-35, and I am so glad we were able to bring the New Jersey delegation together behind this effort,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"Regardless of political party or philosophy, we are all on the same page about how important this is. The corridor between Washington and New York is critical to our country, and the 177th plays an important role in keeping it safe. I want to thank all of my colleagues for joining me on this letter and for working together to do everything we can to bring the F-35s to South Jersey. We have also been laying the groundwork to make sure Atlantic City is ready. I secured $68 million in authorization for a new six-aircraft maintenance hangar that is critical to supporting next-generation fighters like the F-35, and we expect that project to be included in the President's budget next year. Now we are taking the next step and making the case directly to the Air Force.\"\n\nClick here to read the full letter.", 1, "2026-09-10T09:25:58Z", "2026-09-10T09:27:09Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2089", "Congressman Van Drew Rejects Atlantic City Electric's \"Two-Cent\" Response", "2026-09-04", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew responded to Atlantic City Electric's claim that refunds tied to the recent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) audit would amount to less than two cents per month.\n\n\"First we were told nothing was wrong, and people were simply using more electricity,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"Then we were told residential customers were not impacted by this. Now we are being told the impact is less than two cents a month. The only thing worth two cents is Atlantic City Electric's response. No one in South Jersey is buying it. FERC has confirmed that transmission customers were overcharged, and those transmission costs are ultimately passed through in what customers pay. During the same period, families watched their electric bills double and, in some cases, triple. We are not going to dismiss that as a coincidence or accept another typical corporate response. We will be following up with FERC, and I still expect the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to finally do its job and get to the bottom of this.\n\n\"Atlantic City Electric has broken the trust of the people of South Jersey. The answer is simple: show us the full numbers, refund every dollar people are owed, lower the rates, and lower the transmission and delivery costs. We are not letting this go.\"", 1, "2026-09-10T09:25:58Z", "2026-09-10T09:27:09Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415820", "House reaffirms U.S. support for IsraelSmith backs the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026, stands up for Jewish- and Israeli-American students", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "With Rep. Chris Smith\u2019s (R-NJ) full support and vote, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed the Protect Economic and Academic Freedom Act of 2026 (HR 4795).\n\nHR 4795 blocks federal higher education funding for U.S. colleges and universities that engage in non-expressive commercial boycotts\u2014defined as \u201ccommercial action[s] (including engaging in refusals to deal and terminating business activities) that [are] intended to limit commercial relations\u2026 and [are] not based on a valid business reason\u201d\u2014of Israel, a major strategic partner, and/or prohibit students and faculty from participating in academic programs or exchanges with Israel.\n\n\u201cDespite being a strong ally of the United States, Israel has been unfairly maligned and discriminated against by many of our colleges and universities, who have engaged in non-expressive commercial boycotts of Israel and sought to undermine partnerships with Israeli institutions of higher learning,\u201d said Smith, the Co-Chair of the House Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Antisemitism.\n\n\u201cHR 4795, which I am proud to support, takes concrete actions to ensure that U.S. funding is not misused to advance and underwrite antisemitism, especially on our college campuses,\u201d continued Smith.\n\n\u201cMany recent actions taken by U.S. colleges and universities towards Israel\u2014including commercial boycotts and the removal of academic programs and opportunities in the country\u2014have created a culture of hostility on our campuses, fanning the flames of antisemitism and putting Jewish-American students at risk.\n\n\u201cThis critical legislation stands up for Jewish- and Israeli-American students, sending a strong message that the United States will no longer subsidize colleges or universities that engage in antisemitic or discriminatory practices against a leading strategic partner, Israel,\u201d Smith concluded.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-04T09:19:37Z", "2026-09-04T09:20:58Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415822", "Fighting to end modern-day slaverySmith marks 188th anniversary of Frederick Douglass\u2019 escape from slavery\u2014the namesake of his anti-human trafficking legislation", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a longtime leader in the global fight against human trafficking, today commemorated the 188th anniversary of famed abolitionist and statesman Frederick Douglass\u2019 escape from slavery on September 3rd, 1838.\n\n\u201cToday, we mark 188 years since former slave Frederick Douglass\u2014one of the most influential and awe-inspiring figures in American history\u2014courageously self-emancipated from the shackles of slavery,\u201d said Smith, a staunch and prolific human rights lawmaker.\n\n\u201cAfter attaining freedom in New York City, Frederick dedicated the rest of his life to the noble cause of abolishing slavery and helping other enslaved individuals break free from bondage. In recognition and appreciation of Frederick\u2019s lifelong fight for freedom, I have continued to name America\u2019s key reauthorization bill to combat human trafficking\u2014the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Act of 2025 (HR 1144)\u2014in his honor.\n\n\u201cHR 1144 reaffirms and strengthens the United States\u2019 commitment to combating and ending modern-day slavery, enhancing programs and creating initiatives to protect survivors, prosecute traffickers, and prevent human trafficking from happening in the first place,\u201d continued Smith, the author of five major anti-human trafficking laws, including the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) (PL 106-386).\n\n\u201cInspired by Frederick\u2019s extensive work to help newly emancipated African Americans acclimate to their free lives, HR 1144\u2014which was drafted with input from Frederick\u2019s great-great-great grandson, Kenneth B. Morris Jr.\u2014assists survivors during their transitions out of trafficking situations.\n\n\u201cThis bill creates a wrap-around approach to provide survivors with safe housing, mental health support, education services, life skills training, and employment assistance,\u201d noted Smith, the Co-Chair of the newly formed Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Protection and Prevention Caucus.\n\n\u201cAs Frederick once wisely said, \u2018If there is no struggle, there is no progress.\u2019 Each and every day\u2014and especially today\u2014we honor Frederick\u2019s memory and continue the struggle against the global scourge of human trafficking and modern-day slavery.\u201d\n\nHR 1144, developed in close collaboration with several survivor-leaders, upgrades and expands the U.S. government\u2019s toolkit for fighting human trafficking by reauthorizing more than $1.2 billion in federal funding over the next five years. Once enacted, the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Act of 2025 will:\n\nReauthorize and bolster anti-human trafficking programs across numerous federal agencies, including the State Department, Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Health and Human Services;\n\nEnsure robust prosecutions for human trafficking crimes, along with thorough investigations and jail time commensurate with the crime;\n\nAuthorize the first-ever housing program for survivors, ensuring wrap-around case management, including education, life skills training, mental health services, and employment assistance;\n\nContinue funding the Angel Watch Center, a program mandated by Smith\u2019s International Megan\u2019s Law (PL 114-119) that prevents convicted child sex offenders from exploiting and abusing children abroad;\n\nTrain instructors, teachers, and students within elementary and secondary schools, in an age-appropriate manner, on building situational awareness, self-esteem, and resources to prevent, identify, and respond to human trafficking; and\n\nStrengthen partnerships among federal, state, and local authorities.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-04T09:19:37Z", "2026-09-04T09:20:58Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415823", "Smith, Moolenaar lead bipartisan letter to Sec. Mullin requesting update on DHS actions to implement and enforce Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), and John Moolenaar (R-MI), Chairman of the House Select Committee on China, led six lawmakers in a letter to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, requesting a briefing on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security\u2019s (DHS) efforts to prevent goods linked to forced labor from entering the United States, as well as an update on the agency\u2019s actions to implement and enforce the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA).\n\nThe letter marks another effort led by Rep. Smith\u2014the original author of the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) (PL 106-386)\u2014to combat human trafficking and forced labor, as well as hold the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) accountable for its ongoing campaign of repression against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR).\n\nIn addition to Reps. Smith and Moolenaar, the letter was signed by CECC Ranking Members Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA); Select Committee Ranking Member Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Members Reps. Young Kim (R-CA) and Carlos A. Gimenez (R-FL); and House Committee on Homeland Security Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-MS).\n\n\u201cCongress enacted these [trade] laws to ensure that illegally traded goods, particularly those made with forced labor, do not enter U.S. commerce and do not make American consumers complicit in atrocities, including genocide, in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR),\u201d the group of bicameral and bipartisan lawmakers write.\n\n\u201cStrong enforcement protects human rights, supports American workers, and helps ensure that U.S. businesses are not undercut by illegal and unfair trade practices,\u201d they continue.\n\nIn addition to requesting an update on DHS\u2019 implementation of the UFLPA\u2014with specific references to the forced labor allegations surrounding \u201cLabubu\u201d dolls and Chinese seafood supply chains\u2014the eight Members of Congress urge Sec. Mullin to expand the UFLPA Entity List.\n\n\u201cTimely designation is essential to preventing circumvention, deterring violative imports, and ensuring that the law is fully enforced,\u201d the authors note. \u201cIf DHS has identified additional resources or authorities needed to strengthen UFLPA Entity List targeting, we welcome the opportunity to discuss those needs.\u201d\n\nThe DHS briefing requested by the eight Members of Congress should, within 30 days, address the following items:\n\nCurrent DHS, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force enforcement priorities across high-risk and priority enforcement sectors, including consumer goods, seafood, textiles and apparel, steel and aluminum, polysilicon, silane gas, silicon-carbon materials, critical minerals, and other advanced materials;\n\nEnforcement measures addressing forced labor exposure in seafood supply chains, including vessel-based labor abuses, transshipment practices, and coordination with other federal agencies;\n\nThe status of efforts to update and expand the UFLPA Entity List and any barriers or resource constraints to the listing of additional entities;\n\nData on shipments detained, released, excluded, or seized under UFLPA and Section 307 authorities, including trends over the past year, sector-specific data, and country-of shipment data;\n\nCurrent evidentiary standards required for importers to rebut the UFLPA presumption, including the types of supply-chain tracing, documentation, and verification CBP currently requires;\n\nStaffing levels and resources at CBP and DHS dedicated to UFLPA enforcement and FLETF duties, including any changes since 2024;\n\nHow DHS is evaluating emerging supply chains, including silicon-carbon battery anodes, critical minerals, and other advanced materials, for forced-labor exposure;\n\nDHS\u2019s efforts to investigate forced labor violations and other trade-related crimes, including in partnership with the Department of Justice\u2019s Trade Fraud Task Force launched in August 2025 and other relevant federal agencies;\n\nDHS\u2019s bilateral and multilateral engagements with foreign governments to promote enforceable forced-labor import bans, reduce diversion and transshipment, and strengthen international supply-chain accountability; and\n\nHow DHS is leveraging artificial intelligence to validate shipment country-of-origin and supply-chain documentation to identify potential UFLPA violations or other inconsistencies in shipment data.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-04T09:19:37Z", "2026-09-04T09:20:58Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-introduces-legislation-ban-taxpayer-spending-first-class-flights-members", "Kean Introduces Legislation to Ban Taxpayer Spending on First Class Flights for Members of Congress", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(SEPTEMBER 3, 2026) WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) introduced the No Taxpayer Funds for Congressional First Class Flights Act (H.R. 10244). This legislation would prohibit the use of official travel funds by Members of Congress for flight accommodations that are not coach class.\n\n\u201cPublic service should never be used for personal luxury, and taxpayers should not be footing the bill for Members of Congress to fly first class,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cEvery taxpayer dollar should be treated with respect and used responsibly. I am fighting to ensure that politicians put the public first and put an end to any kind of abuse that funds special privileges for elected officials.\u201d\n\nThroughout his time in the House of Representatives, Congressman Kean has been a leader in ethics reform, spearheading efforts to ban members of congress from trading individual stocks. In July, he voted in favor of the Stop Insider Trading Act to ban members of Congress, their spouses, and their dependent children from purchasing publicly traded, individual stocks.\n\nA copy of the bill text is available HERE.", 1, "2026-09-04T09:19:37Z", "2026-09-04T09:20:58Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2080", "Congressman Van Drew Again Calls on NJBPU to Resign Following Federal Audit of Atlantic City Electric", "2026-09-03", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew sent separate letters to Atlantic City Electric (ACE) and the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) following a federal audit that identified five areas of financial noncompliance at ACE. Congressman Van Drew is demanding a full accounting from ACE, refunds for any ratepayers who were overcharged, and the resignation of the entire NJBPU Board.\n\n\"Atlantic City Electric needs to show us exactly how much money was improperly charged, where that money went, and whether those costs were ultimately passed along to families and businesses,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"The audit found overbilling at the transmission level, and those costs do not just disappear. Let's be clear: these costs are part of the system people are paying for every month, and that burden is passed directly onto the ratepayer. If South Jersey families paid even one dollar more because of these failures, they deserve that dollar back.\n\n\"The NJBPU does not get to escape responsibility here either. This Board approved rate increase after rate increase while people were getting crushed by their electric bills. Meanwhile, the company they were supposed to be watching had years of financial compliance problems. The NJBPU is supposed to protect the public from this kind of thing. Instead, people kept paying more, ACE kept making money, and it took a federal audit to uncover problems that should have been caught in New Jersey. That is why I am once again calling on the entire NJBPU Board to resign.\n\n\"Now Atlantic City Electric needs to open the books, refund every dollar that is owed, and bring these rates down. South Jersey families have paid enough.\"\n\nClick here to read the letter to Atlantic City Electric.", 1, "2026-09-04T09:19:37Z", "2026-09-04T09:20:58Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415813", "Urges NJ to reverse so-called sanctuary state statusSmith condemns tragic death of Jackson infant caused by unlicensed illegal immigrant driver", "2026-09-02", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ-04) issued the below statement following reports that two illegal immigrants were arrested after their car caused the death of a 9-month-old baby and hospitalized a woman and a 5-year-old child in Jackson:\n\n\"Despite being deported from the United States five times and being previously charged with operating a motor vehicle without a license, Ariadna Lazaro-Flores\u2014the 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\u2014was still able to obtain a driver\u2019s license in New Jersey. That is shocking.\n\n\"Likewise, Maria Cobon-Guzman\u2014the individual in the driver\u2019s seat at the time of the accident\u2014was also in the United States illegally and had never been licensed to operate a motor vehicle.\n\n\"Had these individuals been properly vetted and denied entry into the United States, this innocent baby would still be alive, and a young family\u2019s lives would not have been completely shattered.\n\n\"This tragedy was completely avoidable, if not for the Biden Administration\u2019s 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\u2019s license, either personal or commercial, in the United States.\n\n\"The State of New Jersey 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\u2014and all others\u2014are held accountable and/or removed from the United States.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-03T09:29:33Z", "2026-09-03T09:31:32Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-kean-hosts-veterans-affairs-roundtable-secretary-collins", "Congressman Kean Hosts Veterans Affairs Roundtable with Secretary Collins", "2026-09-02", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(September 2, 2026) SOMERVILLE, NJ \u2013 Last week, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) hosted a Veteran Services and Advocacy Roundtable with U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins.\n\nThe roundtable brought together federal, state, and local leaders, Veterans Service Organizations, veteran-serving nonprofits, and other veterans from New Jersey\u2019s 7th Congressional District. Participants discussed the priorities and challenges facing veterans and their families, while working to identify solutions and strengthen the support available to those who have served.\n\n\u201cIt is my priority to ensure that New Jersey\u2019s veterans receive the care, benefits, and support they have earned,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cI appreciate Secretary Collins coming to New Jersey and hearing directly from the veterans and organizations serving our communities. From the Lyons VA to local veterans\u2019 organizations across our district, I am focused on identifying what is working, fixing what is not, and strengthening the services veterans rely on. I will continue working to cut through obstacles and make sure the men and women who served our country can access the care and support they deserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cUnder President Trump and thanks to the steadfast support of strong leaders like Rep. Kean, VA is making major improvements for Veterans in New Jersey and across the nation,\u201d said VA Secretary Doug Collins. \u201cWe look forward to continuing to work with Rep. Kean to make VA benefits better, faster and easier to use than ever before.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Veterans of Foreign Wars thanks Congressman Kean and Secretary Collins for their leadership and cooperation with veteran advocates to improve the lives and welfare of New Jersey's veterans,\u201d said Ken Hagemann, VFW State Commander, Department of New Jersey.\n\n\u201cIt was a true privilege to sit at this table. I was honored to contribute to this vital conversation with our leadership, focusing on how we can better support our veterans, their needs and valuable community presence,\u201d said Jacquie Petersen, Warren County VSO. \u201cParticipants were given time to discuss our concerns. Topics ranged from VA Healthcare, Transportation, VA Claims and the concerns for our veterans as they transition back to civilian life.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongressman Kean\u2019s Veterans Advocacy Roundtable was truly a brilliant way to gather Veterans Advocates from various backgrounds to share their insights and suggestions, resulting in a highly productive meeting,\u201d said Stacia McDonough, founder of Independence for Veterans. \u201cIt's clear that the Congressman and his dedicated team are committed to making meaningful improvements in the Veterans\u2019 services. As someone from a family extraordinarily rich in military history, it brings me great joy to witness progress being made for their benefit. Words alone cannot fully convey my gratitude for his outstanding efforts.\u201d\n\nFor more information on recent VA improvements, click HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-03T09:29:33Z", "2026-09-03T09:31:32Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2079", "Congressman Van Drew Demands Refunds After Federal Audit Finds Atlantic City Electric Overbilled Customers", "2026-09-02", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Van Drew responded to findings from a federal audit of Atlantic City Electric (ACE) that found the company overbilled customers and made errors related to federal tax law.\n\n\"For years, we have been saying something was wrong with what people in South Jersey were paying for electricity,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"We were told that we were crazy and that there was nothing to see here. We held public hearings on the issue, we pushed ACE for answers, we challenged the explanations we were being given, and when the numbers still did not add up, I asked FERC to step in and audit the company. Now the result of this audit shows exactly why we were right to demand answers. This has to be made right. The people who paid more than they should have deserve refunds now. And this audit must lead to real rate decreases, so families are not continuing to pay some of the highest electric costs in the country, especially after the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities spent years approving increase after increase instead of looking into this. Once again, I am calling for their resignation.", 1, "2026-09-03T09:29:33Z", "2026-09-03T09:31:32Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415819", "IntraFish article on new Smith bill'Lawmaker moves to ban Chinese seafood from Congressional dining facilities'", "2026-09-02", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Rachel Spain\n\nPublished September 2, 2026 at 13:04\n\nA 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\u2019s supply chains.\n\nRep. Chris Smith of New Jersey on Aug. 27 introduced the \u201cNo PRC Seafood in Congress Act,\u201d 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.\n\nThe bill asserts that \u201cforced labor is pervasive in fishing, seafood harvesting, aquaculture, and seafood processing supply chains in the People\u2019s Republic of China,\u201d and argues that poor transparency makes it \u201cimpracticable\u201d to verify that seafood from China is free of forced labor.\n\nUnder the proposal, congressional dining facilities would be required to stop sourcing Chinese seafood entirely. Within 180 days of enactment, covered entities \u2014 including the House Administration Committee, the Senate Rules Committee, and the Architect of the Capitol \u2014 must issue regulations to implement the ban.\n\nA 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\u2019s supply chains. Photo: Shutterstock\n\nSuppliers would also face new documentation requirements. Any vendor providing seafood to congressional dining facilities would need to \u201ccertify each and every country in which the seafood contained in such product was fished, harvested, raised, produced, or processed,\u201d and maintain records to substantiate those claims.\n\nThe bill defines a \u201cChinese seafood product\u201d as any seafood intended for human consumption that is fished, harvested, raised, produced, or processed \u2014 in whole or in part \u2014 in China, or caught by vessels owned, operated, or registered in the People\u2019s Republic of China. The definition includes Hong Kong and Macau but excludes Taiwan.", 1, "2026-09-04T09:19:37Z", "2026-09-04T09:20:58Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-expand-access-veteran-mental-health", "Kean Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Expand Access to\u00a0Veteran Mental Health Services", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(September 1, 2026) WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Last week, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) introduced legislation alongside Reps. Schrier (WA-08), Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Casten (IL-06), and Cohen (TN-09) that would expand access to Vet Center mental health counseling for veterans and their families across the country. The Veterans Centers-Enabled National Treatment Equitable Resource Supplement (CENTERS) for Mental Health Act of 2026 directs the VA to use census data and the VA's statistical data to ensure every veteran has access to a Vet Center.\n\n\u201cVeterans sacrifice so much to keep our nation safe and deserve access to quality mental health care close to home,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cMany veterans in New Jersey and across the country are faced with long, sometimes impossible travel to get the help they need. I worked across the aisle to find a solution. This bill, the Vet CENTERS for Mental Health Act, would increase access to mental health facilities and ensure our veterans receive access to the benefits they earned.\n\n\u201cWe have a clear responsibility to make sure that those who have served and protected our country receive the best service and care possible. Recent tragedies in Washington state and Veterans mental health crises across our country are stark reminders of why we need to address the Veteran mental health care gap,\u201d said Congresswoman Schrier. \u201cFor rural communities in Washington state, Vet Centers are often hours away and understaffed. We need to do more to ensure Veterans have accessible care that works for them. This bill will ensure that Veterans and their families can easily access centers and mental health resources, improving the health of our entire communities and supporting those who have served our country.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nVet Centers provide a range of services to veterans and their families, including mental health counseling to combat veterans and those who suffered military sexual assault as well as bereavement services to families of servicemembers who die on duty. Vet Centers\u2019 practice of providing services to families in addition to the affected veterans is also unique in the VA veteran care space.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-secures-15-million-hunterdon-county-senior-center", "Kean Secures $1.5 Million for Hunterdon County Senior Center", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(September 1, 2026) FLEMINGTON, NJ \u2013 Last week, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) presented $1,500,000 to Hunterdon County to expand its senior center, which serves the entire county and houses a number of programs for senior citizens.\n\n\u201cHunterdon County seniors deserve access to the services, resources, and community support they need to live healthy, independent lives,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cI worked to secure this federal funding because this project gives seniors and families across the county state-of-the-art facilities. Our investment will strengthen essential programs, expand opportunities for social connection, and ensure local seniors continue to receive the support they deserve. I will always fight to bring our federal tax dollars home and put them to work for the people I represent.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Hunterdon County Senior Center continues to grow year after year, both in membership and in the number and variety of programs we provide. Thanks to a $1.5 million federal grant, Hunterdon County will be able to transform the lower level of the adjacent County building into new programming space for our seniors and install an elevator that will make the facility fully accessible,\u201d said Hunterdon County Commissioner Director John Lanza. \u201cNone of this would be possible without strong partnerships at every level of government. Thank you to Congressman Kean for advocating for this federal funding and for your continued support of Hunterdon County and our residents.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen we talk about the Senior Center, we are talking about much more than a building. We are talking about the network of services that allows our County to support seniors, help them remain connected to their communities, and, whenever possible, continue living independently,\u201d said Commissioner Deputy Director Jeff Kuhl. \u201cThank you, Congressman Kean, and thank you for your continued partnership with Hunterdon County. Investments like the one we are celebrating today allow us to strengthen that commitment and make sure our services can keep pace with the needs of a growing senior population.\u201d\n\n\u201cOne of the things that makes the Hunterdon County Senior Center so special is the tremendous variety of programs available to our residents. There truly is something here for everyone,\u201d said Commissioner Susan Soloway. \u201cThe expansion we are celebrating today will give our staff additional space to build upon these successful programs and introduce even more opportunities in the future. Thank you to Congressman Kean for his support of Hunterdon County and, in particular, for recognizing the importance of investing in our seniors.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis $1.5 million federal investment is a tremendous win for Raritan Township and all of Hunterdon County,\u201d said Raritan Township Mayor Brad Perry. \u201cOur seniors are a critical part of our community, and expanding the Senior Center ensures they have access to the programs and resources they rely on every day. We are deeply grateful to Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. for championing our residents and delivering these critical funds.\u201d\n\nAll 15 projects that Congressman Kean was allotted for the FY2026 Community Project Funding process have now passed the U.S. House of Representatives. View the full list of projects HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-02T09:19:58Z", "2026-09-02T09:20:51Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415811", "Fox News article featuring Smith commentary'Baby killed after illegal immigrant allegedly strikes family at grocery store parking lot'", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Charles Creitz\n\nPublished September 1, 2026 2:14pm EDT\n\nAn 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.\n\nA 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.\n\n\"An innocent baby would still be alive today had it not been for Joe Biden\u2019s disastrous open border and reckless immigration policy that released countless illegal aliens into our country,\" a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital.\n\nGov. Mikie Sherrill, left; Maria Cobon-Guzman, inset (Jim Watson/Getty Images; Ocean County Sheriff's Office)\n\n\"We are urging the Ocean County Jail to honor ICE\u2019s 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.\n\nAnother 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.\"\n\nBoth 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.\n\n\"She last illegally entered the United States through the Biden Administration\u2019s open border at an unknown place and time,\" the agency said.\n\nCobon-Guzman entered once but was released unvetted into the nation\u2019s interior, DHS added. On July 31, an immigration judge issued an order of removal against her.\n\n\"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.\n\nDemocratic New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who signed legislation codifying New Jersey\u2019s Immigrant Trust Directive, had not commented as of Tuesday morning.\n\nWhen reached for comment, a Sherrill spokesman directed Fox News Digital to Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. Davenport did not immediately respond.\n\nObservers 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:\n\n\"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.\n\n\"Any comment yet? Hello?\" another said.\n\nIn 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\u2014and all others\u2014are held accountable and/or removed from the United States.\"\n\n\"Despite being deported from the United States five times and being previously charged with operating a motor vehicle without a license, Ariadna Lazaro-Flores\u2014the 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\u2014was still able to obtain a driver\u2019s license in New Jersey. That is shocking,\" Smith said.\n\n\"Likewise, Maria Cobon-Guzman\u2014the individual in the driver\u2019s seat at the time of the accident\u2014was also in the United States illegally and had never been licensed to operate a motor vehicle.\"\n\nHe added that the tragedy was \"completely avoidable, if not for the Biden Administration\u2019s 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\u2019s license, either personal or commercial, in the United States.\"\n\nThe Trust Directive, as drafted by Davenport predecessor Gurbir Grewal, limits voluntary assistance New Jersey law enforcement may provide DHS.\n\nNew Jersey Republicans fired back at Trenton leadership, suggesting they created the conditions to allow the tragedy to occur.\n\n\"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.", 1, "2026-09-03T09:29:33Z", "2026-09-03T09:31:32Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415812", "SeafoodSource article on new Smith bill'US lawmaker moves to ban Chinese seafood from Congress' dining halls'", "2026-09-01", "2026", "2026-09", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Nathan Strout\n\nPublished September 1, 2026\n\nU.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-New Jersey) has introduced a bill to ban Chinese-origin seafood from Congress\u2019 dining facilities.\n\nIf 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 \u201cfished, harvested, raised, produced, or processed.\u201d\n\nThe bill text justifies the ban over forced labor in China\u2019s seafood supply chain.\n\n\u201cForced labor is pervasive in fishing, seafood harvesting, aquaculture, and seafood processing supply chains in the People\u2019s Republic of China,\u201d the bill reads. \u201cThe lack of reliable supply-chain transparency and traceability makes it impracticable to verify that seafood products from the People\u2019s Republic of China are free from forced labor.\u201d\n\nAs 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\n\nA series of bombshell investigations released by the Outlaw Ocean Project in 2023 documented evidence of forced labor across China\u2019s 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\u2019s distant water fishing fleet. U.S. lawmakers have leaned on those reports to call for increased scrutiny of China\u2019s 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.\n\nAs 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\u2019s Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness executive order.\n\n\u201cChina 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,\u201d the lawmakers stated in the letter. \u201cChinese 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.\u201d\n\nU.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.", 1, "2026-09-03T09:29:33Z", "2026-09-03T09:31:32Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-kean-and-commerce-secretary-lutnick-visit-magna-power-electronics", "Congressman Kean and Commerce Secretary Lutnick Visit Magna-Power Electronics", "2026-08-31", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 31, 2026) RARITAN TOWNSHIP, NJ \u2013 Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick recently visited Magna-Power Electronics in Flemington.\n\nFounded in 1981 by Ira Pitel, Magna-Power Electronics has deep roots in New Jersey. Today, all of its engineering and manufacturing operations are based at its Flemington facility, where they maintain vertically integrated, in-house production of high-power direct current power processing systems. Magna-Power maintains tight control over quality, cost, and lead times while serving national labs, industry, and universities worldwide.\n\n\u201cNew Jersey is home to cutting-edge manufacturers like Magna Power that are proving American-made technology can compete with anyone in the world,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cI am working to strengthen that advantage by supporting our manufacturers, growing well-paying jobs, and making sure the next generation of innovation is developed and built right here in America. Bringing Secretary Lutnick to Hunterdon County was an opportunity to showcase the incredible work being done in our district and reinforce my commitment to making New Jersey a leader in American manufacturing.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe chose the hard road forty-five years ago: make it yourself, in America,\u201d said Magna-Power CEO Adam Pitel. \u201cToday that decision is our biggest advantage. Vertical integration means our lead times, our quality, and our intellectual property stay in New Jersey. We were honored to show Secretary Lutnick and Congressman Kean what high-technology manufacturing looks like in New Jersey. They saw new machinery, growing headcount, and a backlog of American-made programmable DC power supplies. Good policy gave us room to invest, and we took it: new machinery, new hires, and a bigger R&D program, all right here.\u201d\n\n\u201cMagna-Power is a great example of the innovation and advanced manufacturing happening right here in Hunterdon County,\u201d said Hunterdon County Commissioner Director John E. Lanza. \u201cTheir continued growth and creation of highly skilled jobs demonstrate that world-class American manufacturing can thrive right here in Hunterdon County.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt was a privilege to join Congressman Kean and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick for a tour of Magna Power here in Raritan Township. Visits like this provide an important opportunity to showcase the strength, innovation and skilled workforce that make Hunterdon County such an important part of New Jersey\u2019s business community,\u201d said Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce President Christopher J. Phelan. \u201cBringing federal, state, and local leaders together with our business community is essential to understanding the opportunities and challenges facing employers today. We look forward to continuing to advocate for policies that strengthen our economy, support American manufacturing, and help Hunterdon County businesses compete and grow.\u201d\n\n\u201cHaving Secretary Lutnick on the floor at Magna-Power, with Congressman Tom Kean Jr., asking questions and hearing directly about the challenges manufacturers face, was incredibly valuable,\u201d said New Jersey Manufacturing Extension Program, Inc. CEO Peter Connolly. \u201cMagna-Power in particular is a great example of what American manufacturing can accomplish, with a supply chain that is exclusively Made in the USA. Congressman Kean has consistently supported NJMEP and the manufacturers in his district, and we appreciate him including us in this opportunity to engage directly with the Secretary. As the leader of the Department of Commerce, which oversees the MEP National Network, Secretary Lutnick\u2019s willingness to listen and learn firsthand from manufacturers is especially important as we work together to strengthen manufacturing here in New Jersey and across the country.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt was great to see Congressman Tom Kean Jr. and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick visit Magna Power Electronics in Raritan Township and see firsthand the incredible work being done right here in our community,\u201d said Raritan Township Committeeman Scott Sipos. \u201cMagna Power is truly a gem in Raritan Township. This family run New Jersey business is a great example of American innovation, manufacturing, and ingenuity while providing quality jobs right here in our community. This is what Made in America looks like, and we are proud to have it right here in Raritan Township.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-01T09:48:49Z", "2026-09-01T09:49:51Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415809", "Fox News article on Smith-signed letter to NJ Gov. Sherrill'Republicans tighten screws on Sherrill as noncitizen voter probe enters new phase'", "2026-08-30", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Charles Creitz\n\nPublished August 30, 2026 9:00am EDT\n\nA 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.\n\nRepublican 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.\n\n\"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.\"\n\nNew 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)\n\n\"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.\"\n\nLawmakers focused their original inquiry on how the registration failure occurred, its potential consequences and how New Jersey would prevent another breakdown.\n\nPresident 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.\n\nThe 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.\n\nSherrill replied that affected residents have been mailed notifications, but Van Drew said the overall response failed to address Congress\u2019 concerns.\n\n\"We're not done with this,\" Van Drew pledged.\n\nVan Drew said he is planning a hearing as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee\u2019s Oversight Subcommittee, with expert witnesses expected to testify.\n\nVan 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.\n\n\"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.\"\n\nSherrill defended her administration while criticizing Congress, Trump and the Republican-backed SAVE America Act.\n\n\"Washington Republicans \u2026 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\u2019s efforts to \"undermine our election system\" and noting that seven had challenged electoral votes after the 2020 election.\n\nSherrill also disputed Republicans\u2019 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\u2019s role in voter registration, including through a centralized voter registry.\n\nVan Drew told Fox that \"when you have a motor-voter law, [via which] people basically are automatically registered to vote \u2013 First of all, New Jersey is a sanctuary state\u2026 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.\"\n\nThe White House also rebuked Sherrill\u2019s response, calling it \"laughable\" that she would criticize the Trump administration on election integrity.\n\n\"[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.\n\nSherrill 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.\"\n\n\"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 \u2018political\u2019 on this topic,\" Higgins said, pointing to a 2020 Politico report about ex-Atlantic City council president Craig Callaway.\n\nPfluger 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.\n\n\"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.\n\nRep. 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.\n\n\"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.", 1, "2026-09-01T09:48:49Z", "2026-09-01T09:49:51Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-hosts-roundtable-preventing-nitrous-oxide-misuse", "Kean Hosts Roundtable on Preventing Nitrous Oxide Misuse", "2026-08-28", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 28, 2026) WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) held a roundtable with constituents, first responders, medical professionals, non-profit representatives, and local leadership to discuss the prevention of nitrous oxide misuse. The discussion coincided with the introduction of Congressman Kean\u2019s bipartisan legislation, co-led with Congressman Gottheimer (NJ-05), the Mitigating Abuse of Nitrous-oxide Nationwide and Reducing Inhalation-Related Neurological Outcomes (MANNARINO) Act, which aims to save lives and protect Americans by restricting recreational access to hazardous nitrous oxide products. These products can also be known as laughing gas, whippets, or Galaxy Gas.\n\n\u201cToday we honor the memory of John Robert Mannarino by working to prevent other families from experiencing the harms of nitrous oxide misuse,\u201d said Congressman Kean (NJ-07). \u201cNitrous oxide whippets and tanks, widely available in corner stores and online, pose a danger to the community and must be treated accordingly. After hearing John\u2019s story, I introduced the MANNARINO Act to raise awareness of the dangers of nitrous oxide and prevent future tragedies from occurring. Thank you to the Mannarino family for bringing this important issue forward and attending this roundtable discussion.\u201d\n\n\"Nitrous oxide, or \u2018whippets,\u2019 are far from harmless \u2014 abuse can cause paralysis, nervous system failure, and death. That's why I'm teaming up with Rep. Kean on this bipartisan bill to help states crack down on the sale of nitrous oxide, ban flavored versions marketed to kids, and put real teeth behind these protections. We owe it to every Jersey family to close this loophole before more damage is done and more lives are lost,\u201d said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05).\n\n\u201cOur family is living with a tremendous loss that can never be replaced because of the misuse of nitrous oxide,\u201d said the Mannarino family. \u201cWe lost our loving son, brother, and husband, John, and while we cannot bring him back, we can fight to prevent another family from experiencing this devastating tragedy. We hope Congress will act now to protect lives and ensure that what happened to our family does not happen to another.\u201d\n\n\u201cThank you to Congressman Kean and the Mannarino family for bringing this issue to our attention,\u201d said Bridgewater Councilman Timothy Ring. \u201cI hope to see more discussion on ways to prevent the misuse of substances from the start rather than only after a crisis has occurred. As a councilman and volunteer EMT of nearly 40 years, I will continue to work towards more education on the symptoms, signs, and effects of nitrous oxide.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe courage of the Mannarino family is inspiring, but it\u2019s so sad that it often takes a tragedy to drive change,\u201d said Andi Williams, Executive Director of CiC for Prevention and Recovery. \u201cEducation around the risks and availability of these harmful substances is critical and, with the support of leaders like Congressman Kean and with adequate funding from the administration, precious young lives can be saved. At CiC, we have brought about a documented reduction in youth substance use in the communities we serve showing that it is possible to drive that change. I was grateful to be a part of today\u2019s conversation and to witness a group of changemakers committed to these efforts.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongressman Kean is right to raise this important public health issue. Nitrous Oxide abuse is a serious problem, impacting many families and most of all young people,\u201d said Mental Health Association CEO Robert Davison.\u201cLimiting its access and raising awareness about its negative and potentially deadly effects are important first steps in this important conversation. His bi-partisan bill and the highly engaging forum he facilitated today gives me hope we can make progress and protect people from the harmful effects of Nitrous Oxide.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a Family Nurse Practitioner, school nurse, and former mayor, I know we are standing at the base of a public health mountain with nitrous oxide misuse, which has tripled in New Jersey,\u201d said school nurse Lisa Lontai. \u201cBecause this gas clears the system in minutes, it is completely invisible on standard drug tests. It is absolutely critical that primary care and emergency clinicians immediately consider nitrous oxide as a differential diagnosis whenever a patient presents with unexplained neurological issues like tingling, numbness, or balance problems. Catching this early and starting aggressive medical treatment is the only way to prevent permanent nerve damage, and we urgently need Congressman Kean\u2019s retail ban passed to stop this crisis from accelerating.\u201d\n\n\u201cTwo years ago, members of our youth coalition alerted us to Galaxy Gas after seeing it trending on TikTok,\u201d said Executive Director of Prevention Services Erin Cohen. \u201cSince then, we have been working to educate parents, school personnel, and the broader Hunterdon/Somerset community about the serious health risks involved. We thank Congressman Kean for his leadership on this issue and for honoring the Mannarino family's courage in turning their loss into action. Legislation like this is exactly what's needed to protect our community before more families experience this kind of tragedy.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nNitrous oxide is being misused for recreational use with its harms largely unrealized. Its abuse can lead to heart attack, nerve damage, muscle spasms, numbness, birth defects, paralysis, and even death.\n\nIn November 2025, Bridgewater, New Jersey resident John Robert Mannarino lost his life, with nitrous oxide being a major contributing factor. After outreach from his family, Congressman Kean introduced the MANNARINO Act to restrict access to nitrous oxide by encouraging states to adopt laws restricting the sale of the product for recreational use.\n\nThis bill would:\n\nEncourage states to adopt laws restricting the sale of nitrous oxide so that it is only used for legitimate purposes like medicine, dentistry, commercial food production, and others.\n\nEncourage states to ban the sale of all scented/flavored nitrous oxide.\n\nClose the loophole for nitrous oxide to be sold as a standalone \u201cfood propellant\u201d to non-commercial users.\n\nGive the HHS Secretary authority to reduce federal grant funding to states that refuse to restrict this dangerous substance. This is a policy tool used to encourage states to set age limits on tobacco and alcohol use.\n\nLast month, Congressman Kean spoke in a Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade subcommittee hearing about the dangers of nitrous oxide. Watch HERE.\n\nIn response to constituent concerns about the accessibility of nitrous oxide products, Congressman Kean wrote a letter to corporations expressing concern about the sale of these products in their stores. Read the letter HERE.\n\nA copy of the bill text is available HERE.", 1, "2026-08-29T11:31:28Z", "2026-08-29T11:32:37Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415810", "Christian Daily International article on Smith-led letter'U.S. lawmakers urge protection for Christian girl in Pakistan'", "2026-08-28", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Christian Daily International / Morning Star News\n\nPublished August 28, 2026 12:08 EDT\n\nMembers 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.\n\nIn 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.\n\nFaqir disappeared on March 24 after leaving her family home in Kot Radha Kishan, in Punjab\u2019s Kasur District, to attend a course at a nearby sewing center and did not return home, according to CSI.\n\nA 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.\n\nNeha Faqir (R) in Islamic dress on way to court in Lahore, Pakistan. CSI\n\nThe 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.\n\nThe congressional letter stated the circumstances \u201chave raised serious questions about the cause of her disappearance and whether she was able to communicate her wishes independently.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are particularly concerned by reports that her family was not permitted to speak with her before or during those proceedings,\u201d the lawmakers wrote, according to CSI.\n\nRep. 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.\n\nThe lawmakers urged Tarar to take steps to ensure Faqir\u2019s 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 \u201cfreely and without intimidation or undue influence.\u201d\n\nFaqir 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.\n\nOn 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\u2019s operators \u2013 Islamic cleric Muhammad Sajid \u2013 and his two wives, according to CSI.\n\nThe family alleged that they faced intimidation and pressure to withdraw the complaint and accused police of failing to act with urgency in investigating Faqir\u2019s disappearance.\n\nA 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.\n\nThe lawyer then filed a fresh habeas corpus petition on behalf of Faqir\u2019s 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.\n\nFaqir\u2019s 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\u2019s petition seeking her return.\n\nThe circumstances surrounding Faqir\u2019s 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.\n\nCSI presented Faqir\u2019s 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.\n\n\u201cWe are grateful to these members of Congress for taking this stand for Neha and for all persecuted Christians in Pakistan,\u201d said Joel Veldkamp, CSI\u2019s director for public advocacy. \u201cThis 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.\u201d\n\nFaqir\u2019s case comes amid longstanding concerns over the abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage of Christian and other religious minority women and girls in Pakistan.\n\nA report titled \u201cStolen Girls\u201d 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.\n\nThe 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.\n\nMore 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.\n\nIn several of the documented cases, the age difference between the victim and alleged perpetrator exceeded 30 years.", 1, "2026-09-01T09:48:49Z", "2026-09-01T09:49:51Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415805", "The Hindustan Times article on Smith-led letter'11 US lawmakers demand Pakistan action after Christian woman \"abducted, converted to Islam\"'", "2026-08-27", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Karishma Ayaldasani\n\nPublished August 27, 2026, 14:22:12 IST\n\nA 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.\n\nNeha 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.\n\n\"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.\n\nCongressman Chris Smith urged the Pakistani government to protect the safety and fundamental rights of Neha Faqir. (chrissmith.house.gov)\n\nHow did the case come to light?\n\nThe 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.\n\nFaqir was later found at a madrassa in Lahore, where she had been converted to Islam.\n\nHowever, a Pakistani court has rejected a petition brought by her family seeking her return.\n\nWhat US lawmakers said in the letter\n\nSmith, along with ten other members of the US Congress, wrote a letter to Pakistan\u2019s federal minister for law and justice Azam Nazeer Tarar on August 20, expressing concerns over Faqir\u2019s case. They urged the government of Pakistan to take \u201cappropriate action to ensure a just resolution of this matter.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Smith, the letter was also signed by Reps James P McGovern, French Hill, Gus Bilirakis, Andy Harris, Mar\u00eda Elvira Salazar, Riley Moore, Randy Weber, Michael Cloud, Brad Sherman, and Blake Moore.\n\nThe 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.\n\nThey 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.\n\nThe members also referred to Pakistan\u2019s own constitutional protections, including Article 20, which guarantees freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion, and Article 25, which guarantees equality before the law.\n\n\u201cPakistan\u2019s Constitution protects religious freedom and equality before the law\u2014but this means little if a young woman cannot safely and freely express her own beliefs,\u201d Smith added.\n\nHe stressed the importance of the case for Pakistan\u2019s religious minorities, who he said, have been subjected to \u201cforced conversions and marriage.\u201d\n\n\"This case is particularly important for Pakistan's religious minorities, who have been subject to abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage.\"", 1, "2026-08-27T16:10:01Z", "2026-08-27T16:10:50Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415807", "95.9 The Rat article'Manchester Township Introduces Ban on Artificial Intelligence Data Centers'", "2026-08-27", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By J. Mayhew\n\nPublished August 27, 2026 at 3:38 PM EDT\n\nManchester 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.\"\n\nThe 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.\n\nCouncil 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.\n\n\"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.\"\n\nGETTY IMAGES\n\nThe 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.\n\nU.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 \u2014 including water and electricity \u2014 which place significant financial burdens on ratepayers and residents,\" Smith said.\n\nResidents 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.\n\nCarl 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.\n\nBlock 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.", 1, "2026-08-29T11:31:28Z", "2026-08-29T11:32:37Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415804", "Smith leads bipartisan congressional letterSmith calls on Pakistan to protect and return abducted Christian woman Neha Faqir to her family", "2026-08-26", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "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.\n\n\u201cThe circumstances surrounding Neha Faqir\u2019s disappearance and subsequent conversion raise profoundly troubling questions about her safety, freedom of religion, and ability to exercise her rights without coercion or intimidation,\u201d said Smith.\n\nOn August 20th, Smith and ten other Members of Congress sent a letter to Pakistan\u2019s Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, expressing concerns over Faqir\u2019s case and urging \u201cthe Government of Pakistan to take appropriate action to ensure a just resolution of this matter.\u201d\n\nIn 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), Mar\u00eda 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).\n\nIn the letter, the lawmakers urge Pakistani authorities to take the necessary steps within their judicial system to \u201censure Ms. Faqir\u2019s 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.\u201d\n\nThe Members also refer to Pakistan\u2019s own constitutional protections, including Article 20, which guarantees freedom to profess, practice, and propagate religion, and Article 25, which guarantees equality before the law.\n\n\u201cPakistan\u2019s Constitution protects religious freedom and equality before the law\u2014but this means little if a young woman cannot safely and freely express her own beliefs,\u201d continued Smith.\n\n\u201cThis case is particularly important for Pakistan\u2019s religious minorities, who have been subject to abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage.\u201d\n\nChristian Solidarity International (CSI) brought international scrutiny to Faqir\u2019s case on June 10th, reporting that she disappeared on March 24th after attending a sewing course. She was later found at a madrassa in Lahore, where she had been converted to Islam.\n\nAccording 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\u2019s petition seeking her return.\n\nCSI also highlighted Faqir\u2019s case at a June 16th hearing at the Palace of Westminster on coerced conversion and marriage of religious-minority women, sponsored and chaired by Lord Alton.\n\nA 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.\n\nSmith 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\u2019s 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.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-27T16:10:01Z", "2026-08-27T16:10:50Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415808", "Patch article'Data Center Ban Introduced In Manchester'", "2026-08-26", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Karen Wall, Patch Staff\n\nPublished Wed., August 26, 2026 at 5:34 am ET\n\nMANCHESTER, NJ \u2014 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.\n\nThe 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.\"\n\nThe 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.\n\nOf 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.\n\n(Karen Wall/Patch)\n\nThe ordinance introduced Monday night repeals the 2025 measure. It also includes a definitive statement banning data centers in any part of Manchester.\n\nThe 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.\n\nCouncil President Michele Zolezi announced the repeal ordinance at the start of the public meeting session, after the council returned from executive session discussions.\n\nMayor 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.\n\n\"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.\"\n\n\"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.\"\n\nHankins 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.\n\n\"AI data centers pose critical environmental risks and impose undue stresses on local resources \u2014 including water and electricity \u2014 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\u2019 quality of life \u2014 not on my watch.\"\n\nAt 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.\n\nCarl 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.\n\nHe 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.\n\nThe ordinance repealing it adds a section completely banning data centers, removing any possibility in the town.\n\nBlock 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.\n\nBlock 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.\n\nOne man warned that the ban may be put in place, but that it doesn't mean the fight will be over.\n\n\"These guys will keep coming at us,\" the man said, \"not just New Jersey, not just Manchester Township, but the whole country.\"\n\nAs happened at the Aug. 10 meeting there was a diverse range of residents who came out in opposition to data centers.\n\nThat 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.\n\nAt 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.\n\nHe 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.\n\nThe \"Jersey Devil\" made an appearance at the Manchester Township Council on Monday to advocate for a ban on data centers. (Karen Wall/Patch)\n\nThis article was published on August 26, 2026 and can be found online at:", 1, "2026-08-29T11:31:28Z", "2026-08-29T11:32:37Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415802", "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", "2026-08-25", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "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.\n\nIn a joint letter to U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner, Smith and his fellow elected officials\u2014NJ-LD-12 Senator Owen Henry, NJ-LD-12 Assemblymen Alex Sauickie and Robert Clifton, and Jackson Township Mayor Jennifer Kuhn\u2014call attention to the \u201coverwhelming concerns voiced by\u2026 the residents and businesses of Jackson Township, [who] have repeatedly expressed frustrations over deteriorating service conditions, unsafe access, excessive wait times,\u201d and inadequacies of the existing facility.\n\n\u201cWhile 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,\u201d said Smith. \u201cAs Jackson Township\u2019s population continues to grow, so do the shortcomings and limitations of its only postal facility.\u201d\n\nThe letter notes that \u201cJackson Township is the third-largest municipality in New Jersey by land area, encompassing approximately 100 square miles,\u201d and stresses that the town\u2019s population has grown exponentially in recent decades.\n\n\u201cAccording 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,\u201d the officials write. \u201cThis growth has been accompanied by continued residential and commercial development, significantly increasing the demand for postal services.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Jackson Post Office has proven to be woefully ineffective in adequately serving the needs of its booming population,\u201d Smith continued. \u201cPostal customers at this facility have been repeatedly subjected to overcrowded conditions, extended wait times, inadequate parking, severe traffic congestion, and insufficient staffing.\u201d\n\nThe letter specifically cites eyewitness accounts from Mayor Kuhn, who stated that she \u201chas 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.\u201d\n\nThese conditions, the lawmakers argue, \u201ccreate legitimate public safety concerns, not only for postal customers, but also for motorists, pedestrians, emergency responders, and the community as a whole.\u201d\n\nMoreover, the authors of the letter note that Jackson Township was historically served by two postal facilities\u2014the Cassville Post Office, located at 520 West Veterans Highway, and the Jackson Post Office, located at 915 Bennetts Mills Road\u2014that 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\u2019s tens of thousands of residents to now rely upon a singular, ill-equipped facility for all of their postal needs.\n\nIn the conclusion of their letter, the lawmakers call for \u201cdecisive action\u201d from the USPS and urge the agency to seriously evaluate:\n\nThe establishment of a second, full-service postal facility within Jackson Township to restore adequate access for residents and businesses;\n\nThe 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\n\nThe immediate operational improvements to address staffing levels, customer wait times, and public safety concerns while long-term solutions are being evaluated.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-26T05:33:32Z", "2026-08-26T05:34:56Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415803", "Lakewood Alerts article'Congressman Chris Smith Joins Ocean County, Manchester Officials in Strong Opposition to AI Data Centers'", "2026-08-25", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Lakewood Alerts\n\nPublished August 25, 2026\n\nRep. Chris Smith is joining Ocean County and Manchester Township officials in opposing the development of AI data centers in the area, citing concerns over their potential impact on local resources, the environment and residents.\n\nSmith met Thursday, August 20, with Manchester Township Mayor Joseph Hankins, Public Works Director Al Yodakis and Ocean County Commissioner Rob Arace to discuss their shared opposition to data center development in Manchester Township and across Ocean County.\n\n\u201cAI data centers pose critical environmental risks and impose undue stresses on local resources\u2014including water and electricity\u2014which place significant financial burdens on ratepayers and residents,\u201d Smith said.\n\nSmith also voiced strong support for a recently adopted Ocean County Board of Commissioners resolution encouraging municipalities to conduct comprehensive due diligence and establish appropriate land-use safeguards before approving data center projects. The resolution raises concerns about the environmental and resource impacts associated with the construction and operation of the facilities.\n\n\u201cThe people who will have to endure the negative consequences of data center development in their communities deserve to have their voices heard,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThe reasonable concerns of local residents must no longer be steamrolled by tech companies seeking profit over Americans\u2019 quality of life\u2014not on my watch.\u201d", 1, "2026-08-27T16:10:01Z", "2026-08-27T16:10:50Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415797", "Smith joins Ocean County Commissioners, Manchester Twp. Mayor and Council in opposition to data centers", "2026-08-24", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "From left to right: Ocean County Commissioner Rob Arace, Manchester Twp. Director of Public Works Al Yodakis, Manchester Twp. Mayor Joseph Hankins, and U.S. Rep. Chris Smith.\n\nOn Thursday, August 20th, Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) met with Manchester Twp. Mayor Joseph Hankins, Director of Public Works Al Yodakis, and Ocean County Commissioner Rob Arace to discuss their mutual opposition to the development of AI data centers in the Township\u2014and Ocean County overall.\n\n\u201cAI data centers pose critical environmental risks and impose undue stresses on local resources\u2014including water and electricity\u2014which place significant financial burdens on ratepayers and residents,\u201d said Rep. Smith.\n\nSmith noted that he strongly supports a resolution recently agreed to by the Ocean County Board of Commissioners\u2014\u201cEncouraging Ocean County municipalities to undertake comprehensive due diligence and adopt appropriate land-use safeguards before approving Data Center development\u201d\u2014which highlights the environmental and resource-based concerns and impacts associated with data center construction and operations.\n\n\u201cThe people who will have to endure the negative consequences of data center development in their communities deserve to have their voices heard,\u201d continued Smith.\n\n\u201cThe reasonable concerns of local residents must no longer be steamrolled by tech companies seeking profit over Americans\u2019 quality of life\u2014not on my watch.\u201d\n\nDuring the meeting, the municipal, county, and federal officials also discussed current roadway, environmental, and safety issues impacting Manchester Township, and what steps the federal government can take to better assist.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-25T05:31:37Z", "2026-08-26T05:34:56Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-introduces-bipartisan-bill-fund-mental-health-support-first-responders", "Kean Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Fund Mental Health Support for First Responders", "2026-08-24", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 24, 2026) WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) introduced the Lifeline for First Responders Act with Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06), Gabe Evans (CO-08), and Sharice Davids (KS-03). The bipartisan bill would create the first federal grant program dedicated to mental health care for firefighters, paramedics, and dispatchers, addressing a gap in support that EMS workers have faced for years.\n\n\"Emergency medical professionals sacrifice so much to serve our communities. This bill would provide critical access to mental health support for those on the front lines who are at risk of higher rates of trauma and mental health struggles than the general population. Ensuring they have the resources they need will strengthen the safety and well-being of both those in EMS agencies and the communities they serve,\" said Congressman Kean.\n\n\"This has been Oregon's most devastating wildfire season on record. Our firefighters and paramedics have felt every bit of it. Just as we ask our first responders to be there for us, we need to be there for them,\u201d said Congresswoman Salinas. \u201cUp to a quarter of firefighters suffer from PTSD, and 37 percent of fire and EMS professionals have contemplated suicide, yet there is no federal program to address it, the way there is for law enforcement. My bill changes that. I'm proud to introduce the Lifeline for First Responders Act with the support of Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue and NAMI Oregon to ensure our emergency personnel get the support they deserve.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a former law enforcement officer, I know firsthand the toll that serving on the front lines can take on our first responders and emergency personnel. For too long, stigma has kept too many of our nation\u2019s heroes from seeking the support they need. I\u2019m proud to co-lead the Lifeline for First Responders Act to help break down those barriers and ensure the men and women who answer the call for us every day have access to the mental health resources, peer support, and confidential care they deserve,\u201d said Congressman Evans.\n\n\u201cFirefighters and EMS professionals in Kansas and across the country can face more accidents, injuries, and tragedy in a single shift than most of us will experience in a lifetime. But too often, we treat their mental health as an afterthought. This bipartisan effort would make long-overdue investments in mental health services for first responders and make sure they know they don\u2019t have to struggle in silence,\u201d said Representative Davids.\n\nEvery day, first responders witness accidents, injuries, and devastation. That exposure can lead to burnout, PTSD, depression, and anxiety. Up to a quarter of firefighters suffer from PTSD, and 37 percent of fire and EMS professionals have contemplated suicide. In 2018, Congress recognized this need for law enforcement, authorizing the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act to fund mental health prevention and treatment programs for police. No comparable program currently exists for fire and EMS personnel. The Lifeline for First Responders Act would close that gap.\n\nSpecifically, this bill would:\n\nEstablish a new EMS and First Responder Wellness Grant Program at the Department of Transportation\u2019s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, through its Office of Emergency Medical Services;\n\nAuthorize $7.5 million a year, through fiscal year 2032, to fund evidence-based mental health and wellness services for fire, EMS, and dispatch personnel;\n\nFund suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention services, along with confidential counseling, peer support, and behavioral health care;\n\nFund family support services for the spouses and children of first responders; and\n\nFund outreach, stigma reduction, education, training, and technical assistance for fire departments, EMS agencies, and 911 dispatch centers building their own wellness programs.\n\nA copy of the bill text is availableHERE.", 1, "2026-08-25T05:31:37Z", "2026-08-25T05:33:09Z"], ["https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=2078", "Congressman Van Drew: Gov. Sherrill Responds to Election Integrity Questions with Political Hit Piece", "2026-08-24", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Jefferson Van Drew", "V000133", "vandrew.house.gov", "vandrew", "https://vandrew.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, DC - Today, Congressman Jeff Van Drew responded to Governor Mikie Sherrill's letter attacking members of the Republican Study Committee who joined Congressman Van Drew's effort to get answers about the failure that placed thousands of individuals who identified themselves as noncitizens on New Jersey's voter rolls.\n\n\"When we first raised this issue, we did so because we were genuinely concerned about what happened in New Jersey and wanted to understand exactly how it happened,\" said Congressman Van Drew. \"For years, those of us who raised concerns about the integrity of our voter rolls were dismissed as conspiracy theorists. Then New Jersey admitted that thousands of individuals who said they were not citizens were registered to vote, and many registered through the error went on to cast ballots.\n\n\"We did not blame Governor Sherrill for a failure that occurred under the previous Murphy administration. We did not attack her personally or drag unrelated Democratic politicians into our letter. With the help of my colleagues in the Republican Study Committee, we asked basic, fact-finding questions about how the system failed mechanically and electronically, why the safeguards did not catch it, and what is being done to make sure it never happens again.\n\n\"Instead of answering those questions, Governor Sherrill responded with Democratic talking points, attacks on President Trump, and personal attacks against me and the Republican Study Committee members who joined me in seeking answers. None of the Members who signed our letter deserved to be demeaned for doing their jobs. Her response was a political hit piece, and it was beneath the Office of the Governor.\n\n\"This was never about Governor Sherrill or any one political party. It is about New Jersey and the integrity of our country's elections. Our mutual constituents deserve fair and secure elections, and they deserve the truth about how something this serious was allowed to happen. We are going to keep pursuing the facts, demanding accountability, and making sure this does not happen again. We will not give up until the people of New Jersey get the answers they deserve.\"", 1, "2026-08-25T05:31:37Z", "2026-08-25T05:33:09Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415799", "Breitbart article on Smith-signed letter to NJ Gov. Sherrill'NJ Gov. Mikie Sherrill Attacks Republicans, Doesn\u2019t Answer for 6,600 Noncitizen Voter Registrations'", "2026-08-24", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Jasmyn Jordan\n\nPublished August 24, 2026\n\nNew Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) responded to a group of House Republicans seeking answers over approximately 6,600 noncitizens who were registered to vote through the state\u2019s motor-vehicle system, but her three-page reply did not directly identify which elections were affected, explain how people who identified themselves as noncitizens were validated as eligible voters, or say who would be held accountable.\n\nNineteen House Republicans, led by Republican Study Committee member Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), sent Sherrill a July 24 letter seeking written responses to 12 questions after her administration disclosed that roughly 6,600 people who indicated they were not U.S. citizens between June 2023 and June 2024 were nevertheless registered to vote, with a preliminary review finding that fewer than 400 cast ballots.\n\n\u201cThis right here is exactly why we should require ID to vote in our elections,\u201d Van Drew told Breitbart News at the time, adding that lawmakers needed answers about \u201chow this happened, why it was not caught sooner, and whether more ineligible registrations remain.\u201d\n\nHeather Khalifa/Bloomberg via Getty Images\n\nThe lawmakers asked Sherrill to identify the elections in which affected individuals cast ballots, whether any race was decided by a margin smaller than the number of unlawfully cast ballots in that jurisdiction, what voter-eligibility validation failed, whether all affected registrations had been removed, what changes would be made before the 2026 general election, and whether officials or contractors would be held accountable.\n\n\u201cWe look forward to Governor Sherrill\u2019s prompt response,\u201d Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger (R-TX) said. The lawmakers requested complete written responses by August 21.\n\nSherrill responded on the August 21 deadline to the July 24 letter. She wrote that her administration was \u201cfully committed to ensuring that elections in New Jersey remain free and fair\u201d and said the state treats election integrity \u201cas a matter of the utmost seriousness.\u201d She said she had publicly disclosed the problem on July 21, three days before the lawmakers\u2019 letter, and described it as \u201ca registration error\u201d that occurred \u201cyears before I took office.\u201d\n\nSherrill wrote that her administration had \u201cmoved aggressively to remediate the issue and remove affected individuals from the voter rolls\u201d and that she had ordered \u201can immediate investigation that is ongoing,\u201d conducted by what she described as \u201ca bipartisan firm led by the former state Attorney General for a Republican Governor.\u201d She added, \u201cThis work remains my focus.\u201d\n\nThe governor then turned on the Republican lawmakers, writing that \u201cWashington Republicans, on the other hand, seem much more concerned with using the issue for political gain than they are with protecting our elections.\u201d Sherrill said several signatories had supported President Donald Trump \u201cin his efforts to undermine our election system and defund election security,\u201d wrote that seven \u201cattempted to overturn the 2020 elections and voted to challenge the electoral votes of states,\u201d and said one signatory had employed \u201can operative convicted of voter fraud, bribery, and blackmail.\u201d\n\nSherrill also disputed the lawmakers\u2019 contention that the SAVE America Act would have prevented the registrations, writing, \u201cI encourage you to become more familiar with the legislation you have cosponsored.\u201d She noted that the affected individuals had answered that they were not citizens, although she said a subsequent investigation indicated that \u201csome may, in fact, have had valid registrations.\u201d\n\nThe governor additionally criticized the SAVE database, writing that it has \u201cwell-documented accuracy issues\u201d and saying this has resulted in \u201cthe disenfranchisement of eligible citizen voters.\u201d She cited Texas as an example, writing that the database had flagged U.S. citizens as potentially ineligible voters and that some \u201cwere likely unfairly removed from voter rolls.\u201d\n\nSherrill raised objections to expanding the federal government\u2019s involvement in voter registration, writing that proposals including \u201ca centralized registry of voters\u201d raise \u201cimportant concerns regarding personal privacy and abuses of power under President Trump.\u201d She wrote that Trump \u201chas shown time and time again that he will do anything to ensure that only those who support him are able to vote\u201d and said state administration of elections reflects the type of concern \u201cour Founding Fathers sought to guard against.\u201d\n\nAddressing the lawmakers\u2019 outstanding questions more broadly, Sherrill wrote, \u201cWe will continue to approach this issue with transparency, integrity, and accountability,\u201d and said the commitment was \u201ca matter of record.\u201d She added that \u201cthe answers to many of the questions posed in your letter are already matters of public record or have been addressed through information released by my administration,\u201d pointing the lawmakers to three public statements from her office.\n\nHowever, Sherrill\u2019s response did not include the following answers which Republicans had specifically requested: directly list the specific primary, general, municipal, school board, special, or federal elections in which the affected voters cast ballots; state how individuals who had identified themselves as noncitizens were validated as eligible voters; identify which officials knew of the failure and when; or name any officials or contractors who would be held responsible.\n\nAdditionally, Sherill\u2019s response did not disclose \u201cthe precise number of affected registrations,\u201d information about the state\u2019s validation procedures, and whether officials or contractors \u201cwill be held accountable.\u201d\n\nSherrill closed by writing, \u201cThe People of New Jersey have my commitment that we will protect the private information of New Jersey voters, protect the integrity of our voter rolls, and ensure our elections remain free, fair, and secure.\u201d\n\nVan Drew said after receiving the response, \u201cWe raised legitimate questions after New Jersey admitted that thousands of noncitizens were registered to vote. Rather than simply answering those questions, Governor Sherrill chose to respond with political talking points and personal attacks. Her response was very disappointing and beneath the seriousness of this issue. This was about understanding exactly how this failure occurred, making sure it never happens again, and protecting the integrity of our elections. And this issue is not going away. We will not stop pursuing the facts, demanding answers, and pressing for accountability until we get the full truth.\u201d\n\nRep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) said, \u201cThe American people \u2014 especially New Jerseyans \u2014 are owed answers as to how such a catastrophic breach of election security could have occurred. Governor Sherrill and the State of New Jersey must take accountability and demonstrate complete transparency while providing a concrete path forward to ensure that such gross failures cannot threaten the integrity of our elections ever again. Whatever the cause \u2014 be it incompetence or something far more sinister \u2014 showing the American people how to fix this problem is critical to ensuring faith in future elections. 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.\u201d\n\nPfluger said Sherrill\u2019s \u201cthree page response to our letter is long on political attacks and short on answers,\u201d adding, \u201cAmericans deserve better. Elections are the last line of defense for a government accountable to its people. Republicans have been raising legitimate concerns about vulnerabilities in our election systems for years, and we will not stop pursuing the truth until every question is answered. It\u2019s more clear than ever that we need to pass the SAVE America Act to make sure our elections are secure, transparent, and worthy of the public\u2019s trust.\u201d\n\nRep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY) said, \u201cAs I wrote last month, New Jersey has a serious election integrity problem that demands answers. Non-citizens were registered to vote and some cast ballots. Governor Sherrill needs to explain how this happened, why it went undetected, and what safeguards will be put in place to protect our elections.\u201d\n\nRep. Nicholas Langworthy (R-NY) said, \u201cMore than a month later, we are no closer to getting answers about this serious breach of our election system than we were on day one. Governor Sherill put on a good show at first, but her refusal to answer even basic questions makes clear she is following the Democrat playbook of deny, obfuscate, and hope the public stops paying attention. We won\u2019t let this be swept under the rug.\u201d\n\nRep. Tim Moore (R-NC) said, \u201cThe American people deserve transparency when the integrity of our elections is called into question. Instead of providing straightforward answers, we received Governor Sherrill\u2019s political rhetoric that leaves critical questions unanswered. Congress has a responsibility to get to the bottom of what happened and ensure those responsible are held accountable. We will continue exercising oversight as necessary to protect our elections.\u201d", 1, "2026-08-26T05:33:32Z", "2026-08-26T05:34:56Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415795", "Urges Nigerian gov\u2019t to protect Christian communitiesSmith condemns latest deadly attacks on Christians in Nigeria", "2026-08-21", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, today condemned two deadly attacks in Nigeria that reportedly killed more than 30 people on Sunday and at least 23-25 people on Tuesday. As reports of the attacks and casualty figures continue to emerge, Smith called upon the Nigerian government to take immediate action to protect vulnerable Christian communities and bring the perpetrators to justice.\n\n\u201cDespite denials by Nigerian government actors, Christians continue to be slaughtered while Nigerian officials fail to provide adequate protection or hold the perpetrators accountable,\u201d said Smith, who has chaired 13 congressional hearings on the religious persecution crisis in Nigeria. \u201cEnough is enough. The Nigerian government must fulfill its most basic responsibility of protecting its citizens.\u201d\n\nSmith joined Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Frank Garcia in strongly urging the Nigerian government \u201cto meet their commitments to protect Christian communities and to hold perpetrators of violence accountable.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe U.S. State Department's recent public message underscores the urgent need for concrete action\u2014not more assurances\u2014as deadly violence continues to devastate vulnerable communities,\u201d continued Smith.\n\n\u201cInstead of spending millions of dollars\u2014$9 million, to be exact\u2014in an attempt to improve its image in Washington, the Nigerian government should redirect those resources towards protecting its people and addressing this grave security crisis.\u201d\n\nEarlier this year, Smith introduced the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026 (HR 7457), which would require the U.S. Secretary of State to compile and submit to Congress a comprehensive report on U.S. efforts to address the ongoing religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-22T05:24:59Z", "2026-08-22T05:26:16Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415796", "\u201cFreedom of speech and religious liberty are not negotiable\u201dSmith condemns reports of transnational repression in U.S. after anti-CCP professor is blacklisted from U.S.-China Catholic conference", "2026-08-21", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), today condemned an alarming report that Chinese Communist Party (CCP) officials allegedly pressured the U.S.-China Catholic Association to remove a Purdue University professor and prominent religious freedom scholar from its conference because of his criticism of the CCP\u2019s persecution of Christians.\n\n\u201cIf these reports are accurate, this is yet another outrageous example of the Chinese Communist Party extending its long arm of repression into the United States,\u201d said Smith, who has chaired well over one hundred congressional hearings on human rights abuses in China.\n\n\u201cOver the past several years, I have been sounding the alarm that the CCP\u2019s persecution of political dissidents, journalists, and religious and ethnic minority groups is no longer confined within China\u2019s borders. We cannot allow Beijing\u2014or any other repressive regimes, for that matter\u2014to export that repression to U.S. soil and silence an American professor for exercising his freedom of speech,\u201d continued Smith.\n\nAccording to reports, Professor Fenggang Yang, who had been invited to deliver the keynote address at the U.S.-China Catholic Association\u2019s biennial conference in Houston, was informed that Chinese government officials had raised objections to his participation and demanded that his name be removed from the program. Yang was subsequently disinvited and reportedly asked to keep the circumstances surrounding his removal confidential.\n\nSmith argued that the allegations raise serious concerns about foreign interference, religious freedom, and free speech in the United States: \u201cAn American academic should not be removed from a conference at an American institution because Chinese government officials object to his views.\n\n\u201cAnd a U.S.-based religious organization should never be pressured\u2014or voluntarily agree\u2014to censor a scholar to accommodate the demands of a foreign authoritarian government. Americans must never surrender their constitutional freedoms to the dictates of the Chinese Communist Party,\u201d he noted.\n\n\u201cThe CCP must understand that its authoritarian reach ends at America\u2019s shores. To confront the growing menace of foreign governments that seek to intimidate and silence dissidents on American soil, I have authored legislation\u2014the Transnational Repression Policy Act (HR 4829)\u2014that will compel the State Department to coordinate a whole-of-government strategy to disrupt networks that harass, surveil, or threaten activists, journalists, and other community leaders living lawfully in the United States.\n\n\u201cThe U.S. government must take seriously every effort by Beijing to intimidate or silence people living in the United States. Here, freedom of speech and religious liberty are not negotiable,\u201d concluded Smith.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-22T05:24:59Z", "2026-08-22T05:26:16Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-delivers-530000-city-summit-sidewalk-improvements", "Kean Delivers $530,000 to the City of Summit for Sidewalk Improvements", "2026-08-21", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 21, 2026) SUMMIT, NJ \u2013 Yesterday, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) presented $530,000 to the City of Summit for vital sidewalk improvements on Glenside Avenue.\n\nGlenside Avenue is a high-traffic street with access to I-78. These upgrades will include the installation of new ADA-compliant sidewalks.\n\n\u201cIt is important that people of all abilities can safely use the sidewalks in our communities,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cI am proud to have delivered this funding for these vital improvements that will make Glenside Avenue safer and more accessible for the Summit community. Improved drainage along Glenside Avenue will also reduce hazards for pedestrians and drivers alike. I remain committed to prioritizing the safety of our local families here in New Jersey.\u201d\n\n\u201cI want to thank Congressman Kean for securing the federal funds for this important project,\u201d said Mayor Elizabeth Fagan, MD. \u201cOur community is strongest when we listen to the needs of our residents and make thoughtful investments that improve their daily lives, safety, and well-being. This project is an example of what we can accomplish when local and federal partners work together to address community needs and create a safer city for everyone.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are grateful to Congressman Kean for recognizing the importance of investing in pedestrian safety here in Summit,\" said Police Chief Ryan Peters. \"The Glenside Avenue project will provide much-needed drainage improvements and new ADA-compliant sidewalks along a heavily traveled corridor, creating a safer and more accessible route for residents of all ages. From a public safety perspective, infrastructure improvements like these are an important part of making our roadways safer for everyone who uses them.\u201d\n\n\u201cInvesting in our community shouldn\u2019t divide us. This is what happens when people come together around a shared goal and actually get something done,\u201d said Councilman Jamel Boyer. \u201cI\u2019m grateful to Congressman Kean for making this investment in Summit possible.\u201d\n\n\u201cThank you to Congressman Kean for his commitment to this project, which addresses two of Summit\u2019s critical issues, pedestrian safety and stormwater management,\u201d said Councilman Dan Crisafulli. \u201cThis is a great example of Summit working together, across party lines, over a period of many years to bring this important project to reality.\u201d\n\nSince taking office, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. has secured more than $3.4 million for accessible walkways across New Jersey\u2019s Seventh Congressional District through the Community Project Funding process.\n\nAll 15 projects that Congressman Kean was allotted for the FY2026 Community Project Funding process have now passed the U.S. House of Representatives. View the full list of projects HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-22T05:24:59Z", "2026-08-22T05:26:16Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-secures-1-million-watchung-pedestrian-safety-improvements", "Kean Secures $1 Million for Watchung Pedestrian Safety Improvements", "2026-08-20", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 20, 2026) WATCHUNG, NJ \u2013 Last weekend, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) visited Valley Road in Watchung with Mayor Ronald Jubin. Congressman Kean secured $1,000,000 in a House funding bill for sidewalk improvements on Valley Road through the Community Project Funding process.\n\n\u201cPedestrians should be able to safely walk on the sidewalks in every community,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cJust 7 years ago, a 12-year-old was struck by a vehicle and seriously injured while walking along this exact stretch of road. The funding that I secured will support renovations to the sidewalk to make it safe and accessible for everyone.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m grateful to Congressman Kean for his support in submitting the funding request for the Valley Road sidewalk improvements,\u201d said Mayor Ronald Jubin. \u201cThese upgrades will give Watchung families, parents with strollers, and residents with disabilities greater access to safe, healthy activity in our community.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a resident who lives on Valley Road, I\u2019m looking forward to the sidewalk improvements,\u201d said Valley Road resident Catherine Furlan. \u201cIt will improve walkability in the neighborhood so families can safely walk to and from school or just exercise.\u201d\n\nSince taking office, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. has secured more than $3.4 million for accessible walkways across New Jersey\u2019s Seventh Congressional District through the Community Project Funding process.\n\nIn July, Congressman Kean announced that 18 Community Project Funding requests made by his office totaling $17,765,906, are included in key House funding bills for the upcoming fiscal year. Learn more HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-21T05:30:57Z", "2026-08-21T05:32:22Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415794", "APP article on Smith-led letter to U.S. Postmaster General'Jackson wants another post office to alleviate overcrowding'", "2026-08-19", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Joe Strupp\n\nPublished August 19, 2026, 5:16 a.m. ET\n\nJACKSON \u2013 Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet will keep this town from wanting not one but two post offices.\n\nClaiming one post office in town is not enough to serve a growing population, township officials and several state legislators are urging the federal government to add a second postal site to the community.\n\nCalling the current situation \u201ca crisis,\" a letter to the U.S. Postmaster went out calling for the addition.\n\n\u201cThis urgent request comes directly in response to the overwhelming concerns voiced by our constituents,\u201d several officials said in an Aug. 7 letter to U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner. \u201cThe residents and businesses of Jackson have repeatedly expressed grave concerns over deteriorating service conditions, unsafe access, excessive wait times and the inability of the current postal facility to adequately serve its residents.\u201d\n\nThe letter, signed by Mayor Jennifer Kuhn, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, Assembly Members Robert Clifton and Alex Sauickie, and state Senator Owen Henry, demands a meeting with federal officials to find a solution.\n\nAt issue is the township\u2019s lone postal facility at 915 Bennett Mills Road, which they contend is too small to serve a community that stretches across 100 square miles and a population that has more than doubled since 1980 to nearly 61,000.\n\nIt's not unusual for the line to stream out the door at Jackson Township's only post office on Bennett Mills Road, say officials who want a second postal site to be opened. Joe Strupp\n\n\u201cThis growth has been accompanied by continued residential and commercial development, significantly increasing the demand for postal service,\u201d the letter said.\n\nLocated near West County Line Road, the postal site is in the far northeast corner of the community close to the Howell Township line and up to 20 minutes by car from some parts of Jackson.\n\nA second post office had been in operation at 520 West Veterans Highway in the past but closed in 2012 due to \u201clease issues.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe residents of Jackson Township deserve a postal system that reflects the size, growth and needs of their community,\u201d the letter said.\n\nPostal customers who spoke outside of the Bennett Mills Road site agreed.\n\n\u201cIt is too crowded,\u201d said Paul Nix, a 50-year Jackson resident. \u201cIt makes it difficult when you have to wait. It would be a lot easier if we had another place.\u201d\n\nJackson Mayor Jennifer Kuhn outside of the township's lone post office on Bennett Mills Road. She and other officials are urging the federal government to expand it and open a second location. Joe Strupp\n\nJudy Koppel, a 28-year resident, echoed that view.\n\n\u201cHeck yeah,\u201d she said when asked if the post office was too crowded. \u201cThere are too many long lines. Sometimes I go to Howell because it is easier.\u201d\n\nShe also said it takes her up to 15 minutes to drive from her home on Jackson\u2019s southern end: \u201cIt is really too difficult.\u201d\n\nSteve Olsen pointed out that the post office gets crowded because it is one of the few in the area that also provides passports.\n\n\u201cA lot of people get passports and that takes the clerks away from helping us,\u201d said Olsen, a 16-year resident. \u201cYou also can\u2019t find parking. It\u2019s very difficult.\u201d\n\nAmy Gibbs, a spokesperson for the United States Postal Service, said via email that the agency \u201cis aware of the concerns from the community. Regarding the letter, we will respond directly to elected officials.\u201d", 1, "2026-08-21T05:30:57Z", "2026-08-21T05:32:22Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-asks-us-veterans-affairs-expand-veteran-resources-hunterdon-county", "Kean Asks US Veterans Affairs to Expand Veteran Resources in Hunterdon County", "2026-08-18", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 18, 2026) Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Acting Under Secretary of Health, John Figueroa, proposing the establishment of a new VA Vet Center in Hunterdon County.\n\nIn his letter to Under Secretary Figueroa, Congressman Kean called for expanding VA resources in Hunterdon County to benefit its more than 5,000 veteran residents.\n\nIn 2023, Congressman Kean introduced bipartisan legislation to broaden access to Vet Center mental health counseling for veterans and their families. This legislation directly led to the creation of two Veteran Center Community Access Points in Morris and Warren counties.\n\n\"More than 5,000 veterans reside in Hunterdon County, and many would benefit significantly from having these critical resources available closer to home,\u201d Congressman Kean wrote. \"This effort aligns with my broader initiatives to expand VA resources throughout Northwest New Jersey.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Commissioner Board appreciates Congressman Kean's continued efforts to secure additional health care services for Hunterdon County veterans,\u201d said Hunterdon County Commissioner Director John E. Lanza. \u201cHaving a local VA access point is important, and the Commissioner Board reaffirms its offer to provide county office space to the Department of Veterans Affairs free of charge to help make this initiative a reality.\u201d\n\n\u201cAccess to health care remains one of the most important issues facing our veterans. A local VA access point in Hunterdon County would make it easier for veterans to connect with the care and services they have earned, while reducing the need to travel outside the county,\u201d said Hunterdon County VSO Rich Booth. \u201cWe appreciate Congressman Kean's efforts and the County's commitment to helping bring these services closer to home.\"\n\nRead the full letter below and HERE:\n\nDear Secretary John Figueroa:\n\nI am writing to respectfully propose the establishment of a new VA Vet Center in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, to ensure local veterans have greater access to essential health and counseling services. More than 5,000 veterans reside in Hunterdon County, and many would benefit significantly from having these critical resources available closer to home.\n\nThis effort aligns with my broader initiatives to expand VA resources throughout New Jersey. One of my first actions in Congress was introducing bipartisan legislation to broaden access to Vet Center mental health counseling for veterans and their families. In 2024, this work resulted in the creation of two new Veteran Center Community Access Points in Morris and Warren counties. Despite this progress, I continue to hear from constituents about the lack of comparable services within Hunterdon County.\n\nThe Hunterdon County Board of County Commissioners and the Hunterdon County Office on Veterans' Services have shown strong support for establishing a Vet Center in Hunterdon County. The commissioners have identified a potential site for a VA location and have generously offered it to the VA free of charge. Additionally, the expansion of VA resources in Hunterdon County is backed by numerous veteran organizations at the local, county, and statewide levels.\n\nMy office stands ready to assist in evaluating and advancing this effort to expand critical assistance to local veterans. I remain committed to working closely with the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure veterans in New Jersey receive timely, appropriate, and comprehensive support.\n\nThank you for your continued dedication to our veterans. I look forward to discussing this proposal further and working together to strengthen the services available to those who have served our nation.\n\nSincerely,\n\nTom Kean, Jr.\n\nMember of Congress\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-19T05:29:02Z", "2026-08-19T05:30:24Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415793", "HHS launches new Lyme Clinician LocatorSmith, author of TICK Act, thanks Sec. Kennedy, Pres. Trump for spearheading new Lyme disease initiatives at HHS", "2026-08-17", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Caucus, applauded Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.\u2019s announcement today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a variety of new initiatives to improve patient care, enable earlier diagnoses, and accelerate research for Lyme disease.\n\n\u201cUnder President Trump and Secretary Kennedy\u2019s bold leadership, the HHS is taking important steps towards addressing and mitigating the national public health emergency caused by Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses over the past several decades,\u201d said Smith, whose legislation (HR 4348) to provide $150 million over five years in continued funding for Lyme disease research at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) overwhelmingly passed the U.S. House of Representatives just last month.\n\n\u201cI am grateful to Secretary Kennedy and President Trump for their efforts to improve the lives and outcomes of the millions of Lyme patients throughout the country, and I am glad to see that tick-borne illnesses are no longer taking the back seat in the public health space.\n\n\u201cCritically, the HHS is prioritizing early and accurate diagnoses for Lyme disease, ensuring that often-misdiagnosed patients can receive the correct treatments they need in a timely and efficient manner,\u201d Smith continued.\n\n\u201cThe HHS\u2019s new Lyme Clinician Locator, made possible through their partnership with the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), will help to significantly streamline this process, enabling patients to easily search for Lyme-literate clinicians in their area with a mere click.\n\n\u201cAs Secretary Kennedy also announced, patients can use their voices and experiences to drive science and research further by utilizing CURE ID to share which treatments have worked for them, which have not, and what is needed for the future\u2014all directly with NIH and FDA,\u201d stated Smith.\n\nSmith also highlighted and praised the work of the LymeX Innovation Accelerator Program (LymeX)\u2014a public-private partnership between the HHS and the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation, which funds prize competitions to advance innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease\u2014in developing two new FDA-approved Lyme diagnostic tools over the past two years.\n\n\u201cLymeX plays a vital role in improving diagnostic criteria and patient outcomes for Lyme disease, which is why I have introduced legislation (HR 7482) to finally codify this groundbreaking program. In addition to permanentizing this critical initiative, my LymeX Authorization Act allocates $5 million to the HHS Secretary to carry out prize competitions to incentivize Lyme disease research,\u201d noted Smith.\n\nFor over three decades, Smith has authored numerous amendments and legislation to enhance and expand federal tick-borne disease research, awareness, and collaboration.\n\nSmith\u2019s HR 4348\u2014which passed the House with broad bipartisan backing in late July\u2014reauthorizes the TICK Act (PL 116-94) that Smith and Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) spearheaded in 2019. Smith\u2019s new bill will allocate federal monies to the CDC\u2019s regional Centers of Excellence and provide funding for states in regions that have an elevated risk of Lyme or other tick-borne disease outbreaks, enabling them to work in tandem with the federal government to quickly identify and address such outbreaks.\n\nAs passed by the House, HR 4348 authorizes\u2014over the course of five years\u2014$50 million for the regional Centers of Excellence and $100 million for cooperative agreement funding between states and localities, respectively.\n\nFurthermore, in December of last year, Smith\u2019s amendment to probe whether the Cold War-era Department of War bioweapons program ever used ticks as hosts or delivery mechanisms for biological warfare agents was included within the FY26 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which was later signed into law (PL 119-60) by President Trump.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-18T05:27:41Z", "2026-08-18T05:29:06Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-secures-850k-mine-hill-township-transite-water-main-replacement", "Kean Secures $850K for Mine Hill Township Transite Water Main Replacement", "2026-08-17", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 17, 2026) MINE HILL, NJ \u2013 Last week, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) visited Mine Hill Township to view the site for the water main replacement project. Congressman Kean secured $850,000 in a key House Appropriations bill for Mine Hill Township through the Community Project Funding process, which will be used to replace 5,307 linear feet of transite water main.\n\n\u201cThese pipes have been in the ground for over 40 years, contain asbestos, and are starting to fail,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cI am pleased to secure this federal funding to ensure that Mine Hill families have reliable access to high-quality water for decades to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cI can't thank Congressman Kean enough for his care and concern about the people of Mine Hill and the people of the Seventh District,\u201d said Mayor Sam Morris. \u201cHis hard work and relentless efforts to secure significant funding for our water safety project is appreciated more than we can express. I want to thank him for caring about us, and I want to thank him for fighting for us.\"\n\n\u201cThank you to the Congressman for securing this funding, and especially for taking the time to come to Mine Hill and seeing firsthand where it will be used,\u201d said Mine Hill resident Cristina Capsouras. \u201cExplaining why this funding is needed is only half the battle, it\u2019s amazing that he came here in person to see the need for himself. Replacing the water main will provide much needed peace of mind for all of us here in Mine Hill.\u201d\n\nIn July, Congressman Kean announced that 18 Community Project Funding requests made by his office totaling $17,765,906, are included in key House funding bills for the upcoming fiscal year. Since taking office, Congressman Kean has secured over $3 million for water main and pipe replacement. Learn more HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-18T05:27:41Z", "2026-08-18T05:29:06Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-hosts-eagle-scout-and-girl-scout-gold-award-event", "Kean Hosts Eagle Scout and Girl Scout Gold Award Event", "2026-08-14", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 14, 2026) READINGTON, NJ \u2013 Yesterday, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) held his third Eagle Scout and Girl Scout Gold Award Event. Scouts from New Jersey's 7th Congressional District who achieved the rank of Eagle Scout or completed their Girl Scout Gold Award in 2025 and 2026 were invited to attend. Family, Scoutmasters and other adult scout leaders from across the district were also welcome to join the celebration with their Scouts.\n\nEagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America organization. To become an Eagle Scout, one must earn a total of 21 merit badges and demonstrate scout spirit, service, and leadership. This includes an extensive service project that scouts plan, organize, lead, and manage.\n\nThe Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest and most prestigious achievement in Girl Scouting, requiring Seniors and Ambassadors in grades 9\u201312 to complete a rigorous, sustainable community service project of at least 80 hours. They must identify a community issue, research its root cause, build a team of volunteers and community experts, and create a sustainable, long-lasting solution.\n\n\u201cVery few receive the rank of Eagle Scout or earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, and those who do deserve to be recognized for this achievement,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cThrough their generosity and creativity, they are laying the groundwork for lives that will be directed by the values of volunteering, leadership and civic duty, which will impact the world around them in distinct and impactful ways.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs an Eagle Scout myself, I was pleased to participate in Congressman Kean\u2019s Scout recognition ceremony, where I had the opportunity to say a few words and introduce him,\u201d said Eagle Scout and Readington Township Committeeman Adam Mueller. \u201cCongressman Kean has been a consistent and genuine supporter of Scouting in our district. His commitment to recognizing the hard work, leadership, and service of our Scouts strengthens these programs and the young people who benefit from them. We\u2019re fortunate to have a representative who understands the value of Scouting and actively invests in its success.\u201d\n\n\u201cBeing an Eagle Scout takes years of commitment, leadership, and hard work. It is a challenge that most kids, even Scouts, do not achieve,\u201d said Eagle Scout Christopher Forzani. \u201cBecause of this, it was an honor to learn about the Eagle Projects of other local Scouts and to meet Congressman Tom Kean, who gifted each Scout a flag that had been flown over the Capitol.\u201d\n\n\u201cI appreciate Congressman Kean and his staff hosting this event to recognize those who have earned the highest awards in Scouting,\u201d said Girl Scout Gold Award recipient Faith Feldman. \u201cIt was really cool to receive a flag that has been flown at the US Capitol.\u201d\n\nThe event honored 20 Eagle and Girl Scouts who represented all six counties in New Jersey\u2019s 7th Congressional District. More than 55 people attended this event, including parents, grandparents, siblings, and adult scout leaders.\n\nTo view pictures from this event, click HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-15T05:23:20Z", "2026-08-15T05:24:50Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-secures-500000-phillipsburg-police-technology-equipment", "Kean Secures $500,000 for\u00a0Phillipsburg\u00a0Police Technology Equipment", "2026-08-14", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 13, 2026) PHILLIPSBURG, NJ \u2013 On Tuesday, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) met with the Phillipsburg Police Department to gain insight into the critical need for updating the Department\u2019s investigative, surveillance, and information technology capabilities. Congressman Kean secured $500,000 for the Phillipsburg Police Department through Community Project Funding.\n\n\u201cI am proud to have secured this federal funding through the Community Project Funding process to strengthen the Phillipsburg Police Department\u2019s work to protect our communities,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cSupporting our law enforcement officers and ensuring they have the resources necessary to keep residents safe remains one of my top priorities.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are incredibly grateful to Congressman Tom Kean and his office for securing this $500,000 technology grant for the Phillipsburg Police Department,\u201d saidPolice Chief James McDonald. \u201cThis investment will allow us to significantly enhance and expand our camera systems, automatic license plate readers, drone program, and training technology. These tools are force multipliers that will help our officers prevent and solve crimes more effectively, improve situational awareness, and provide an even higher level of service to our community.\u201d\n\nChief McDonald continued, \u201cMost importantly, this funding allows us to make these critical public safety investments without placing the financial burden entirely on our local taxpayers. We appreciate Congressman Kean\u2019s continued support of law enforcement and his commitment to keeping the residents of Phillipsburg and Warren County safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis $500,000 police technology investment will help ensure our outstanding officers have the equipment they need to fight crime safely and effectively,\u201d said Mayor Randy Piazza. \u201cWe thank Congressman Tom Kean for his continued support of the Phillipsburg Police Department.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis $500,000 investment in the Phillipsburg Police Department will provide critical resources to support our officers and enhance public safety in the community,\u201d said New Jersey Senator Doug Steinhardt. \u201cSupporting our law enforcement officers means investing in the safety and security of Phillipsburg families, and I appreciate Congressman Kean\u2019s efforts to help bring this funding home.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongressman Kean\u2019s commitment to all our law-enforcement officers as well as the safety of our residents in Phillipsburg with this Grant request is much appreciated and much needed,\u201d said Commissioner Director Lori Ciesla.\n\n\u201cThe $500,000 grant for the Phillipsburg Police Department will allow the department to secure much needed technology upgrades to their communications equipment,\u201d said New Jersey Assemblyman Erik Peterson.\n\nSince taking office, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. has secured nearly $22 million for law enforcement across New Jersey\u2019s Seventh Congressional District through the Community Project Funding process, demonstrating a consistent, tangible commitment to backing the blue with real resources. Kean remains steadfast in ensuring local law enforcement officers receive the support and equipment necessary to keep our communities safe.\n\nIn July, Congressman Kean announced that 18 Community Project Funding requests made by his office totaling $17,765,906, are included in key House funding bills for the upcoming fiscal year. Learn more HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-15T05:23:20Z", "2026-08-15T05:24:50Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-secures-750k-mount-olive-pd-expansion", "Kean Secures $750K for Mount Olive PD Expansion", "2026-08-14", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 14, 2026) MOUNT OLIVE, NJ \u2013 On Wednesday, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) visited the Mount Olive Police Department. Congressman Kean secured $750,000 in a key House Appropriations bill for the Mount Olive PD through the Community Project Funding process, which will be used for the construction and renovation of the expanded Police Department facility.\n\n\u201cOur law enforcement officers deserve safe, modern facilities that allow them to effectively serve and protect our community,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cI am proud to fight for $750,000 in federal funding to expand the Mount Olive Township Police Department and provide officers with the space, technology, and resources they need. This investment will strengthen public safety, support our officers, and help the department better serve a growing community.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongressman Tom Kean Jr. has been instrumental in securing federal funding for Mount Olive throughout his time in office, and I want to express my sincere appreciation for his continued support of our community,\u201d said Mayor Joe Nicastro. \u201cThis funding is especially significant as the township moves forward with the expansion and renovation of the Police Department facilities at Town Hall. The investment will help enhance public safety and ensure our officers have the resources and facilities they need to serve our residents effectively.\u201d\n\nMayor Nicastro continued, \u201cWe are grateful for Congressman Kean's commitment to bringing federal dollars back to our local communities. His efforts directly benefit Mount Olive and its residents by supporting critical infrastructure and public safety projects that might otherwise place a greater burden on local taxpayers. His advocacy in Washington continues to make a meaningful difference here at home.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongressman Kean's support of this funding opportunity has allowed us to move forward with much needed infrastructure upgrades to our public safety facilities,\u201d said Police Chief Mike Cordileone. \u201cWith his assistance and support we were able to secure federal funding though the community project funding process that will ensure the next generation of Mount Olive officers have the resources they need to effectively and efficiently serve our community, making our community safer and stronger.\u201d\n\nSince taking office, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. has secured nearly $22 million for law enforcement across New Jersey\u2019s Seventh Congressional District through the Community Project Funding process, demonstrating a consistent, tangible commitment to backing the blue with real resources. He remains steadfast in ensuring local law enforcement officers receive the support and equipment necessary to keep our communities safe.\n\nIn July, Congressman Kean announced that 18 Community Project Funding requests made by his office totaling $17,765,906, are included in key House funding bills for the upcoming fiscal year. Since taking office, Congressman Kean has brought back nearly $22 million in federal funding to local and county law enforcement. Learn more HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-15T05:23:20Z", "2026-08-15T05:24:50Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-delivers-2400000-phillipsburg-delaware-river-park-revitalization", "Kean Delivers $2,400,000 for Phillipsburg Delaware River Park Revitalization", "2026-08-13", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 13, 2026) PHILLIPSBURG, NJ \u2013 This week, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) presented $2,400,000 to the Town of Phillipsburg to revitalize the Delaware River Park.\n\n\u201cI am pleased to deliver this federal funding to Phillipsburg,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cResidents should be able to enjoy their local parks, and this $2,400,000 will fund the revitalization of the recreation fields so that families can continue to gather, play, and enjoy safe, well\u2011maintained community spaces for years to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cOpen space is incredibly important to our community, but being an older industrial town also comes with unique challenges,\u201d said Mayor Randy Piazza. \u201cThis $2.4 million investment will help us address those issues at Delaware River Park while creating a better place for our residents to enjoy. We thank Congressman Tom Kean for helping Phillipsburg make that progress.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis $2.4 million in funding is a major investment in the future of Delaware River Park and the Phillipsburg community,\u201d said New Jersey Senator Doug Steinhardt. \u201cThese improvements will help revitalize the park, create a better recreational space for residents, and strengthen an important asset along the Delaware River. I\u2019m grateful to Congressman Kean for his work helping secure this funding for Phillipsburg.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe have been very lucky to have a representative in Congress whose lifelong commitment to New Jersey helps him understand the needs of our area,\u201d said Warren County Commissioner Director Lori Ciesla. \u201cThe $2.4 million to help rehabilitate the Delaware River Park is a game changer for Phillipsburg. As a river town, Phillipsburg has so much potential to be a beautiful place to both live and visit, and Congressman Kean understands this. The residents of Phillipsburg and the surrounding areas deserve to have this park brought back to life and this funding is a huge step forward.\u201d\n\n\"Thank you for securing $2.4 million in federal funding to revitalize the Delaware River Park,\u201d said New Jersey Assemblyman Erik Peterson. \u201cThis funding will allow Phillipsburg to regenerate a recreational space for future generations of New Jerseyans.\"\n\nSince taking office, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. has secured over $8 million for local recreation areas across New Jersey\u2019s Seventh Congressional District through the Community Project Funding process.\n\nAll 15 projects that Congressman Kean was allotted for the FY2026 Community Project Funding process have now passed the U.S. House of Representatives. View the full list of projects HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-14T06:13:05Z", "2026-08-14T06:14:08Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415791", "Lakewood Alerts article on Smith-led letter to U.S. Postmaster General'Jackson Officials Push USPS to Address Overcrowding, Traffic and Safety Concerns at Post Office'", "2026-08-12", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Lakewood Alerts\n\nPublished August 12, 2026\n\nJackson Township officials are pressing the United States Postal Service for action over longstanding concerns at the Jackson Post Office on Bennetts Mills Road, including overcrowding, lengthy wait times, inadequate parking, staffing shortages and growing traffic and safety issues.\n\nResidents have repeatedly raised concerns about vehicles backing onto Bennetts Mills Road, traffic extending beyond the post office property and difficulties safely entering and exiting the busy facility.\n\nOn August 7, a formal letter was sent to U.S. Postmaster General David Steiner requesting a meeting to address what local officials described as an ongoing postal service crisis in the rapidly growing township.\n\nThe effort is being backed across multiple levels of government, with Congressman Christopher Smith, State Senator Owen Henry and Assemblymen Alex Sauickie and Robert Clifton joining Jackson Township officials in calling for improvements.\n\nAmong the solutions being urged are the establishment of a second full-service post office in Jackson, a significant expansion and modernization of the existing Bennetts Mills Road facility, and immediate operational changes to improve staffing, reduce wait times and address traffic and public safety concerns while a permanent solution is developed.\n\nOfficials stressed that the situation has grown beyond an issue of inconvenience and has become a public safety concern.\n\nJackson has experienced tremendous population growth in recent years, while its postal infrastructure has failed to keep pace with the increased demand. Officials said residents deserve safe and reasonable access to essential postal services and vowed to continue working with USPS toward a long-term solution.", 1, "2026-08-13T06:17:16Z", "2026-08-13T06:18:13Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415792", "Shore News Network article on Smith-led letter to U.S. Postmaster General'Jackson Post Office is Overwhelmed and Understaffed, Congressman Calls for Change'", "2026-08-12", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Phil Stilton\n\nPublished August 12, 2026\n\nJackson, NJ \u2013 Anyone who has ever been to the Jackson Township U.S. Post Office on Bennetts Mills Road knows the place is a nightmare, especially after the federal agency closed the town\u2019s other post office many years ago.\n\nWith the rise in population in Jackson, people often cite their visit to the Jackson post office as not-so-pleasant experience\u2026and it\u2019s getting worse.\n\nNow, a coalition of elected officials is urging the U.S. Postal Service to take immediate action to address longstanding service problems at the Jackson Township Post Office, including considering the construction of a second full-service postal facility to meet the needs of one of New Jersey\u2019s fastest-growing communities.\n\nThey say the location is now a public safety risk.\n\nJackson is expected to hit 200,000 residents within 9 years, according to county officials. Things are going to get worse.\n\nCassville Post Office \u2013 2013. Shut down by USPS in 2012.\n\nIn an August 7 letter to Postmaster General David Steiner, Congressman Chris Smith, State Senator Owen Henry, Assemblymen Alex Sauickie and Robert Clifton, and Interim Mayor Jennifer Kuhn requested a formal meeting with USPS leadership to discuss solutions to what they describe as an ongoing postal service crisis.\n\nThe officials said residents have repeatedly voiced concerns about long wait times, overcrowding, inadequate parking, traffic congestion and staffing shortages at the Bennetts Mills Road post office.\n\n\u201cOur residents and businesses have repeatedly expressed grave concern over deteriorating service conditions, unsafe access, excessive wait times, and the inability of the current postal facility to adequately serve its residents,\u201d the delegation wrote. \u201cAs their elected representatives, we have a responsibility to ensure their concerns are heard and addressed.\u201d\n\nCongressman, lawmakers say growth has overwhelmed postal system\n\nThe letter notes Jackson Township has experienced decades of rapid growth, with its population increasing from about 25,600 residents in 1980 to nearly 61,000 today. Officials argue the township\u2019s postal infrastructure has not kept pace with that expansion.\n\nIn fact, it has shrunk. The Cassville Postal Station at 520 West Veterans Highway in Jackson, New Jersey, was suspended in December 2012 after its lease expired and could not be renewed. Operations were officially moved to the main Jackson Post Office at 915 Bennetts Mills Road.\n\nThat building now operates as a pet crematorium and funeral home.\n\n\u201cThe postal infrastructure serving our community has not kept pace with the growth and needs of your postal customers,\u201d the officials wrote.\n\nThe facility at 915 Bennetts Mills Road now experiences routine overcrowding, lengthy customer waits, insufficient parking and traffic backups that extend onto Bennetts Mills Road.\n\nThe officials said the situation has evolved beyond customer inconvenience.\n\n\u201cThis is no longer simply an issue of customer convenience; it is a matter of public safety and government responsibility,\u201d the letter states.\n\nOfficials seek second post office and facility expansion\n\nAmong the recommendations, the officials urged USPS to evaluate opening a second full-service post office in Jackson Township, modernizing and expanding the existing Bennetts Mills Road facility, and implementing immediate operational improvements to staffing and customer service.\n\nThe letter also points out that Jackson once had two postal facilities. The Cassville Post Office, located on West Veterans Highway, closed in 2012 because of lease-related issues, leaving the township dependent on a single location.\n\nThe local officials argue that today\u2019s population and commercial growth far exceed what the remaining facility was designed to handle\u2026and it definitely will not accomodate the anticipated growth level of 200,000 residents, even as the need for postal services declines.\n\n\u201cWe strongly believe the time has come for decisive action,\u201d the delegation wrote, specifically requesting USPS evaluate establishing \u201ca second full-service postal facility within Jackson Township,\u201d while also expanding parking, improving traffic flow, increasing staffing and modernizing the existing location.\n\nInterim Mayor Jennifer Kuhn said she has visited the Bennetts Mills Road facility and witnessed traffic congestion and safety concerns firsthand. However, the request is presented as a joint effort led by the township\u2019s congressional, state and municipal delegation.", 1, "2026-08-13T06:17:16Z", "2026-08-13T06:18:13Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-secures-245k-new-providence-police-communications-upgrades", "Kean Secures $245K for New Providence Police Communications Upgrades", "2026-08-11", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 11, 2026) NEWPROVIDENCE, NJ \u2013 Yesterday, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) met with New Providence officials to visit the New ProvidencePolice Department. Congressman Kean secured $245,000 for the New ProvidencePolice Department through Community Project Funding. This funding will be used to replace 47 portable radios, which will use upgraded technology to connect radios to a Wi-Fi network.\n\n\u201cThe $245,000 that I secured for New Providence will improve communications throughout the police department,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cOur valued first responders need access to updated technology to have the most effective connection with other emergency services departments. I am pleased to secure these critical resources for the New Providence Police Department to keep our communities safe.\u201d\n\n\u201cThank you, Congressman Kean, for securing funding for these sorely-needed new police radios,\u201d said Mayor Al Morgan. \u201cThe radio system needs to be upgraded, especially with the police department moving into a new facility. This funding will ultimately help the police department, first responders, and residents.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is incredible to see a little town like New Providence receive this federal assistance,\u201d said Police Chief Donald Sretenovic. \u201cCongressman Kean\u2019s dedication to law enforcement and first responders is obvious.\u201d\n\nAt the New Providence Police Department, Congressman Kean presented a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol to New Providence Police Chief Donald Sretenovic, who was sworn in on August 1, 2026.\n\nIn July, Congressman Kean announced that 18 Community Project Funding requests made by his office totaling $17,765,906, are included in key House funding bills for the upcoming fiscal year. Learn more HERE.\n\nCongressman Tom Kean, Jr. pictured with New Providence Mayor Al Morgan, Police Chief Donald Sretenovic, local officials, and police officers\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-14T06:13:05Z", "2026-08-14T06:14:08Z"], ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415790", "Rep. Smith calls for vulnerable infant at center of legal battle to receive lifesaving care", "2026-08-10", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, issued the following response to statements by McKenna West that she was pressured to abort a baby she was carrying as a surrogate after a 20-week ultrasound diagnosed a serious but treatable heart condition, and that she is currently engaged in a legal battle that will decide whether the baby receives lifesaving care when he is born:\n\n\u201cMs. West has demonstrated heroic courage and love for this baby. According to reports, despite the threat of financial ruin, she refused to abort the baby boy, filed for custody, and relocated to Texas near a hospital that is equipped to begin treatment for his condition after he is born. Ms. West stated, \u2018I want to fight for him because he deserves that chance\u2019 and \u2018my goal is to get him surgery.\u2019\n\n\u201cWith Ms. West\u2019s due date fast approaching on September 2, 2026, and the two sides vying to decide whether the baby boy receives care, the courts should act decisively to reject the lie that having a diagnosed disability makes this baby unworthy of life.\n\n\u201cWe must remain committed to building a nation that values human life, insists upon equal justice under the law, and respects the rights and dignity of the disabled and vulnerable. The Courts should immediately give custody of this baby to those willing to welcome him, protect him, and ensure that he has a chance to receive care that could save his life.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-11T05:54:29Z", "2026-08-11T05:56:25Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-delivers-835000-bernards-township-police-communications-upgrades", "Kean Delivers $835,000 to Bernards Township for Police Communications Upgrades", "2026-08-06", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 6, 2026) BERNARDS TOWNSHIP, NJ \u2013 On Tuesday, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) presented $835,000 to Bernards Township for upgrades to their police department\u2019s communications equipment.\n\nThis federal funding, secured by Congressman Kean through the Community Project Funding process, will upgrade the Bernards Township Police Department\u2019s current radios, which can only operate on one frequency, and be used to purchase 89 tri-band radios that cover multiple frequencies. This will streamline coordination and strengthen emergency response.\n\n\u201cThe $835,000 that I secured for Bernards Township will enable first responders to have the modern tools they need to effectively protect and serve the community,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cThese communications upgrades, made possible by this federal funding, will provide direct radio contact and allow police to communicate more effectively and facilitate deployment, keeping our communities safer.\u201d\n\n\u201cPublic Safety is among our priorities. We are very grateful to Congressman Tom Kean Jr. for advocating federal funding on our behalf to secure 89 tri-band radios for our officers and front-line police vehicles,\u201d said Mayor Ana Duarte McCarthy. \u201cWe are very grateful for the funding that enables the Township to provide critical resources for our Police Department without placing the full burden on local property taxpayers.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are sincerely grateful to Congressman Tom Kean for his leadership and steadfast support in securing this critical funding for our police radio upgrade,\u201d said Police Chief Timothy King. \u201cReliable radio communications are essential to officer safety and effective emergency response, and this investment will provide our officers with the technology they need to better serve and protect our community. We truly appreciate the Congressman\u2019s commitment to public safety and to the residents of Bernards Township.\u201d\n\n\u201cCongressman Kean's office introduced us to this funding program in January 2024. Without their guidance, we never would have applied for our first Federal grant,\u201d said Committeewoman Jennifer Asay. \u201cHe has always been a strong supporter of first responders, and this $835,000 will upgrade our police department's communications while freeing up local budget for other township needs, without raising taxes on residents.\u201d\n\n\u200b\u200b\u201cBernards Township is exceptionally grateful for the federal support that Congressman Kean has delivered and continues to deliver for our community,\u201d said Committeeman Andrew McNally. \u201cThe funding he recently secured for critical police radio upgrades will ensure our first responders have the reliable communication tools they need to effectively serve and protect our community.\u201d\n\nSince taking office, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. has secured nearly $22 million for law enforcement across New Jersey\u2019s Seventh Congressional District through the Community Project Funding process, demonstrating a consistent, tangible commitment to backing the blue with real resources. Kean remains steadfast in ensuring local law enforcement officers receive the support and equipment necessary to keep our communities safe.\n\nAll 15 projects that Congressman Kean was allotted for the FY2026 Community Project Funding process have now passed the U.S. House of Representatives. View the full list of projects HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-07T06:11:19Z", "2026-08-07T06:12:42Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-assists-reopening-senior-care-facility-complete-care-willow-creek", "Kean Assists in Reopening Senior Care Facility, Complete Care\u00a0Willow Creek", "2026-08-05", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 5, 2026) SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ \u2013 On Monday, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) visited the newly reopened Complete Care at Willow Creek, the only long-term care facility for seniors with traumatic brain injuries in New Jersey. He was joined by leadership from Complete Care and staff at the new facility.\n\nIn September of 2021, during Hurricane Ida, Complete Care Willow Creek was flooded. This caused a mass evacuation of patients and severe structural damage to the facility. During reconstruction, a fire occurred, causing further damage and delay.\n\nAs Complete Care was finishing construction in February of 2025, it learned that its Medicare Provider Number had been terminated. Applying for a new number involved demonstrating that its facility was meeting a different set of construction standards than what existed at the time the original Provider Number was approved, which would have delayed the opening for at least another two years and incurred significant additional costs.\n\nCongressman Kean\u2019s office was contacted regarding this issue. Working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the NJ Department of Health, his office arranged multiple joint conference calls with the parties, and Congressman Kean sent a letter of support for Complete Care at Willow Creek. In part due to his interventions, the reopened facility welcomed its first patient on August 3rd.\n\n\u201cIt was incredible to see the tangible result that came from years of hard work by Complete Care, and to know my team helped this facility reopen,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cNew Jersey\u2019s seniors deserve access to the care they need, especially those with ailments such as a traumatic brain injury. I am pleased to see this facility open its doors to the public and wish them all the best as they continue their critical work.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are excited to welcome Congressman Tom Kean Complete Care at Willow Creek today. Congressman Kean\u2019s unwavering support and dedicated advocacy were instrumental in bringing us to today, which coincidentally marks the first day in our opening process for Willow Creek,\u201d said Vice President of Operations Wanda Mercado. \u201cWe extend our heartfelt thanks to the Congressman for his interest in Willow Creek\u2019s traumatic brain injury program for older adults, and for his vital contributions that helped to make this milestone possible.\u201d\n\nIf you or your organization need help with a federal agency, contact Congressman Kean\u2019s district office in Lebanon Borough at (908) 547-3307 or visit the \"Help with a Federal Agency\" page of his website HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-06T07:37:31Z", "2026-08-06T07:38:34Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-secures-420k-community-project-funding-bridgewater-food-bank", "Kean Secures $420K in Community Project Funding for Bridgewater Food Bank", "2026-08-04", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 4, 2026) BRIDGEWATER, NJ \u2013 Yesterday, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) met with Bridgewater Councilman Michael Kirsch, Deputy Township Administrator Rob Field, and Food Bank Network of Somerset County Executive Director Steve Katz to visit the Food Bank Network of Somerset County. Congressman Kean secured $420,000 in a House Appropriations bill for the facility through the FY27 Community Project Funding process. This funding will be used to obtain and maintain a cold storage and a food locker unit.\n\n\u201cNo family should go without food, and strengthening our local food bank network is how we make that a reality,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cI am pleased to secure this federal funding to expand cold storage and food locker capacity for Bridgewater Township and the Food Bank Network of Somerset County. With greater capacity, our local food pantries can take in more donations and deliver vital resources to families who need them most.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are absolutely thrilled and deeply appreciative of this initiative by Representative Kean and the Township of Bridgewater to support the Food Bank Network of Somerset County,\u201d said Food Bank Network of Somerset County Executive Director Steve Katz. \u201cThis is a great example of cooperation between government and non-profit organizations, and shows that collaboration between different organizations and different parts of our society is necessary to fight against something that has become as chronic as food insecurity.\u201d\n\nIn July, Congressman Kean announced that 18 Community Project Funding requests made by his office totaling $17,765,906, are included in key House funding bills for the upcoming fiscal year. Learn more HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-05T07:37:37Z", "2026-08-05T07:38:44Z"], ["https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases/kean-hosts-federal-transit-administration-westfield-train-station-alongside-nj", "Kean Hosts Federal Transit Administration at Westfield Train Station alongside NJ Transit Leadership", "2026-08-03", "2026", "2026-08", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Thomas H. Kean, Jr.", "K000398", "kean.house.gov", "kean", "https://kean.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(August 3, 2026) WESTFIELD, NJ \u2013 Last Wednesday, Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07) toured the Westfield Train Station alongside leadership from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and New Jersey Transit.\n\nBuilding upon his work in the New Jersey Senate, Congressman Kean has continued to advocate for a one-seat ride for commuters on the Raritan Valley Line between New Jersey and New York. Implementing a one-seat ride during peak hours will eliminate the need for commuters to transfer trains when travelling from New Jersey to Penn Station, saving hours of time with family and economic cost.\n\nIn June, Congressman Kean wrote to the Federal Railroad Administration in support of New Jersey\u2019s Transit\u2019s grant application for investments in the Hunter Flyover Project in Newark, NJ. Congressman Kean has also advocated for the completion of the Gateway Project. These projects are critical steps toward expanding one-seat ride service between the Raritan Valley Line and New York City.\n\n\u201cI am leading the fight in Congress to make sure the Gateway Tunnel Project is built to completion,\u201d said Congressman Kean. \u201cI have made Gateway a top priority because it is indispensable to our state\u2019s economy and the daily lives of thousands of commuters. From Gateway to the Hunter Flyover and improvements throughout the Raritan Valley Line, I will continue bringing federal, state, and local leaders together, fighting for the necessary investments, and keeping these projects moving forward until the job is done. I will not allow anyone to delay, diminish, or push aside any of New Jersey\u2019s critical transit priorities.\u201d\n\n\u201cFTA is proud to partner with Congressman Kean in delivering safe, reliable, and efficient transportation systems to New Jersey's 7th Congressional District,\u201d said FTA Associate Administrator for Communications and Government Affairs Connor Torossian. \u201cHe remains a strong advocate for the Garden State's needs in Washington. His advocacy here in Westfield this morning is a testament to that.\"\n\nIn November, he fought for a fare-free shuttle from the Lyons Train Station to the VA center in Bernards Township for local veterans. In 2024, Congressman Kean secured $1 million in federal funding through the Community Project Funding Process to provide a new community senior bus in the City of Linden to improve the city\u2019s transportation program for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities.\n\nCongressman Kean has also advocated for more robust Amtrak services to both the Trenton and Metropark stations, critical connection points on the Northeast Corridor, and has consistently advocated for funding for Amtrak and other transportation services through federal appropriations.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-04T07:35:49Z", "2026-08-04T07:37:27Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 447, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"party\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Republican", "p1": "NJ", "p2": "2026"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=NJ&year=2026", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 447, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=NJ&year=2026", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=NJ&year=2026", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 447, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=NJ&year=2026&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=NJ&year=2026", "results": [{"value": "NJ", "label": "NJ", "count": 447, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&year=2026", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=NJ&year=2026", "results": [{"value": "2026", "label": "2026", "count": 447, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=NJ", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2026-08-03,https~3A~2F~2Fkean~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia~2Fpress-releases~2Fkean-hosts-federal-transit-administration-westfield-train-station-alongside-nj", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?party=Republican&state=NJ&year=2026&_next=2026-08-03%2Chttps~3A~2F~2Fkean~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fmedia~2Fpress-releases~2Fkean-hosts-federal-transit-administration-westfield-train-station-alongside-nj&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 289.43831101059914, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}