{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where state = \"NJ\" and year = 2013 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365154", "<span class=\"kicker\">Washington Post editorial</span>'In international abduction cases, quiet diplomacy is not working'", "2013-12-30", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "SEAN GOLDMAN was 4 years old when his Brazilian-born mother took him from their New Jersey home for what Sean\u2019s father, David Goldman, thought would be a two-week vacation. Five years passed before the father again laid eyes on his son.\n\u201cIt was very painful,\u2019\u2019 David Goldman recalled. \u201cThe first time I saw him after nearly five years, he looked at me and asked me where have I been all this time. . . . He was told that I didn\u2019t love him, that I abandoned him, that I never wanted him.\u201d\u00a0\nThe only unusual feature of this story is that David Goldman eventually regained custody, though even after the boy\u2019s mother died in 2008 her Brazilian family continued to resist his efforts. He succeeded in part because Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.) relentlessly focused attention and pressure on the case. Now a bill written by Mr. Smith, the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act, has been approved by the House, 398 to 0, and is set for consideration in the Senate. But the State Department doesn\u2019t want the additional diplomatic tools the bill would provide.\nAccording to State, 1,144 children were reported abducted from the United States in 2012. There were 1,367 in 2011 and 1,492 in 2010. State Department officials say they work hard to get those children back \u2014 or at least to get the cases fairly adjudicated \u2014 but they can\u2019t or won\u2019t say how many of those abducted children remain overseas. That raises questions about their claims for success for \u201cquiet diplomacy.\u201d\nIn a letter to Mr. Smith, Robert E. Wallace, executive director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), said the abduction of children by a separated spouse is a particular problem for service members, especially in Japan. Mr. Wallace said the service members\u2019 appeals for help \u201care too often met with bad legal advice, misinformation or indifference. . . . It is time for the U.S. government to take concrete action.\u201d An organization of victimized parents said that the result of quiet diplomacy is \u201cthat the Government of Japan has not once assisted in returning a single abducted child.\u201d Japan at least is in the process of acceding to an international treaty on the subject; most countries have not done so.\nThe House bill provides for a series of graduated sanctions against countries that demonstrate a pattern of non-cooperation; it also would encourage the United States to negotiate agreements with countries that have not ratified the treaty. In both cases, the executive branch would act only if it chose to do so; the bill provides for a presidential waiver. Nonetheless, a State Department official told us putting tools in the tool kit would be counterproductive because U.S. officials would face pressure to use them and other countries would resent the implied threat.\nGiven the administration\u2019s inability to quantify its success, or to report any results at all, the argument for the status quo is not persuasive. An aide to Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, told us that the committee will take the measure up soon. We hope soon means soon. For thousands of parents deprived of the chance even to communicate with their children, quiet diplomacy isn\u2019t getting the job done. \u00a0http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/give-parents-more-tools-in-international-abduction-cases/2013/12/28/2d0a96aa-6c0e-11e3-aecc-85cb037b7236_story.html", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140222035637/http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-applauds-faa-selection-new-jersey-virginia-partnership-national-test-site", "LoBiondo Applauds FAA Selection of New Jersey-Virginia Partnership for National Test Site of Unmanned Aircraft Systems", "2013-12-30", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Frank LoBiondo", "L000554", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "MAYS LANDING, N.J. \u2013 U.S. Congressman Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02), Chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee, today applauded the announcement by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the joint application by the states of New Jersey and Virginia has been selected as one of the six national test sites for integrating commercial unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the national airspace. LoBiondo, working closely with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, led the New Jersey\u2019s Congressional efforts to secure the designation.\n\u201cToday\u2019s announcement is a GREAT way to kick off the New Year, promising significant economic opportunities in the aviation field particularly for South Jersey,\u201d lauded LoBiondo, chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee. \u201cA years-long effort has been spent on putting forth the strongest application - including forming a solid working partnership with Virginia - to ensure the FAA recognized our existing assets for this project. I appreciate Governor Christie\u2019s unwavering support throughout the process as well as the efforts of my Congressional colleagues and those working on the ground in South Jersey on our proposal.\u201d\nThe states\u2019 joint application was put forth by Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech) and Rutgers University with support from the Governors of New Jersey and Virginia. The other 5 test sites selected by the FAA are in: Alaska-Hawaii-Oregon; Nevada; North Dakota; Texas; and New York. UAS test sites will operate until February 2017 with the first site being operational within 180 days of today\u2019s announcement. There is no federal funding from the FAA for any test site.\nThe William J. Hughes FAA Technical Center will be the lead facilitator of data collected from each of the six test sites, working to safely integrate UAS into the national airspace as mandated by the 2012 FAA Authorization Act \u2013 a provision LoBiondo advocated for inclusion during the bill\u2019s drafting and debate. While each test site will have specific regulations to protect the privacy of surrounding residents and businesses, Congress continues to evaluate further legislative options to address civil liberty concerns.\n\u201cThe outstanding partnership between New Jersey and Virginia, between Governors Christie and McDonnell, between Rutgers and Virginia Tech and various state and private entities made for a winning result. Our cooperative efforts, in conjunction with the FAA Tech Center in Egg Harbor Township, will continue as our test site takes off and commercial unmanned aircraft systems open up new economic opportunities for our states,\u201d concluded LoBiondo.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365091", "<span class=\"kicker\">Trentonian Page 1</span>'Plainsboro mother seeks help from Congress to bring her kidnapped sons home'", "2013-12-24", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By Sherrina Navani, The Trentonian - All Bindu Philips wants for Christmas are her two young sons back, and thanks to a new bill passed by the House of Representatives, she may be closer than ever to getting her wish granted.\r\nMembers of the House voted unanimously, in early December, to pass a bill to help bring home American children abducted to overseas destinations. The legislation, dubbed, the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act of 2013, will help left behind parents of American children abducted to India, Japan, Egypt, India, Brazil, Russia, England and other countries where most are forced to live overseas and never return, according to Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th) \u2014 the author of the legislation and chairman of the House congressional panel which oversees human rights. \r\nNot all countries have signed The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, the standing international treaty which addresses parental abductions via the justice system. The treaty provides for the quick return of abducted children, and access rights to both parents. Sadly, even Hague signatories, like Brazil, often don\u2019t enforce its provisions. \r\n\u201cWhat we are asking the State Department to do with this bill, is to start accounting for all the children who have been abducted to other countries,\u201d said Jeff Sagnip, District Director for Smith, noting the State Department would be required to issue an annual report. \u201cIf this bill is passed, it cannot force abducting parents who have already taken their children to other countries, to bring them back, however it will start taking account of the thousands of U.S. children who are taken and held overseas. Also, local congressional leaders will become aware of all the children who are being kidnapped from their districts; it will help keep our government\u2019s attention on the cases and work to bring them home.\u201d\r\nThe Plainsboro township mother, Philips, has not seen her five-year-old twin sons, Albert Philip Jacob and Alfred William Jacob, since 2008. Her husband, Sunil Jacob, took the family on an impromptu vacation to India and decided to keep the kids there despite the mother\u2019s wishes. \r\nPhilips believes, her husband Sunil Jacob, was being investigated by the FBI regarding his official role as a Wealth Management Specialist for CitiBank and may have spooked the United States Naturalized Citizen, to run back to his homeland of Kerala India. \r\n\u201cIt was all a big shock to me, I had no idea what was going to happen when we left in December 2008 for the family vacation,\u201d said Phillips. \u201cThrough an investigation the Plainsboro Police and the FBI learned that he had been planning this for months in advance and he even had all of our belongings shipped to India, so when I got home there was nothing left, no car, no clothes, nothing.\u201d \r\nPhilips, whose husband banned her from having any contact with her children shortly after they arrived in India, decided to leave the county in the hopes that the United States legal system would expedite bringing her children back. However, her nightmare, which she believed would only last a month, has turned into a five-year battle that has taken her to the Indian Supreme Court, to her Legislators and now to the State Department. \r\nSmith, the FBI and a slew of lawmakers have listened to Philip\u2019s ordeal and have been champions of the proposed bill, which hopes to circumvent any future abductions. \r\nAs of late, Rep. Rush Holt (D-12th), has reached out to Taranjit Singh Sandhu , Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of India in Washington D.C., asking Sandhu to bridge the legal gap between the two countries. \r\nIf passed by the Senate, the law will recommend that the president withhold exchanges with countries that harbor kidnapped children. For example, U.S. development assistance, foreign aid or cultural exchanges may be delayed or withheld if the defiant country does not accept legal initiatives to return the child to their parent, based in the United States. \r\n\u201cI\u2019m completely cut-off from the children, they\u2019ve only seen me for 15 minutes in the last five years,\u201d said Philips as tears began to trickle from her eyes. \u201cBut I refuse to give up hope, I am clinging on, with the hope of being reunited with my children, and I cannot think anything else. I cannot give up on my hope.\u201d Above text was printed Dec. 24, 2013, and edited for clarity.  \r\nOriginal can be read at:  \r\nhttp://www.trentonian.com/government-and-politics/20131223/plainsboro-mother-seeks-help-from-congress-to-bring-her-kidnapped-sons-home", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=365088", "South Sudan Fighting Endangers Many", "2013-12-23", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The expanding fighting in the Republic of South Sudan has killed more than 500 people in recent days and injured four U.S. military personnel who were evacuating Americans and other foreigners from the country. The conflict endangers not only citizens of that country but threatens to negatively impact the country\u2019s neighbors and the international community, said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAlready more than 500 people are reported dead,\u201d said Smith. \u201cMore could be killed or injured, and not only in South Sudan\u2014the conflict may spread, threatening people in neighboring countries. The escalating fighting in South Sudan could likely lead to more terrorist activities in an already-volatile region. The Administration\u2019s call for a Christmas season cease-fire must be augmented by intense diplomacy with both sides.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0South Sudan, the world\u2019s newest nation, borders countries already troubled with terrorist activity by the Lord\u2019s Resistance Army (LRA) and various Islamic radical and other militia groups in the Central African Republic, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Analysts fear that a South Sudan distracted and divided by civil war would provide an easier operating ground for terrorist groups. The LRA terrorist group, notorious for kidnapping children and forcing them to serve as child soldiers, still operates in the region and poses a danger to the lives of civilians in all four countries. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Meanwhile, Islamic radicals have infiltrated countries in the region, most notably Somalia, but also Ethiopia and even Uganda. An unstable South Sudan will only further empower them by providing the kind of chaos in which the radicals thrive. The entire Sahel region of north-central Africa has been targeted, with Mali having been torn apart by their violent activities and nations such as Niger, Chad and Central African Republic continuing to be adversely affected by their militant and terroristic actions. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Last year\u2019s nine-month oil dispute between South Sudan and Sudan cut oil production from a combined 450,000 barrels per day to what amounted to a mere trickle, and isn\u2019t predicted to return to pre-crisis levels until 2017 at the earliest. The fighting in South Sudan further endangers that timetable as the northern hemisphere heads into winter, and therefore greater oil consumption. Because oil is the only major export for the South Sudanese economy, the economic impact of losing more of its oil production could bring additional suffering to the already-impoverished people of South Sudan.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-and-menendez-urge-president-obama-deliver-keynote-rutgers-university%E2%80%99s", "Pallone and Menendez Urge President Obama to Deliver Keynote at Rutgers University\u2019s Commencement in 2016", "2013-12-23", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) led members of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation in sending a letter to President Obama urging him to accept Rutgers University\u2019s invitation to deliver the keynote address for its 250th Anniversary Commencement in 2016.\u00a0 Rutgers University, which is located in Congressman Pallone\u2019s district, is one of the largest and most prestigious research universities in the nation.\n\u00a0\nBelow is the full text of the letter:\n\u00a0\nDecember 23, 2013\n\u00a0\nPresident Barack Obama\nThe White House\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW\nWashington, D.C. 20006\n\u00a0\nDear President Obama:\n\u00a0\nWe write to encourage you to accept Rutgers University\u2019s invitation to deliver the keynote address for its 250th Anniversary Commencement in 2016.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nRutgers is one of the largest and most prestigious research universities in the nation.\u00a0 Started as Queens College under the royal charter of George III on November 10, 1766, Rutgers is today a proud land-grant university and member of the Association of American Universities.\u00a0\u00a0 Founded ten years before the United States was even a country, Rutgers is one of the original nine colonial colleges and the only one to become a flagship state land-grant university.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\nRutgers has since grown to employ more than 25,000 faculty and staff in educating more than 65,000 full-time students on three campuses across the State of New Jersey.\u00a0 Rutgers students hail from all 50 states and more than 115 countries, and the university boasts 450,000 living alumni across the globe.\n\u00a0\nThroughout the university\u2019s long and distinguished history, Rutgers students and scholars have attained significant achievements in a variety of areas.\u00a0 In 1869, New Brunswick served as the location for the first intercollegiate football game, in which Rutgers bested Princeton 6-4.\u00a0 In 1952, Rutgers Professor Selman Waksman won the Nobel Prize for Medicine for research that led to the discovery of streptomycin, the first antibiotic effective against tuberculosis.\u00a0 Additionally, Rutgers students have been named Rhodes Scholars, Fulbright Fellows, Gates Cambridge Scholars, Churchill Scholars, Truman Scholars, Woodrow Wilson Scholars, and Udall Scholars.\u00a0 The faculty includes MacArthur \u201cGenius Award\u201d winners, National Medal of Science and National Medal of Technology recipients, Pulitzer Prize winners, and dozens of National Academies members.\n\u00a0\nRutgers prides itself on its commitment to diversity and has been recognized as one of the most diverse universities in the nation.\u00a0 Additionally, Rutgers is committed to introducing first-generation, low-income, and academically motivated students to the promises and opportunities of a college education through its Rutgers Future Scholars Program.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nWe are pleased to come together to support Rutgers University\u2019s invitation for you to address the graduates of the 250th anniversary commencement.\u00a0 Your attendance and participation will make this important milestone in Rutgers\u2019 history all the more memorable and auspicious.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nSincerely,\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nFRANK PALLONE, JR. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 ROBERT MENENDEZ\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 CORY BOOKER\nMember of Congress\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 United States Senator\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 United States Senator\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nDONALD PAYNE, JR.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 RODNEY FRELINGHUYSEN\nMember of Congress\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Member of Congress\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nROBERT ANDREWS\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 LEONARD LANCE\nMember of Congress\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Member of Congress\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nALBIO SIRES\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 FRANK LOBIONDO\nMember of Congress\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Member of Congress\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nRUSH HOLT\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 JON RUNYAN\nMember of Congress\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Member of Congress\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\nBILL PASCRELL, JR.\nMember of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sires.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-sires-applauds-3-billion-in-grant-funding-for-transit-resiliency", "Rep. Sires Applauds $3 Billion in Grant Funding for Transit Resiliency Projects", "2013-12-23", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Albio Sires", "S001165", "sires.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)\u2014Today, Congressman Albio Sires welcomed the announcement that $3 billion in competitive grant funding through the Federal Transit Administration\u2019s (FTA) Hurricane Sandy Resilience Program will be made available for public transportation resiliency projects in regions affected by Hurricane Sandy, including New Jersey. \u00a0\u00a0Earlier this month, Congressman Sires urged FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff to provide the additional grant funding as expeditiously as possible so that New Jersey can continue addressing future transit vulnerabilities.\n\u00a0\n\u201cHurricane Sandy was the worst transit disaster in United States history,\u201d said Congressman Sires.\u00a0 \u201cAmerican tax payers should not be asked to simply rebuild our critical infrastructure to the level it was before the storm.\u00a0 We must rebuild smarter and stronger to ensure that we don\u2019t find ourselves in the same position the next time a major storm hits.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\nThe Federal Transit Administration has already allocated $1.3 billion from the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2012 for locally prioritized resiliency projects. Public transportation providers will have until March 28, 2014 to submit applications for the Hurricane Sandy Resilience Program.\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=788", "Frelinghuysen: Protecting our Emergency Responders", "2013-12-20", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Rodney Frelinghuysen", "F000372", "frelinghuysen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Frelinghuysen Priority: Protecting our Emergency Responders\r\n\r\n\tWashignton, D.C. \u2013 With thousands of volunteer fire departments, first aid squads and emergency medical technicians (EMT) across the nation facing one of the unintended effects of the Affordable Care Act, the new healthcare law, U.S. Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) has written to the new head of the Internal Revenue Service on their behalf.\u00a0 Due to the law\u2019s requirements, fire departments and emergency squads must provide health insurance for volunteers working more than 30 hours a week. The current law stipulates that the \u2018employer mandate\u2019 must apply to organizations that have at least 50 employees, which can include multiple fire houses within one community.\r\n\r\n\tIn December, Frelinghuysen wrote to Acting Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Danny Wurfel, \u201cI am deeply concerned that subjecting fire departments and municipalities to this provision will result in services being reduced or eliminated.\u201d\u00a0 He followed up today with a letter to the new Commissioner of the IRS, John Koskinen.\r\n\r\n\t\u201cThe vast majority of volunteers I speak with do not expect to receive health insurance from their departments. Volunteer firefighters and EMS responders do not see their work as a career or a part-time job \u2013 it\u2019s a call to serve the community,\u201d Rodney said. \u201cAnd I know that volunteer fire and EMS departments operate on a shoe-string budget and they and their municipalities won\u2019t have the resources to pay for health insurance for their personnel. Without this new bureaucratic burden, most groups already have difficulty making ends meet.\u201d\u00a0\r\n\r\n\tRodney has cosponsored legislation that would exempt volunteer fire departments fire aid squads and emergency medical technicians (EMT) from providing health insurance to volunteers. However, until the bill is passed, fire chiefs and municipal leaders must wait to see how the situation will be resolved.\r\n\r\n\tVolunteers are vital in ensuring fire safety in New Jersey and across the nation. The National Volunteer Fire Council reports that there are 783,300 volunteer firefighters in the U.S. comprising 70% of firefighting force, and our nation has 20,050 volunteer departments.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364831", "<span class=\"kicker\">Asbury Park Press page one</span>Sean and David Goldman abduction bill could be approved this week", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By Susanne Cervenka, Asbury Park Press staff --  \r\n\u00a0  \r\n\u00a0It could be another Christmas surprise for David Goldman, the former Tinton Falls man whose son, Sean, was returned to him on Christmas Eve four years ago.\r\nThis time, the gift would be the passage of a law named for Goldman and his son that would help other families whose children have been kidnapped to foreign countries.\r\nAfter three years of negotiations, the \u201cSean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act\u201d is headed to the U.S. Senate, where it could be approved as soon as this week, said Rep. Chris Smith, who, along with Goldman, appeared at an editorial board meeting at the Asbury Park Press.\r\nSmith, R-N.J., said the Senate could take up the bill through unanimous consent, a procedure that would expedite the legislation\u2019s path to President Barack Obama\u2019s desk.\r\nSmith said he has not heard yet if Obama would sign the bill, but Goldman said Obama was supportive of his mission when he was a senator and intervened soon after becoming president.\r\nThe legislation would set up a series of sanctions against countries that persistently fail to follow either the Hague Abduction Conventions, a 1980 international treaty that bars parents from fleeing to other countries until custody is decided, or similar agreements the United States would make with countries that haven\u2019t signed on to that treaty.\r\nSean Goldman, now 13, is the only U.S. child so far to be returned under the Hague treaty, which is signed by more than 80 countries, but rarely is enforced.\r\nChildren who have come home do so most often because of an agreement reached between both parents, not because of judicial orders by foreign courts, Goldman said.\r\nThe sanctions, which range from the president making a private appeal to suspending or revoking economic aide, are key to the legislation, which Smith said amps up the Hague treaty by putting political pressure on countries that harbor parents. The law also would require the U.S. Department of State, with the parents\u2019 permission, to notify federal lawmakers, who represent left-behind parents, of the abduction so they can put pressure on their diplomatic counterparts.\r\n\u201cIf you don\u2019t have a penalty phase, enforcing a global human rights standard becomes meaningless,\u201d Smith said. \u201cCountries do not sharpen their response and become responsive unless they know there is a potential penalty phase.\u201d\r\n Sean is in a 'safe place' \r\nThe bill passed the House with a 398-0 vote, a seemingly impossible feat in the increasingly cantankerous Congress.\r\nGoldman, however, sees nothing partisan in bringing American children home to settle custody disputes.\r\nGoldman\u2019s wife, Bruna Bianchi, took Sean, then 4, from New Jersey to Brazil on what Goldman thought was a two-week trip to visit family. Bianchi remarried, then died in childbirth, which set off the high-profile international fight to return Sean home.\r\nGoldman said cases like his, where the children have been living in the United States before one parent takes them abroad, are often wrongly characterized as international custody cases instead of abduction cases.\r\nBut once abroad, the country harboring the parent abductor treat the case as a straight custodial case, where laws often aren\u2019t the same as the United States.\r\nGoldman, 47, incurred upwards of $700,000 in debt for legal bills in both countries, plane tickets, extended hotel stays and translation costs in the fight to bring his son home from Brazil.\r\nThis legislation would help reduce the financial damage families face along with emotional turmoil the separation case inflict by speeding up the children\u2019s return to the United States, he said.\r\n\u201cThe quicker the remedy, the less the costs,\u201d said Goldman, who established the Bring Sean Home Foundation to help other families. He has since moved from his Tinton Falls home, but has not said where he is living now. Goldman has remarried.\r\nSean has visited with his Brazilian grandmother about three or four times since, at least twice in the past year, he said. Those visits occurred here with Sean\u2019s therapist.\r\nThe focus now has been to give Sean as normal of a childhood as possible, Goldman said.\r\nGoldman said he keeps a watchful eye on Sean as any parent would, but no longer fears when his son will be home.\r\nOriginally published at:\r\nhttp://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013312160061", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://payne.house.gov/press-release/payne-requests-presidential-proclamation", "Payne Requests Presidential Proclamation", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Donald Payne", "P000604", "payne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) authored and sent a letter to President Barack Obama requesting he issue a presidential proclamation designating March 2014 National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. \u00a0One-hundred and forty-six Members of Congress signed onto the letter in support of Rep. Payne, Jr.\u2019s efforts.\n\u00a0\nEarlier this year, Rep. Payne, Jr. introduced House Resolution 69 designating March 2013 as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Please see the letter to President Obama below:\n\u00a0\nDecember 16, 2013\n\u00a0\nPresident Barack Obama\nThe White House\n1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW\nWashington, DC 20500\n\u00a0\nDear Mr. President:\n\u00a0\nEvery March the colorectal cancer community honors those who are fighting or have lost their battle with colorectal cancer by holding special events to raise awareness about the disease, including symptoms, risk factors, and screening tests. We ask that you join us in spreading the message about colorectal cancer prevention and early detection by issuing a proclamation designating March 2014 as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.\n\u00a0\nDespite being one of the most preventable types of cancer, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men and women in the United States and costs our health care system approximately $14 billion annually. The lifetime risk of getting colorectal cancer is one in 20. This year, an estimated 135,000 individuals in the United States will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and more than 50,000 individuals will die from the disease.\n\u00a0\nColorectal cancer is largely preventable thanks to effective screening tools. Yet, one in three adults between the ages 50 and 75 are not up to date with recommended colorectal cancer screenings. Patients with localized colorectal cancer have a five-year survival rate of 90 percent, but only 39 percent of all diagnoses occur at this stage due, in part, to the underuse of screenings. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that if every individual aged 50 or older had regular screening tests, as many as 60 percent of deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented. However, there is a great need to increase education and awareness about screenings.\n\u00a0\nLack of education and awareness are the biggest barriers to reducing death and suffering from colorectal cancer. While more than 90 percent of colorectal cancer cases are diagnosed in those aged 50 and older, anyone at any age can get colorectal cancer. Knowing the signs and symptoms of colorectal cancer is critical to an early diagnosis and timely medical intervention. Through education and awareness, we can erase the myths, stigma and embarrassment that are sometimes associated with colorectal cancer and screening, and we can remind the American public about healthy lifestyles that reduce the risk of colorectal cancer and other diseases.\n\u00a0\nThank you for considering our request for a proclamation designating March 2014 as National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.\n\u00a0\nSincerely,\n\u00a0\nDonald M. Payne, Jr.\nRobert Andrews\nRon Barber\nKaren Bass\nJoyce Beatty\nDan Benishek\nSanford Bishop\nEarl Blumenauer\nRobert Brady\nSusan Brooks\nCorrine Brown\nJulia Brownley\nG.K. Butterfield\nLois Capps\nMichael Capuano\nMatthew Cartwright\nAndre Carson\nKathy Castor\nJason Chaffetz\nDonna Christensen\nYvette Clarke\nWilliam Lacy Clay\nEmanuel Cleaver\nJames Clyburn\nHoward Coble\nMike Coffman\nGerald Connolly\nJohn Conyers\nJim Cooper\nJoe Courtney\nAnder Crenshaw\nJoseph Crowley\nElijah Cummings\nDonna Edwards\nKeith Ellison\nElliot Engel\nSam Farr\nChaka Fattah\nMichael Fitzpatrick\nLois Frankel\nRodney Frelinghuysen\nMarcia Fudge\nDanny Davis\nSusan Davis\nPeter DeFazio\nTheodore Deutch\nRosa DeLauro\nCharles Dent\nMichael Doyle\nTulsi Gabbard\nSam Graves\nScott Garrett\nAl Green\nRaul Grijalva\nTrey Gowdy\nLuis Gutierrez\nAlcee Hastings\nBrian Higgins\nRuben Hinojosa\nMichael Honda\nRush Holt\nSteven Horsford\nSteve Israel\nDarrell Issa\nShelia Jackson Lee\nHakeem Jeffries\nEddie Bernice Johnson\nWilliam Keating\nRobin Kelly\nJoseph Kennedy\nDaniel Kildee\nDerek Kilmer\nRon Kind\nPeter King\nAnn Kuster\nRaul Labrador\nLeonard Lance\nBarbara Lee\nSander Levin\nJohn Lewis\nFrank LoBiondo\nBilly Long\nAlan Lowenthal\nMichelle Lujan Grisham\nDaniel Maffei\nCarolyn Maloney\nSean Maloney\nBetty McCollum\nJames McGovern\nMark Meadows\nPatrick Meehan\nGregory Meeks\nGwen Moore\nJames Moran\nPatrick Murphy\nJerrold Nadler\nJanet Napolitano\nRichard Neal\nEleanor Holmes Norton\nFrank Pallone\nBill Pascrell\nEd Perlmutter\nColin Peterson\nThomas Petri\nTed Poe\nJared Polis\nNick Rahall\nCharles Rangel\nTom Rice\nCedric Richmond\nDavid Roe\nDana Rohrabacher\nEdward Royce\nJon Runyan\nBobby Rush\nLinda Sanchez\nJames Sensenbrenner\nJose Serrano\nTerri Sewell\nJanice Schakowsky\nAdam Schiff\nBobby Scott\nDavid Scott\nAlbio Sires\nLouise Slaughter\nChris Smith\nJackie Speier\nEric Swalwell\nMark Takano\nBennie Thompson\nGlenn Thompson\nMichael Thompson\nJohn Tierney\nDina Titus\nPaul Tonko\nNiki Tsongas\nChris Van Hollen\nJuanVargas\nMarc Veasey\nFilemon Vela\nNydia Velazquez\nJackie Walorski\nMaxine Waters\nFrederica Wilson\nTed Yoho\nDon Young\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sires.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-sires-introduces-bill-to-enhance-our-economy", "Congressman Sires Introduces Bill to Enhance our Economy", "2013-12-18", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Albio Sires", "S001165", "sires.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.) \u2013 Last week, Congressman Albio Sires introduced H.R. 3768, the Promoting Tourism to Enhance our Economy Act. A bill that will allow Canadian citizens who bring millions of dollars into the U.S. economy to continue to conveniently and safely travel between our shared borders.\n\u201cIncreasing tourism and encouraging Canadians to continue to visit the U.S. will grow our economy, better relationships with our neighbors to the north and bring money into the U.S. at no cost to the taxpayer,\u201d said Congressman Sires.\nOver 400,000 people cross the U.S. \u2013Canada border daily and our state of New Jersey sells more goods to Canada than any other country in the world.\u00a0 This produces over $16 billion in trade and impacts over 227,000 New Jersey jobs. The Promoting Tourism to Enhance our Economy Act is a responsible way to bring additional jobs and revenue into not just the state of New Jersey but the entire country.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364712", "Jacob Ostreicher Back in the U.S.A.", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Jacob Ostreicher, an American businessman imprisoned without formal charges for 20 months in Bolivia, then detained for\u00a0 nearly other year, is finally back in the United States, said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), a leading human rights advocate in Congress. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWe are overjoyed that he is free,\u201d Smith said. \u201cIt has been a long, painful road for Jacob and his family. He needs time to restore his health and rebuild his life, and he needs time with his family. A great injustice has been done to him from which he may never fully recover.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI thank Sean Penn for his tireless work to free Jacob,\u201d said Smith, who held a May 2013 congressional hearing at which Penn testified. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Two and a half years ago, Jacob was imprisoned on unsubstantiated allegations. Bolivian officials employed delay tactics and gave excuses for his continued detention. No evidence has been presented to indicate that Mr. Ostreicher is guilty of any crime. And there is no sign of the $27 million in assets from his rice farming operation that were confiscated.\nPHOTO: Following Smith\u2019s May 20, 2013 congressional hearing on Jacob's plight, Smith and Penn discuss the case.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith visited Ostreicher\u2014whose daughter and grandchildren live in Smith district\u2014twice in Bolivia. Bail was denied for over 18 months, but finally granted in December 2012. Smith visited him in June 2012 in the notorious Palmasano, a prisoner-run prison, and met with Bolivian officials to seek his release. In December 2012, Smith led a bipartisan congressional delegation to continue to press for his freedom, accompanied by Rep. Nydia Vel\u00e1zquez. \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Smith has held three congressional hearings on the case. Ostreicher is now especially frail, due in part to his hunger strike to protest his imprisonment. During his confinement, he began treatment for Parkinson\u2019s disease. \n\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0During the June 2012 visit, Smith met with the Bolivian Minister of Government, Carlos Romero, to detail Ostreicher\u2019s story of injustice, including repeated court delays and complete lack of evidence against him. Romero told Smith he would investigate Jacob\u2019s treatment.\u00a0 Over the past year, numerous people have been arrested in the case on charges of corruption, including the legal adviser to the Ministry of Government, Fernando Rivera. Smith personally observed Rivera interfering in the June court proceedings. Bolivian media reported that Romero stated he first became interested in the case as a result of his meeting with Smith. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith formally requested that U.S. Assistant Secretary of State of Western Hemisphere Affairs Roberta Jacobson personally intervene on Ostreicher\u2019s behalf.\u00a0 After visiting with Ostreicher at the prison, Smith met with high-ranking Bolivian officials, including Minister of Government Romero, Minister of Justice Cecilia Luisa Ayllon and Vice Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Alurralde, to discuss the case. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In August of 2012, Smith held a second hearing on Ostreicher\u2019s case entitled \u201cSeeking Freedom for American Trapped in Bolivian Prison.\u201d Chairman Smith also introduced \u201cJacob\u2019s Law\u201d (H.R. 1778). Jacob\u2019s Law would prohibit the travel of foreign officials and their families\u2019 to the United States if those officials are known to be complicit in the violation of fundamental human and due process rights of Americans imprisoned in their home country.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-calls-extension-unemployment-insurance", "Pallone Calls for Extension of Unemployment Insurance", "2013-12-17", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014On Tuesday, December 17, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) spoke at the Puerto Rican Association for Human Development (PRAHD) in Perth Amboy, NJ about the importance of unemployment benefits for out-of-work New Jerseyans.\u00a0 Congressman Pallone discussed the urgent need to renew the Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program, which provides up to 47 weeks of federally funded unemployment assistance, and is set to expire on December 28, 2013.\u00a0 Pallone called on Speaker of the House John Boehner to reconvene the House of Representatives to extend this critical lifeline to the long-term unemployed.\u00a0\n\u201cIt is unacceptable that the budget deal agreed to in the House last week did not include an extension of federal unemployment insurance,\u201d said Congressman Pallone.\u00a0 \u201c1.3 million Americans\u2014and 90,000 New Jerseyans\u2014should not be wondering how they will make ends meet this holiday season.\u00a0 Republicans are giving job seekers across the country a lump of coal in their stocking this year by turning their back on those who need assistance the most.\u201d\nLast week, Congressman Pallone, along with 176 House Democrats, sent a letter to Speaker Boehner urging him not to adjourn the House of Representatives for the year without extending vital unemployment insurance that is set to expire during the holidays, immediately cutting off aid to 1.3 million Americans.\u00a0 An additional 1.9 million Americans will lose their benefits in the first half of 2014 as their 26 weeks of state benefits run out.\nThe EUC program, authorized by Congress in 2008, has provided crucial support to the economy and to millions of Americans who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own.\u00a0 The EUC program provides up to 47 weeks of federally funded unemployment benefits when job seekers exhaust their 26 weeks of state administered aid. \u00a0\nFounded in 1974, the Puerto Rican Association for Human Development (PRAHD) aims to improve the social, economic, health and educational status of the surrounding community.\u00a0 Since its founding, the agency has grown and expanded to become a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) certified comprehensive social service agency.\u00a0 PRAHD operates 16 programs that offer a wide range of services to more than 17,000 clients throughout Middlesex, Essex, Union, Monmouth and Ocean counties.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364832", "The Record: Returning children", "2013-12-16", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "IT'S RARE to see Congress agree on anything, so it was heartening to see a 398-0 vote Wednesday in the House of Representatives in support of a bill to help parents whose children were abducted by a spouse or other family member to live in another country. -There are existing laws that are supposed to help parents engaged in an international custody battle, such as the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. But the reality is that they aren't very effective. Rep. Chris Smith, a Republican from Mercer County, authored the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act of 2013, which was unanimously approved in the House on Wednesday. It would increase the oversight on child abduction cases and give the State Department more power to help resolve them. David Goldman, of Tinton Falls, spent five years apart from his son, Sean, after the boy's mother took him to Brazil and her parents tried to win custody after the mother died. Smith pressured the State Department and made two trips to Brazil with Goldman. They eventually succeeded in getting Sean back after Sen. Frank Lautenberg said he would block action on a trade bill Brazil wanted. Most \"left-behind parents,\" as they're called, haven't been as fortunate as Goldman. Smith said that each year, more than 1,000 international child abductions are reported to the State Department's Office on Children's Issues. Some of these are military members whose service keeps them from being able to attend legal proceedings in the United States or abroad. Smith said that according to State Department reports, only about half of the children abducted to countries that are part of the Hague Abduction Convention are returned. And the percentage is less than 40 percent when the children are taken to countries without treaty obligations to the U.S. The bill would make it clear that reuniting parents with their children is a priority for the U.S. government. Part of its guidelines would require the State Department to file an annual report on the number of abductions and which countries have shown a pattern of non-cooperation. The bill grants the president the power to authorize an escalating series of actions as deemed necessary to resolve an abduction case. These include: a public condemnation, a delay or canceling of scientific or cultural exchanges, denying or canceling state visits and holding back development or security assistance. The last item in the list of actions allows the president to order U.S. agencies to withhold licenses to export goods or technologies to a country that continues to be uncooperative with efforts to resolve international child abductions. Originally published at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/opinions/235973401_The_Record__Returning_children.html#sthash.6D2WOy53.dpuf", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364361", "<span class=\"kicker\">Asbury Park Press page one</span>'Child abduction bill passes House with no opposition'", "2013-12-14", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Written by Malia Rulon Herman, Gannett News Service -- \r\nThe House voted unanimously on Wednesday to pass legislation from Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey that aims to crack down on countries that harbor children abducted by a parent.\r\nThe bill was named for David Goldman of Tinton Falls, whose five-year fight to get his son back from Brazil drew international attention. Goldman\u2019s son Sean was returned to him on Christmas Eve almost exactly four years ago. \u201cToday, we have hope,\u201d Goldman told reporters shortly before the vote. \u201cOur abducted American children need to be returned.\u201d\r\nSmith\u2019s bill passed 398-0, an impressive show of bipartisan support that Smith says should help the bill attract support in the Senate.\r\nThe bill would give the U.S. government authority to pursue sanctions \u2014 from a public rebuke to trade and credit suspensions \u2014 on countries that refuse to turn over abducted children.\r\nUnder the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, parents are barred from fleeing to another country with their children until a court determines custody. Some 81 countries are signatories, but the treaty is rarely enforced.\r\nSmith, a Republican, said he hopes his legislation creates a system in which countries are held accountable for failing to comply with court orders to return abducted children.\r\nHe was joined by Goldman and six other families who are struggling to get their children back from other countries. In an hour-long news conference that evoked tears from several present, the parents took turns telling their stories.\r\nBindu Philips of Plainsboro, N.J., said she was never apart from her children for more than a day until five years ago, when her ex-husband took them to India and blocked all efforts to have them returned.\r\n\u201cI have done everything I can in this nightmarish situation, and I will never give up,\u201d she said..\r\nBarton Hermer of Plano, Texas, told of struggling to get his daughter back from her mother, who fled with her to the United Kingdom.\r\n\u201cI plead to you, to the media, to the government, please stand behind us,\u201d he said, choking back tears. \u201cThese are our most precious citizens and they need to be brought home immediately.\u201d Goldman\u2019s son, Sean, remains the only U.S. child to be returned under the Hague treaty. He was 9 when he came home in 2009 and is now 13. \r\nAfter taking Sean, who was then 4, to Brazil, Goldman\u2019s wife remarried, then died in childbirth. Her death sparked an international custody battle that ended with Sean\u2019s emotional return to the U.S..\r\nGoldman has remarried and is raising Sean along with his wife\u2019s two young sons. He described Sean as a well-adjusted, 5-foot-10-inch eighth grader who loves to play basketball and go fishing, and has an incredibly messy room.\r\n\u201cHe made the basketball travel team and also the school team,\u201d Goldman gushed, flipping through photos of Sean on his phone before flashing one of Sean holding a fish he caught on a recent deep-sea fishing trip.\r\nGoldman said their years apart couldn\u2019t break the bond between him and his son, but there are lingering effects. He said he\u2019s still in debt after years of legal battles. He described Sean as \u201cwise beyond his years.\u201d\r\n\u201cHe knows what happened,\u201d Goldman said. \u201cWe talk about it.\u201d\r\nAs Christmas Eve approaches, the fourth anniversary of Sean\u2019s return, Goldman said he\u2019s reminded of how lucky he is.\r\nOriginally Dec. 12, 2013 published at:\u00a0  \r\n\u00a0  \r\n\u00a0http://www.app.com/article/C0/20131212/NJNEWS10/312120012/Child-abduction-bill-passes-House-no-opposition?nclick_check=1", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364359", "<span class=\"kicker\">Fox News Channel</span>Smith Presses Cases of Americans Held in Iran", "2013-12-13", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "FOX NEWS - \r\nThe wife of an American pastor imprisoned for his faith in Iran said she was shocked to learn the U.S. government had been conducting secret negotiations with Iran even as State Department officials told her they could do little to free her husband because the nations have no diplomatic relations. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Naghmeh Abedini, whose husband, Saeed Abedini, is serving an eight-year prison term in Iran after being arrested more than a year ago while visiting his homeland, told FoxNews.com she felt betrayed when she later learned U.S. diplomats were negotiating a nuclear agreement with Iran even while claiming nothing could be done for her husband. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cInitially, when I went to the U.S. government, they said we don\u2019t have a direct relationship with Iran,\" Naghmeh Abdeini said, moments after telling a House Foreign Affairs subcommittee her husband's health is failing in prison. \"Here we were sitting across table from Iran. It was our best leverage. It should have been a precondition.\"\"Here we were sitting across table from Iran. It was our best leverage. It should have been a precondition.\" \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"Here we were sitting across table from Iran. It was our best leverage. It should have been a precondition.\"- Naghmeh Abedini, wife of American imprisoned in Iran. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Boise, Idaho, mother of two said her husband's relatives in Iran have been able to meet with him sporadically, and have given her grim news about his condition. She said the imprisoned American's father saw Abedini 10 days ago and reported that has internal bleeding from repeated beatings at the hands of guards and fellow inmates and was covered with lice. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who chairs the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, said \"time is running out\" for Abedini, who experts believe would be unlikely to survive eight years in Iran\u2019s brutal prison system.  \r\n\r\nWatch the latest video at video.foxnews.com\r\n  \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith said Abedini and two other Americans being held in Iran should have been the first order of business when U.S. and Iranian diplomats sat down for talks, sometime earlier this year.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"You begin every conversation with it; it should be center of every conversation and every conversation should end with it,\u201d Smith told FoxNews.com. \u201cHow can we have a discussion with any regime when they are torturing our citizens?\" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Earlier, lawmakers on the panel heard the distraught wife detail her fears for her husband and the heartbreak she and their two children feel due to his absence. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"His condition has worsened and the kids and I fear his life,\" she said, before holding up a photograph of her children on their first day of school. \"Tears were streaming down my face as I got the kids ready for school with their father missing.\" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Abedini \"went to Iran to build an orphanage for Iranian children last year\" and \"remains in an absolute hell-hole prison,\" Smith told the committee. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A U.S. State Department official. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"We continue to have serious concerns about the fate of a dual national U.S.-Iranian detained in Iran Saeed Abedini,\" the official said. \"As we noted previously, President Obama raised Mr. Abedini\u2019s case in his Sept. 27 phone call with President [Hassan] Rouhani and we continue to urge the Iranian government to release Mr. Abedini so that he may be reunited with his family. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"We have been repeatedly clear\u00a0that we are calling on Iran to\u00a0release all detained U.S. citizens and we will continue our efforts until Saeed Abedini, Amir Hekmati, and Robert Levinson all return\u00a0home,\" the official added. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Abedini converted from Islam to Christianity more than a decade ago, and was previously sanctioned for evangelizing in Iran. But the 34-year-old father of two claims he had only returned to his native land to help establish an orphanage when authorities pulled him off a bus in August of 2012 and threw him into the notorious Evin prison in Tehran.  \r\n\u00a0  \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0He was later sentenced to eight years and has since been moved to Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj, a prison known to house Iran\u2019s most violent criminals. His supporters say he has been beaten and tortured in the prison. According to reports, Rajai Shahr Prison was built to accommodate 5,000 inmates, but at present houses about 22,000, which has led to severe overcrowding and inhumane conditions. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0`Hekmati, a U.S. Marine who went to Iran to visit his grandparents, was charged with spying and sentenced to death. Levinson, a former FBI agent who disappeared in March, 2007, while investigating cigarette smuggling on the Kish Islands. Iran has said they are not holding Levinson, but U.S. officials believe otherwise.\r\n\u00a0\r\nLisa Daftari is a Fox News contributor specializing in Middle Eastern affairs.\r\nOriginally Published ar:\r\nhttp://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/12/12/wife-american-pastor-held-in-iran-blasts-obama-administration-for-not-doing/", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sires.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/sires-votes-to-normalize-the-budget-process", "Sires Votes to Normalize the Budget Process", "2013-12-13", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Albio Sires", "S001165", "sires.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C)- Last night, Congressman Sires voted in favor of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 and Pathway for Sustainable Growth in Medicare Reform Act of 2013 (H.J. Res. 59).\u00a0 This resolution was a blueprint for future budgets.\u00a0 The bipartisan budget agreement caps topline discretionary spending for the current fiscal year at $1.012 trillion, and provides $63 billion in sequestration relief over the next two years.\n\u201cWhile this agreement is not perfect, it is a step in the right direction in preventing manufactured budget crises that has plagued Congress for the last several years. I am particularly pleased that this deal not only increases funding for defense measures, but also increases funding for critical non-defense domestic programs, such as Head Start and the National Institutes of Health.\u00a0 Furthermore, savings in this agreement are not done at the expense of programs that families and seniors depend on - the bipartisan deal does not cut one penny from Medicare, Social Security, or Medicaid benefits,\u201d expressed Congressman Sires.\nSpecifically, the agreement includes approximately $85 billion in mandatory savings and non-tax revenue.\u00a0 It accomplishes this through a number of deficit-reduction provisions, including a small increase in retirement contributions by new Federal employees and a tiny increase in security-related fees charged by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).\u00a0 Overall, the agreement would reduce the deficit by $23 billion over the next ten years.\u00a0 In addition, the proposal would prevent a 24 percent scheduled cut in Medicare reimbursements to physicians through a small incremental increase in payments to doctors that accept Medicare through March 31, 2014.\u00a0 Repealing the scheduled cut will ensure that seniors continue to have access to their health care providers.\n\u201cUnfortunately, one glaring omission from this agreement is a proposal to extend unemployment insurance (UI) to the long term unemployed. Not only is extending unemployment insurance the right thing to do, but it is also good for the American economy. I have cosponsored H.R. 3546, the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2013, which would extend EUC payments for eligible recipients through January 1, 2015. I will continue to fight for the extension of unemployment benefits as we go forward,\u201d stated Congressman Sires.\nH.J.Res. 59 is now under review before the Senate.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364230", "Fate of American Pastor Held in Iran Focus of House Hearing", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The plight of imprisoned Iranian-American Saeed Abedini was the topic of a congressional hearing Thursday chaired by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights issues.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAs we speak, Pastor Abedini remains imprisoned in Iran, sharing a cell with violent criminals who have more than once surrounded Pastor Abedini as he tried to sleep, wielding knives and threatening his life,\u201d Smith said. \u201cSaeed Abedini is an American citizen. He went to Iran last year to build an orphanage for Iranian children.\u201d Abedini, who lives in Boise, Idaho with his wife and two children, had been arrested in Iran before, but released and told by the government he could enter and exit the country for humanitarian aid work if he agreed to cease pastoring house churches. Abedini accepted that proposal\u2013but Iran did not uphold its end of the agreement. He was arrested in July 2012, imprisoned, and unjustly tried for sharing his religious beliefs and thereby supposedly undermining the security of Iran. The trial was not public, and he and his attorney were barred from participating in key portions of the trial\u2014following which a judge sentenced him to 8 years in prison. His appeals have been denied. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIn prison, he has been repeatedly beaten, denied medical care, and held in solitary confinement.\u00a0 While nuclear talks played out on the world stage\u2014Iran moved Pastor Abedini to a prison notorious for housing the worst criminals in Iran, Rajai Shahr,\u201d Smith said.Click here to read Smith\u2019s statement. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Despite international diplomacy and negotiations on its nuclear program, the Iranian government transferred him from a prison commonly holding political prisoners, Evin Prison, to the notoriously dangerous Rajai Shahr Prison in Karaj for violent criminals. According to onerecent AP report, \u201cTransfer to Karaj, customarily used to house violent criminals, has all too frequently been a de facto death sentence for political prisoners.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Naghmeh Abedini\u2014wife of Pastor Abedini\u2014testified about the persecution of her husband. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWhile I am thankful for President Obama\u2019s willingness to express concern about my husband and the other imprisoned Americans in Iran during his recent phone conversation with Iran\u2019s new president, Hassan Rouhani, I was devastated to learn that the Administration didn\u2019t even ask for my husband\u2019s release when directly seated across the table from the leaders of the government that holds him captive,\u201d she said. \u201cMy husband is suffering because he is a Christian. He is suffering because he is an American. Yet, his own government at least the Executive and diplomatic representatives has abandoned him. Don\u2019t we owe it to him as a nation to stand up for his human rights, for his freedom?\u201d Click here to read her remarks. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Rep. Smith and other members also mentioned the U.S. government\u2019s refusal to link the nuclear talks with the release of Pastor Abedini and two other Americans Bob Levinson, and Amir Hekmati, unjustly imprisoned in Iran. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The hearing, \u201cIran\u2019s Persecution of American Pastor Abedini,\u201d was held jointly by the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations (chaired by Rep. Smith) and the Subcommittee Middle East and North Africa. \n\u00a0  \n\u00a0  \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Witnesses, who focused on the plight of the imprisoned cleric and the need to protect religious freedoms, also includedDr. Katrina Lantos Swett, Vice Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; and Jordan Sekulow, Executive Director, American Center for Law and Justice, and; Dr. Daniel Calingaert, Executive Vice President of Freedom House. (Click on the names to read their testimony.) Click here to watch the hearing. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Iranian regime harshly persecutes Christians in particular, but also Sunni and Sufi sects of Muslims, and those of the Baha\u2019i faith, Swett said.  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIran\u2019s abuses against religious freedom and its unrelenting crackdown on religious minorities are deplorable and demand the world\u2019s attention and action,\u201d Swett said. \u201cThis is a matter of great urgency. We are concerned that the Iranian government may use the current interim agreement with the United States and other western nations on the nuclear issue to divert the world\u2019s attention from the increasing mistreatment of Christians and other religious minorities throughout the nation. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIf religious minorities in Iran ever needed a voice to condemn Iran\u2019s abusive practices, it is now,\u201d Swett said. \u201cWe hope that in his continued talks with Iranian President Rouhani, President Obama will lend his voice to the continued plight of Christians and other religious minorities, insisting that Iran demonstrate its commitment to peaceful intentions abroad by ceasing its war at home against its own people and their fundamental rights, including the right of freedom of religion or belief.\u201d  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sekulow said, \u201cThe Islamic Republic of Iran has arbitrarily detained and imprisoned Pastor Saeed \u2013 subjecting him to violence and abuse. Violating both Iranian law and international norms, his trial lacked transparency and due process, and yet, the appeals court in Tehran upheld his conviction and eight year prison sentence. Pastor Saeed has exhausted all legal remedies in Iran to appeal this arbitrary conviction and detention \u2013 his freedom now rests solely on the success of diplomatic efforts by the U.S. government and world leaders dedicated to human rights.\u201d  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Calingaert said, \u201cIn his campaign for the presidency of Iran, Hassan Rouhani repeatedly promised to release all political prisoners and to make a change \u2018in favor of free speech and media freedom. The record of his first four months in office shows otherwise. He has yet to live up to these promises.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-announces-28-million-union-beach-and-middlesex-county-utilities-authority", "Pallone Announces $2.8 Million for Union Beach and Middlesex County Utilities Authority Projects", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC\u00a0\u2014 Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that Union Beach and the Middlesex County Utilities Authority will be receiving more than $2.8 million in federal funding for continued projects as a result of Superstorm Sandy. The funding is being provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) via the Sandy aid package Pallone fought for in Congress.\n\u201cThese grants help to lessen the financial hit that our local governments still face as communities continue to recover from Sandy,\u201d said Congressman Pallone.\u00a0 \u201cAnd as we work to rebuild, we have a unique opportunity to improve our public infrastructure so it is stronger and can withstand future storms. I am grateful that FEMA recognizes the importance of these ongoing efforts in New Jersey.\u201d\nThis award provides $1,527,218.16 in federal funding to Union Beach for costs associated with loading, hauling and disposing of debris after Superstorm Sandy. Superstorm Sandy hit Union Beach particularly hard and federal assistance is critical to its efforts to rebuild and recover.\nThe Middlesex County Utilities Authority will also receive $1,340,015.46 in federal funding to provide bypass pumping for the Sayreville sewage treatment plant that was damaged as a result of Superstorm Sandy. This grant is in addition to the\u00a0$1.1 million that the Middlesex County Utilities Authority was awarded in January 2013 to repair the damaged pump station and install and operate a surge diversion facility to minimize surges to the pump station in the event of a future storm.\u00a0The station pumps sewage from 30 municipalities in Middlesex and Somerset Counties.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140222035723/http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-votes-ryan-murray-bipartisan-budget", "LoBiondo Votes For Ryan-Murray Bipartisan Budget", "2013-12-12", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Frank LoBiondo", "L000554", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Congressman Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) today issued the following statement after voting in favor of the Ryan-Murray Bipartisan Budget \u2013 agreed to by Representative Paul Ryan (WI-01) and Senator Patty Murray (WA) - which sets discretionary federal spending for fiscal years 2014 and 2015:\n\u201cWhether it was meeting with members of our Chambers of Commerce, visiting local employers or speaking with county and municipal officials, the message I heard for the past couple of years has been the same: the uncertainty coming from Washington stymies economic growth and job creation. This budget provides the long-term stability and fiscal certainty businesses and local governments have pleaded for. It represents a realistic compromise on discretionary spending levels to ensure military readiness and national security while protecting life-saving research and infrastructure investments from additional cuts. And it prevents another government shutdown while demonstrating Congress\u2019 ability to come together on critical issues for Americans and our economy.\n\u201cAs we look to 2014, it is my sincere hope that the bipartisan spirit and results continue to other critical issues such as deficit reduction, preserving Medicare and Social Security, immigration reform and tax reform. We\u2019ve taken a small, but important first step with this bipartisan budget \u2013 I hope we continue to move in the right direction towards increasing economic growth while decreasing the nation\u2019s $17 trillion debt.\u201d\nThe last budget passed by a divided government \u2013 where Republicans control one chamber of Congress while Democrats control the other - was during President Reagan\u2019s tenure in 1986. Today\u2019s bipartisan budget, approved by the House 332 to 94, will now be considered by the Senate.\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 # # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364038", "\u2018Left-Behind\u2019 Parents to Watch Int\u2019l Child Abduction Vote in House", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Spring Lake, NJ\n      Avon-By-The-Sea, NJ\n      Bay Head, NJ\n      Belmar Marina, NJ\n      Fisherman's Memorial - Point Pleasant, NJ\n      Manasquan Inlet, NJ\n      Monmouth Battlefield State Park, NJ", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364208", "House Debates, Votes 398-0 to Approve Congressman Smith\u2019s International Child Abduction Bill", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cLeft-behind\u201d parents came from across the country to watch as Members of the House of Representatives voted to unanimously pass a bill to help bring home American children abducted to overseas destinations, said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), the author of the legislation and chairman of the House congressional panel which oversees human rights.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe bill gives us continued hope that our elected officials grasp the enormity and the severity of this ongoing injustice and pail inflicted upon these victim families torn apart because their American children have been ripped from their loving arms,\u201d said David Goldman, of Monmouth County, N.J., who waged a five-year battle to get his son back from Brazil. He is one of the lucky parents. H.R. 3212, the \u201cSean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act of 2013,\u201d passed 398-0. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith has held several hearings on the heartbreaking cases of\u00a0 left-behind parents of American children abducted to India, Japan, Egypt, India, Brazil, Russia, England and other countries where far too few of the thousands of U.S. kids held wrongfully overseas are returned. Not all countries have signed The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, the standing international treaty to try to address parental abductions via a civil framework that provides for the quick return of abducted children, and access rights to both parents. Sadly, even Hague signatories, like Brazil, often don\u2019t enforce its provisions. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cMr. Speaker, more than one thousand international child abductions are reported to the State Department\u2019s Office on Children\u2019s Issues\u2014the Central Authority of the United States\u2014each year.\u00a0 Between 2008 and 2012, 7,000 American children were abducted, according to the State Department,\u201d said Smith, who has been pushing for over three years to see the bill brought out of committee and to the House floor for passage. \u201cIn order to ensure that the administration has maximum flexibility in advancing solutions, the President is given generous waiver authorities. The bill also encourages the Secretary of State to seek opportunities to enter into an Memorandum of Understanding with non-Hague Convention countries and establish protocols to identify, locate and effectuate the return of an abducted child as well as access issues. In order to ensure more robust accountability and the potential of successful interventions, the bill significantly beefs up reporting. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI urge passage,\u201d Smith told his colleagues on the House floor. \u201cAbducted children and left-behind parents need this legislation now.\u00a0\u201c Click here to read Smith\u2019s floor remarks. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0At a press conference before the vote, parents from across the country spoke out in favor of the bill. Left-behind parents traveled from across the country to watch the debate and the vote, including Goldman; Arvind Chawda, father of two whose children were abducted to India; Paul Toland, father of a daughter abducted to Japan; Cheryl Shirley, grandmother of the four children abducted in Brazil; Bindu Philips, mother of children abducted to India; Barton Hermer, father whose child was abducted to U.K., and; Dennis Burns, father of two children taken to Argentina. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cH.R. 3212 is not [just] a bill, it is a hope for all left-behind parents that they will be reunited with their children someday,\u201d said Chawda of Edison, N.J., who would like to see the Senate act quickly. \u201cI am hoping 100 percent this will be done.\u201d Phillips, whose husband denies her any contact with her two children, has lived with abduction for five years. Until that day in 2008, she had never gone a single day without being with them. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI will never give up,\u201d Phillips said. \u201cI shall always be thankful and grateful to Congressman Smith who has become a champion in seeking justice for the cause of international child abductions. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI really hope that this legislation will pass,\u201d she said. \u201cIt means so much to me and all the left- behind parents who are longing to be with our children. I will always love Albert and Alfred. I hope this legislation will reunite us soon.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The bill now heads to the Senate.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://payne.house.gov/press-release/payne-urges-speaker-boehner-bring-unemployment-insurance-extension", "Payne Urges Speaker Boehner to Bring Up Unemployment Insurance Extension", "2013-12-11", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Donald Payne", "P000604", "payne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) joined 165 House Democrats today in a letter urging Speaker John Boehner not to adjourn the House for the year without bringing up an extension of federal unemployment insurance, which is scheduled to expire December 28. \u00a0If federal unemployment insurance expires, it will immediately cut off all jobless aid to 1.3 million Americans, with an additional 1.9 million Americans who would lose eligibility for coverage in the first half of 2014. \u00a0In New Jersey, it means more than 90,300 people will cease to receive unemployment insurance almost immediately, with an additional 89,100 losing such benefits in the first six months of 2014.\u00a0 For a state-by-state breakdown of the effects, click here. One hundred and sixty-six House Democrats today are sending the following letter to Speaker Boehner urging him to immediately bring up an extension of federal unemployment insurance and to not adjourn the House for the year until he does:\nDecember 11, 2013\nThe Honorable John Boehner  \n\tSpeaker, U.S. House of Representatives  \n\tH232, U.S. Capitol  \n\tWashington, DC 20515\nDear Speaker Boehner:\nWe write to urge you to address the looming expiration of unemployment benefits for millions of Americans before adjourning Congress for the remainder of the year.\u00a0 Without swift Congressional action, 1.3 million jobless workers will have their benefits cut off on December 28th, and nearly another 1.9 million will lose their unemployment benefits over the first half of next year.\u00a0\u00a0 This would not only be a devastating blow for millions of Americans who are already struggling, but it would also hurt our economy.\nThe Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program is scheduled to immediately and completely stop at the end of 2013, during the holiday season, with the last payable week ending on December 28th.\u00a0 All current EUC beneficiaries will lose their benefits, and individuals exhausting their limited state unemployment benefits will no longer be eligible for EUC benefits in 2014.\u00a0 This cutoff will affect over 3 million Americans over the next six months, and thereby also negatively impact our economic growth. In fact, recent estimates indicate that the expiration of the EUC program would cost our economy 310,000 jobs and drain roughly four-tenths of a percentage point from first-quarter economic growth.\nWhile unemployment benefits remain a critical lifeline for dislocated workers and their families, these benefits have recently been significantly scaled back.\u00a0 According to the Congressional Research Service, the total amount of weeks of unemployment benefits has dropped by more than a third across the states, and by more than 50 percent in some states, compared to two years ago.\u00a0\u00a0 Furthermore, the recipients have seen their weekly benefit payment provided by the EUC program cut under sequestration.\nEven with the progress our economy has seen since the depths of the recession, there are still 1.3 million fewer jobs today than when the recession started six years ago. Additionally, approximately 4 million Americans are considered long-term unemployed, and have been looking for work for more than six months. Now is certainly not the time to further decimate vital federal assistance to workers who have lost their job through no fault of their own and who must actively seek work in order to be eligible for unemployment benefits.\u00a0\u00a0 We therefore strongly urge you to immediately bring up a one-year extension of the current EUC program.\nThank you for your attention to this critical issue.\nSincerely,\nSander Levin  \n\tBarbara Lee  \n\tLloyd Doggett  \n\tSteny H. Hoyer  \n\tJames Clyburn  \n\tXavier Becerra  \n\tJoe Crowley  \n\tSteve Israel  \n\tRobert Andrews  \n\tKaren Bass  \n\tJoyce Beatty  \n\tAmi Bera  \n\tSanford Bishop, Jr.  \n\tTim Bishop  \n\tEarl Blumenauer  \n\tSuzanne Bonamici  \n\tRobert A. Brady  \n\tBruce Braley  \n\tCorrine Brown  \n\tJulia Brownley  \n\tCheri Bustos  \n\tG.K. Butterfield  \n\tLois Capps  \n\tMichael Capuano  \n\tTony Cardenas  \n\tMatt Cartwright  \n\tJoaquin Castro  \n\tKathy Castor  \n\tDonna M. Christensen  \n\tJudy Chu  \n\tDavid Cicilline  \n\tYvette Clarke  \n\tWm. Lacy Clay  \n\tEmanuel Cleaver  \n\tSteve Cohen  \n\tJohn Conyers, Jr.  \n\tGerald E. Connolly  \n\tJim Cooper  \n\tJim Costa  \n\tJoe Courtney  \n\tElijah E. Cummings  \n\tDanny K. Davis  \n\tPeter DeFazio  \n\tDiana DeGette  \n\tJohn Delaney  \n\tRosa L. DeLauro  \n\tSuzan DelBene  \n\tTed Deutch  \n\tJohn D. Dingell  \n\tDonna F. Edwards  \n\tKeith Ellison  \n\tEliot L. Engel  \n\tWilliam Enyart  \n\tAnna Eshoo  \n\tElizabeth H. Esty  \n\tSam Farr  \n\tChaka Fattah  \n\tBill Foster  \n\tLois Frankel  \n\tMarcia L. Fudge  \n\tJohn Garamendi  \n\tAlan Grayson  \n\tAl Green  \n\tGene Green  \n\tRaul Grijalva  \n\tMichelle Lujan Grisham  \n\tLuis V. Gutierrez  \n\tJanice Hahn  \n\tColleen Hanabusa  \n\tAlcee L. Hastings  \n\tDenny Heck  \n\tBrian Higgins  \n\tJames A. Himes  \n\tRuben Hinojosa  \n\tRush Holt  \n\tMichael Honda  \n\tSteven Horsford  \n\tJared Huffman  \n\tHakeem S. Jeffries  \n\tHenry C. \"Hank\" Johnson, Jr.  \n\tMarcy Kaptur  \n\tWilliam Keating  \n\tJoseph P. Kennedy, III  \n\tDaniel Kildee  \n\tDerek Kilmer  \n\tRon Kind  \n\tAnn Kirkpatrick  \n\tAnn McLane Kuster  \n\tJames R. Langevin  \n\tJohn B. Larson  \n\tSheila Jackson Lee  \n\tJohn Lewis  \n\tDaniel Lipinski  \n\tDave Loebsack  \n\tAlan S. Lowenthal  \n\tNita Lowey  \n\tBen Ray Lujan  \n\tStephen F. Lynch  \n\tCarolyn Maloney  \n\tCarolyn McCarthy  \n\tBetty McCollum  \n\tJim McDermott  \n\tJames P. McGovern  \n\tPatrick E. Murphy  \n\tGrace F. Napolitano  \n\tGloria Negrete McLeod  \n\tRick Nolan  \n\tGregory Meeks  \n\tMichael H. Michaud  \n\tGeorge Miller  \n\tGwen Moore  \n\tJames P. Moran  \n\tJerrold Nadler  \n\tRichard E. Neal  \n\tEleanor Holmes Norton  \n\tBeto O\u2019Rourke  \n\tFrank Pallone, Jr.  \n\tBill Pascrell, Jr.  \n\tEd Pastor  \n\tDonald M. Payne, Jr.  \n\tEd Perlmutter  \n\tGary C. Peters  \n\tChellie Pingree  \n\tPedro R. Pierluisi  \n\tMark Pocan  \n\tDavid Price  \n\tMike Quigley  \n\tNick J. Rahall  \n\tCharles Rangel  \n\tCedric Richmond  \n\tLucille Roybal-Allard  \n\tC.A. Dutch Ruppersberger  \n\tBobby L. Rush  \n\tTim Ryan  \n\tLinda T. Sanchez  \n\tLoretta Sanchez  \n\tJohn P. Sarbanes  \n\tJanice D. Schakowsky  \n\tAdam B. Schiff  \n\tAllyson Y. Schwartz  \n\tBrad Sherman  \n\tRobert C. \"Bobby\" Scott  \n\tJose E. Serrano  \n\tTerri A. Sewell  \n\tCarol Shea-Porter  \n\tKyrsten Sinema  \n\tAlbio Sires  \n\tLouise M. Slaughter  \n\tJackie Speier  \n\tMark Takano  \n\tBennie Thompson  \n\tMike Thompson  \n\tJohn F. Tierney  \n\tDina Titus  \n\tPaul\u00a0 Tonko  \n\tMarc Veasey  \n\tNydia Vel\u00e1zquez  \n\tChris Van Hollen  \n\tJuan Vargas  \n\tDebbie Wasserman Schultz  \n\tMaxine Waters  \n\tMelvin L. Watt  \n\tHenry A. Waxman  \n\tPeter Welch  \n\tFrederica Wilson  \n\tJohn A. Yarmuth\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363902", "Violence in Egypt Is Focus of Hearing on Int\u2019l Human Rights Day", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Human rights abuses against Coptic Christians, moderate Muslims and other religious minorities, and the threats to stability and peace in Egypt were among the topics of a congressional hearing held by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights issues, on Tuesday, Dec. 10, the anniversary of the founding of International Human Rights Day.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt is fitting that we are holding this hearing today, on International Human Rights Day, because we are witnessing grievous violence and other abuses directed against religious and political minorities, particularly the Copts and other Christians, about which our government and the media has said far too little\u2014which seems to be a pattern world-wide,\u201d Smith said. \u201cAfter President Mubarak resigned in February of 2011, the world hoped for a new Egypt, a just government for all Egyptians, which would not make President Mubarak\u2019s mistakes\u2014but reality has been just the opposite.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith said horrific anti-Christian persecutions have taken place under each of the post-Mubarak governments. \u201cFor some of these abuses, the governments bear the responsibility of inaction.\u00a0 For others they bear direct responsibility.\u00a0 In recent months, undercurrents of abuse and contempt for human dignity long existing in Egypt have turned into flash floods of violence.\u201d Click here\u00a0 to read\u00a0 Chairman Smith\u2019s opening remarks or click here to view video of his opening statement. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cHuman Rights Abuses in Egypt,\u201d a joint hearing before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations and the Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, offered witnesses on the role of moderate Muslims, the plight of the Coptic minority and the need to protect religious freedoms. Smith\u2019s hearing included testimonies from Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom; Tad Stahnke, Director of Policy and Programs, Human Rights First; Zuhdi Jasser, M.D., Vice Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom; Samuel Tadros, Research Fellow, Center for Religious Freedom, Hudson Institute, and Dr. Morad Abou-Sabe, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University (Former President of Misr University for Science &amp; Technology). Click on names to read their testimonies. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe events of June 30, 2013 in Egypt, which resulted in the ouster of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, were in response to the massive and unprecedented protests by the Egyptian People,\u201d said Abou-Sabe. \u201cMorsi\u2019s overthrow was supported and facilitated by the Egyptian Military. Since Morsi\u2019s ouster, the US-Egyptian relations have gone through abrupt changes that threatened and continue to threaten the special relationship between the two countries. Click here to read Abou-Sabe\u2019s testimony. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAs Egyptian Americans, we are keen on seeing Egyptian democracy built on the same values we have in the US, where separation of Church and State is one of the bedrocks of our democracy, we aspire to have that be the system of choice for Egypt and all Egyptians,\u201d Abou-Sabe said. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The significance of Human Rights Day and the planned hearing on the day proclaimed in 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly as \u2018Human Rights Day\u2019 was not unnoticed by Bishop Angaelos, who is in Washington to testify. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThis day was chosen to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the tenets of which are at the core of this testimonial statement, and are the entitlement of every Egyptian and every member of our shared humanity,\u201d Bishop Angselos said. \u201cChristians in Egypt have been suffering persecution and marginalisation, even before the uprising. In its aftermath however, this suffering has intensified significantly. The frequency in attacks on Christians and other religious minority groups, their communities and places of worship is increasingly disturbing. Carried out by radical elements in society, these attacks are not merely on individuals but on the Christian and minority presence in its entirety. Those intolerant to religious minorities are partly enabled by the breakdown in law and order and the growing culture of impunity that Egypt has witnessed in previous years. Moreover, the persecution of religious minorities over the past decades has not manifest itself solely in physical attacks, but has frequently been embedded in process and policy, then translated into dealings with citizens on unequal grounds, inevitably having resulted in greater division and marginalisation. It is not only Christians who suffer marginalisation, persecution and attacks, but other religious minorities such as Bah\u00e1\u2019is, Jews and Muslim minorities such as Sufi\u2019s and Shiites.\u201d Click here to read the Bishop\u2019s opening remarks for the hearing.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-calls-governor-christie-use-aca-funds-outreach-and-education-new-jersey", "Pallone Calls on Governor Christie to Use ACA Funds for Outreach and Education in New Jersey", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) sent a letter to Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ), calling on him to immediately use the funds from the federal grant awarded to New Jersey under Section 1311 of the Affordable Care Act. Congressman Pallone called on Governor Christie to use the approximately $7.5 million that the state was awarded for outreach and education on the ACA and to facilitate enrollment in the new health care marketplace that opened on October 1, 2013. These measures could help more New Jerseyans get access to the coverage they need at no cost to the state.\nBelow is the full text of the letter:\nDecember 10, 2013\nGovernor Chris Christie\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nOffice of the Governor\nPO Box 001\nTrenton, NJ 08625\n\u00a0\nDear Governor Christie:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I am writing to urge you to immediately re-scope the federal grant awarded to New Jersey under Section 1311 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which would allow the state to help educate New Jerseyans about the ACA, as well as facilitate enrollment in the new health care marketplace that opened on October 1, 2013.\nIt is critical that you\u00a0 take action on behalf of New Jersey families to find appropriate ways to spend the approximately $7.5 million that the State has access to. While this money may not be enough to reach each and every family in need, it can be a great start in telling New Jerseyans about their health coverage options.\u00a0\nThere is a clear need for outreach and education in New Jersey, and these funds can facilitate this at no cost to the state.\u00a0 In addition, any further delay in this outreach could cost many families the ability to get coverage by January 1, 2014.\u00a0 While the federal marketplace enrollment period will end on March 31, 2014, families must sign up by December 23, 2013 in order to get coverage on the first day of the New Year. \u00a0\nNew Jersey families deserve their health care needs to be met, and not\u00a0using these grant funds endangers the opportunity for New Jerseyans to benefit from affordable, quality health insurance that is available as a result of the ACA.\u00a0\nThe ACA is the law of the land, and every day it is helping more people get access to the coverage they need \u2013 some for the first time.\u00a0 I urge you to spend this grant funding so that New Jersey families can realize the full benefits of the law.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Sincerely,\n\u00a0\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 FRANK PALLONE, JR.\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Member of Congress\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 6th District of New Jersey\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sires.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-sires-statement-on-former-south-african-president-nelson", "Congressman Sires\u2019 Statement on former South African President Nelson Mandela", "2013-12-10", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Albio Sires", "S001165", "sires.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.)- Today, Congressman Sires released the following statement on the passing of former South African President Nelson Mandela:\n\u00a0\n\u201cToday, I mourn along with those around the globe on the passing of Nelson Mandela,\u201d Congressman Sires said in a statement. \u201cAs we live on we should continue to be reminded of Madiba\u2019s legacy of freedom and equality not just today but every day.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363857", "Int\u2019l Human Rights Day Tues. Dec 10", "2013-12-09", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The threats to stability and peace in Egypt will be the topic of a congressional hearing Tuesday chaired by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights issues. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cHuman Rights Abuses in Egypt,\u201d is the title of a joint hearing to be held before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations and the Subcommittee Middle East and North Africa. Witnesses will focus on role of moderate Muslims, the plight of the Coptic minority and the need to protect religious freedoms. Who: \u00a0\u00a0Chairman Smith, and other members of the House subcommittees, and witnesses:\u00a0\n \n    Zuhdi Jasser, M.D., Vice Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom\n \n \n    Bishop Angaelos, General Bishop, Coptic Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom\u00a0\n \n \n    Samuel Tadros, Research Fellow, Center for Religious Freedom, Hudson Institute\n \n \n    Dr. Morad Abou-Sabe, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University (Former President of Misr University for Science &amp; Technology)\n \n \n    Tad Stahnke, Director of Policy and Programs, Human Rights First\n \n\u00a0When: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tues., Dec. 10 at 9 a.m.\n\u00a0Where: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \nRayburn House Office Building, Room 2172 (first floor)\n\u200b\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The significance of Human Rights Day and the planned hearing being held on the day proclaimed in 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly as \"Human Rights Day\" was not unnoticed by Bishop Angaelos, who is Washington to testify.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThis day was chosen to commemorate the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the tenets of which are at the core of this testimonial statement, and are the entitlement of every Egyptian and every member of our shared humanity,\u201d Bishop Angselos said. \u201cChristians in Egypt have been suffering persecution and marginalisation, even before the uprising. In its aftermath however, this suffering has intensified significantly. The frequency in attacks on Christians and other religious minority groups, their communities and places of worship is increasingly disturbing. Carried out by radical elements in society, these attacks are not merely on individuals but on the Christian and minority presence in its entirety. Those intolerant to religious minorities are partly enabled by the breakdown in law and order and the growing culture of impunity that Egypt has witnessed in previous years. Moreover, the persecution of religious minorities over the past decades has not manifest itself solely in physical attacks, but has frequently been embedded in process and policy, then translated into dealings with citizens on unequal grounds, inevitably having resulted in greater division and marginalisation. It is not only Christians who suffer marginalisation, persecution and attacks, but other religious minorities such as Bah\u00e1\u2019is, Jews and Muslim minorities such as Sufi\u2019s and Shiites.\u201d Click here to read the Bishop\u2019s opening remarks (EMARGOED UNTIL 9 a.m. Dec. 10), for the hearing. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cTragically, the promise and hope of Egypt\u2019s \u2018Arab Spring\u2019 have not yet brought about basic human rights to the Egyptian people, such as religious freedom, freedom of expression and association, and due process of law,\u201d said Smith (NJ-04).\u00a0\u201cThis hearing will examine human rights violations in Egypt today, and how Christians and other religious minorities, as well as moderate Muslims, continue to be victimized. It is appropriate to hold this hearing on International Human Rights Day.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-calls-attention-sudden-cardiac-arrest-children-and-young-adults", "Pallone Calls Attention to Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Children and Young Adults", "2013-12-09", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Today Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-06) visited South Plainfield Middle School in South Plainfield, NJ to increase awareness among parents, schools and health professionals of pediatric cardiomyopathy and the risk of sudden cardiac arrest Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) that many children face. He also discussed the Cardiomyopathy Health Education, Awareness, Risk Assessment and Training in the Schools (HEARTS) Act, which Congressman Pallone reintroduced in February 2013.\n\u201cCardiomyopathy is a silent killer, and unfortunately it has struck right here in central New Jersey,\u201d said Congressman Pallone. \u201cRaising awareness is the first step and the HEARTS Act can help prevent these tragic deaths.\u201d\nCongressman Pallone was joined by Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan (D-NJ), Lisa Yue, founding executive director of the Children\u2019s Cardiomyopathy Foundation, which she and her husband established after losing two children to cardiomyopathy.\u00a0 Lisa Salberg, CEO and Founder of the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association was also in attendance along with the Torok family, whose daughter, Anna, lives with dilated cardiomyopathy.\nSCA is the leading cause of death on school property.\u00a0 The HEARTS Act was introduced following the death of two young student athletes in Middlesex County.\u00a0 The Congressman attended a game honoring the two students in September 2010 in Edison called \u201cHelmets for Hearts.\u201d The event also helped spread the word about cardiomyopathy, while encouraging families to get their children tested. \u00a0\nThe bill would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to coordinate with the Centers for Disease Control, and national patient advocacy and health professional organizations to develop educational materials and resources on cardiomyopathy for public awareness and distribute materials to schools, teachers and parents.\u00a0 It also will encourage schools to be aware of and prepared for a cardiac emergency.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140222035801/http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-joins-effort-protect-volunteer-fire-companies-negative-consequence-obamacare", "LoBiondo Joins Effort to Protect Volunteer Fire Companies from Negative Consequence of Obamacare", "2013-12-09", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Frank LoBiondo", "L000554", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "MAYS LANDING, N.J. \u2013 Facing a serious threat to future operations of volunteer fire departments in South Jersey and across the country by a provision in Obamacare, U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) has petitioned the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Acting Commissioner Danny Werfel to issue agency guidance that would prevent companies from having to \u201cdissolve or convert to paid departments in order to shift the costs to their municipal government.\u201d\nLoBiondo, a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, also outlined a possible solution to ensure volunteer emergency personnel and the communities they serve are protected. LoBiondo was made aware of the issue by local municipal officials working with South Jersey fire chiefs to ensure compliance with Obamacare. LoBiondo is looking at legislative options with his colleagues in the event that the IRS does not take corrective action.\nThe full text of LoBiondo\u2019s letter to the Acting IRS Commissioner is as follows:\n\u00a0\nDecember 6, 2013\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \n\u00a0\nDear Acting Commissioner Werfel:\nIt has come to my attention (as an active member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus) that many of my colleagues are trying to get clarification about the effects of the Employer Shared Responsibility Provisions (ESRP) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) on our volunteer emergency responders. Therefore, I too would like to be on the record with my serious concern about the unintended consequences this portion of the PPACA may have on a vital segment of our communities.\nIn particular, I have heard from volunteer fire departments in my district that if the PPACA \u201cis interpreted to require that volunteer companies provide health benefits, it would seem that the companies would either have to dissolve or convert to paid departments in order to shift the costs to their municipal government.\u201d I think you would agree that this outcome would be detrimental to those municipalities that rely on these heroes day in and day out to provide services their local governments are unable to afford as full-time paid positions.\nTherefore, I urge you to officially release guidance that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will recognize these nominally compensated first responders as non-employees of the agencies they are associated with, for the purposes of the ESRP of the PPACA. \nAs others have outlined to you, there is currently a definition within the Fair Labor Standards Act which allows for volunteers to receive \u201cpaid expenses, reasonable benefits, a nominal fee, or any combination thereof, for their service without losing their status as volunteers.\u201d I urge you to consider this as a solution, as it is already a long-standing and widely recognized definition.\nIf you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact my office. I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter. \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sincerely,\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=3", "Senators Menendez, Booker Announce More Than $1.5 Million for New Jersey Highway Safety", "2013-12-09", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Cory Booker", "B001288", "www.booker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 9, 2013\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tWashington, DC \u2013 U.S. Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has awarded $1,568,292 to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety.\nThese grants can be used to implement systems to promote, track, and enforce seatbelt and child seat safety programs, ignition interlock and impaired driving prevention programs, motorcyclist safety programs, and efforts to improve New Jersey's traffic safety information systems. The funding will be distributed to programs designed to reduce highway deaths and injuries from drunk driving, unsafe operation of a motorcycle, and riding unrestrained or improperly restrained in motor vehicles.\n\u201cThese federal funds will help make New Jersey\u2019s roads safer for drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists,\u201d said senator Menendez. \u201cNew Jersey\u2019s economy depends on reliable means of transportation, and each of these grants will help strengthen our transportation system while safeguarding our loved ones by putting an end to preventable and senseless roadway incidents.\u201d\n\u201cThese federal grants will enable important investments that will make New Jerseyans safer, improving the vital arteries necessary for doing business and supporting jobs throughout the state,\" Sen. Booker said.\nThe funding was awarded through the Department of Transportation\u2019s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety received:\n \n$938,546.75 for Impaired Driving Countermeasures.\n$342,160.57 to support Occupant Protection based on identified problems.\n$257,976.67 in Traffic Safety Information Systems grants.\n$29,608.11 to Support Motorcyclist Safety based on identified problems.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=364039", "Smith Criticizes U.N. Security Council for Delaying \u2018Truly Effective Action\u2019 on the Central African Republic", "2013-12-06", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The United Nations Security Council yesterday passed a watered down resolution transitioning responsibility of the African-led International Support Mission in the Central Africa Republic (MISCA), to the African Union (AU) while postponing preparations for a United Nations-led Peacekeeping Mission by at least three months, said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), who chaired a recent congressional hearing on the crisis in the Central Africa Republic (CAR). \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIn effect, the Council has deferred taking truly effective action, the result of which will likely be not only lost time, but also lost lives,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWe have been down this road before.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith noted that in August 1997, the Security Council approved an AU-led Mission for the Surveillance of the Bangui Accords, MISAB, coupled with French military support, to restore order in the CAR.\u00a0By January 1998, the mission proved incapable of fulfilling its mandate, France scaled back its presence, and the U.N. was left with the \u201conly viable option\u201d of deploying a half-hearted and poorly-funded U.N. peacekeeping operation. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith called for \u201ca robust effort to get \u2018blue helmets\u2019 \u2013 U.N. peacekeepers with a U.N. Charter mandate \u2013 on the ground in the CAR.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cNothing to precludes us from working simultaneously to get this under U.N. auspices while at the same time supporting African forces that are already on the ground,\u201d though he noted that three civil society witnesses at his recent congressional hearing on the troubled nation, including a CAR bishop, believed that the existing forces were ineffective and had called for deployment of U.N. peacekeepers as soon as possible. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIf the international community is serious about its commitment to stop genocide, and \u2018Never Again\u2019 is to be more than a bumper-sticker sentiment, this is the moment to get it right,\u201d Smith said.\u00a0\u201cYes: we must provide rapid and robust support the AU and French mission to ensure their success, but we must also be as prepared as possible should they falter.\u00a0 These efforts are not mutually exclusive.\u00a0 The Security Council should immediately begin preparations for a rapid transition of MISCA into a robust UN peacekeeping operation with the mandate and resources necessary to protect civilians from mass atrocities and restore immediate stability.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith held a Nov. 19 hearing of the Committee on Foreign Affairs\u2019 Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations entitled \u201cCrisis in the Central African Republic\u201d featured Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Robert P. Jackson, Bureau of African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State; Bishop Nestor-D\u00e9sir\u00e9 Nongo-Aziagbia, Bishop of Bossangoa in the CAR; Search for Common Ground, and; Human Rights Watch. Click here to read their testimony. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0At the hearing, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jackson cited reports that five to ten women per day are being raped, violence that continues with \u201ctotal impunity\u201d since not one accused rapist has yet to be brought to justice. He also stated concern about the continued activity of the Lord\u2019s Resistance Army (LRA) in southeastern CAR, where in 2013 the LRA has continued to commit attacks against civilians, Jackson said. According to U.N. sources, from January to September 2013, presumed LRA fighters committed 21 attacks, resulting in 33 deaths and 128 abductions in the CAR. An estimated 21,000 Central Africans remain internally-displaced and over 6,000 are living as refugees as a result of the LRA threat. The United States continues to support efforts by the regional forces of the AU Regional Task Force to end the LRA threat and bring its top commanders to justice.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363582", "Daughters Call on Obama/Biden to Seek the Release of Their Fathers", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Amid powerful and often emotional testimony, five young women appealed to Vice President Joe Biden, who is now in China, to bring their unjustly-imprisoned fathers\u2019 plights to the attention of the Chinese government, and seek their release. They spoke passionately at a hearing held by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and chair of its subcommittee on global human rights. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI join with my fellow sisters here today to request Vice President Biden to ask Chinese leaders to release our fathers, and to request an Oval Office meeting with President Obama to share our stories,\u201d\u00a0said Lisa Peng, daughter of Peng Ming. \u201cI know that my dream to be reunited with my father and my father\u2019s dream for his country can come true with your support, persistence, and affirmation of the universal and fundamental values of our country: freedom, democracy, and justice.\" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As a second child to her parents, she dodged the nation\u2019s brutal one-child policy, which forces women to undergo abortions against their will for such reasons as failing to have a birth permit, being an unwed mother-to-be or being a second child. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cBecause I was a survivor of the one-child forced abortion policy I was considered a non-entity, couldn\u2019t go to school and even when my mom would drive my brother to school and I was in the car, the government would have four secret police tailgate us and bump into us as we were driving to school,\u201d Peng told the panel. \u201cThere was no future for me in China. The fact that I safely escaped and was accepted by the United States, and respected in classrooms, and my voice was heard in classrooms, and I have opportunities\u2014unimaginable opportunities\u2014to do whatever I want in the future and to give back to the community that has given me so much\u2014that\u2019s what makes me feel so grateful and hopeful every day.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Peng, who came to the U.S. in 2001 as a political refugees with her father, an environmentalist, an economist, author and a human rights activist, said he was lured by eight Chinese secret police to the border of Thailand and Burma and kidnapped in 2004. After nearly 10 years in prison suffering heart attacks, arthritis, malnutrition, and kidney stones with no medical care, her father perseveres and remains hopeful. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe Chinese government today is in the business of breaking minds, bodies and hearts,\u201d said Smith. \u201cWhen China bullies, incarcerates, tortures\u2014and even executes\u2014a prisoner of conscience, their entire family and friends suffer an excruciating sense of loss, bewilderment, emotional pain and agony. Often members of the family are themselves subjected to interrogation, mistreatment and house arrest in order to amplify the hurt. In a very real sense, everyone close to a prisoner of conscience goes to jail and lives a seemingly unending nightmare.\u00a0 Every day, family and friends are left to wonder what terrible abuse awaits dad or mom or a brother or sister or child.\u00a0 Every day, the tears flow. Click here to read Chairman Smith\u2019s opening remarks, made at a hearing entitled, \u201cTheir Daughters Appeal to Beijing: \u2018Let Our Fathers Go!\u2019\u201d \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Testifying were Lisa Peng, daughter of Peng Ming; Grace \u201cGeGe\u201d Geng, daughter of Gao Zhisheng; Ti-Anna Wang, daughter of Wang Bingzhang; Bridgette Chen, daughter of Liu Xianming, and; Danielle Wang, daughter of Wang Zhiwen. Also testifying were Bob Fu, Founder and President, ChinaAid Association; Chen Guangfu, in the U.S. from China for the hearing, the brother of blind human rights lawyer Chen Guangcheng and father of Chen Kegui, and; Devra Marcus, M.D., physician and activist. Click here to read summary of witness biographies. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Grace \u201cGeGe\u201d Gao, daughter of human rights attorney Gao Zhisheng said she was grateful she has for the past five years been living in the country with the most freedom in the world, but still feels pain in her heart because of her father\u2019s imprisonment. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cFreedom has not yet come to my dad, so it still has not genuinely arrived for me and my whole family,\u201d said Grace Gao. \u201cI wish that President Obama and Vice President Biden could mention about my father\u2019s name Gao Zhisheng in public occasions and urge the immediate release of my father without conditions. I wish that staffs from US Embassy in China could go to visit my father in the prison. It has been almost a year now that no family or lawyer visit was allowed to see my father.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Gao said policemen took her to school every day, and went in and sat behind her in the classroom. They even went in the restroom with her and did not let her close the door. Her three-year-old brother was escorted to the kindergarten in the police car as well, and his classroom was the only kindergarten room with a surveillance camera.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Gao said she wished people in the world could write postcards to her father. Though he could not see what they say, but the Chinese communist regime \u201cwill hear our voice.\u201d The \u201cconcern and care for my father is the greatest protection over him.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Bridgette Liu recalled the plight of her father, Liu Xian Bin, as a daughter and a witness, and asked the Vice President Joe Biden to help. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cMy father has been in prison three times which totals up to 14 years because of his political views,\u201d said Bridgette Liu, noting that when he was temporarily released from prison in 2008, it was so hard for him to believe that she had already grown up. He was again taken away from her life by the policemen in 2010. Liu told the congressional panel, at one point invoking the spirtit of Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence: \u201cI sincerely ask the U.S. Government, Mr. Biden, and the President to [have] more concern of the families of prisoners of conscience and help us to free our fathers! And I ask for an Oval office meeting with President Obama for a more direct and detailed conversation in order to reunite our families.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ti-Anna Wang, born in 1989 and named after the Tiananmen Square democracy movement and massacre, called attention to the plight of her father, Dr. Wang Bingzhang a political prisoner currently serving a life sentence and in solitary confinement in China. Her father is a New York-based permanent U.S. resident and a prisoner in the 11th\u00a0 year of a life sentence for his prodemocracy activism. He was kidnapped in Vietnam and forced back into China where he was taken into custody by Chinese police and convicted in a sham trial. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI unabashedly ask the leaders of the US government, including President Obama, Vice-President Biden, Secretary of State Kerry, and Ambassador Powers to seize all diplomatic opportunities with China to seek the release of our fathers,\u201d TiAnna Wang said. \u201cI believe high-level diplomacy is our fathers\u2019 best chance for freedom, and their releases must be discussed on occasions such as Vice-President Biden\u2019s recent trip to Beijing. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI ask the Obama administration to meet with the five of us and listen to our first hand experiences as witnesses of China\u2019s human rights abuse,\u201d Ti-Anna Wang said. \u201cI want our stories and our efforts to be heard, acknowledged, and taken into serious consideration when the US devises its foreign policy.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cHere in the United States, many families are getting ready to gather for Christmas and New Year\u2019s,\u201d said Danielle Wang, whose father Zhiwen Wang is one of the millions of Falun Dafa practitioners in China under persecution by the Chinese government. \u201cIn China, we would be starting to look forward to Chinese New Year. But this time of year is always bittersweet for me, because of the painful absence in my family since my father\u2019s summary arrest and detention in July of 1999. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cA lot happens in 15 years,\u201d Danielle Wang said. \u201cBeing away from Dad and growing up without him has been so hard. I hope that the decisions I\u2019ve made in my life would make him proud. At my wedding we placed a single rose on his chair to symbolize his presence and celebrate his place in my life. I continue to keep that rose safe and present until the day we meet again and I can hand it to him and tell him the story of how he has always been with me.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Click here to read all the witnesses\u2019 statements. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cFar too many of us who live in freedom often fail to exert ourselves in a meaningful way to assist prisoners of conscience and their loved ones\u2014in China and elsewhere,\u201d Smith said, co-chair of the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China. \u201cFar too many of us fail to empathize with their plight.\u00a0 Or to see what\u2019s just below the fa\u00e7ade of the purported harmonious society. The repression is systematic, pervasive, unrelenting and unnecessary\u2014the people of China love their nation and deserve better treatment.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363707", "Smith on passing of Nelson Mandela", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Smith on passing of Nelson Mandela \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        Dec 5, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), a longtime human rights advocate in Congress, released the following statement on the death of Nelson Mandela:\r\n  \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"It is with deep sadness that we mourn the passing of Nelson Mandela,\" Smith said. \"President Mandela waged a long and arduous struggle to end the racist policy of apartheid.\u00a0In prison for 27 years, he chose the path of truth and reconciliation over violence and\u00a0famously said\u00a0that \u2018as I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison.\u2019\"\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Smith is chairman of the House\u00a0Africa, Global Health , Global Human Rights\u00a0and International Organizations Subcommittee.  \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/new-years-day-2", "New Years Day - Offices Closed", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Frank LoBiondo", "L000554", "lobiondo.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "New Years Day - Offices Closed                        \n         \t  Start: \n         \t  January 1, 2014\n         \t  End: \n         \t    January 1, 2014\n         \t   \n         \t           \t\n                                          \n              Dec 5, 2013", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/second-session-113th-congress-convenes", "Second Session of 113th Congress Convenes", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Frank LoBiondo", "L000554", "lobiondo.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Second Session of 113th Congress Convenes                        \n         \t  Start: \n         \t  January 7, 2014 6:30 pm\n         \t  End: \n         \t    January 7, 2014 6:30 pm\n         \t   \n         \t           \t    Location: \n         \t      US Capitol,  Washington, DC\n         \t    \n         \t           \t\n                                          \n              Dec 5, 2013", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://payne.house.gov/press-release/payne-statement-passing-president-nelson-mandela", "Payne Statement on the Passing of President Nelson Mandela", "2013-12-05", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Donald Payne", "P000604", "payne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Newark, N.J. \u2013 Today, Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) released the following statement after the passing of Nelson Mandela:\n\u201cNelson Mandela was a hero for social justice and a model of leadership for me and leaders around the globe.\u00a0 Born during the years of apartheid, he was a resilient democratic leader, peacemaker, and inspiring fighter for racial equality. \u00a0 President Mandela never let his 27 years in prison deter him from doing what he knew was right by ending apartheid and bringing democracy to the country that he loved.\n\u201cEven in the face of extreme adversity, he has proven that with a noble cause and an eternal will, one person can change the tide of oppression, an entire country, and the world. Whether it was during his 27 years in prison or during his time as President of South Africa, he has demonstrated exceptional strength, supreme moral courage, and principled forgiveness.\u00a0 People all around the world suffering from oppression, hatred, and discrimination will forever be grateful for the incredible leadership of Nelson Mandela.\n\u201cAlthough I did not have a chance to meet President Mandela, he has always been a role model to me and likewise was an inspiration to my father.\u00a0 I am thankful for his tireless years of service, and for being an example of true leadership. My condolences and prayers go out to the Mandela family and to the country of South Africa as the entire world mourns such a great loss.\u00a0 Although Madiba is gone, his work and the imprint he made on this world will never be forgotten.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363453", "Daughters of China Plea for Release of their Fathers", "2013-12-04", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The congressional hearing \u201cTheir Daughters Appeal to Beijing: \u2018Let Our Fathers Go!\u2019\u201d will be held by Chairman Chris Smith (NJ-04), head of the global human rights subcommittee in the House of Representatives, and co-chairman of the U.S. Commission on China. Who:\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chairman Smith, (NJ-04) co-chair of the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on   \r\nChina, Senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and chair of its subcommittee on global human rights; \u00a0other members of the subcommittee, and witnesses: *Lisa Peng, Daughter of Peng Ming  \r\n*Grace Ge Geng, Daughter of Gao Zhisheng  \r\n*Ti-Anna Wang, Daughter of Wang Bingzhang  \r\n*Bridgette Chen, Daughter of Liu Xianming  \r\n*Danielle Wang, Daughter of Wang Zhiwen  \r\n*Bob Fu, Founder and President, ChinaAid Association  \r\n*Chen Guangfu, Brother of Chen Guangcheng and father of Chen Kegui  \r\n*Devra Marcus, M.D., Physician and Activist What: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cTheir Daughters Appeal to Beijing: \u201cLet Our Fathers Go!\u201d\u201d When:\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Thursday, Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. Where:\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2172 Rayburn House Office Building (first floor).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363743", "Cong. Smith Greets 'Teacher of the Year'", "2013-12-04", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Cong. Smith Greets 'Teacher of the Year' \r\n   \r\n    \r\n      Monmouth County professor one among only 36 across USA to receive honor \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        Dec 4, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n      \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      Brookdale Community College\u2019s Linda Wang, Professor of Mathematics (center) was recently honored in a Washington DC ceremony in which she and 36 other teachers across the country were selected for the prestigious Professor of the Year award offered by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).\u00a0 The program salutes \u201cthe most outstanding undergraduate instructors in the country\u2014those who excel as teachers and influence the lives and careers of their students.\u201d\u00a0  \r\n\u00a0  \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Nominated by her peers and students Professor Wang was selected for both her dedication to the academic success of her students as well as the lasting mark she left on those who she interacted with. In addition to teaching a broad number of math courses at Brookdale\u2014ranging from pre-Algebra to Calculus\u2014Professor Wang also serves as the Faculty Advisor for the Asia Society at Brookdale Community College. Professor Wang is also one of the Founding Members of the Diversity Council at Brookdale which helps to bring awareness of diversity and promote the understanding and respect of individuals\u2019 different cultures and backgrounds.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In her nomination packet, former students noted that Professor Wang made remarkable impacts on their lives. A former student said about Professor Wang\u2019s Math 091 class: \u201cIt was in my math class, where I gained the confidence needed to be a successful student. It was in my math class, where I learned perseverance and never to give up. It was in my math class that I saw the dedication of a teacher, I\u2019ve tried to emulate over the years since I joined the ranks of the teaching profession.\u201d A colleague noted that \u201cLinda exemplifies the community college mission\u2014she is dedicated to teaching excellence. In the early 1990s, Linda took the lead in using links to websites and videos to make her classes more enjoyable\u2026 .\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Following the award ceremony Professor Wang and BCC Math Department Colleague Barbara Tozzi (right) met with Rep. Smith (left) and discussed the importance of higher education\u2014both in the United States and globally\u2014in the function and advancement of civil society. They also discussed ongoing human rights abuses in China including the plight of many jailed dissidents.  \r\n\u00a0  \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith, a senior member of Congress,\u00a0represents large parts of Monmouth, Mercer and Ocean counties including Brookdale Community College\u2019s Main Campus in Lincroft. He is the Dean of the New Jersey Delegation, and is chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee's global human rights subcommittee, and Co-Chairman of the Congressional Executive Commission on China.\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-recognizes-22nd-anniversary-nagorno-karabakhs-movement-towards-liberation", "Pallone Recognizes 22nd Anniversary of Nagorno Karabakh's Movement Towards Liberation", "2013-12-04", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC\u00a0\u2014 On Tuesday, December 03, 2013, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) recognized the Nagorno Karabakh Republic\u2019s movement towards liberation.\u00a0 An event in the Capitol building was organized by the Congressional Armenia Issues Caucus, of which Congressman Pallone is the co-chair and founder, in cooperation with the Armenian Embassy, the Nagorno Karabakh Republic office in the U.S. and Armenian-American organizations to mark the anniversary.\u00a0 It has been 22 years since the referendum in Nagorno Karbakh took place and the nation adopted its constitution.\nCongressman Pallone welcomed Nagorno Karabakh Republic Speaker Ashot Ghoulian as the event\u2019s keynote speaker, along with Armenian Ambassador Tatoul Markarian. Nagorno Karabakh\u2019s representative Robert Avetisyan, who helped organize the event, was also in attendance. The leaders discussed the ongoing commitment to democracy and freedom in Nagorno Karabakh, and the importance of U.S. support in the region.\n\u201cFor the past 22 years, Nagorno Karabakh has firmly demonstrated its commitment to democratic values and has proven to be a reliable partner to the international community,\u201d said Congressman Pallone. \u201cTonight\u2019s event is an opportunity to commend Nagorno Karabakh\u2019s meaningful contribution to regional stability and continued pursuit of restoring a war torn economy, strengthening a blossoming democracy, and promoting continued development and prosperity of an independent republic.\u201d\nIn 1991, as Armenia and Azerbaijan followed most soviet states in succession from the USSR, Nagorno Karabakh also voted to succeed. In an internationally monitored referendum, the Nagorno Karabakh population overwhelmingly voted to establish an independent Nagorno Karabakh Republic, currently known as NKR. However, the territory is still not recognized internationally.\nCongressman Pallone has called for NKR\u2019s international recognition and official separation from Azerbaijan as a solution to the regional conflict and continued violence against the people of Nagorno Karabakh. He has also advocated for\u00a0 U.S. foreign aid to be provided to NKR in support for important projects that help rebuild infrastructure and public works programs.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20131206021954/http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-larsen-applaud-committee-passage-their-sleep-apnea-legislation-ensure-safety", "LoBiondo, Larsen Applaud Committee Passage of Their Sleep Apnea Legislation to Ensure Safety of the Skies", "2013-12-04", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Frank LoBiondo", "L000554", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 House Subcommittee on Aviation Chairman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (WA-02) today applauded committee passage of their bipartisan legislation (H.R. 3578) to ensure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducts an open rulemaking process before making changes to medical certification requirements for pilots with sleep disorders.\n\u201cSafety remains my and the subcommittee\u2019s top priority. While sleep apnea has never been identified as a primary cause or contributing factor of an aviation accident, health issues can arise unexpectedly which is why I have always supported reasonable, effective, and proactive efforts to improve aviation safety,\u201d said Chairman LoBiondo.\u00a0\u201cShould a revision to existing policies on sleep disorders be warranted, then the FAA should engage in an open rulemaking process to ensure all viewpoints, including those of medical experts, are heard and carefully considered.\u201d\n\u201cWhen it comes to flying, safety is my top priority,\u201d Ranking Member Larsen said. \u201cThe FAA needs to address the issue of sleep apnea in an open and transparent way that lets all stakeholders and safety experts provide input. I thank Chairman LoBiondo for his leadership on this issue and I look forward to working with the FAA, pilots, airlines and others to continue making flying safer.\u201d\nCurrent FAA requirements dictate a pilot or air traffic controller diagnosed with sleep apnea to report their condition and seek treatment. The Aviation Medical Examiners Guide \u00a0\u2013 a comprehensive document detailing the FAA\u2019s medical certification regulations, dispositions, and protocols \u2013 includes an established process that provides the FAA with the authority to issue or re-issue an airman medical certificate to an applicant that is diagnosed with sleep apnea.\u00a0After a review process, the FAA ultimately decides whether or not to issue a medical certificate.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nIn November, FAA officials announced their intent to subject all pilots with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more - who might be at risk of having a sleep disorder even in the absence of any clinical evidence - to potentially expensive testing and evaluation.\u00a0The FAA also indicated their intention to eventually broaden this policy to apply to air traffic controllers and possibly to pilots with a lower BMI.\u00a0The LoBiondo-Larsen legislation approved today does not prohibit the FAA from implementing new medical certification requirements for sleep apnea.\u00a0It does, however, require the agency to conduct an open rulemaking process if they choose to propose new sleep disorder requirements.\nModeled after similar legislation (H.R. 3095) signed into law on October 15th affecting commercial truck drivers, H.R. 3578, introduced by LoBiondo and Larsen with Representatives Larry Bucshon (IN-08), Daniel Lipinski (IL-03) and Sam Graves (MO-06) as original cosponsors, was marked up and approved by the House Committee on Transportation &amp; Infrastructure today. It now heads to the full House for consideration.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363333", "Smith Chairs Hearing on State of Victims in Philippines from Typhoon", "2013-12-03", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The typhoon-ravaged Philippines, the findings of the bipartisan congressional delegation (CODEL) led by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) to the Philippines from Nov. 22-26, and the responses of U.S. government and international aid organizations were the focus of a hearing on Tuesday before the House global health panel chaired by Smith. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Super-typhoon Haiyan made its first landfall November 8th with wind speeds of 195 mph, making it the strongest storm in history at the time of landfall. An estimated 13.2 million Filipinos have been affected by the catastrophic storm that claimed thousands of lives and leveled homes, towns and entire cities, and 3.4 million people who lived directly in the typhoon\u2019s path are now internally displaced. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI led a congressional delegation to the Philippines to witness the devastation unleashed by Typhoon Haiyan\u2014known locally as Typhoon Yolanda\u2014and to gain a better understanding of the unmet needs going forward,\u201d said Smith, Chairman of the global health subcommittee on the Foreign Affairs Committee. \u201cI met with numerous survivors who told us heartbreaking stories yet radiated a calm and inner peace. One man told us how his father drowned only a few feet from where we stood and how he had stoically carried many waterlogged dead bodies to a mass grave. He said he nearly collapsed emotionally, however, when he carried the lifeless body of a three year-old girl. He said he just broke down, overwhelmed, and felt he could continue no more. Yet amazingly, a few hours later, there he was\u2014determined to rebuild and overcome and full of faith in God. \u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith summed up the morale of the survivors by employing the words of by Archbishop Jose Palma of Cebu who said, \u201cthe Typhoon was the strongest in the world\u2026but our faith in the Lord is even stronger\u2026no calamity or natural devastation can quench the fire of our hope. The Filipino soul is stronger than Yolanda.\u201d Click here to read Smith\u2019s opening remarks.\u00a0Click here or on image below to view video of statement\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA195quM2ps&amp;feature=player_embedded\n\n  \nOn the CODEL, Smith was joined by Reps. Trent Franks (AZ-08) and Al Green (TX-09). They met with U.S. military personnel, U.S. government aid leaders, and non-government organizations on the ground. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe Philippines is a major American ally and trading partner.\u00a0 There are an estimated 350,000 Americans living in the Philippines, and 4 million Filipinos living in the United States.\u00a0 We have an important stake in seeing that our friends and neighbors in the Philippines can recover from this devastating storm,\u201d Smith said. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Nancy Lindborg, Assistant Administrator from Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), was the lead witness. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThank you also for your continued support for our humanitarian programs around the world, which make a positive difference every day in the lives of millions,\u201d Lindborg said. \u201cI\u2019d also like to especially thank Chairman Smith for leading a Congressional Delegation to visit our response efforts in the Philippines firsthand. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI traveled to the Philippines one week after the storm made landfall. During my visit, I saw staggering devastation, but I also saw the kind of hope and humanity that somehow manages to surface in times of crisis,\u201d Lindborg said. \u201cAnd I saw a comprehensive relief effort in full swing. I arrived on day eight, on a U.S. military C-130 carrying life-saving supplies that were then dispatched from the Tacloban Airport to surrounding areas and loaded on U.S. military Osprey and Black Hawk helicopters to reach locations further afield.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Sean Callahan, Chief Operating Officer for Catholic Relief Services (CRS) testified that the CRS presence in the Philippines is its oldest continuously operating country program, prompted by the mass destruction and loss of life in the Philippines during World War II. More recently it responded to the earthquake in the Bohol province in October 2013. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cOur assessment found that people\u2019s most urgent needs included shelter, water, hygiene and sanitation, and food, \u201cCallahan said. \u201cAs we meet these needs, large amounts of debris still keep families from returning to their homes, and pose public health threats if not addressed soon.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Chris Palusky, Senior Director, Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs at World Vision, thanked Smith for holding the hearing. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cFor years you have worked tirelessly on behalf of vulnerable people around the world, especially children,\u201d Palusky said. \u201cYou have led important legislation aimed at protecting children in the United States and around the world, prioritizing initiatives designed to strengthen child protection systems. An essential element has been recognizing that children caught up in emergencies are significantly less vulnerable when responses strive to rebuild the informal and formal systems meant to protect children and their families. Congressional oversight can help strengthen the efforts of the U.S. Government and humanitarian community and Congressional engagement. This hearing offers a timely opportunity to examine how efforts to date address the needs and aspirations of the disaster-affected families in the post-typhoon context.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Click here to read their testimonies or watch the hearing.\u00a0Click here to watch the CSPAN library video.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363344", "Of 112 Obamacare Plans for Congress and Staff, 103 are Pro-Abortion", "2013-12-03", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "With a December 9th deadline for Members of Congress and congressional staff \u00a0to sign up for Obamacare health insurance, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) released new evidence of President Obama violating pro-life laws and providing taxpayer funding for insurance plans that include abortion on demand. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIn the run-up to passage of Obamacare, Americans were repeatedly told and reassured by President Obama himself, including in a speech to a joint session of Congress in October 2009, that \u2018under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortion.\u2019\u00a0 Obama even issued the infamous Executive Order that claimed, \u2018the Act maintains current Hyde Amendment restrictions governing abortion policy and extends those restrictions to newly created health insurance exchanges,\u2019\u201d said Smith. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cOnce again we see those promises ring hollow\u2014what the President said simply isn\u2019t true today.\u00a0 In the most recent example, 103 of the 112 insurance plans that Members of Congress and congressional staff are being directed to INCLUDE ELECTIVE ABORTION coverage. Only nine plans offered exclude elective abortion,\u201d Smith continued. (Click here to view flyer regarding the nine plans.) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Congressional employees have until just Dec. 9, 2013 to sign up for an employer-sponsored insurance plan on the Obamacare exchange offered in the District of Columbia (DC Health Link). Doubtlessly many congressional staff will\u2014knowingly or unknowingly\u2014sign up for these abortion plans marking a distinct departure from the Smith Amendment, a longstanding law prohibiting abortion coverage in plans provided to federal employees. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The amendment offered by Chris Smith three decades ago to ban abortion funding in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Programs is still current law. Like the Hyde Amendment, the Smith Amendment prohibits the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) from funding or even engaging in administrative activities in connection with any plan that includes abortion. However, the Obama Administration is now violating the Smith amendment since OPM has begun to administer a system for Members of Congress and their staff to obtain taxpayer-subsidized insurance coverage that pays for the destruction of innocent unborn children. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cOnly in response to public pressure did D.C. Health Link release a FAQ explaining how to decipher which plans exclude elective abortion coverage. To date, Secretary Sebelius has failed to provide any information about abortion coverage in plans sold in dozens of states on the Federally Facilitated Marketplace\u2013 even after promising to do so over a month ago,\u201d said Smith. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThis failure to disclose is a problem indicative of Obamacare plans nationwide and is why I have introduced the \u2018Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act\u2019 (H.R. 3279), a bill that requires information regarding either inclusion or exclusion of abortion coverage as well as the existence of an abortion surcharge to be \u2018prominently displayed.\u2019 To rid Obamacare of its massive expansion of abortion-on-demand facilitation and funding, I have also introduced the No Taxpayers Funding for Abortion Act, (H.R. 7),\u201d Smith continued. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAbortion isn\u2019t health care \u2014 it kills babies and harms women. We live in an age of ultrasound imaging \u2014 the ultimate window to the womb and the child who resides there. We are in the midst of a fetal health care revolution, an explosion of benign interventions designed to diagnose, treat and cure the youngest patients,\u201d said Smith. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cOnce again it is clear that Obamacare\u2019s abortion mandate violates federal law and makes taxpayers complicit in the culture of death. This is not reform,\u201d said Smith.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363179", "Smith CODEL to Philippines in Wake of Typhoon to Be Focus of House Hearing", "2013-12-02", "2013", "2013-12", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The findings of the bipartisan congressional delegation led by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) from Nov. 22-26 to the typhoon-ravaged Philippines, and the responses of U.S. government and international aid organizations, will be the topic of a congressional hearing on Tuesday before the House global health panel chaired by Smith. \u00a0Who: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Congressman Smith, Chairman of the global health subcommittee on the Foreign Affairs Committee; other Members of the subcommittee and the Smith CODEL and; witnesses: \r\n \r\n    \r\n        \r\n            \r\n                Nancy Lindborg, Assistant Administrator\r\n                Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)\r\n                Sean Callahan, Chief Operating Officer, Catholic Relief Services\r\n                Chris Palusky, Senior Director, Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs, World Vision\r\n            \r\n        \r\n    \r\n \r\nWhat:  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe United States\u2019 Post-Typhoon Response in the Philippines\u201d \r\nWhen:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Tuesday, Dec. 3 @ 3 p.m.\r\nWhere: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 2172 Rayburn House Office Building on the first floor.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-calls-boost-support-hunger-and-nutrition-programs-federal-budget-elijah%E2%80%99s", "Pallone Calls for Boost in Support of Hunger and Nutrition Programs in Federal Budget at Elijah\u2019s Promise Soup Kitchen, New Brunswick", "2013-12-02", "2013", "2013-12", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "New Brunswick, NJ \u2013 On Monday, December 2nd, 2013 at 10:30 a.m., Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) visited Elijah\u2019s Promise in New Brunswick, New Jersey, decrying cuts to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP, or food stamps) on the heels of House Republicans\u2019 latest effort to disable the program.\u00a0 In September, Republican leadership in the House of Representatives narrowly passed a bill to cut roughly $39 billion from the SNAP program over the next decade.\nPallone was joined by New Brunswick Mayor Jim Cahill, Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula, Lisanne Finston, Executive Director, Elijah\u2019s Promise and Adele LaTourette, Director, New Jersey Anti-Hunger Coalition.\u00a0\n\u201cIn the wealthiest country in the world, it is unacceptable to allow our children and families to go hungry,\u201d said Congressman Pallone. \u201cSNAP is our nation\u2019s most important anti-hunger safety net program and is one of the most effective and efficient federal programs, with one of the lowest \u2013 if not the lowest \u2013 rates of fraud, waste and abuse. The Republicans\u2019 never ending effort to dismantle this program is cruel and does not reflect our values as a nation.\u201d\n\"New Brunswick works in partnership with its residents on a mission to lead a healthy lifestyle, and it is critical to the overall health of a community to ensure that all its residents have access to nutritious and affordable foods,\" New Brunswick Mayor James Cahill said.\u00a0 \"Instead of building a sustainable and just food system that provides the hungry and less fortunate with access to fresh, quality food - because all people should have access to good food \u2013 the additional $39 billion cut in SNAP funding is contrary all that a caring nation should stand for.\"\n\"Freedom from hunger needs to be an inalienable right of every American and it should be incumbent upon the federal government to support programs for millions in our nation who are struggling to meet their basic needs, especially in tough economic times. The $39 billion in cuts come at an especially difficult time for New Jersey, where we have experienced a sharp increase in poverty in the past few years with more than 2 million, or 25 percent of our state's population reported to be living in poverty,\u00a0according to a report released in September. I support Congressman Pallone and House Democrats in calling for a proposal to eliminate the GOP cuts to SNAP. It is the right thing to do and is in keeping with our principles as a humane society and\u00a0a responsible government, said\" Assembly Deputy Speaker Upendra J. Chivukula (D-Somerset\\Middlesex).\u00a0\nAccording to the New Jersey Anti-Hunger Coalition, 394,240 children in New Jersey were living in food insecure households in 2011.\u00a0 More than 15% of Americans, including 22% of all American children, live in poverty.\u00a0 SNAP provides a basic nutrition benefit to many low-income Americans, including senior citizens and children, and has largely eliminated severe hunger and malnutrition in the United States.\u00a0 The Republican effort to further cut SNAP would mean more Americans, including children, will go hungry and malnourished, and an influx of pressure would be put on our community soup kitchens.\u00a0 The $39 billion in SNAP cuts would come on top of $5 billion in across-the-board SNAP benefit cuts that already went into effect on November 1st due to an expiring provision included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that provided a modest boost in SNAP benefits.\u00a0 Pallone and House Democrats are pushing for a proposal to eliminate the GOP cuts to SNAP as the House and Senate work on a compromise version of the Farm Bill, which funds the program.\nElijah\u2019s Promise is a community soup kitchen, culinary arts school, catering business, and pay-as-you-can caf\u00e9 that connects low-income individuals and families with social and health services. Elijah\u2019s Promise serves 100,000 meals per year and trains previously unskilled workers for careers in the food service industry.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363072", "FEMA OK\u2019s $1.747M for Belmar Marina Facilities Destroyed by Superstorm Sandy", "2013-11-27", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Sandy-battered community of Belmar will be receiving additional help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is awarding a $1.747 million grant to help pay for marina buildings, bridges, decks and other associated facilities damaged by Superstorm Sandy, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) said today. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0This latest Belmar grant follows previous federal funding totaling over $9 million for replacement of the boardwalk also destroyed as a result of Superstorm Sandy.\u00a0 Both grant awards are authorized under Section 406 of the Robert T. Stafford Act. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cAs someone who has been going to Belmar since I was a young boy, I can easily envision how these improvements will change the Belmar waterfront which was nearly unrecognizable to me when I first saw it days after Superstorm Sandy hit,\u201d said Smith.\u00a0 \u201cBoardwalks and marina facilities are the critical for many Jersey Shore towns, and rebuilding them and restoring them is essential to recovery.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The grant will help fund nine construction sites, four of which are completed and the others underway. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe switch from a 75-25 percent federal-local cost share to a 90-10 split will obviously make a huge difference for the people of Belmar and the town\u2019s budget,\u201d Smith said, who earlier this year took a lead role in obtaining $60 billion in federal disaster relief funding for Superstorm Sandy victims. He later pressed FEMA to fund 90 percent of municipal clean-up and rebuilding costs, instead of the standard 75 percent. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0At a June meeting with FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate in Smith\u2019s Washington Office, Smith asked for 90-10 federal share for FEMA funding for Belmar and other towns.\u00a0Fugate approved the 90 percent ratio several weeks later. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The higher cost share resulted in $290,000 additional aid in this grant.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363073", "FEMA OK\u2019s $2 Million+ Grant for Water Pump Station Destroyed by Superstorm Sandy", "2013-11-27", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The South Monmouth Regional Sewage Authority (SMRSA) is slated to receive a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help pay for the replacement of the Lake Como Water Pump Station that was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy.\u00a0 This new funding follows over $1 million previously received by SMRSA for damages to the Authority\u2019s Pitney Avenue Pump Station, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) said today. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The grant will provide $2,083,016 in Federal funding to pay for 90 percent of the cost to replace the pump station, allowing it to be permanently relocated from 501 North Boulevard in Lake Como to a new site at 1800 Parkway in Lake Como. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThis pumping station has had a long history of flood damages,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThis funding will help move it to a location intended to avoid or minimize future impairments and service disruptions.\u201d The grant award follows a review by FEMA that evaluated potential environmental impacts. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cSandy damaged critical infrastructure up-and-down the coast,\u201d said Smith, who toured damage throughout Monmouth and other counties in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. \u201cThis grant undoes a poor location decision made back in the 1970s.\u201d Superstorm Sandy submerged the pump station in five to six feet of water, shutting it down until a temporary bypass system was set up. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith earlier this year took a lead role in obtaining $60 billion in federal disaster relief funding for Superstorm Sandy victims. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0At a June meeting in Smith\u2019s Washington Office, Smith personally appealed to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to approve a 90 percent federal share for FEMA funding going to Jersey towns to pay for cleanup costs\u2014instead of the initially planned 75 percent. Fugate approved the 90 percent ratio several weeks later. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The higher cost ratio will provide the authority with an additional $347,000 for the project.\n  \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority (SMRSA) provides sanitary sewer conveyance and treatment for Monmouth County\u2019s coastal towns of Belmar, Lake Como, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Sea Girt, Manasquan, Brielle, and Wall Township.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363075", "<span class=\"kicker\">Star Ledger news article</span>While touring ravaged Philippines, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith's plane diverts for rescue effort", "2013-11-27", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By Darryl Isherwood/NJ.com The Star-Ledger -  \r\n\u00a0\u00a0  \r\nWhile traveling in the Philippines with a congressional delegation, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith's plane was diverted to aid in a helicopter rescue, the representative's spokesman said today.\r\nSmith was traveling in the Philippines, ravaged earlier this month by Typhoon Haiyan, to meet with victims, emergency workers, and U.S. and Filipino government officials.\r\nDuring the trip, the U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules Smith was traveling in was diverted to pick up two survivors of a helicopter crash into Manila Bay. The\u00a0C-130 crew, from Villamor Air Base, found the passengers floating in the water and dropped flotation devices for\u00a0 them.\r\nWhile in the devastated country, Smith toured the devastation in Tacloban City and surrounding areas in Leyte.\r\n\"It's mind numbing and heart numbing,\" Smith said. \"I've been to many places around the world when there have been catastrophic typhoons hurricanes, earthquakes and even more. It is powerful to witness the Filipino people's resiliency in the face of devastation, in the face the loss of life.\"\r\nSmith said he saw the importance of meeting with victims face to face during Hurricane Sandy, which destroyed huge portions of the New Jersey coast as well as inland areas.\r\n\"We saw with Superstorm Sandy in my own state the devastation and the U.S. government\u2014federal government\u2014had our back because we needed it,\" Smith said. \"Friends here in the Philippines, they have to know that we have their backs and I think that's what USAID is doing - Catholic Relief Services and the other non-government organizations - so that's the message I take away from here.\"\r\nThe typhoon that walloped the country earlier this month left behind a death toll of at least 5,200 people, though that number continues to climb. It was the strongest storm - in terms of wind speed - ever recorded at landfall. \r\nSmith was joined on the trip by U.S. Reps. \u00a0Al Green (D-TX), and Trent Franks (R-AZ).\r\nhttp://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/11/post_46.html", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363078", "<span class=\"kicker\">The Trentonian</span>Congressman Chris Smith takes trip to devastated Philippines", "2013-11-27", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Smith, who serves Hamilton and Robbinsville, traveled to the region impacted by Super Typhoon Haiyan, according to a release on Tuesday. \r\n\u201cIts mind numbing and heart numbing,\u201d Smith said, \u201cI\u2019ve been to many places around the world when there have been catastrophic typhoons hurricanes, earthquakes and even more. It is powerful to witness the Filipino people\u2019s resiliency in the face of devastation, in the face the loss of life.\u201d \r\nThe former U.S. territory suffered a direct hit on Nov. 8 by what officials say is one of the strongest storms in history. More than 4,000 people were killed and an estimated 4.4 million people have been displaced. The food supply has been hit hard with the typhoon damaging over 375,000 acres of local agriculture, including staples like rice, corn, and other vegetables. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that one million farmers and fishermen have lost their livelihoods, no longer able to contribute to the food supply, according to the release. \r\nThe congressman joined Reps. Al Green (D-TX-09) and Trent Franks (R-AZ-08), and upon arrival the three met with Filipino Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario. \r\nSmith expressed to him that the U.S would continue working with his government to bring life-saving supplies, the release said. The American and Filipino peoples have had an enormous bond for \u201cwell over a century,\u201d Smith said. \r\nThe delegates assisted in handing out clean water kits and other basic supplies to help mitigate the spread of water borne diseases. \r\n\u201cIt\u2019s all about generosity,\u201d Smith said, \u201cWe saw with Superstorm Sandy in my own state the devastation and the U.S. government had our back because we needed it. Friends here in the Philippines, they have to know that we have their backs.\u201d \r\nAt one point, the aircraft Smith was traveling in was diverted en route to pick up two survivors of a helicopter crash into Manila Bay. The crew located the two passengers of the helicopter floating on the water and dropped flotation devices for them. \r\nAs he was preparing to embark on the trip, Smith said there is value to boots-on-the-ground contact at disaster sites. \r\n\u201cYou listen to the victims and talk directly to the people who are leading the humanitarian response efforts so you can see where there is an unmet need and how federal resources can help,\u201d the congressman said. \r\nAccording to the release, a significant part of the trip was planned to spend time at emergency humanitarian staging areas of Catholic Relief Services, World Vision and other relief agencies that work out the logistics of delivering food, clothing and other essentials to those who need it the most.  http://www.trentonian.com/general-news/20131126/congressman-chris-smith-takes-trip-to-devastated-philippines", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362963", "Rep. Smith Statement on Supreme Court Decision to Hear Religious Freedom Cases", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Co-Chairman of the Congressional Pro-life Caucus, today released the following statement on the U.S. Supreme Court\u2019s decision to take up Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood\u2019s Religious Freedom cases. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cPresident Obama\u2019s use of the coercive power of the state to force people of faith and people of conscience to violate their fundamental convictions or suffer severe penalty is unconscionable and violates the basic principles of religious freedom that are so central to our Constitution,\u201d Smith said. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe Supreme Court\u2019s decision to take up the Hobby Lobby and Conestoga Wood cases gives reason to hope that they will provide much needed relief for family-owned businesses who find themselves in the impossible position of being forced to violate their moral or religious beliefs or face ruinous fines.\u201d \r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363074", "<span class=\"kicker\">Washington Times Op-Ed</span>SMITH: Ensuring that Typhoon Haiyan doesn\u2019t trigger a sex-trafficking epidemic", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Typhoon Haiyan \u2014 perhaps the strongest tropical storm ever to make landfall \u2014 has shifted the international humanitarian-assistance machine into high gear.\r\nOn Nov. 22, I led a bipartisan fact-finding congressional delegation that included Reps. Al Green, Texas Democrat, and Trent Franks, Arizona Republican, and senior staff to the Philippines. We visited storm-ravaged areas, including Tacloban and Ormoc. In Manila, we visited government officials, church representatives and leaders of numerous nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). I plan on chairing a hearing in early December to report on our findings and to hear from experts on the next steps.\r\nThe United Nations has issued a worldwide immediate appeal for $301 million \u2014 an amount that is likely to increase. Emergency shelter, food, water and medicine are being shipped in to meet the needs of the approximately 10 million victims, including at least 4 million who have been displaced.\r\nThe U.S. government has spent or pledged almost $50 million to help. As was the case after the devastating 2004 tsunami, America has deployed an aircraft carrier \u2014 this time, the USS George Washington \u2014 and other military assets to provide emergency assistance.\r\nCatholic Relief Services alone has committed $20 million to \u201cassist people\u2019s immediate needs for survival, and their long-term support for full recovery.\u201d Two Sundays ago, Catholic churches throughout the United States collected funds to aid the victims.\r\nHowever, there are two post-storm dangers that must receive immediate attention as well: the threat of epidemics and rising levels of human trafficking.\r\nIn natural disasters such as a typhoon, epidemics are likely a result of contaminated water systems and the breakdown of medical services. Diseases such as cholera, hepatitis A, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, typhoid fever, shigellosis, leptospirosis and polio are often seen. Crowded or other uncertain living conditions contribute to the kind of water contamination that breeds epidemics, and more than 707,000 houses were damaged or destroyed by this megastorm.\r\nThe specter of human trafficking requires serious integration of protection initiatives into both emergency relief and recovery efforts. This must be a very high priority. As the prime author of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, America\u2019s landmark anti-human-trafficking law, I am deeply concerned that vulnerable women and children are at risk of being victimized by traffickers, who prey on the utter desperation of people suddenly placed in life-and-death situations and take advantage of the ensuing post-storm chaos. We\u2019ve all seen the television images of Filipinos begging desperately for help or looting to survive. Many are at risk, especially women and children.\r\nAccording to the current State Department report on human trafficking, the Philippines is a Tier 2 country, meaning it does not fully comply with the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking. It is a source country and, to a lesser extent, a destination and transit country for men, women and children caught in the web of sex trafficking and forced labor.\r\nThe 2013 State Department trafficking report cites an enhanced trafficking danger for Filipino children: \u201cChild sex tourism remained a serious problem in the Philippines, with sex tourists coming from Northeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America to engage in the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Increasingly, Filipino children are coerced to perform sex acts for Internet broadcast to paying foreign viewers. An NGO reported an increasing risk of boys becoming victims of commercial sexual exploitation.\u201d\r\nA robust zero-tolerance anti-human-trafficking initiative needs to be fully integrated into relief efforts.\r\nAs we endeavor to meet emergency needs, the world\u2019s response to Typhoon Haiyan must include serious and sustained efforts to combat potential disease epidemics and the cruelty of sex trafficking. The arduous job of post-storm recovery requires no less of a commitment and resources over the longer term.\r\nRep. Christopher H. Smith, a New Jersey Republican, is chairman of the Foreign Affairs\u2019 global health subcommittee.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363076", "<span class=\"kicker\">NJ.com news article</span>N.J. Congressman tours typhoon-stricken areas in PhilippinesN.J. Congressman tours typhoon-stricken areas in Philippines", "2013-11-26", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "After witnessing Hurricane Sandy\u2019s impact on his own district, a New Jersey congressman is surveying a devastating typhoon\u2019s damage half way around the world.\r\nCongressman Chris Smith (R-4th) and his bipartisan congressional delegation traveled to the region impacted by Typhoon Haiyan to meet with victims of the typhoon, emergency workers and U.S. and Filipino government officials.\r\n\u201cYou listen to the victims and talk directly to the people who are leading the humanitarian response efforts so you can see where there is an unmet need and how federal resources can help,\" Smith said in a Tuesday press release.\r\nSmith is no stranger to disaster zones. He gained a working knowledge of on-the-ground disaster relief and response operations domestically and around the world, including during the 2004 Tsunami and most recently in New Jersey when parts of his congressional district were severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy.\r\nSmith, who is joined on the trip by Reps. Al Green (D-TX), and Trent Franks (R-AZ), saw for himself the typhoon's devastation in Tacloban City and surrounding areas in Leyte.\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s mind numbing and heart numbing,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI\u2019ve been to many places around the world when there have been catastrophic typhoons hurricanes, earthquakes and even more. It is powerful to witness the Filipino people\u2019s resiliency in the face of devastation, in the face the loss of life.\u201d \r\nUpon arrival, the Smith delegation met with Filipino Foreign Affairs Sec. Albert del Rosario. Smith expressed to him that the U.S would continue working with his government to bring life-saving supplies. The American and Filipino peoples have had an enormous bond for \u201cwell over a century,\" Smith said.\r\nSmith and the delegation toured much of the devastation and at some staging areas assisted in handing out clean water kits and other basic supplies to help mitigate the spread of water borne diseases.\r\n\u201cIt\u2019s all about generosity,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWe saw with Superstorm Sandy in my own state the devastation and the U.S. government\u2014federal government\u2014had our back because we needed it. Friends here in the Philippines, they have to know that we have their backs and I think that\u2019s what USAID is doing, CRS (Catholic Relief Services) and the other non-government organizations so that\u2019s the message I take away from here.\u201d\r\nAt one point, the U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules the Smith CODEL was traveling in was diverted en route to pick up two survivors of a helicopter crash into Manila Bay. The C-130 crew, from Villamor Air Base, located the two passengers of the helicopter floating on the water and dropped flotation devices for them.\r\n\u201cI am extremely impressed with U.S. servicemembers performing such critical humanitarian work,\u201d Smith said.\u201cUSAID is doing a wonderful job - this is really a textbook example of how it should be done.\u201d\r\nThe Philippines, a former U.S. territory, and one of the U.S.\u2019s closet allies in the Far East, suffered a direct hit by one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in history on November 8. More than 4,000 people were killed and many more thousands were injured. An estimated 4.4 million people have been displaced. \r\nSmith arrived in thed Philippines Saturday. Last week, he said that the U.N. has called for $301 million in worldwide humanitarian aid and the U.S. is among the donor nations offering assistance. \r\n\u201cThe U.S. government has spent or pledged almost $50 million to help. Emergency shelter, food, water and medicine are being shipped in to meet the needs of the victims, many of whom have immediate relatives in the United States,\u201d Smith said. \u201cAs was the case after the devastating 2004 tsunami, America has deployed an aircraft carrier\u2014this time the USS George Washington\u2014and other military assets to provide emergency assistance.\"\r\nSmith said secondary concerns in the storm\u2019s aftermath are the threat of human trafficking and disease.  \r\n\u00a0  \r\n\u201cHowever, there are two post-storm dangers that must receive immediate attention as well: the threat of epidemics and rising levels of human trafficking,\u201d Smith said. \"The Philippines is a known source country for trafficking victims who are fooled by promises of careers in other countries. Now there is great concern for the protection of adolescent girls from scurrilous sex traffickers who will use the crisis to exploit these young women. \r\nSmith also expressed concern for the added threat of typhoid and cholera and other diseases that can manifest in the storm\u2019s aftermath.\r\n\"I\u2019m hoping that those displaced by the storm will be properly protected from the epidemics that could ensue in the days and weeks that follow such a devastating natural disaster. Epidemics are likely due to contaminated water systems and the breakdown of medical services.\" http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2013/11/nj_congressman_tours_typhoon-stricken_areas_in_philippines.html", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362842", "Smith Congressional Delegation Meets with Victims of Typhoon, Filipino Gov't", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) and his bipartisan congressional delegation (CODEL) traveled to the region devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan, locally called Typhoon Yolanda, meeting with victims of the typhoon, emergency workers and U.S. and Filipino government officials. \u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s mind numbing and heart numbing,\u201d Smith said. \u201cI\u2019ve been to many places around the world when there have been catastrophic typhoons hurricanes, earthquakes and even more. It is powerful to witness the Filipino people\u2019s resiliency in the face of devastation, in the face the loss of life.\u201d\u00a0\n Smith, who is joined on the trip by Reps. Al Green (D-TX-09), and Trent Franks (R-AZ-08), saw for himself the typhoon's devastation in Tacloban City and surrounding areas in Leyte.\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Upon arrival, the Smith delegation met with Filipino Foreign Affairs Sec. Albert del Rosario. Smith expressed to him that the U.S would continue working with his government to bring life-saving supplies. The American and Filipino peoples have had an enormous bond for \u201cwell over a century,\" Smith said.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith and the delegation toured much of the devastation and at some staging areas assisted in handing out clean water kits and other basic supplies to help mitigate the spread of water borne diseases. \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s all about generosity,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWe saw with Superstorm Sandy in my own state the devastation and the U.S. government\u2014federal government\u2014had our back because we needed it. Friends here in the Philippines, they have to know that we have their backs and I think that\u2019s what USAID is doing, CRS (Catholic Relief Services) and the other NGOs (non-government organizations) so that\u2019s the message I take away from here.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0At one point, the U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules the Smith CODEL was traveling in was diverted en route to pick up two survivors of a helicopter crash into Manila Bay. The C-130 crew, from Villamor Air Base, located the two passengers of the helicopter floating on the water and dropped flotation devices for\u00a0 them. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI am extremely impressed with U.S. servicemembers performing such critical humanitarian work,\u201d said Smith, who also had praise for the U.S. civilian workers.  \n\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cUSAID is doing a wonderful job,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is really a textbook example of how it should be done.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith has working knowledge of on-the-ground disaster relief and response operations domestically and around the world\u2014including during the 2004 Tsunami and most recently in New Jersey when parts of\u00a0 his congressional district were severely damaged by Superstorm Sandy. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0As he was preparing to embark on the trip, Smith said there is value to\u00a0\u201cboots-on-the-ground\u201d\u00a0contact at disaster sites. Smith said, \u201cYou listen to the victims and talk directly to the people who are leading the humanitarian response efforts so you can see where there is an unmet need and how federal resources can help.\" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A significant part of the trip was planned to spend time at emergency humanitarian staging areas of Catholic Relief Services, World Vision and other relief agencies that work out the logistics of delivering food, clothing and other essentials to those who need it the most. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In addition to his concerns about the threat of health epidemics, Smith is also working to combat an increase in human trafficking which often takes place after a natural disaster.\u00a0 \u00a0Smith, who serves as the chairman of the House subcommittee that oversees global health and is also the author of our nation\u2019s landmark anti-human trafficking legislation, the Trafficking Victim\u2019s Protection Act, said \u201cthere are precautions that can and must be taken immediately to protect young women and children who have been rendered homeless by the typhoon. Tragically, experience shows \u00a0there are thugs and predators who will deceive and coerce victims into life of human trafficking.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The former U.S. territory, and one of the U.S.\u2019s closet allies in the Far East, suffered a direct hit by one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in history on November 8. More than 4,000 people were killed and many more thousands were injured. An estimated 4.4 million people\u00a0 have been\u00a0displaced. The food supply has been\u00a0hit hard\u00a0with the typhoon damaging over 375,000 acres of local agriculture, including staples like rice, corn, and other vegetables. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that one million farmers and fishermen have lost their livelihoods, no longer able to contribute to the food supply.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=363077", "U.S. Marine Corps HQ: Marines rescue downed aviators amid Operation Damayan", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By 1st Lt. Luke Kuper | Headquarters Marine Corps | November 25, 2013 - \r\nMarines with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152 assisted in rescue efforts of two pilots involved in a civilian helicopter crash Nov. 24 over Manila Bay.A KC-130J Super Hercules assigned to the squadron was returning to Villamor Air Base from Tacloban after delivering relief supplies in support of Operation Damayan, the U.S. military response to Typhoon Haiyan. Maj. Jason Kauffman, a pilot with the squadron, heard a mayday call come through his radio approximately 18 nautical miles northwest of North Harbor.\u00a0 \u201cWe were inbound to approach into Manila \u2026 we heard a mayday call from a helicopter that just crashed into Manila Bay,\u201d said Kauffman. \u201cWe set up in orbit, we got eyes on the survivors, there were two of them in the water.\u201d The crew immediately prepared to deploy a life raft. \u201cThe four crew members in the back got the raft ready to go and cleared all the loose equipment away from the door,\u201d said Sgt. Chris Weins a crew member with the squadron. \u201cOn the aircraft commander\u2019s call, we threw the raft out, and it deployed as it was supposed to about 300 feet away from the (survivors).\u201d The Marines' quick response ensured the pilots did not remain in open water long. \u201cA local fisherman responded 20-30 minutes later,\u201d said Kauffman. \u201cThey came up alongside the raft we kicked out and loaded the two helicopter pilots into the fishing boat.\u201d Representatives with the U.S. Agency for International Development were passengers in the KC-130J, returning from Tacloban to help with relief efforts.\u00a0 \u201c(Operation Damayan) has been a textbook example, it\u2019s a model, of what we can do when we all work together,\u201d said Jeremy Konyndyk, a USAID representative and passenger aboard the Super Hercules. \u201cIt\u2019s always nice to learn from what\u2019s gone right.\u201d Also aboard the aircraft were congressmen Trent Franks (Ariz.), Chris Smith (N.J.), and Al Green (TX), who traveled to the Philippines to observe the relief and recovery efforts of the U.S. military. \u201cIn an absolutely amazing example of military precision, (the crew) dropped a life raft to where the people could swim to it,\u201d said Franks. \u201cIt seems like (Kauffman\u2019s) call sign \u2018Rescue\u2019 was emphasized again. I believe that the military (members) of the U.S. are the most noble figures in human society.\u201d The cause of the helicopter crash is under investigation.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=770", "The Record: Congress in Class", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Rodney Frelinghuysen", "F000372", "frelinghuysen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The Record: Congress in Class\r\n\r\n\tPosted: November 7, 2013\r\n\r\n\tPlease take a look at this article, published by The Record, regarding my visit to Passaic Valley High School!", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=771", "Jackson: Morris County Republican Frelinghuysen is the new guardian of the defense budget", "2013-11-25", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Rodney Frelinghuysen", "F000372", "frelinghuysen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Home | Site Map| Privacy Policy\n 2306 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515-3011 (202) 225-5034 Open: Mon. - Fri., 9am to 5:30pm\n 30 Schuyler Place, Second Floor Morristown, NJ 07960 (973) 984-0711 Open: Mon. - Fri., 9am to 5pm", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362668", "Smith Leads Bipartisan Congressional Delegation to Philippines", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) is expected to arrive in the Philippines Saturday leading a bipartisan congressional delegation to the region devastated by Super Typhoon Haiyan.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The former U.S. territory, and one of the U.S.\u2019s closet allies in the Far East, suffered a direct hit by one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in history on November 8. More than 4,000 people were killed and many more thousands were injured. Basic\u00a0necessities, including food, clean water, housing\u00a0and sanitation,\u00a0have to be provided to thousands\u00a0of the\u00a0estimated 4.4 million people\u00a0who have been\u00a0displaced. The food supply has been\u00a0hit hard\u00a0with the typhoon damaging over 375,000 acres of local agriculture, including staples like rice, corn, and other vegetables. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimates that one million farmers and fishermen have lost their livelihoods, no longer able to contribute to the food supply. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith noted that the U.N. has called for $301 million in worldwide humanitarian aid and the U.S. is among the donor nations offering assistance, \u201cThe U.S. government has spent or pledged almost $50 million to help.\u00a0 Emergency shelter, food, water and medicine are being shipped in to meet the needs of the victims, many of whom have immediate relatives in the United States.\u00a0 As was the case after the devastating 2004 tsunami,\u00a0 America has deployed an aircraft carrier\u2014this time the USS George Washington\u2014and other military assets to provide emergency assistance.\" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cHowever, there are two post-storm dangers that must receive immediate attention as well: the threat of epidemics and rising levels of human trafficking,\u201d added Smith, who serves as the chairman of the House subcommittee that oversees global health and is the author of our nation\u2019s landmark anti-human trafficking legislation, the Trafficking Victim\u2019s Protection Act. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"The Philippines is a known source country for trafficking victims who are fooled by promises of careers in other countries. Now there is great concern\u00a0for the protection of adolescent girls from scurrilous sex traffickers who will use the crisis to exploit these young women.\u00a0 There is an added threat of a climbing death count attributed to typhoid and cholera and other diseases that manifest after the fact,\u201d said Smith. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"I\u2019m hoping that those displaced by the storm will be\u00a0properly protected from the epidemics that could ensue in the days and weeks that follow such a devastating natural disaster. Epidemics are likely due to contaminated water systems and the breakdown of medical services.\" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith has\u00a0a working knowledge of on-the-ground disaster relief and response operations domestically and around the world\u2014including during the 2004 Tsunami and most recently in New Jersey when parts of\u00a0 his congressional district were severely damaged by Superstorm Sandy. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Commenting on the value of\u00a0boots-on-the-ground\u00a0Smith said, \u201cYou listen to the victims and talk directly to the people who are leading the humanitarian response efforts so you can see where there is an unmet need and how federal resources can help.\" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWith overseas disasters it\u2019s further complicated by the greater potential for deadly or debilitating diseases\u00a0including cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, and polio that often arise, adding to the suffering and to numbers of lives lost. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cCrowded or unsanitary living conditions contribute to the kind of water contamination that breeds epidemics. The utter devastation of more than 707,000 houses by this mega storm has created a crisis of enormous size with a dangerous potential for outbreaks of disease not seen in recent times.\" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A significant part of the trip will be time spent at emergency humanitarian staging areas of Catholic Relief Services, World Vision and other relief agencies that work out the logistics of delivering food, clothing and other essentials to those who need it the most. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cCatholic Relief Services alone has committed $20 million to \u2018assist people\u2019s immediate needs for survival, and their long term support for full recovery,\u2019\u201d Smith noted.\u00a0 \u201cLast week Catholic churches throughout New Jersey and the entire United States collected funds to aid the victims. The coordination of\u00a0faith-based and other charitable contributions with federal resources will help ensure the best results\u00a0for those most affected by this\u00a0devastation.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Joining Smith on the trip are Reps. Al Green (D-TX-09), and Trent Franks (R-AZ-08). Smith is a 33-year member of the House, and a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWe will meet with\u00a0government officials, church representatives and leaders of numerous non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who are delivering aid and working to ensure the protection of children who have become separated from their families to learn what is working and what still needs to be done, \" Smith said. \u201cUpon return, I plan on chairing a hearing in early December to report on our findings and to hear from experts on next steps.\u201d\u00a0\n ###\u00a0\nAdded historical note: The United States has deployed the USS George Washington aircraft carrier to the archipelago near the Leyte region, an area close to the location\u00a0where\u00a0U.S. Gen. Douglas MacArthur's forces landed on Oct. 20, 1944. In one of the Allies\u2019 most storied victories of World War II, MacArthur fulfilled his famed vow \"I shall return,\" more than two years\u00a0after he had been forced to leave the Philippines to avoid capture by Japanese invasion forces.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362786", "Smith Introduces Legislation to Promote Extradition of Fugitives Back to U.S.", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "After decades of elusive justice and failed U.S. government efforts to extradite the convicted murderers of a New Jersey State trooper and a World War II veteran, as well as other fugitives, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) and Rep. Albio Sires (NJ-08) today unveiled the \u201cWalter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act\u201d (H.R. 3585). \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe bill is named after Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster because they were both brutally murdered by people who have been convicted, escaped prison and simply moved abroad, where they live with no consequences or accountability and taunt the surviving relatives and friends of the people they killed. Despite some efforts, our government has failed to bring back the criminals in either case,\u201d said Smith. \u201cThese are two of the most egregious cases, but it\u2019s clear that there are many others. Passage of H.R. 3585 would enable us to properly assess the information on actions taken across various federal agencies, reevaluate our efforts and ultimately make policy changes aimed at bringing back criminals who have fled the U.S. justice system. The surviving family members and friends deserve no less.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The bill, sponsored by Smith, would require the executive branch to report to Congress on the number of fugitives which our government is seeking to extradite, the efforts it has undertaken to secure their return, how often it is successful, and factors that have prevented their return. The information would allow Congress to evaluate and strengthen the executive branch\u2019s efforts to extradite fugitives. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Walter Patterson was murdered by George Wright at Patterson\u2019s gas station in Wall, N.J., during a Nov. 23, 1962 robbery and convicted. In 1970 Wright escaped from the New Jersey state prison in Leesburg, N.J., later hijacking a plane and fleeing the country. Due to cold case work initiated by FBI investigator R.J. Gallagher, in 2011 Wright was discovered living in a coastal resort area of Portugal, but the Portuguese government refuses to extradite him. (Click here to read about Rep. Smith\u2019s 2012 hearing on the Wright case.) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Trooper Foerster was murdered by Joanne Chesimard on the New Jersey Turnpike on May 2, 1973. Chesimard escaped from a New Jersey state prison near Clinton, N.J. in 1979 and made her way to Cuba, which has supported her at Cuban government expense. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Rep. Sires, the lead Democratic co-sponsor of the bipartisan legislation, said, \u201cMy thoughts and prayers remain with the families of Trooper Werner Foerster and Walter Patterson whose pain and suffering have only been exacerbated by the inability to bring the killers of their loved ones to justice.\u00a0It has been 40 years since Joanne Chesimard murdered New Jersey State Trooper, Werner Foerster. I stand with the brave men and women of the New Jersey State Police who remain committed in bringing Joanne Chesimard to justice. It is unconscionable albeit not surprising that the Castro regime, suppressors of the freedom loving people of Cuba, will allow a convicted killer to walk freely and enjoy the liberties it denies its own people while knowingly persecuting and imprisoning Cubans advocating for basic human rights and the freedom to speak freely, worship and assemble without reprisal.\u00a0This bill honors the lives of Werner Foerster and Walter Patterson in its aim to have Congress ensure that our government remains steadfast in its efforts to retrieve Joanne Chesimard, George Wright, and the countless other fugitives eluding justice abroad.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ann Patterson, of Monmouth County, N.J., the daughter of Walter Patterson, said, \u201cOnce again as the calendar reminds me of that dreadful night, November 23, 1962, I remember the heartbreaking events that mark the 51st anniversary of my father, Walter Patterson\u2019s brutal beating and murder. George Wright, who administered the beating, has not paid his debt to society, nor to the Patterson family as he escaped from prison, hijacked a plane, held 86 passengers as hostages, and threatened others with bodily harm and death. The family of Walter Patterson has not given up hope that the United States government, both the State Department and the Department of Justice, will pursue all avenues so that justice will be served and we will have some measure of closure.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Chris Burgos, President of the State Troopers Fraternal Association of New Jersey, said, \u201cThis piece of legislation is a clear reminder that we will not forget the brutal cold-blooded murder of Trooper Foerster over 40 years ago, and that we will not relent on seeking justice done for those responsible. We applaud Congressman Smith on his efforts.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Walter Patterson\u2019s granddaughter, Jackie, added: \u201cAs the anniversary of my grandfather\u2019s death approaches, I think about the holidays George Wright is able to spend with his family while my family will once again be missing a family member.\u00a0 Having this bill passed in honor of my grandfather is a step towards obtaining justice for the Patterson family.\u00a0 We continue to hope that one day George Wright will serve the remainder of his sentence, but in the meantime, we will continue to honor my grandfather by setting up a scholarship in his name.\u00a0 Hopefully this bill will prevent other families from experiencing the disappointment that our family has faced.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Terry, another granddaughter, said Wright should serve out the rest of his sentence: \u201cWhere he decides to hide out for 40 years, or the amount of time that has passed does not erase the crimes committed, nor does it erase the fact that he is a convicted criminal who has not fulfilled his sentencing. The amazing part of the story is that after 40 years, and who knows how many aliases later, the FBI agents and U.S. Marshalls tracked down this murderer.\u00a0 The more amazing part of the story is that after they invested numerous hours and resources, the murderer is still living as a free man.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Terry said that Wright\u2019s dodging his debt to society sends the wrong message about the U.S. criminal justice system. \u201cIf anything positive comes out of the murder of my grandfather, I can only hope that other criminals are brought to justice, no matter where they decide to try to hide, or what country they flee to.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith added, \u201cIn 2012, when it became clear that our government\u2019s efforts to extradite George Wright from Portugal had failed, I held meetings with the Portuguese ambassador and the Department of Justice, and chaired a hearing on the Wright case and the extradition process. It was apparent right away that the process is failing far too many people\u2013above all for those who see people who have killed their loved ones living openly abroad, apparently outside of our government\u2019s reach. It was also apparent that, while our government has certainly taken the Wright and Chesimard cases very seriously, there are experts currently outside our government who have ideas for a more vigorous, creative pursuit of these criminals. This bill will give Congress the relevant facts with which to jump-start new approaches to extradition.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0For more information on the case of George Wright: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/the-hunt-for-mr-wright/  AP article http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/02/nyregion/george-wright-fugitive-us-killer-avoids-extradition-from-portugal.html?_r=0 http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/29/nyregion/george-wright-tells-story-of-hijacking-from-portugal.html. For more information on the case of Joanne Chesimard, who in May of this year was added to the FBI\u2019s \u201cMost Wanted Terrorist\u201d list: http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2013/may/joanne-chesimard-first-woman-named-most-wanted-terrorists-list.  http://www.usnews.com/news/newsgram/articles/2013/05/02/joanne-chesimard-fugitive-living-in-cuba-named-to-fbi-most-wanted-terrorists-list  Officers Down Memorial Page NJLAWMAN.com\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-remembers-jfk%E2%80%99s-legacy-maple-place-middle-school", "Pallone Remembers JFK\u2019s Legacy at Maple Place Middle School", "2013-11-22", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Today, November 22, 2013, Congressman Frank Pallone Jr. (NJ-06) spoke at the Maple Place Middle School in Oceanport, NJ to mark the 50th anniversary of JFK's assassination.\u00a0 Pallone was greeted by honor students, after which he read from Kennedy\u2019s inaugural address in the school\u2019s cafeteria.\u00a0 Pallone talked to seventh and eighth grade students about the 50th anniversary of JFK's death and discussed his own memory of the assassination as a seventh grader at the time.\u00a0\nPallone also shared his experiences of having attended Kennedy\u2019s funeral in Washington, D.C. in 1963.\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPresident Kennedy was an incredible inspiration for so many Americans and his death was a tragedy that changed the nation, which is still felt today,\u201d said Pallone.\u00a0 \u201cHis message of service inspired me to give back to my country and it is a message that should be passed to new generations of Americans.\u00a0 I will never forget my experience attending President Kennedy\u2019s funeral. I was in seventh grade, just like the students at Maple Place Middle School and today was a good opportunity to share my memories of President Kennedy and encourage these young people honor his legacy by engaging in public service.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362547", "Smith Chairs Congressional Hearing on Alzheimer's Crisis in the U.S. & World", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The national epidemic and potential world pandemic of Alzheimer\u2019s Disease was the topic of a congressional hearing today before the House global health panel chaired by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who also co-chairs the bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer\u2019s Disease. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Over five million Americans suffer from the debilitating disease. Some experts estimate that Alzheimer\u2019s costs Americans over $180 billion annually, which could rise to over $1 trillion a year by 2050. Next month at the G-8 Dementia Summit in the United Kingdom, health ministers from G-8 countries will discuss strategies to address the global challenge of Alzheimer\u2019s and other forms of dementia. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cCurrently, more than 35 million people worldwide live with some form of dementia,\u201d Smith said. \u201cBy 2050, this population is projected to triple and affect more than 115 million people. As populations age across the globe, today's crisis may become tomorrow's catastrophe.\u201d Click here to read Congressman Smith\u2019s opening remarks or here to watch. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe struggle to meet the challenge of HIV-AIDS has been tremendous, but it is one we have made great strides in addressing,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWe must do no less in the struggle against Alzheimer\u2019s and other forms of dementia.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Testifying at Smith\u2019s hearing were: Matthew Baumgart, Senior Director of Public Policy, Alzheimer\u2019s Association; Andrea Pfeifer, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, of Switzerland-based AC Immune, and; George Vradenburg, Chairman and Founder, USAgainstAlzheimer\u2019s.  \r\n  \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Baumgart drew attention to the bipartisan National Alzheimer\u2019s Project Act (NAPA) (P.L. 111-375) \u2013co-authored by Smith and former Rep. Ed-Markey of Mass\u2014which passed Congress unanimously in 2010. The Act requires the creation of an annually-updated strategic National Alzheimer\u2019s Plan to help those with the disease and their families today and to change the trajectory of the disease for the future, \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cBecause of the Plan, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) finally has created a blueprint for Alzheimer\u2019s research that includes a timeline and milestones toward the goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer\u2019s by 2025,\u201d Baumgart said. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe health ministers from the G8 nations will meet the first ever global summit on dementia to help improve management of the disease and accelerate the development of new treatments under the leadership of the UK government,\u201d Pfiffer said. \u201cThe high-level summit, which is to be held in London on December 11, will host discussion to shape an effective international solution to dementia, including looking for effective therapies and responses to slow dementia\u2019s impact... . The G8 have a unique chance to help people manage dementia better, lead healthier lives and deliver real improvements in care and substantial economic savings.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI encourage this subcommittee to continue doing what you are doing in conducting invaluable oversight of U.S. and global efforts to address the Alzheimer\u2019s crisis,\u201d Vradenburg said. \u201cI also urge you to consider opportunities to work with a growing body of parliamentarians in other nations\u2013particularly the UK, the European Union, and Japan\u2013who are also deeply interested in stopping Alzheimer\u2019s and dementia and willing to engage in dialogue with fellow parliamentarians on this topic.\u201d\r\nClick here to watch the hearing or read the statements of the witnesses.\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362789", "Rep. Smith\u2019s Bill on Boosting U.S. Exports to Africa Approved by Committee", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cThe Increasing American Jobs Through Greater Exports to Africa Act\u201d \u2014legislation to support American jobs by growing U.S. exports to Africa\u2014was passed Thurday by the full House Foreign Affairs Committee, which voted unanimously\u00a0 to pass the bill, written by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees African issues.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0H.R. 1777, \u201cThe Increasing American Jobs Through Greater Exports to Africa Act of 2013,\u201d was passed as an amendment in the form of a substitute. Click here to read the final bill. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cImproving the competitiveness of U.S. business in Africa is in America\u2019s interests as well, since more prosperous Africans can afford U.S. manufactured goods,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThis legislation focuses on increasing exports of U.S. goods and services to Africa by 200 percent in real dollar value within 10 years. According to the department of commerce every 1 billion in US exports creates some 6000 jobs in this country.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In 2012, Smith held a hearing on the legislation with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Johnnie Carson, U.S. Assistant Trade Representative for Africa Florizelle Liser, and advocate and former star of ABC\u2019s Grey\u2019s Anatomy, was Isaiah Washington. The hearing was held before the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights, chaired by Smith. Smith is author of the bill, and Rep. Bobby Rush (IL-01) is the coauthor. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0H.R. 1777 encourages members of the African Diaspora to increase their involvement in U.S.-Africa trade. Small and medium-sized businesses in the United States accounted for 60 percent of U.S. exports in 2010, and traditional and recent members of the African Diaspora are most evident in these categories. The legislation calls for not less than 25 percent of existing available trade financing be used for U.S.-Africa projects, especially small and medium-sized businesses. The legislation is intended to stimulate U.S. bilateral trade with Africa and boost American exports to Africa by 200 percent within 10 years. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0African officials have long encouraged American entrepreneurs to sell more of their products to Africa, such as irrigation equipment and other agricultural equipment and supplies.\u00a0Such sales would not only increase jobs in the United States by expanding production for an expanding market, but it would allow African agricultural producers, for example, to become more efficient and productive. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0According to the U.S. International Trade Administration, the United States is the world\u2019s largest importer of African goods, receiving 20.2 percent of the continent\u2019s total global exports. However, U.S. exports fell sharply during the height of the global recession. From 2008 to 2009, U.S. exports to Africa dropped 45 percent from $78.3 billion to $42.8 billion. According to estimates by the U.S. Trade Representative Office and the U.S. Department of Commerce, every $1 billion in exports supports more than 6,000 jobs. If the legislation\u2019s goal of raising U.S. exports to Africa by 200 percent with 10 years (from $21 billion in 2011 to $63 billion) is achieved, the creation of over a quarter of a million new U.S. jobs could be realized.\u00a0\r\n\u00a0\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://payne.house.gov/press-release/payne-pushes-fema-make-social-media-data-more-readable-first-responders-during-times", "Payne Pushes FEMA to Make Social Media Data More Readable for First Responders During Times of Disaster", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Donald Payne", "P000604", "payne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representative Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), sent a bipartisan letter to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator W. Craig Fugate urging FEMA to adopt open data standards to enhance social media alerts in a disaster situation.\nIn a June 4, 2013, Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications, on which Rep. Payne, Jr. serves as Ranking Member, the committee examined the role of social media in an emergency situation and lessons learned from using social media during Hurricane Sandy. Witnesses, including Sgt. Greg Kierce, Jersey City Director of Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, noted certain obstacles undermining the dissemination of vital, life-saving information.\u00a0 Of particular note, the hearing revealed that a significant amount of government data is only available via PDF or another unusable format for emergency personnel.\n\u201cSocial media has revolutionized the way we respond to disasters,\u201d said Rep. Payne, Jr. \u201cAfter Hurricane Sandy, survivors used social media to reconnect with loved ones; to share information about which gas stations, grocery stores, and pharmacies were open; and to coordinate volunteer efforts.\u00a0 Big data technologies can be used to facilitate more effective, efficient emergency response, but we need to make sure that the information made available is usable.\u00a0 That\u2019s why it is critical FEMA provide our emergency responders the tools and life-saving information in a readable format so that they can respond more appropriately and effectively in times of emergency.\u201d\n\u201cFrom the devastating tornados this past weekend in Illinois to Superstorm Sandy, we know the game changing power of social media from Twitter and Facebook to mobile applications to Google docs when disaster strikes,\u201d said Swalwell. \u201cSocial media alerts can lead people to safety before a storm strikes and direct them to important resources like food and shelter after the event. I want to ensure that FEMA follows through on implementing the Executive Order in a timely fashion so their data is open and accessible for those who need it in a catastrophic emergency situation.\u201d\nAn Executive Order issued in May 2013 by the Obama Administration directed government agencies to provide newly generated data in a publicly accessible machine readable and open format like CSV, SCML, and JSON. In turn, emergency managers, first-responders, volunteer organizations will have timely access to life-saving information, and innovators can take advantage of the data to develop new products, like mobile applications, that can assist in an emergency situation.\u00a0 In the letter, Rep. Payne, Jr. urged FEMA to comply with the Executive Order and provide an update on FEMA\u2019s progress in collecting and creating data in an open format that is more readily available to first responders.\nThe letter was signed by Subcommittee Chairwoman Susan Brooks (R-IN) and Reps. Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), Peter King (R-NY), and Steven Palazzo (R-MS).\u00a0\nA link to the letter can be found here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362418", "Smith a Leader in Effort Calling on Iranian Gov\u2019t to Free American Pastor", "2013-11-20", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) today led an effort in the House Foreign Affairs committee calling on the Government of Iran to release a U.S. citizen, Pastor Saeed Abedini, or face additional sanctions. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0By unanimously consent, the full committee accepted Smith\u2019s amendment to broaden and revise pending legislation, H.Res. 147, introduced by Rep. Bill Cassidy back in April.\u00a0 The updated provisions, which Cassidy supports, reflect new and more serious dangers the unjustly imprisoned pastor faces and help ready the bill for consideration by the full House of Representatives. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cPastor Abedini has endured beatings, psychological torture and worse because he will not deny his Christian faith,\u201d said Smith, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Smith noted with alarm that Abedini was recently transferred from a prison for political and non-violent inmates to a notorious prison housing hardened criminals, including murderers and rapists.\u00a0 \u201cHe is now in a prison where we are very fearful for his life.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The resolution which calls for the release of Abedini, an Iranian-American and resident of Idaho who has been imprisoned for more than a year, also calls on the United States Government to work aggressively for the quick release of Abedini by designating additional Iranian officials, as appropriate, for human rights abuses pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith quoted extensively from testimony given by the pastor\u2019s wife, Naghmeh Abedini, also an America Citizen, at a March 2013 hearing in which she stated their two American-born children, ages 6 and 4, are deeply hurting from their father\u2019s imprisonment: \u201cA day does not go by that they do not long for him. Most nights they cry themselves to sleep, wanting daddy home\u2026\u00a0 it is unfortunate that Christians are the number one persecuted people in the world, but not much attention and effort is taken to protect their religious liberty\u2026 because of his love for the Iranian people, including the least of these\u2014the orphans and the widows\u2014Saeed sought new ways to serve the people of Iran.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith noted that Naghmeh had testified in March that she was disappointed that the U.S. government was not doing more to help her husband. \u201cI must tell you that I am disappointed in my government. I am disappointed that our President and our State Department have not fully engaged this case\u2014disappointed that this great country is not doing more to free my husband, a U.S. citizen. Yes, we are both proud to be American citizens. And I expect more from our government.\u201d Smith said the State Department must keep up the pressure to release Abedini. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Pastor Abedini, an American citizen, went to Iran in 2012, on a routine humanitarian mission to complete an orphanage for Iranian children. Pastor Abedini had previously been arrested in Iran, but released and allowed to enter and exit the country for humanitarian aid work if he agreed to cease pastoring house churches. Pastor Abedini upheld his end of but bargain, but was suddenly arrested in September 2012\u2014and put on trial for sharing his religious beliefs and allegedly undermining the security of Iran. During the non-public trial, he and his attorney were barred from participating in key portions of the proceedings\u2014following which a judge sentenced him to eight years in prison. Pastor Abedini\u2019s appeals have been denied.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The resolution also calls on the Government of Iran, including the Ayatollah Ali Khameini in particular, to act consistently with their word and commitments. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe Government of Iran\u2019s actions toward Pastor Abedini violates its promise of safe passage to him in his humanitarian work,\u201d Smith said. \u201cBut it also violates Iran\u2019s official international commitment to respect religious freedom and due process of law, as enshrined in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights-- when Iran signs something, Iran should live up to it.\u201d \r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/subcommittee-health-reviews-pallone-bill-sudden-unexpected-death-early-life", "Subcommittee on Health Reviews Pallone Bill on Sudden Unexpected Death in Early Life", "2013-11-20", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Today, November 20, 2013 at 2:00 p.m., the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing at which H.R. 669, the \u201cSudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act,\u201d was reviewed. The bill, introduced by Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), the senior Democrat on the Subcommittee, would amend the Public Health Service Act to help better understand and enhance awareness about unexpected sudden death in early life. Laura Crandall, Executive Director of Advocacy for the CJ Foundation for SIDS (Sudden Infant Death) and Program Director &amp; Founder of the SUDC (Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood) Program testified in support of the legislation.\nBelow is the partial text of the statement Congressman Pallone submitted at the hearing:\n\u00a0\nRanking Member Frank Pallone, Jr.\nHouse Energy and Commerce Committee\nSubcommittee on Health\nHearing on \u201cExamining Public Health Legislation to Help Local Communities\u201d\n\u00a0\nOpening Statement\nNovember 20, 2013\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThank you, Chairman Pitts, and thank you to our witnesses for being here today; a very special welcome to Laura Crandall from New Jersey.\u00a0 She and I have worked together for many years on my bill that is before the Subcommittee today.\u00a0 Your strength and determination is commendable. \u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I am happy that the Subcommittee is having this hearing and moving forward with several public health bills.\u00a0 It is an important function of this Subcommittee to examine public health priorities and to move legislation to promote and protect the public health.\u00a0 I would like to say a few words about each of the seven bills before us today.\n\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Firstly, I am particularly pleased that we will be examining a bill that I introduced, H.R. 669, the Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act.\u00a0 Stillbirth and sudden unexpected infant death affect tens of thousands of families every year, according to data from CDC, and sudden infant death syndrome is the leading cause of death for infants up to 12 months old.\u00a0 However, we currently lack the comprehensive, high-quality data we need to help better understand this problem.\u00a0 My bill seeks to enhance CDC\u2019s activities in this area and would expand and standardize surveillance and data collection for stillbirth and sudden unexpected infant death and develop protocols and training for medical examiners for investigating these tragic deaths.\u00a0 I would like to submit for the record endorsement letters from 24 organizations, including the CJ Foundation, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and First Candle\u2026\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362114", "Crisis in the Central African Republic Focus of Congressional Hearing", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic (CAR), where the notorious criminal Joseph Kony roams and abducts and forces children to serve as his soldiers, and where foreign Islamic radical fighters of the group called Seleka are wreaking death and destruction, was the focus of a hearing held Tuesday by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees Africa. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith said that even since the committee first decided months ago to hold a hearing to spotlight the human rights situation in the CAR, the situation has rapidly deteriorated. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cToday the country is on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe,\u201d Smith said. \u201cAnd if that is not bad enough, elsewhere, the Lord\u2019s Resistance Army, or LRA, under the psychotic leader Joseph Kony is also loose in the Central African Republic.\u00a0 Both the LRA and Seleka are said to kidnap children to serve as soldiers, and UNICEF estimates that there are now as many as 3,500 child soldiers affiliated with armed groups in the country.\u201d Click here to read Chairman Smith\u2019s full statement. \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The hearing of the Committee on Foreign Affairs\u2019s Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations entitled \u201cCrisis in the Central African Republic\u201d featured Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Robert P. Jackson, Bureau of African Affairs at the U.S. Department of State; Bishop Nestor-D\u00e9sir\u00e9 Nongo-Aziagbia, Bishop of Bossangoa in the CAR; Search for Common Ground Senior Programme Manager for Africa, Mike Jobbins, and; Human Rights Watch\u2019s United Nations Director, Philippe Bolopion. Click here to read their testimony. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Bishop Nongo-Aziagbia, whose diocese includes 623,000 people including\u00a0 360,000 Catholics, said 35,000 people have taken refuge in his diocesan compound alone to escape violence, and there are as many as 440,000 refugees in a country of about 4.5 million. One in four are at serious risk of running out of food, he said. He urged the U.S. to rally the international community in the CAR\u2019s moment of need. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cVillagers have fled to escape the attacks, mass killings, rape, and plundering perpetrated by the roaming groups of Seleka militia,\u201d said Nongo-Aziagbia. \u201cCentral Africans look up to the United States as the leader of the community of nations. You are a country and a people who many years ago fought to establish your own freedom from a foreign power. You endured a brutal civil war and reunited as one nation to rise to the world power that you are.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jackson cited reports that five to ten women per day are being raped, violence that continues with \u201ctotal impunity\u201d since not one accused rapist has yet to be brought to justice. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWe remain concerned about the continued activity of the Lord\u2019s Resistance Army (LRA) in southeastern CAR,\u201d where in 2013 the LRA has continued to commit attacks against civilians, Jackson said. According to U.N. sources, from January to September 2013, presumed LRA fighters committed 21 attacks, resulting in 33 deaths and 128 abductions in the CAR. \u201cAn estimated 21,000 Central Africans remain internally-displaced and over 6,000 are living as refugees as a result of the LRA threat. The United States continues to support efforts by the regional forces of the AU [African Union] Regional Task Force to end the LRA threat and bring its top commanders to justice.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/chamber-commerce-southern-new-jerseys-congressional-action-committee-breakfast", "Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey's Congressional Action Committee Breakfast", "2013-11-19", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Frank LoBiondo", "L000554", "lobiondo.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Start: \n         \t  December 6, 2013 9:00 am\n\n         \t  \nEnd: \n         \t    December 6, 2013 10:30 am\n         \t   \n         \t           \t    \nLocation: \n         \t       Pittsgrove, New Jersey", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361882", "Smith Guest on BBC to Discuss China's Draconian One-Child Policy & Its Announced Modifications", "2013-11-18", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), chair of the House global human rights subcommittee and co-chair of the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China, was a guest on BBC to discussed China's brutal One Child Policy and the limited impact of the so-called revised one-child policy announced by China Nov. 15.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe announced minimal change in China\u2019s one-child policy is grossly inadequate in light of the coercion they have employed for three decades against women and children,\u201d Smith said.\u00a0 \u201cLeft unchanged is the Chinese government\u2019s strangle-hold on deciding who can have children, when they can have children and how many children a family can have.  \n\nClick on image above or here to watch the interview\u00a0the interview.\n  \n\u00a0   \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThe policy does nothing to address the regular use of forced abortion, when women are dragged into clinics where their children are then killed.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cUntil the Chinese government abolishes all coercion in their population control program, until they eliminate once and for all the use of forced abortion, its program will still be the most draconian in the world,\u201d he said.  \n\u00a0  \n\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith cited reports indicating that it was not new-found respect for fundamental human rights that brought the minimal change, but rather the government\u2019s desire to bolster its own economy and power.  \n\u00a0  \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cPerhaps motivated by the tens of millions fewer girls than boys as well as the ticking social time bomb of an aging population with fewer new workers and family members to care for the elderly, the token policy change now only allows a second child to live if that child has an urban-dwelling parent who is from a one child family.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0  \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis is currently allowed for rural families and does little to address the brutality of the program and the grave injustices Chinese women and families face if they seek to have children without government permission,\u201d Smith said.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-announces-more-16-million-bayshore-regional-sewerage-authority-repairs", "Pallone Announces More than $16 Million for Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority Repairs", "2013-11-18", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced an additional $16,596,224 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding to the Bayshore Regional Sewerage Authority (BRSA) to repair Superstorm Sandy damage to two sewerage incinerators at the facility\u2014the Dorr Oliver Incinerator and the Niro Incinerator.\n\u201cSandy\u00a0severely damaged critical components of infrastructure at BRSA, and this grant will help make necessary repairs still affecting the Bayshore\u2019s sewerage system, such as rebuilding the entire incinerator with refractory firebrick and repairing the fire sprinkler system,\u201d said Pallone. \u00a0\nBRSA serves Hazlet,\u00a0Union\u00a0Beach, Holmdel,\u00a0Aberdeen, Keansburg, Keyport, Matawan and parts of Marlboro.\u00a0 BRSA suffered extensive flooding as a result of\u00a0Sandy\u00a0causing damages of $20 million.\u00a0 This grant to BRSA is awarded in addition to two FEMA grants, totaling $3.4 million, announced earlier this year, to repair damage done to the raw sewage main pump station and three surrounding facilities.\nPallone visited BRSA in August to discuss the damage sustained during Sandy and the critical repair work necessary to repair this important infrastructure.\u00a0 Hurricane Sandy flooded the 24-acre facility with up to 3 feet of water causing.\u00a0 The Authority lost electric power for seven days, phone service for two weeks and internet for three weeks.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-applauds-senate-passage-bill-improve-safety-prescription-drug-compounding-and", "Pallone Applauds Senate Passage of Bill to Improve Safety of Prescription Drug Compounding and Drug Supply Chain", "2013-11-18", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, DC\u00a0\u2014 Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) praised the U. S. Senate for passing a bill that will help to ensure the safety of compounded drugs and our nation\u2019s pharmaceutical supply chain.\u00a0 Pallone, the top Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee and a leader on this issue, was a coauthor of the bipartisan Drug Quality and Security Act, H.R. 3204 that passed the House in September 2013.\u00a0 The bill now goes to the President for his signature.\u00a0\n\u201cI commend the Senate for passing this bill and taking a critical step forward in securing the safety of our drug supply chain by creating a product tracing system and improving the quality of compounded drugs, which unfortunately have operated in the past under a faulty law.\u00a0 This legislation will allow FDA to require higher standards for certain drugs and better protect the public health,\u201d said Pallone.\u00a0 \u201cI look forward to the President quickly signing this important bill into law.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361777", "Reps. Smith & Waters Commemorate National Memory Screening Day", "2013-11-16", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Reps. Smith &amp; Waters Commemorate National Memory Screening Day\r\n            Bipartisan House Alzheimer\u2019s Caucus and the Alzheimer\u2019s Foundation Call Attention to No-Cost Screenings on Nov. 19 \r\n            WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Representatives Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), House co-Chairs of the Bipartisan, Bicameral Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease, today encouraged participation in the 11th annual National Memory Screening Day on Nov. 19.\r\n             \u201cHaving worked with the dedicated men and women of the Alzheimer\u2019s Foundation of America (AFA) for many years, I am grateful for their consistent workin raising Alzheimer\u2019s awareness and the benefits of early detection and memory screenings. Their lead in a coordinated, organized effort helps ensure that Americans have access to the safe evaluation tools that can indicate if further evaluation is warranted,\u201d said Smith. \r\n            \u201cNational Memory Screening Day is a wonderful opportunity for individuals with memory concerns to get free and confidential screenings for Alzheimer\u2019s disease and other problems affecting memory,\u201d said Waters. \u201cIt is also an opportunity to raise awareness of Alzheimer\u2019s disease and promote the value of memory screening and early detection.\u201d\r\n            \u00a0AFA initiated the first National Memory Screening Day in 2003 and holds the event in collaboration with local organizations and healthcare professionals each November during National Alzheimer\u2019s Disease Awareness Month.\r\n            \u00a0Alzheimer\u2019s disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States and affects more than 5.4 million Americans, one in eight seniors. The disease, which is characterized by steadily deteriorating loss of thinking, reasoning and memory skills, has a devastating impact on those with the disease but can also take an enormous toll on the 15 million family members and others who act as caregivers to those in need.\r\n            \u00a0In New Jersey, an estimated 150,000 individuals over 65 have Alzheimer\u2019s, and nearly 430,000 caregivers provide unpaid care. In California, over 600,000 have Alzheimer\u2019s disease with 1.2 million family members providing care.\r\n            \u00a0If left unaddressed, the national AD population is projected to triple to 16 million by 2050. It is important to ensure all Americans understand the disease and check out memory problems and memory screenings are an important tool to do so.\r\n            \u00a0On Nov. 19th, local sites are offering free, confidential memory screenings to the public and distribute educational materials about memory concerns, dementia, caregiving and successful aging. Find a site by entering a zip code here: http://www.afascreenings.org/.\r\n            \u00a0Last year, an estimated 85,000 people participated at more than 2,300 sites on National Memory Screening Day. This November, more than 7,000 sites nationwide are participating on November 19 itself or throughout the month.\r\n            \u00a0\u201cJust like people are concerned about the health of their bodies, they should also be concerned about the health of their brains. Likewise, just like doctors regularly test for conditions like heart disease, cancer and diabetes, so should they monitor a person\u2019s memory,\u201d said Carol Steinberg, AFA\u2019s president. \u201cThere is a lot to be said about being proactive when it comes to your memory.\u201d\r\n            \u00a0Memory screenings are a safe and cost-effective intervention leading individuals to seek appropriate clinical resources, thus reducing the costs of long-term care or hospitalization resulting from undiagnosed complications. A memory screening is not used to diagnose any illness but is used as an indicator to determine whether a person might benefit from further examination by a qualified physician. Screenings also greatly benefit those with normal scores, by allaying fears, providing a baseline for future screenings, and promoting chronic disease prevention and successful aging.\r\n            \u00a0\u201cWe know that early diagnosis, treatment and access to support services have demonstrable benefits for an individual\u2019s health and can lower the cost of long-term treatment,\u201d said Smith. \u201cTuesday, you can learn more about memory problems and brain health, and get screened locally, at no cost. Everyone should sign up for this opportunity.\u201d \r\n            \u00a0\u201cEarly detection of Alzheimer\u2019s disease improves treatment and helps individuals and families plan for their future,\u201d said Waters. \u201cI congratulate the Alzheimer\u2019s Foundation of America for organizing the 11th annual National Memory Screening Day.\u201d\r\n            \u00a0For additional information on Alzheimer\u2019s disease and memory screenings, visit:\r\n            www.nationalmemoryscreening.org.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=362005", "Hearing on Central African Republic Crisis Set for Nov. 19", "2013-11-16", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hearing on Central African Republic Crisis Set for Nov. 19 \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        Nov 16, 2013\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      The ongoing humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic will be the subject of a hearing to be held Tuesday by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees Africa. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The hearing of the Committee on Foreign Affairs\u2019s Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations will be held in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The hearing, entitled \u201cCrisis in the Central African Republic\u201d will feature the highest Administration official on African policy and a human rights leader.\r\n\u00a0Who: \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Rep. Smith, and other members of the House Africa subcommittee, and witnesses:\r\n \r\n    The Honorable Robert P. Jackson, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State\r\n    The Most Reverend Nestor-D\u00e9sir\u00e9 Nongo-Aziagbia, Roman Catholic Bishop of Bossangoa, Central African Republic\r\n    Mike Jobbins, Senior Programme Manager, Africa, Search for Common Ground\r\n    Philippe Bolopion, United Nations Director, Human Rights Watch\r\n \r\nWhen: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 10 a.m.\r\n\u00a0Where: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2172 (first floor)\r\n\u00a0\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361775", "China\u2019s 'Eased' One-Child Policy Still the Most Draconian in the World", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the House human rights subcommittee and co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China raised serious questions about the limited impact of the so-called revised one-child policy announced by China today.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cLet\u2019s be clear, nothing in today\u2019s announcement changes the brutal, abusive elements of China\u2019s population control program in which women\u2019s cycles are monitored by the government.\u00a0Women must still get a birth permit before they can have a child, and fines and penalties will continue for anyone who has a child without government permission. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe announced minimal change in China\u2019s one-child policy is grossly inadequate in light of the coercion they have employed for three decades against women and children,\u201d Smith said.\u00a0 \u201cLeft unchanged is the Chinese government\u2019s strangle-hold on deciding who can have children, when they can have children and how many children a family can have. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe policy does nothing to address the regular use of forced abortion, when women are dragged into clinics where their children are then killed. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cUntil the Chinese government abolishes all coercion in their population control program, until they eliminate once and for all the use of forced abortion, its program will still be the most draconian in the world,\u201d he said. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith cited reports indicating that it was not new-found respect for fundamental human rights that brought the minimal change, but rather the government\u2019s desire to bolster its own economy and power. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cPerhaps motivated by the tens of millions fewer girls than boys as well as the ticking social time bomb of an aging population with fewer new workers and family members to care for the elderly, the token policy change now only allows a second child to live if that child has an urban-dwelling parent who is from a one child family. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThis is currently allowed for rural families and does little to address the brutality of the program and the grave injustices Chinese women and families face if they seek to have children without government permission,\u201d Smith said.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-calls-secretary-commerce-include-sikh-community-census-reporting", "Pallone Calls on Secretary of Commerce to Include Sikh Community in Census Reporting", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) sent a letter to the Honorable Penny Pritzker, Secretary of Commerce, to formally request that the U.S. Census Bureau act to include the American Sikh community in census reporting data.\u00a0 The Census Bureau, which falls under the Department of Commerce, currently does not collect information on Sikh population numbers in the United States.\nPallone asked that the Bureau introduce a separate code on official forms for those who write in \u201cSikh\u201d as their ethnicity, which would allow the Bureau to develop a more accurate number as to how many Sikhs are living in the United States. Taking these steps to collect official population information would allow the federal government to better consider the needs of the Sikh community when allocating resources and facilitate proper recognition of the community\u2019s contributions to the country.\nBelow is the full text of the letter:\n\u00a0\nNovember 15, 2013\nThe Honorable Penny Pritzker\nSecretary of Commerce\nU.S. Department of Commerce  \n\t1401 Constitution Ave., NW  \n\tWashington, D.C. 20230\n\u00a0\nDear Secretary Pritzker:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I am writing to request that the Department of Commerce and the U.S. Census Bureau take action to include the Sikh community in the census reporting data.\u00a0 I specifically ask that the Census Bureau introduce a separate code for those who write in \u201cSikh,\u201d on census forms to ensure that the Sikh community can be correctly enumerated.\nThe census is used to make decisions about what community services to provide, to distribute more than $400 billion in federal funds to local, state and tribal governments each year and to inform a great number of different government decisions.\u00a0 The information provided by the census is vital and can be particularly important for minority communities.\u00a0 The census data allows the government, businesses and researchers to study the trends and patterns of growth and to better understand the needs of the communities.\nCurrently, Sikhs in the United States need to mark themselves as \u201cOther Asian\u201d and fill in the blank as \u201cSikh\u201d in order to provide accurate information.\u00a0 However, that response is automatically coded by the Census Bureau as \u201cAsian Indian.\u201d\u00a0 There is no way to then disaggregate the data and develop an accurate number as to how many Sikhs there are in the United States.\u00a0\nThis leads to a host of problems.\u00a0 Unfortunately, Sikhs are a minority community that has faced a lack of recognition by the government which has contributed to a lack of understanding among the general public.\u00a0 Following 9/11, Sikhs were the target of hate crimes because of this lack of understanding.\u00a0 Today many Sikhs continue to face racial profiling and harassment solely based on their appearance.\u00a0 It is difficult to ensure that the government is promoting awareness, addressing discrimination and providing assistance when we do not have official population information about the community.\nLastly, I understand that federal law prohibits the Census Bureau from asking for religious affiliation on a mandatory basis.\u00a0 However, many Sikhs believe it is important that they are able to list \u201cSikh\u201d as their ethnicity and would like to do so voluntary while having it counted.\u00a0 There would not need to be any requirement that someone lists their religion.\nSikhs make many important contributions to the United States and to our local communities.\u00a0 It is time that the government acted to ensure that we have the information necessary to promote tolerance and fair treatment under the law.\nThank you for considering my request.\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sincerely,\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 FRANK PALLONE, JR.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Member of Congress\n\u00a0\nCc:\u00a0 John H. Thompson, Director, U.S. Census Bureau", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://sires.house.gov/importance-investing-safe-infrastructure-pedestrians-and-bicyclists", "Investing in Safe Infrastructure for Pedestrians and Bicyclists", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Albio Sires", "S001165", "sires.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD REPRESENTATIVE ALBIO SIRES NOVEMBER 15, 2013\n\u00a0\nMr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about the importance of investing in safe infrastructure for pedestrians and bicyclists.\u00a0 I recently read a report presented by the Sierra Club and League of American Bicyclists, entitled The New Majority: Pedaling towards Equity, and as someone who rides a bicycle regularly, I think there\u2019s a lot to be excited about in their findings.\u00a0\nAcross the nation, bike ridership is up\u2014and the numbers are impressive. From 2001 to 2009 there has been a 22% increase in bike trips among white Americans, 50% for Hispanics, 80% for Asian Americans, 100% among African Americans, and there\u2019s plenty of room for those numbers to grow.\nUnfortunately, concerns about access to safe infrastructure remains a barrier for many would-be riders.\u00a0 I believe we must do more in Congress to address that.\u00a0 It\u2019s a simple fact that when we invest in complete streets with safe pedestrian and bicycle pathways, we create communities where businesses want to invest and families want to live. That is why I plan to introduce a bill in the coming weeks that will create innovative new ways of financing non-motorized infrastructure projects. \u00a0I am hopeful that this legislation will attract bipartisan support here in Congress, so that Americans of all age and background can enjoy equitable access to safe roads.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=767", "Frelinghuysen Statement: Department of Defense Resources Track Philippines Storm Relief Efforts", "2013-11-15", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Rodney Frelinghuysen", "F000372", "frelinghuysen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "DOD Resources Track Philippines Storm Relief Efforts\r\n\r\n\tWashington, DC --\u00a0The U.S. Department of Defense has launched web sources of updated information for residents interested in ongoing typhoon relief efforts in the Philippines Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) has announced.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u201cOur hearts go out to the many Filipino-Americans living in New Jersey who have lost loved ones or been otherwise affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan,\u201d Frelinghuysen said.\u00a0 \u201cIn keeping with our finest humanitarian traditions, the United States is leading the way in to providing timely emergency assistance and relief.\u201d\r\n\r\n\tThe government of the Philippines requested relief from the U.S. in the wake of one of the worst storms in that country\u2019s history. The U.S. Marine Corps estimates 4.2 million people have been affected. The death toll has reportedly reached 2,275.\u00a0 That figure is expected to rise, perhaps significantly, when accurate information is collected from the entire disaster zone, which spreads over a wide area of the eastern and central Philippines.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\tThe United States Navy, Marine Corps and the Agency for International Development are providing humanitarian relief efforts.\r\n\r\n\tTo assist, the Navy has dispatched the George Washington Strike Group which consists of the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, cruisers USS Cowpens and USS Antietam, guided-missile destroyers USS Lassen and USS Mustin and cargo ship USNS Charles Drew, oceanographic survey ship USNS Bowditch, and submarine tender USS Emory S. Land.\r\n\r\n\tAbout 300 U.S. Marines are currently on the ground aiding relief efforts in the Philippines. Another 900 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit based on Okinawa are deploying aboard the dock landing ships USS Germantown and USS Ashland, and are expected to arrive in the Philippines next week. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft have been flying missions in the Philippines, and more of those aircraft are on the way.\r\n\r\n\tResidents can keep track of U.S. military efforts to help the people of the Philippines here.\r\n\r\n\tIn addition, the Navy is coordinating relief and emergency assistance with partner navies such as Japan, Australia, United Kingdom, and Norway.\r\n\r\n\t-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361344", "<span class=\"kicker\">Associated Press Article</span>2 Nigerian networks designated as terrorist groups", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By DEB RIECHMANN - Associated Press -\u00a0  \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Lawmakers who had long pushed for U.S. action against Nigerian Islamic extremists welcomed the State Department's decision on Wednesday to designate two militant groups as foreign terrorist organizations blamed for the deaths of thousands of people in Africa's most populous nation.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Ansaru and Boko Haram, which have links to al-Qaida, are waging a brutal campaign against military, government and civilian targets, including Christians like Habila Adamu, who delivered emotional congressional testimony about being shot in the face because he refused to renounce his faith. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Adamu recounted how masked gunmen came to his home in Yobe state around 11 p.m. on Nov. 28, 2012. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"I told them 'I'm ready to die as a Christian.' Before I closed my mouth, one of them fired at me with an AK-47. It passed through my nose,\" Adamu said, holding up photographs taken of the entry wound on his nose and exit wound on the side of his neck. \"I fell down. ... Blood is rushing everywhere. One of them followed me, stepped on me two times to confirm whether I am still alive or I am dead.\" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0When they assumed he was dead, they shouted \"Allah akbar,\" which means \"Allah is great.\" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Even his wife thought he was dead. When she learned he was alive, she rushed to find help, only to learn that their neighbors, who also were Christians, had been killed. About seven hours later, Adamu was taken for medical treatment and survived. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Today, he has a message for anyone who will hear his story: \"Do everything that you can to end this ruthless, religious persecution in northern Nigeria.\" Adamu testified at a joint hearing of two House Foreign Affairs' subcommittees, on Africa and terrorism. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0New Jersey Republican Rep. Chris Smith, who chaired the hearing, said Boko Haram also is targeting their fellow Muslims who do not agree with their extremist views, Muslim religious leaders who criticize violence and people affiliated with the Nigerian government, which they see as corrupt and unjust. Smith said the two groups also participate in the global Islamic extremist movement. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Boko Haram was responsible for a suicide bombing of the United Nations building in the capital, Abuja, in August 2011, which killed 21 people. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In addition to being labeled foreign terrorist organizations, Boko Haram and Ansaru also were named to a list of specially designated global terrorist groups under federal law. The two designations mean that business and financial transactions with the organizations are blocked. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"By cutting these terrorist organizations off from U.S. financial institutions and enabling banks to freeze assets held in the United States, these designations demonstrate our strong support for Nigeria's fight against terrorism and its efforts to address security challenges in the north,\" Lisa Monaco, President Barack Obama's top counterterrorism adviser, said in a statement. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Linda Thomas-Greenfield, assistant secretary of state for African affairs, told the lawmakers that the government of Nigeria needs to not only stop Boko Haram's attacks, but address long-standing complaints about government corruption and unfairness that attracts disaffected youth in northern Nigeria to the militant groups. Both citizens and security forces have been attacked, yet she said the U.S. remains concerned that some heavy-handed Nigerian security forces have committed human rights violations in response to Boko Haram. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Obama administration has urged Nigeria to develop a comprehensive approach to address the threat by creating a more professional security force, meeting the economic needs of the people in northern Nigeria, adhering to rule of law and government accountability. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Nigerian Justice Minister Mohammed Adoke said in a statement that the U.S. action will \"assist this nation to deal with these renegades.\" \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But Bashir Muhammad, who works with a non-governmental organization in Kano, worried that the U.S. action could embolden over-zealous Nigerian security officers to arrest noncombatants. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"I am in support of the action taken by the Department of State,\" he said. \"My fear is that may be innocent people can be victims of this action.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://payne.house.gov/press-release/payne-presses-administrator-pistole-tsa-spot-program-has-led-racial-profiling-newark", "Payne Presses Administrator Pistole on TSA SPOT Program that  Has Led to Racial Profiling at Newark Liberty International Airport", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Donald Payne", "P000604", "payne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, in the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security, Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) pressed TSA Administrator John Pistole on a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that concludes that the TSA Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques (SPOT) program, a $878 million endeavor, has been ineffective in identifying terrorists, and may have even led to racial profiling, including at Newark Liberty International Airport.\u00a0\nCongressman Payne, Jr. specifically asked Administrator Pistole about a Behavior Detection Officer (BDO) manager at Newark Liberty International Airport who was fired for making racial comments and giving inappropriate direction to other BDOs regarding the profiling of passengers.\u00a0 Rep. Payne expressed concern about the nature of the program and the fact that BDOs were encouraged to identify and refer more passengers to be promoted.\u00a0 Administrator Pistole admitted that there was a perception amongst BDOs that the more referrals they made, the more likely they would be promoted.\u00a0 Payne said it harkens back to a time in a state like New Jersey that has had its fair share of issues with racial profiling in the past. Watch the exchange here.\nPayne:\u00a0 The GAO report released yesterday cites to an incident where a BDO manager at Newark Liberty International Airport, which is my home airport, gave inappropriate direction to Behavior Detection Officers regarding profiling of passengers and made racial comments.\u00a0 It is my understanding that this BDO [manager] has been fired.\u00a0 It has also been brought to my attention that BDOs have been promoted based on the number of referrals they made, which has encouraged BDOs to racially profile to increase their referral rate. What degree of confidence do you have that no other BDO managers are encouraging or directing racial profiling through the SPOT program?\u00a0\nPistole:\u00a0\u00a0 One of the lessons learned from these multiple reviews that have been done is we could have done a better job in training and retraining and ensuring that there is no notion of profiling taking place. In fact as part of our retraining that we have done since these [GAO] reports have been done is required each BDO to take a pledge against profiling which I have and can share with the subcommittee. Every BDO other than those who are out on extended leave have taken that pledge to ensure that they understand that profiling has absolutely no place in a BDO\u2019s work. It\u2019s not good law enforcement.\u00a0 It\u2019s not good security work. And it\u2019s unconstitutional. So anyone that is found to have been profiling will be investigated and dealt with appropriately\u2026.Any violation of somebody\u2019s civil rights and civil liberties is a significant issue for [TSA] and just undermines the entire program so that\u2019s why it won\u2019t be tolerated.\nPayne:\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0I hope it is not a culture that has been created because I am sensitive to this issue. Being from a state where my uncle is the author of the racial profiling bill in New Jersey, we have had many instances where this problem is an issue.\u00a0 So to see this here harkens back to issues that we have been dealing with in New Jersey, and now this at Newark Airport is troubling.\n***\nPayne: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0[What about] the point of BDOs being promoted on a number of referrals?\u00a0\nPistole:\u00a0 I think there was a perception among some BDOs\u2026that BDOs may be promoted more readily if they made a higher number of referrals. That is not the case, so we have gone back to retrain and clarify because we don\u2019t want BDOs referring because they think they\u2019ll be more readily promoted.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://payne.house.gov/press-release/payne-reacts-president-obama%E2%80%99s-decision-allow-individuals-stay-current-health-care", "Payne Reacts to President Obama\u2019s Decision to Allow Individuals to Stay on Current Health Care Plans Through 2014", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Donald Payne", "P000604", "payne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) released the following statement in reaction to President Obama\u2019s decision to allow individuals to stay on their current health care plans through 2014:\n\u201cUnfortunately this was the only choice the President had due to the problems with the health care website.\u00a0 Even if the website is fixed by the end of November, that only leaves people with a month to enroll. We cannot leave people out in the cold without health care, and it only seems fair for those who have been unable to get onto the website and enroll in a health care plan.\u00a0\n\u201cDespite website problems, I would encourage people to continue to enroll in the exchanges and compare their current insurance plans to the ones being offered through the marketplaces.\u00a0 Once people examine their current plans and see what their insurance covers, or doesn\u2019t cover, they will realize that the Health Care Exchanges provide more comprehensive, preventive coverage that will likely suit their needs at a lower cost.\n\u201cIn the coming months, I hope that my Republican colleagues will stop their selfish political motivations and end their obsession with sabotaging the Affordable Care Act. Millions of Americans are counting on this law to end the very predatory practices by insurance companies that have led to the canceling of insurance plans. They don\u2019t need their Members of Congress actively betting against a law that will provide access to quality, affordable care.\u201d\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://payne.house.gov/video/payne-urges-republicans-help-improve-aca-rather-work-ensure-it-fails", "Payne Urges Republicans to Help Improve ACA Rather Than Work to Ensure It Fails", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Donald Payne", "P000604", "payne.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) took to the House Floor to urge his Republican colleagues to work with Democrats to make the Affordable Care Act a success, rather than work overtime to see that it fails. Rep. Payne, Jr. said that millions of Americans could benefit from access to affordable, quality care, but instead of working to improve the law, Republicans are purely motivated by selfish political agendas and have become obsessed with making the law fail.\u00a0\nRep. Payne, Jr. said:\n\u201cFor millions of Americans, the dream of access to affordable health care is becoming a reality thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Over 2.2 million New Jerseyans have already gained access to free preventative care. Insurance premiums will lower by 20 percent in 2014. Seniors on Medicare already received a 50 percent savings on their prescription drugs.\u00a0 And more than 70,000 young adults in New Jersey are able to see a doctor because they can stay on their parents\u2019 insurance.\n\u201cSadly though, out of purely selfish political motivation, my Republican colleagues are obsessed with making this bill fail and are working overtime to take away the benefits millions of people are already enjoying. I challenge my Republican colleagues to channel that same energy into making the law work so that millions can get the life-saving care that they deserve.\n\u201cLook around your districts. \u00a0How many of your constituents could benefit from access to life-saving health care?\u00a0 To free cancer screenings and reduced prescription drug costs?\n\u201cThey don\u2019t need a 47th or 48th or 49th vote to repeal the law. They need the affordable, quality care that the ACA provides, and they are counting on their leaders to make it work, not work against them to make it fail.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140222035932/http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-applauds-new-air-service-acy", "LoBiondo Applauds New Air Service at ACY", "2013-11-14", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Frank LoBiondo", "L000554", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Congressman Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02), Chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee, today applauded the announcement that United Airlines will now fly in and out of Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) from their hubs in Chicago and Houston. The announcement was made this morning by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie with representatives from United Airlines, the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey and the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) at Newark Liberty Airport, a hub for United Airlines.\n\u201cToday\u2019s announcement is a win-win for South Jersey and United Airlines. I\u2019ve long said that ACY is an attractive option for additional commercial carrier service, with its updated facilities, proximity to Atlantic City and the Jersey Shore as well as its convenience to the Philadelphia metropolitan region. Starting in 2014, United Airlines will capitalize on what ACY has to offer while giving South Jersey consumers and businesses greater access to the nation\u2019s vast aviation network,\u201d said LoBiondo. \u201cFor our tourism-based economy, connecting additional regions of the country to South Jersey is critical and will bring additional economic opportunities and the potential for new jobs.\u201d\nOn July 1st, an agreement between the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey and the STJA took affect with the Port Authority providing general management services, including overseeing the daily business operations of ACY. The SJTA maintains operations and direction over the airport. At that time the Port Authority stated the goal of bringing additional commercial carrier services to ACY. Spirit Airlines is currently the only commercial service at ACY.\n\u201cI applaud Governor Christie, Sam Donelson at the SJTA, and the leadership at the Port of New York/New Jersey for recognizing the untapped potential at ACY and working in unison to increase commercial air service to our region. I look forward to formally welcoming United Airlines to ACY next year,\u201d concluded LoBiondo. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361289", "Smith Welcomes Designation of Boko Haram as Terrorist Organization", "2013-11-13", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "At the Nov. 13 joint hearing by the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations and the House Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade, the Obama Administration announced its long-awaited decision to designate the Nigerian terrorist organization Boko Haram and its breakaway faction known as Ansaru as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. This designation was the subject of H.R. 3209, introduced by Chairman Chris Smith (NJ-04) of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations in September. He has been joined as co-sponsors by Reps. Patrick Meehan, Ted Poe and Randy Weber. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Chairman Smith led a Congressional delegation to Nigeria in September to examine the Boko Haram threat. \u201cI saw numerous victims of Boko Haram, who told my delegation of the horrific violence these terrorists have used on Christians and Muslims in pursuit of a perverted version of Islam,\u201d Smith said. \u201cWhat these murderers have brought to Nigeria and surrounding countries is misery and death.\u201d (click here to read Chairman's statement) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One of Boko Haram\u2019s victims, Habila Adamu of Yobe State, presented testimony at today\u2019s hearing on his chilling encounter with Islamist terrorist. Adamu said he was challenged to renounce his Christian faith, but when he refused to do so, he was shot in the head and left for dead.\u00a0 He was the only adult male Christian survivor of that attack. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cMr. Adamu\u2019s testimony on the one hand is a terrifying example of the ruthlessness of Boko Haram, but on the other hand, it is one of the most inspiring examples of faith I have ever heard,\u201d Smith said. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThen they asked me, \u2018Habila, are you ready to die as a Christian?\u2019\u201d Adamu told the panel. \u201cI told them \u2018I am ready to die as a Christian.\u2019 For the second time, they asked me, \u201cAre you ready to die as a Christian?\u201d and I told them, \u201cI am ready,\u201d but before I closed my mouth, they have fired me through my noise (the entering point) and the bullet came out through the back. I fell on the ground. The gunmen thought I was already dead because they stomped on me two times and discovered I was dead, and cried out \u2018Allah Akbar\u2019 (God is Great).\u201d Click here to read Mr. Adamu\u2019s powerful testimony about his story of survival.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In her testimony announcing the Administration\u2019s Foreign Terrorist Organization designation, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of African Affairs, said the action will provide U.S. law enforcement and the U.S. Treasury Department additional tools with which to investigate and prosecute those who provide financing and other assistance to Boko Haram and Ansaru. She added that the Administration intended to continue and expand its efforts to provide training and other assistance to the Nigerian military and security forces to combat the terrorist threat in that country. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Smith Congressional delegation was told that Boko Haram and Ansaru have numerous weapons, uniforms and explosives, and while much of their support is from foreign sources, there are domestic Nigerian supporters of their activities. This year alone, 53 Christian churches have been attacked, and 216 people were murdered by terrorists in them. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Also testifying at the Nov. 13 joint congressional hearing of both the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, and the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade were: Emmanuel Ogebe, Managing Partner, U.S.-Nigeria Law Group\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \n \n    Khalid Aliyu, Secretary General, Jama\u2019atu Nasril Islam (planned to be submitted for record)\n    Habila Adamu, survivor of violence by Boko Haram\n    Jacob Zenn, Research Analyst, The Jamestown Foundation\n    Dr. Guy Nkem Nzeribe, Ph.D, Partner, Guy Nzeribe Associates\n \nClick here to read or listen to the testimony.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361312", "Rep. Smith says Obamacare Massively Violates Hyde Amendment, but Notes Most 'Multi-State Plans' Exclude Abortion", "2013-11-13", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "\u201cRollout of the Obamacare exchanges revealed that many health insurance plans throughout the nation will subsidize abortion on demand\u2014even late term abortions,\u201d said Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Co-Chairman of the Congressional Pro-life Caucus. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cBillions of taxpayers\u2019 dollars will now be handed out as credits to buy pro-abortion health insurance\u2014a clear violation of the Hyde Amendment\u2019s fundamental principle of restricting funds to abortion subsidizing health insurance plans.\u00a0At its core, the Hyde Amendment has two parts.\u00a0It prohibits funding for abortion and funding for any insurance plan that includes abortion except in the case of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother,\u201d Smith said. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cObamacare further breaks with longstanding law by establishing new abortion surcharges and an unseemly marketing secrecy clause. The new law requires premium payers to be assessed an abortion surcharge every month to pay for abortions.\u00a0But many pro-life Americans may unwittingly purchase pro-abortion plans because of a marketing secrecy clause,\u201d said Smith. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cFor pro-life individuals seeking health insurance on the exchange in the states with Multi-State Plans available, it will be a relief to know that with only two exceptions, any of the Blue Cross Blue Shield plans with \u2018Multi-State\u2019 in their title will exclude elective abortion,\u201d Smith said.\u00a0He also noted that \u201cin many cases Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans that do not include the words \u2018Multi-State\u2019 in their title will include elective abortion.\u00a0 Since abortion coverage is not clearly identified on the exchange websites, consumers may have difficulty identifying which plans exclude abortion.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In response to a letter spearheaded by Rep. Smith (R-NJ), the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has confirmed that all but two of the plans with \u201cMulti-State Plan\u201d in their title and sold on the Obamacare exchanges exclude elective abortion coverage. In a letter, OPM made this important clarification regarding Multi-State Plans, which constitute a small segment of just over 150 of the plans sold under Obamacare. Which of the thousands of other Obamacare plans cover abortion remains unknown.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWhen searching the many more plans available on their state\u2019s exchange pro-life Americans remain unable to ascertain which plans, if any, exclude abortion.\u00a0It is an outrage that Members of Congress had to write to OPM just to learn whether abortion is included in the currently available multi-state plans, which are just a small subset of plans.\u00a0While it is a step in the right direction to have information about this one set of plans, Americans continue to be left in the dark regarding the thousands of other plans sold on the federally facilitated marketplace and the state-run exchanges,\u201d said Smith. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The OPM letter also specifies that only the States and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services can control whether abortion benefit information is displayed to consumers shopping in the Marketplace. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt is up to President Obama to direct HHS to inform consumers about abortion coverage in Obamacare plans.\u00a0His law already breaks with the decades old Hyde Amendment by allowing federal subsidies for plans that include abortion, now he won\u2019t even give consumers the ability to make an informed choice,\u201d Smith said. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The \u201cAbortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act,\u201d (H.R. 3279) was introduced by Smith to require prominent, transparent disclosure of abortion coverage for each plan offered on an exchange.\u00a0 It also requires that the amount of the abortion surcharge be clearly identified for each plan that includes elective abortion.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361364", "<span class=\"kicker\">Agence France-Presse</span>US blacklists Nigeria's Boko Haram as terror group", "2013-11-13", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The United States on Wednesday designated Nigeria's radical Islamist Boko Haram network and an offshoot known as Ansaru as terror groups, bowing to months of pressure to act.\r\nBoth groups have spread terror in northeastern and central Nigeria and are blamed for thousands of deaths as they battle to set up an Islamic state.\r\n\"These designations are an important and appropriate step, but only one tool in what must be a comprehensive approach by the Nigerian government to counter these groups ... to help root out violent extremism,\" the State Department said.\r\nThe Islamist insurgency by the shadowy group has claimed scores of lives since 2009 and triggered concern over its potential to spread across the porous borders in the region.\r\n\"By cutting these terrorist organizations off from US financial institutions and enabling banks to freeze assets held in the United States, these designations demonstrate our strong support for Nigeria's fight against terrorism and its efforts to address security challenges in the north,\" White House homeland security advisor Lisa Monaco said.\r\nNigeria welcomed the decision and hoped that the United States would step up intelligence cooperation.\r\n\"We salute the US government for its effort in partnering with Nigeria to rout out terrorism,\" Justice Minister Mohammed Adoke told AFP in Nigeria.\r\n\"We hope that with this development that the Boko Haram menace will soon become a thing of the past,\" he said.\r\nIn July, the State Department offered a $7 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, but raised eyebrows by stopping short of designating the group as a foreign terrorist organization.\r\nWhile Washington believes that Boko Haram and Ansaru remain \"primarily\" Nigerian organizations, \"both these groups have links to AQIM,\" a senior State Department official told reporters, referring to Al-Qaeda's north and west African affiliate.\r\n\"Our assessment is that AQIM has helped provide some training to the groups and has provided some limited financing.\"\r\nEmergency rule in the northeast has largely pushed Boko Haram fighters from urban areas into the countryside over the last six months, but attacks have continued unabated.\r\nThe three Nigerian states under special measures -- Yobe, Borno and Adamawa -- share frontiers with Niger, Chad and Cameroon and the military has said that insurgents have struck in Nigeria, then fled across the borders.\r\nDespite Abuja's welcome for the designations, Washington has also voiced concern about a heavy-handed crackdown by Nigerian military forces.\r\n\"All of our assistance to Nigeria stresses the importance of protecting civilians and ensuring that human rights are respected,\" the State Department said.\r\n 'Western education is sin' \r\nBoth groups were officially designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations which bars any Americans from assisting them as well as freezing any assets in the United States.\r\nPresident Barack Obama met Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan in September on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and urged him \"to pursue a comprehensive counterterrorism approach,\" Monaco said.\r\nRoughly translated, Boko Haram means \"Western education is sin,\" and the insurgents have been blamed for a series of bloody attacks on schools, killing dozens of children.\r\nAn earlier version of the group -- known then in local reports as the \"Nigerian Taliban\" -- was formed in 2004 and is now believed to have a number of different factions, with differing aims.\r\nLocal and Western analysts have long argued that improving living conditions in the mainly Muslim north holds the key to curbing the insurgency.\r\nBoko Haram is blamed for indiscriminate attacks in Benisheikh, Nigeria in September 2012 in which some 160 people were killed, and was also said to be behind the suicide bombing of a UN building in Abuja in August 2011.\r\nAnsaru has focused attacks on Nigerian military and Western targets, kidnapping several foreigners. They are believed to have been behind the kidnapping of a French family seized on the border of Cameroon and Nigeria in February and released in April.\r\nRepresentative Chris Smith, who chaired a hearing Wednesday on Boko Haram, welcomed the designation which US lawmakers have long sought.\r\n\"What these murderers have brought to Nigeria and surrounding countries is misery and death with no redeeming outcome,\" he said.\r\nhttp://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/131113/us-blacklists-nigerias-boko-haram-terror-group-3", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=766", "Frelinghuysen Statement: Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairmanship", "2013-11-13", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Rodney Frelinghuysen", "F000372", "frelinghuysen.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Frelinghuysen is New Chairman of House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee\r\n\r\n\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) has been named the new Chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.\u00a0 He succeeds the late Rep. C.W. Bill Young, who passed away last month.\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u201cI am grateful to Chairman Rogers and the House Leadership for giving me this responsibility. The security and budget challenges we face are real and dramatic. The job before us is to provide for a strong national defense and support the men and women who provide for that defense each and every day.\u201d\r\n\r\n\tThe announcement was made today by the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Hal Rogers (KY).\u00a0\r\n\r\n\t\u201cRodney is a thoughtful, steady, and strong leader, is staunchly dedicated to doing what is best for the country and his district, and has a determined focus that allows him to rise above politics to get things done. He has an unwavering devotion to the safety and security of our nation, and to the care and protection of our men and women in uniform, and I know he will be a great leader of the Defense subcommittee,\u201d Chairman Rogers said.\r\n\r\n\tFrelinghuysen has served on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee since 1999.\u00a0 Most recently he served as the panel\u2019s Vice-Chairman. \u00a0\u00a0The Subcommittee is charged each year with producing legislation that provides funding for critical national security needs and the resources needed to continue the nation\u2019s military efforts abroad. In addition, the bill provides essential funding for health and quality of life programs for the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families.\r\n\r\n\t-30-", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140222040013/http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-introduces-permanent-moratorium-fines-incidental-discharges-commercial", "LoBiondo Introduces Permanent Moratorium on Fines for Incidental Discharges from Commercial Fishing Vessels", "2013-11-13", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Frank LoBiondo", "L000554", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Congressman Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02), a senior member of the House Transportation &amp; Infrastructure Committee, has introduced a permanent moratorium from Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), state regulations and fines governing incidental discharges from commercial fishing vessels and all other commercial vessels less than 79 feet. The \u201cCommercial Vessel Discharges Reform Act of 2013\u201d is the latest effort by LoBiondo to protect South Jersey\u2019s critical commercial fishing industry.\n\u201cStarting in December 2014, commercial fishermen, charter and tour boat operators, and owners of other commercial vessels less than 79 feet will have to apply for and receive individual permits from the EPA to discharge from their vessels such things as deck wash, bilge water, and the condensation from air conditioning units. Vessels that operate without these permits could be subject to citizen lawsuits and daily fines that exceed $32,000 per violation. Furthermore, the EPA has informed Congress that they do not have the resources to process more than 135,000 permits that would be required,\u201d said LoBiondo. \u201cWith our stagnant economy, the government must not enact federal penalties which could discourage economic growth and job creation. The fines that are scheduled to be levied against our commercial fishermen for incidental charges will be devastating to local South Jersey businesses.\u201d\nIn 2006, a federal court in California ruled that the EPA had to regulate the release of ballast water, bilge water, deck wash, rain water runoff and other incidental discharges from vessels under the Clean Water Act. Two (2) federal agencies and over 28 states have added additional and often contradictory regulations on top of the federal standard.\u00a0\n\"This is welcome news to our party, charter boat and private fleets. Frank has fought off the demons every time\u00a0this issue came up. Now let\u2019s hope we can make this permanent and we can carry on our day to day activities without this burden,\u201d Jim Donofrio, Executive Director of the Recreational Fishing Alliance.\nWhile chair of the House Coast Guard &amp; Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, LoBiondo secured the current temporary moratorium expiring in December 2014 in the hopes of brokering a permanent solution to establish a single, nationwide standard for ballast water and incidental discharges. Recognizing current political realities, LoBiondo is seeking a permanent moratorium to this issue. Commercial vessels (except fishing) over 79 feet will still need to comply with the EPA standards and all recreational vessels, regardless of size, are permanently exempt from the regulations.\n\u201cSouth Jersey has the second biggest fishing port on the East Coast with the Port of Cape May. In fact, it is the fourth in the nation, landing over 11 million pounds of seafood worth tens of millions of dollars annually. This industry supports thousands of jobs up and down the Jersey Shore, but like all industry, this one has had stiff challenges as its weathered the storm of the recent recession,\u201d continued LoBiondo. \u201cCongress must not allow EPA and the states to threaten fishermen with tens of thousands in daily fines if they fail to control rain water runoff from their decks and condensation from cabin air conditioners.\u201d\u00a0\nAccording to Jeff Reichle, president of Lund's Fisheries in Cape May, \u201cthis legislation is tremendously important to commercial fishermen in New Jersey and all other coastal states, making permanent an exemption from a regulation that would have crippled our fishing industries. Congressman LoBiondo has once again earned the thanks of all of us whose businesses depend on the reasonable regulation of vessels using our coastal waters. We hope other coastal legislators will join Congressman LoBiondo in supporting this vital moratorium.\u201d\n\u201cThis is tremendously important for the town of Barnegat Light and our fishermen. I appreciate and thank Frank for his common-sense approach on this and other issues that are important to our fishermen.\u00a0It's the right thing to do, and I'd like everyone to support Frank in these efforts,\u201d said Kirk Larson, Mayor of Barnegat Light.\nThe \u201cCommercial Vessel Discharges Reform Act of 2013\u201d (H.R. 3464) has been assigned to the House Transportation &amp; Infrastructure Committee for review.\n\u00a0\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140222040057/http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-applauds-disaster-declaration-south-jersey-counties-affected-excessive", "LoBiondo Applauds Disaster Declaration for South Jersey Counties Affected by Excessive Weather This Past Summer", "2013-11-13", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Frank LoBiondo", "L000554", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) today announced that significant agricultural production losses in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Ocean and Salem have warranted a Secretarial disaster declaration by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The declaration cites the combined effects of excessive rain, related flooding, high winds and hail that occurred from May 2013 through September 24th.\n\u201cThe sheer amount of rain, flooding and extreme weather that South Jersey experienced this past summer was far beyond what our farms and crops could handle. It was appropriate to request federal assistance and I\u2019m pleased USDA Secretary Vilsack has granted a Secretarial disaster declaration across the region,\u201d said LoBiondo. \u201cWith this declaration, farm operators will have access to emergency loans through the Farm Service Agency to recoup their losses and rebuild their operations. I appreciate Governor Christie\u2019s efforts to ensure the critically-important agricultural sector of our state \u2013 and the backbone of South Jersey \u2013 was not forgotten.\u201d\nLoBiondo supported multiple applications for disaster declarations for South Jersey farmers due to various extreme weather conditions in the past few years. Mercer and Monmouth Counties were also included as contiguous disaster counties in today\u2019s Secretarial disaster designation. The official USDA letter to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is attached.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=2", "Senator Cory Booker speaks on manufacturing in New Jersey", "2013-11-13", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Cory Booker", "B001288", "www.booker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Senator Booker speaks about the importance of manufacturing to New Jersey's  economy with Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tNovember 13, 2013", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/christmas-0", "Christmas", "2013-11-12", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Frank LoBiondo", "L000554", "lobiondo.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Christmas - Offices Closed                        \n         \t  Start: \n         \t  December 25, 2013\n         \t  End: \n         \t    December 25, 2013\n         \t   \n         \t           \t\n                                          \n              Nov 12, 2013", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-announces-beginning-long-branch-beach-replenishment-project", "Pallone Announces Beginning of Long Branch Beach Replenishment Project", "2013-11-12", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that the contract has been awarded and work will begin next week on a $40 million beach replenishment project in Long Branch.\u00a0 This Army Corps of Engineers project, which is funded at full federal expense, will restore beaches in Long Branch to conditions better than prior to Sandy. The project is expected to be completed by spring, 2014.\u00a0 Pallone was joined by Colonel Paul Owen, Commander of the New York District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.\n\u201cSandy severely damaged our beaches and caused serious erosion that needs to be repaired to protect us from future storms,\u201d said Pallone. \u201cWith this critical beach replenishment project getting underway, we are moving a step closer toward recovering from Superstorm Sandy and rebuilding the Shore.\u201d\u00a0\nThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is repairing and restoring the entire Sea Bright to Manasquan beach erosion control and storm risk reduction project with funds from the Sandy aid package, which Pallone fought for in Congress.\u00a0 The Long Branch portion of the project, which is the third of four phases, will pump approximately 3.3 million cubic yards of sand along the beaches in Long Branch.\u00a0 The work will be done by Manson Construction using the largest hopper dredge in the United States, the Glenn Edwards.\u00a0\nBeach replenishment will begin in Long Branch at Pier Village and continue south to Takanassee Lake.\u00a0 Upon the completion of that section, replenishment will continue from Pier Village, north to Monmouth Beach.\u00a0 The newly constructed beach berm will be at an elevation of 9.3 feet above the mean tideline with width of 140 to 250 feet.\nThe section of the coast from Elberon to Loch Arbour will move forward under a separate contract in autumn of 2014.\u00a0 Sand has not previously been placed along this section of the coast.\u00a0 Easements and design work for the project need to be completed including the outfall at Takanassee Lake.\nThe Army Corps of Engineers is completing the beach replenishment work from Sea Bright to Manasquan under five contracts.\u00a0 The Army Corps recently completed the first replenishment contract in Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach and plans to begin replenishment from Asbury Park to Avon-by-the-Sea in January.\u00a0 Construction on the section from Belmar to Manasquan began last week.\u00a0 The last contact will cover work from Elbron to Loch Arbour.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=1", "Senator Cory Booker meets with NJ Filipino leaders about Typhoon Yolanda", "2013-11-12", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Cory Booker", "B001288", "www.booker.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "November 12, 2013\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tOn November 12th, Senator Booker met with leaders of the Filipino community in New Jersey about areas of the Phillipines affected by Typhoon Yolanda.\nExperts estimate that 9.7 million people have been affected by the storm and 23,000 houses damaged or destroyed.\nThose seeking more information should contact the Center for International Disaster Information at http://www.cidi.org and 202-821-1999. Information on relief activities of the humanitarian community can be found at http://www.reliefweb.int.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361123", "Terror Group \u2018Boko Haram\u2019 Focus of Joint House Hearing", "2013-11-11", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The notorious terror group called Boko Haram will be the topic of a joint hearing to be held on Wednesday, Nov. 13.\u00a0 U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) will chair the hearing on an organization dedicated to terrorism, and why the group should be declared a foreign terrorist organization.\r\n\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cBoko Haram, even given the breakaway group known as Ansaru, clearly is an organization dedicated to terrorizing Nigerians and now even foreigners,\u201d Chairman Smith said. \u201cThe group should be declared a Foreign Terrorist organization as they fit the entire definition, and our hearing is intended to demonstrate why this declaration has become imperative for our government to confirm.\u201d\r\n\r\n\r\nWHAT: Joint congressional hearing of both the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, and the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade. Entitled \u201cThe Continuing Threat of Boko Haram,\u201d the joint hearing will feature key Administration and human rights organizations witnesses.\r\n\r\nWHO: \r\n\r\n\r\n \r\n    Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State\r\n    Emmanuel Ogebe, Managing Partner, U.S.-Nigeria Law Group\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \r\n    Khalid Aliyu, Secretary General, Jama\u2019atu Nasril Islam (via videoconference)\r\n    Habila Adamu, survivor of violence by Boko Haram\r\n    Jacob Zenn, Research Analyst, The Jamestown Foundation\r\n \r\nWHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 13, at 1 p.m.\r\nWHERE: Room 2200 in the Rayburn House Office Building (second floor).", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-tours-vantage-apparel-stresses-importance-encouraging-american-manufacturing", "Pallone Tours Vantage Apparel, Stresses Importance of Encouraging American Manufacturing", "2013-11-09", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014On Friday, November 8, 2013 at 3:30 p.m., Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) visited Vantage Apparel, where he discussed the importance of manufacturing as an engine of economic growth.\u00a0 Congressman Pallone also discussed the \u201cMake It In America\u201d jobs agenda, which emphasizes bringing manufacturing jobs back to the United States.\n\u201cAmerican businesses like Vantage Apparel are reinvigorating our country\u2019s manufacturing sector, which is the best way to create jobs\u00a0that sustain and grow our middle-class now and over the long term,\u201d said Pallone.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve heard from business leaders, labor representatives, entrepreneurs, economists, and other stakeholders that\u00a0Congress needs to take action in order to help our manufacturing sector grow. I\u2019m hopeful that Republicans will work with us to enact Make It In America legislation and help secure America as the world\u2019s leading producer and innovator for years to come.\u201d\u00a0\nHouse Democrats\u2019 Make It In America plan focuses on creating the best conditions for American businesses to manufacture their products, innovate, and create jobs right here in the U.S. President Obama has already signed ten Make It In America bills into law, many of which passed Congress with bipartisan support.\u00a0 Leaders in business and labor alike support the Make It In America plan because it will set us on a solid path forward to a future of greater competitiveness, more jobs, and long-term economic success.\nFor more than 35 years, Vantage Apparel has been a top-ranked brand of identity apparel chosen to promote the names and logos of the country\u2019s leading corporations, resorts, golf courses, colleges and casinos.\u00a0 Vantage manufactures and stocks nearly 200 styles of fashion apparel.\u00a0 Pallone met with Vantage Apparel executives and toured the manufacturing operation.\u00a0\u00a0\nThe Make It In America plan for the 113th Congress is focused on four key priorities that can bring about the changes needed to help businesses grow and create jobs here, and which are the most likely to draw bipartisan support.\u00a0 These priorities are central to creating jobs, helping manufacturers produce more goods here, maintaining America\u2019s innovation edge, and preparing a highly skilled workforce. Democrats hope that both parties will come together during the 113th Congress to pass additional Make It In America bills so we can grow our economy, put more Americans back to work, and ensure the middle class can Make It In America.\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361121", "<span class=\"kicker\">Associated Press Article</span>$25M beach replenishment work starts in Manasquan", "2013-11-08", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "By The Associated Press \u00a0WAYNE PARRY (AP) -- Wider beaches are on the way for some Jersey shore towns whose coast took a pounding during Superstorm Sandy as a $25 million beach replenishment project led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers begins Friday in Manasquan.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\"Right after Superstorm Sandy, I remember seeing the devastation,\" said U.S Rep. Christopher Smith, a Republican who represents some of the affected towns. \"We've got to replenish, we've got to rebuild the dunes because they did mitigate the loss. The damage would have been far worse had the Army Corps projects not been in place.\"\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But the project that will widen beaches from Manasquan north to Belmar will not include restoring dunes that washed away during Sandy last year. That would have to be done under a separate project, possibly funded by state and local governments\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The work is among several beach restoration projects that were done this year, or that will begin next spring or summer. Work on the northern Monmouth County shoreline including Sea Bright was done earlier this year, as were projects in three towns on Long Beach Island in Ocean County. Additional projects in Ocean, Atlantic and Cape May counties could get underway next spring or early summer, said Ed Voigt, a spokesman for the Army Corps.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Those projects include the southern end of Ocean City, along with Strathmere and Sea Isle City, and additional towns on Long Beach Island. Beach replenishment should be completed by December in Ventnor, he said.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The work will widen beaches, some of which have eroded to just 75 feet wide, to a width of 150 to 250 feet.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Normally, the Army Corps would be authorized to return the beaches only to their pre-storm condition. But special authorization after last year's devastating storm gave the Corps permission to restore the beaches to their fully-built design condition, a state last achieved in 1997, according to Anthony Ciorra, a Superstorm Sandy project manager for the Army Corps.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Much of Manasquan's beachfront was devastated by the storm on Oct. 29, 2012. It washed away tons of sand, smashed and washed away half the borough's asphalt beach walk, and destroyed numerous beachfront houses.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Beach replenishment works by sucking sand from the sea floor, carrying it through a network of submerged pipes, and shooting it through a huge basket-type filter onto the shoreline. Originally published: November 7, 2013 4:18 PM http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/25m-beach-replenishment-work-starts-in-manasquan-1.6400058  \r\nhttp://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/state/nj/m-beach-replenishment-work-starts-in-manasquan/article_e01c431c-7ffe-5c33-a96b-c070b3789495.html \u00a0Updated: November 7, 2013 7:42 PM\r\nBy The Associated Press \u00a0WAYNE PARRY (Associated Press) \r\nWayne Parry can be reached at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC\r\nCopyright 2013 The Associated Press.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=361127", "$25M beach replenishment project to start Friday in Manasquan", "2013-11-08", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "A $25 million federally funded project aimed at replenishing the beaches from Manasquan to Belmar will start on Friday, officials said.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Anthony Ciorra, sandy coastal recovery program manager for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers New York District, said 1.5 million cubic yards of sand would be placed on the beach. That sand is part of a total of 8 million cubic yards being placed from Sea Bright to Manasquan.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe Corps of Engineers mission is primarily coastal flood risk reduction ensuring that these projects and these beaches are in place to reduce the risk to flooding to the highly populated, densely developed coastal communities along this project,\u201d Ciorra said. \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Contractors will use hydraulics to pump sand from nearly 1.5 miles offshore of Sandy Hook, Ciorra said. The existing beach at its narrowest point is approximately 75 feet and the beaches will ultimately be 150 to 250 feet wide, restoring it to the conditions in 1997, he said. \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0But more important than beach width, officials said, is the height of the beach, which will be raised six to eight feet on average. \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th) said the restorative project had previously been approved but there was never funding available. He said he was in Manasquan right after Hurricane Sandy hit the area and it has come a long way.\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cWhen we walked along this frontal area to the beach, the smell of gas \u2026 was overwhelming. There were gas leaks. Most of the first floors were just filled with sand and what a difference a year makes,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThe reparative efforts that have been made over the course of the last year have been monumental and transformational. People are back.\u201d \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith praised the mayor, council and emergency management team for assisting residents after the storm, despite their own home damage. \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt is really a testament to leadership and the resilience of the people,\u201d Smith said. \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Smith said he and others from the New Jersey delegation lobbied aggressively after Hurricane Sandy for the project. \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Manasquan Mayor George Dempsey thanked Smith for his efforts in getting the project to fruition and said that it will help protect the houses that are adjacent to the beach. \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI hate to say he [Smith] did a good job, but he was one of the first ones that came down after the storm, he and Assemblyman Rible,\u201d Dempsey said. \u201cHe went right to work on getting us funds.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Before the congressman\u2019s efforts, Dempsey said, the project was originally only going to restore the beach to the pre-Sandy condition. \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s a big step for Manasquan to get this replenishment,\u201d Dempsey said. \u201cI can\u2019t thank the congressman enough, he did a tremendous job for us.\u201d\r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Dempsey said the next step will be getting dunes in place, however, that is not part of the current project. \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Approximately 1,000 to 2,000 feet of beach will be closed at a time while it is being replenished for safety reasons. Once those areas are completed and the contractor moves down the beach, the newly replenished areas will be reopened. \r\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The project is a 24-hours a day, seven days a week operation and is expected to be completed in April or May. Click here to see original article, including photo series: http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2013/11/25m_beach_replenishment_project_to_start_friday_in_manasquan.html", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=360623", "U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Breaks Ground on $25M Project to Repair Southern Monmouth Beaches", "2013-11-07", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "The long-awaited $25 million beach southern Monmouth County replenishment project kicked off today with a ground-breaking ceremony on Manasquan Beach. Hurricane Sandy caused severe beach erosion along the five-mile stretch of the project. The massive beach re-nourishment work to repair and restore the beach to better than pre-Sandy conditions starts tomorrow. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI was here on this very beach in the days after the storm with Mayor Dempsey and his team and it was a near unimaginable scene of destroyed homes, broken gas lines and crumbled debris,\u201d Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) said. \u201cThe beach was gone. Today and over the next four months of this project, the Corps will rebuild these beaches and the lives of the people from Manasquan, as well as Sea Girt, Spring Lake, and Belmar.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Joining the Congressman on the beach was Anthony Ciorra,\u00a0Chief of Coastal Restoration &amp; Special Projects Branch, and Paul Jalowski, Project Engineer, both of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from the USACE Region II (New York District). Present from the Borough of Manasquan were Mayor George Dempsey, Council President Ed Donovan, Councilman Owen McCarthy, Councilman Joe Bossone, Councilman Gregg Olivera, Councilman Mike Sinneck\u00a0\u00a0and Borough Attorney Mark Kitrick. Also present was J.C. Krause, Division Manager of The Dutra Group of San Rafael, Ca., the contracting company which has been putting in place heavy construction equipment over the past several days. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The total cost of the project is $25,254,400.\u00a0 The project is funded 100 percent by the federal government through the Army Corps\u2019 Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies (FCCE) account.\u00a0 Dredging will take approximately 125 days to complete.\u00a0 The project will pump roughly 1,500,000 cubic yards of sand onto Manasquan, Sea Girt, Spring Lake and Belmar beaches. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe reconstruction of this project will provide our shore communities and the families who reside along the shore with critical storm, surge and flood protection in the event of future storms,\u201d Smith said. \u201cNew Jersey\u2019s almost 130 miles of coastline was battered by the severe wind, high waves and rising ocean.\u00a0 But we know that in most areas where the Army Corps of Engineers implemented beach re-nourishment projects, there was less damage than those where they did not. Where the Corps built higher berms, they held back the water. Where there were low dunes, the water came flooding in.\u00a0 The damage to houses, businesses and other infrastructure was significantly less that in towns where similar re-nourishment efforts have not yet begun.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cThe Corps projects proved themselves extremely worthwhile and we need to continue its work and rebuild where feasible.\u00a0 It is not only the right thing for New Jersey\u2019s recovery, it is prudent federal policy,\u201d Smith said. \u201cPreventing flooded homes and businesses is cheaper and more efficient that repairing them after a water breach.\u00a0 As such, it is necessary, cost-effective and justified for the federal government to provide the Corps with emergency funding to finish beach replenishment and flood protection projects.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-visits-menlo-park-veterans-memorial-home-edison-nj-mark-veterans-day-calls-end", "Pallone Visits Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home in Edison, NJ to Mark Veterans Day, Calls for End to Backlog of Benefits Claims", "2013-11-07", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) visited the Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home in Edison, NJ to mark the upcoming Veterans Day holiday.\u00a0 Pallone spoke with New Jersey veterans and called for an end to the backlog of disability claims within the Veterans Administration (VA).\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u201cOn the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind.\u00a0 As a nation, it must be our pledge that when they return home, we leave no veteran behind,\u201d said Pallone.\u00a0 \u201cAs we approach Veterans Day 2013, on this day and every day, let us honor their service with actions that fulfill our commitment to our troops, their families, and our veterans \u2013 and that are worthy of our grateful nation.\u201d\u00a0\n\u00a0\nWith the war in Afghanistan winding down and more servicemen and women returning home, there is an even more prevalent need for a fully functioning VA, but a backlog of disability claims climbed to unprecedented levels with more than 900,000 benefits claims hanging in the balance.\u00a0 Upon the urging of Congress, the backlog was reduced by over 190,000 claims, but the Republican-led shutdown last month put that progress on hold.\u00a0\n  \n\tPallone discussed the package of legislative solutions he backs to further reduce the VA\u2019s backlog and get veterans the services they have earned.\u00a0 The package of 10 bills passed the House with bipartisan support on October 28, 2013 and is awaiting action in the Senate.\n\u00a0\nOn Monday, October 28, the House passed legislation (H.R 2189) which included key provisions from the Democratic backlog reduction package including:\n\u00a0\n Paying veterans more quickly by paying as their individual conditions are adjudicated.\n\tProviding veterans with information that may lead to quicker routes to the successful adjudication of their claim.\n\tStrengthening accountability by requiring VA to regularly track and provide information to the public on claims processing and the performance of VA regional offices.\n\tTaking steps to help ensure the VA has the needed information from other agencies to accurately process claims in a timely way.\n\tEncouraging VA to expand the use of automation in processing veterans\u2019 claims.\n\tSpeeding up claims by allowing veterans\u2019 medical examinations to be done by physicians outside the VA system and encouraging veterans to file fully developed claims.\n \u00a0\n\u201cNever again should those who served this nation hang in the balance because of political infighting or bureaucratic holdups,\u201d said Pallone.\u00a0 \u201cThis Veterans Day, the best way to honor the brave men and women who have protected our nation is to make sure they have the benefits they are due and the tools they need to thrive when they return home.\u00a0 We need to do more than just thank American servicemen and women; we need to honor and carryout the obligations we made to them and come through for them the way they did for us.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://web.archive.org/web/20140222040133/http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-statement-retirement-new-jersey-rep-jon-runyan", "LoBiondo Statement on Retirement of New Jersey Rep. Jon Runyan", "2013-11-06", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Frank LoBiondo", "L000554", "web.archive.org", null, null, "legacy", "MAYS LANDING, N.J. \u2013 U.S. Congressman Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) today released the following statement upon the news of fellow New Jersey Representative Jon Runyan\u2019s (NJ-03) decision not to seek re-election:\n\"I respect the choice Congressman Runyan made for himself and his family. It has been an honor to serve with him, working on critical issues that affect both our South Jersey districts. His voice on both veterans and military issues will be greatly missed. I wish Jon the best going forward.\"\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-announces-epa%E2%80%99s-finalization-plans-woodbrook-road-superfund-cleanup", "Pallone Announces EPA\u2019s Finalization of Plans for Woodbrook Road Superfund Cleanup", "2013-11-05", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "LONG BRANCH, NJ\u2014Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) released the following statement today upon the announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s that is has finalized its plans to move forward with the cleanup of the Woodbrook Road Superfund site in South Plainfield, NJ:\n\u201cThe remediation of the Woodbrook Road site is incredibly important to South Plainfield.\u00a0 It is essential that this site be cleaned up in a quick and comprehensive manner.\u00a0 With the issuance of the Environmental Protection Agency\u2019s (EPA) final cleanup plan for this site, we are now on the way to a full cleanup to remove all public health hazards from the area.\u00a0 I am encouraged that EPA has finalized its plans to remove contaminants from the site instead of on-site storage of the material.\u00a0\n\u201cSuperfund sites can contain toxic contaminants that have been detected in drinking water wells, creeks and rivers, backyards, playgrounds and streets.\u00a0 Communities impacted by these sites can face restrictions on water use and recreational activities as well as economic losses as property values decline due to contaminated land.\u00a0 In the worst cases, residents of these communities can face health problems such as cardiac impacts, infertility, low birth weight, birth defects, leukemia, and respiratory difficulties.\n\u201cI am pleased to see that we are moving forward with this important cleanup and I remain committed to fighting for increased funding on the federal level for the Superfund program so that sites like this can be cleaned up at a faster pace.\u201d\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-calls-noaa-improve-summer-flounder-estimates", "Pallone Calls on NOAA to Improve Summer Flounder Estimates", "2013-11-05", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON, D.C.\u2014Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. sent a letter to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) expressing his concern over preliminary estimates of summer flounder catch made during the 2013 summer.\u00a0\n\u00a0\u201cThere continues to be a troubling lack of confidence among fishermen and many fisheries managers in the data produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and these estimates may reinforce the criticisms weighed against NOAA\u2019s data collection program.\u201d said Pallone.\nThe preliminary estimates for recreational summer flounder landings were greater than 3 million pounds, higher than any other year for the same time period dating back to 2004.\u00a0 Pallone calls into question the reliability and accuracy of these estimates given the havoc wreaked on New Jersey by Superstorm Sandy and the difficulties faced by some fishermen in returning to normal fishing capacity.\nPallone further questioned whether NOAA has adequate resources to collect reliable data and whether the new Marine Recreational Information Program is producing more accurate fishing data.\u00a0\n\u201cI ask that NOAA fully review the preliminary estimates for summer flounder landings and that any additional biases potentially created by Superstorm Sandy be taken into account before the final estimates are released,\u201d said Pallone.\u00a0 \u201cFurthermore, I ask that you provide me with details about any challenges NOAA faces in providing more accurate fishing data, including limited resources and obstacles faced in implementing the MRIP program.\u201d\n\u00a0\nNovember 5, 2013\n\u00a0\nDr. Kathryn Sullivan  \n\tActing Administrator\nNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration  \n\t1401 Constitution Avenue, NW  \n\tWashington, DC 20230\n\u00a0\nDear Acting Administrator Sullivan:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I am writing to express my concern over the preliminary estimates of the summer flounder landings July and August of 2013.\u00a0 There continues to be a troubling lack of confidence among fishermen and many fisheries managers in the data produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and these estimates may reinforce the criticisms weighed against NOAA\u2019s data collection program.\nAccording to preliminary data estimates, more than 3 million pounds of summer flounder were landed during this past July and August.\u00a0 This would mean that there were a greater amount of landings during these two months than during the same period of any other year dating back to 2004.\u00a0 Given the continued difficulties faced by the fishing community as a result of Superstorm Sandy, these estimates cannot be reconciled with observational reporting.\u00a0 For instance, many marinas were damaged and are still rebuilding.\u00a0 Additionally, a considerable number of boats were destroyed and have yet to be replaced.\u00a0 This leaves me concerned that there are a number of considerations that NOAA has failed to incorporate into its estimates.\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I also remain concerned about whether NOAA has the resources necessary to collect reliable data.\u00a0 In recent years, I have advocated for additional funds to be directed towards cooperative research and in-season data collection so that better fishing estimates can be made.\u00a0 Yet, rather than investing in management of an industry that serves as an economic driver, sequestration is forcing across the board cuts.\u00a0 I have opposed sequestration and want to know what impact it is having on NOAA.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 As Congress considers reauthorization of the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act the reliability of data collection remains a primary concern of mine.\u00a0 The 2006 amendments to the act included requirements to develop an improved recreational data collection program, now the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP).\u00a0 Yet there is still concern that random sampling is heavily relied upon by NOAA and that the estimates produced are inaccurate.\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I ask that NOAA fully review the preliminary estimates for summer flounder landings and that any additional biases potentially created by Superstorm Sandy be taken into account before the final estimates are released.\u00a0 Furthermore, I ask that you provide me with details about any challenges NOAA faces in providing more accurate fishing data, including limited resources and obstacles faced in implementing the MRIP program.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sincerely,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 FRANK PALLONE, JR.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 Member of Congress", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/upper-deerfield-townships-annual-veterans-day-ceremony-0", "Upper Deerfield Township's Annual Veterans' Day Ceremony", "2013-11-04", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Frank LoBiondo", "L000554", "lobiondo.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Start: \n         \t  November 9, 2013 10:00 am\n\n         \t  \nEnd: \n         \t    November 9, 2013 11:00 am\n         \t   \n         \t           \t    \nLocation: \n         \t      Veterans Monument - Route 77 ,  Seabrook, New Jersey", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-announces-federal-dollars-cleanup-sandy-damaged-lakes-and-waterways-monmouth", "Pallone Announces Federal Dollars for Cleanup of Sandy Damaged Lakes and Waterways in Monmouth and Middlesex Counties", "2013-11-04", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "LONG BRANCH, NJ\u2014Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced federal funding for the cleanup of lakes and waterways affected by Superstorm Sandy in Monmouth and Middlesex Counties.\u00a0 Pallone announced that several lakes, creeks and brooks throughout the Sixth Congressional District will receive federal dollars to cover 90% of the cost of cleanup and restoration work through the National Resources Conservation Service\u2019s Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program, a part of the U. S. Department of Agriculture.\u00a0\nThe EWP program is designed to respond to watershed impairments caused by natural disasters, including removal of debris from lakes and streams, repair of undermined stream banks and damaged water control infrastructure.\nPallone made his announcement at Lake Takanassee where he was joined by Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider.\u00a0 More than $197,000 will be allocated to clean up Lake Takanassee.\u00a0 The work at Lake Takanassee slated to be covered by the EWP program funds will include the removal of debris, such as pieces of buildings, bulkheads, sediment and brush that were deposited into the lake as a result of Superstorm Sandy.\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to announce that the city of Long Branch will be receiving $197,435 for removal of debris and sediment deposited into the lake during Superstorm Sandy,\u201d said Pallone. \u201cDuring Sandy, all kinds of debris, from pieces of nearby buildings and bulkheads, to additional sediment and brush had built up in the lake.\u00a0 It is critical for New Jersey\u2019s lakes and streams to be cleaned up and preserved after the damage wrought by Sandy.\u201d\n\u00a0\nThe following are additional projects throughout the Sixth Congressional District receiving EWP program dollars for cleanup efforts:\n\u00a0\nWoodbridge, Middlesex County\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nRemoval of downed trees and debris from South Branch Rahway River in the vicinity of Gills Lane and Barbara Court.\nFunding:\u00a0 $35,100\n\u00a0\nPerth Amboy, Middlesex County\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\nStabilization of eroded hillside and the removal of storm downed trees and debris from the vicinity of Water Street.\nFunding:\u00a0 $150,150\n\u00a0\nMarlboro, Monmouth County\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\nStream bank stabilization and the removal of storm downed trees and debris from Big Brook.\u00a0 Removal of storm downed trees and debris from Colts Brook and Milford Brook.\nFunding:\u00a0 $72,150\n\u00a0\nAsbury Park/Neptune, Monmouth County \n\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Removal of sediment from Wesley Lake.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Funding: $486,000\n\u00a0\nMonmouth County\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\nClearing of downed trees and removal of sediment and debris from various locations around the County.\n Union Beach: Ditch clearing from Diddling Street to Orange Ave.\n\tWest Keansburg: Ditch clearing from 8th Street to Thorns Creek; 1st Street ditch north of Central Ave to Waackaack Creek.\n\tKeansburg:\u00a0 Waackaack Creek below Highway 36\n\tPort Monmouth:\u00a0 Compton Creek near Bridge MT9\n\tLeonardo:\u00a0 Poricy Brook near Bridge MT29\n\tAtlantic Highlands:\u00a0 Wagner Creek from West Highland Ave to Sandy Hook Bay\n Funding: $50,000\n\u00a0\nThe EWP program is currently reviewing additional applications and further funds under this program may be released in the coming months.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-tours-boys-and-girls-clubs-monmouth-county-asbury-park-discusses-importance", "Pallone Tours Boys and Girls Clubs of Monmouth County, Asbury Park, Discusses Importance of Healthy Living for Kids", "2013-11-04", "2013", "2013-11", "Democrat", "House", "NJ", "Frank Pallone", "P000034", "pallone.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "LONG BRANCH, NJ\u2014Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. visited the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monmouth County\u2019s\u00a0 Asbury Park Unit where he toured the facility, observed fitness programs and took part in a juice tasting of juices made by kids.\u00a0 Pallone also discussed the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and lauded the Boys and Girls Club\u2019s Triple Play program, which is designed to (1) educate youth about good nutrition, (2) make physical fitness a daily practice and (3) develop individual strengths and good character.\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased to see all of the good work being done here at the Boys and Girls Club of Monmouth County,\u201d said Pallone.\u00a0 \u201cThe health benefits of diet and exercise are widely known, and it is critical that young people form good habits early to avoid negative health affects later in life.\u00a0 That\u2019s why programs like the Boys and Girls Club\u2019s Triple Play are so important.\u201d\n\"It's more important than ever for our young people to have a safe, caring and nurturing place to go in the afterschool hours,\u201d said Douglas Eagles, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monmouth County.\u00a0 \u201cThe Boys &amp; Girls Club of Asbury Park provides just that and more. Through collaborative\u00a0partnerships with\u00a0Nike the Monmouth &amp;\u00a0Ocean County Food Bank\u00a0and innovative programs like Triple Play,\u00a0Club kids\u00a0experience increased\u00a0physical activity, learn\u00a0about\u00a0nutrition, and\u00a0are taught how to develop healthy relationships.\"\u00a0\nThe Boys and Girls Clubs of Monmouth County is a private non-profit organization that serves children that come from some of the most difficult circumstances in the County.\u00a0 With a professional licensed staff, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monmouth\u2019s youth enjoy a variety of activities ranging from exercise programs, to exploring the world of computers.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 610, "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 \"state\" = :p0 and \"year\" = :p1 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "NJ", "p1": "2013"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=NJ&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 388, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=NJ&year=2013&party=Democrat", "selected": false}, {"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 222, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=NJ&year=2013&party=Republican", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=NJ&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "House", "label": "House", "count": 610, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=NJ&year=2013&chamber=House", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=NJ&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "NJ", "label": "NJ", "count": 610, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?year=2013", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?state=NJ&year=2013", "results": [{"value": "2013", "label": "2013", "count": 610, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=NJ", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": "2013-11-04,http~3A~2F~2Fpallone~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fpress-release~2Fpallone-tours-boys-and-girls-clubs-monmouth-county-asbury-park-discusses-importance", "next_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=NJ&year=2013&_next=2013-11-04%2Chttp~3A~2F~2Fpallone~2Ehouse~2Egov~2Fpress-release~2Fpallone-tours-boys-and-girls-clubs-monmouth-county-asbury-park-discusses-importance&_sort_desc=date", "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 314.5041689276695, "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"}