{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415078", "Ocean County Leader article on Smith's legislation to address religious persecution in Nigeria'Smith introduces resolution urging stronger US response on religious persecution in Nigeria'", "2025-11-05", "2025", "2025-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher H. Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", "chrissmith", "https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "By Ocean County Leader\n\nPublished November 5, 2025\n\nRep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, has introduced new legislation commending President Donald Trump\u2019s recent redesignation of Nigeria as a \u201cCountry of Particular Concern\u201d (CPC) and detailing steps for the U.S. State Department in response to religious persecution in Nigeria.\n\nThe bill, H.Res.860, is cosponsored by Reps. Bill Huizenga (R-MI), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and Maria Elvira Salazar (R-FL). It updates earlier legislation, H.Res.220, which also addressed religious freedom violations in Nigeria.\n\nSmith has previously called for Nigeria to be designated as a CPC and urged action against Nigerian officials over human rights abuses affecting Christians and Muslims. He has worked on this issue for more than a decade, introducing related legislation and leading congressional hearings, most recently in March.\n\n\u201cTo be a Christian living in Nigeria means to be living under the constant threat of murder, kidnapping, rape, and torture by radical Islamists, such as Boko Haram and Fulani terrorists,\u201d said Smith.\n\n\u201cMy new legislation commends President Trump\u2019s decisive action to redesignate Nigeria a \u2018Country of Particular Concern\u2019\u2014reversing an incredibly ill-advised decision by the Biden Administration\u2014and lays out a detailed roadmap for the State Department\u2019s future diplomatic dealings with the Nigerian government\u2014urging sanctions and new conditions on U.S. foreign assistance.\u201d\n\nRep. Huizenga commented on his support for H.Res.860: \u201cThe slaughter of innocent Christians in Nigeria demands a strong response from the United States. Congressman Chris Smith and I are leading the charge in Congress to stop these heinous killings.\n\n\u201cH.Res.860 commends the Trump Administration for designating Nigeria as a \u2018Country of Particular Concern,\u2019 while calling for the Administration to enact sanctions against individuals and entities in Nigeria who are supporting this horrific violence. Additionally, this measure calls for setting verifiable conditions on any US Aid going to Nigeria. Nigeria must do more to protect all innocent individuals, including Christians, within its borders,\u201d he added.\n\nSmith further stated: \u201cPresident Trump\u2019s \u2018CPC\u2019 designation of Nigeria is a critical first step towards achieving lasting peace, stability, and religious freedom in Nigeria.\u201d\n\nHe continued: \u201cCongress has a job to do as well\u2014to support President Trump\u2019s initiative and oversee the State Department\u2019s actions as it implements the goals of a \u2018CPC\u2019 designation, using all appropriate and available tools to advance religious freedom and protect persecuted Christians in Nigeria.\u201d\n\nThe bill proposes that the State Department use tools established through previous laws such as the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act to provide humanitarian aid to faith-based groups; condition U.S. foreign assistance on progress toward religious freedom; work with Treasury on targeted sanctions; add certain militias operating in Benue and Plateau States to lists of concern; and reaffirm U.S. commitment to global human rights.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:52:45Z"]], "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"], "primary_key_values": ["https://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=415078"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9036911651492119, "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"}