{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400715", "Smith to Hold VA Claims Clinic in Lakewood", "2017-11-08", "2017", "2017-11", "Republican", "House", "NJ", "Christopher Smith", "S000522", "chrissmith.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "In conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) will hold a VA Claims Clinic on Friday, November 17. Veterans, service-members, and their dependents can obtain important information there about their VA benefits.\r\n\u201cI am committed to protecting veteran\u2019s benefits and programs, and to helping ensure that the brave men and women who have defended our country and those who are serving our country today, continue to have access to the resources and care that they deserve,\u201d said Smith.\u00a0\u00a0  \r\n\r\n\u201cWe have a duty to make sure that these needs \u2013 whether they be housing for homeless vets, compensation and treatment for serious injuries sustained in service, or VA health care funding \u2013 are met,\u201d Smith said.  \r\n\r\nSmith is a two-term chairman of the House Veterans\u2019 Affairs Committee. He authored the landmark 2001 Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act, as well as a dozen other bills signed into law advancing healthcare, education and homeless benefits for U.S. veterans and their families.  \r\n\r\nThe event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Harley-Davidson of Ocean County, 300 Highway 70, Lakewood, NJ.  \r\n\r\nAt the event, veterans can ask questions one-on-one with representatives of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and learn more about VA benefits including compensation, vocational rehabilitation, employment, and education.\u00a0  \r\n\r\nThe New Jersey State Veterans of Foreign Wars recently named Congressman Smith its Legislator of the Year in 2015, and he has received numerous national awards from Veteran organizations such as the national Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, and more.  \r\n\r\nFor more information about the November 17 VA Claims Clinic, please call Jennifer Myers at 973-297-3384 or the Smith Constituent Service Center nearest you:  \r\n\r\n\u00a0\r\nMonmouth County Constituent Services Center  \r\n112 Village Center Drive, Second Floor  \r\nRaintree Shopping Center  \r\nFreehold, NJ\u00a0 07728  \r\nphone (732) 780-3035\u00a0Ocean County Office  \r\n405 Route 539 (Pinehurst Road)  \r\nPlumsted, NJ  \r\np (609) 286-2571, or (732) 350-2300 Hamilton District Office  \r\n4573 South Broad Street\u00a0  \r\nHamilton, NJ 08620  \r\nphone (609) 585-7878", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "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": ["http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400715"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5667029656469822, "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"}