Press releases
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574 rows where party = "Republican", state = "NJ" and year = 2017 sorted by date descending
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| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400818 | Statement on Election in Liberia | 2017-12-22 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), chairman of the Africa Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives, gave the following statement in advance of Liberias presidential run-off election next week: Liberia again faces many challenges as their voters headto the polls on December 26, 2017 for its Presidential run-off election. The Government of Liberia must ensure that this vote is free, fair and transparent. Given Americas historic ties to Liberia and the role played by Americo-Liberians in that nations development, as well as the important contributions made by Liberian-Americans in many communities in the United States, we take special interest in the process and are hopeful for a just and fairoutcome. In the US Congress, we have closely watched the developments in Liberia. Earlier this year, I chaired a hearing The Future of Democracy and Governance in Liberia in advance of the first round of elections where we examined the need for reform and the hope for a new leadership to bring the country into a peaceful and prosperous future. In light of the elections proximity to Christmas, we especially pray that peace, tranquility and justice prevail. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-s-legislation-help-sandy-victims-passes-house | Congressman MacArthurs Legislation to Help Sandy Victims Passes House | 2017-12-22 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Tom MacArthur announced that his bill, The Disaster Assistance Fairness and Accountability Act of 2017 was included in the hurricane supplemental bill and passed the House with bipartisan support. This bill sets a statute of limitations of three years for disaster recoupment preventing FEMA from trying to recoup money from innocent disaster victims. Im grateful that members from both parties supported this critical piece of bipartisan legislation that will bring common sense reform to FEMA, said Congressman MacArthur. Since I first came to Congress, Ive been willing to work with anyone to help natural disaster victims, like those impacted by Superstorm Sandy, who have been treated unfairly by FEMA. This bill ensures natural disaster victims wont have to pay for the federal governments mistakes. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400814 | Houses of Worship, Other Disaster Victims Can Get Needed Relief Under House-Passed Bill | 2017-12-21 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | A provision to give houses of worship access to critical federal disaster relief, and another provision allowing disaster victims to be eligible for both federal grants and federal loans for disaster assistance, were passed Thursday by the House as part of the third supplemental disaster relief bill. Both provisions reflect legislation originally authored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. share: f t A provision to give houses of worship access to critical federal disaster relief, and another provision allowing disaster victims to be eligible for both federal grants and federal loans for disaster assistance, were passed Thursday by the House as part of the third supplemental disaster relief bill. Both provisions reflect legislation originally authored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), in the wake of Superstorm Sandy. After Superstorm Sandy, I and others saw how leaders and volunteers at churches, synagogues, and other religious centers help feed, clothe, and shelter tens of thousands of victimsyet they were left out and left behind when it came to repairs of their own facilities, said Smith, the author of the original bill the Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Actto provide equity and fairness to churches and synagogues damaged in federal disasters on the House Floor on Thursday. I want to thank the chairman for including provisions from my legislation in this larger package to help ensure that houses of worship, churches, and synagogues get the kind of help they need on an equal basis, with other non-profits, Smith said. The supplemental bill also includes language that does away with the duplication of benefits penalty clause that penalized many NJ Sandy victims who acted quickly and responsibly after the storm only to learn that if you apply for a federal loan (which is normally available first) you will be boxed out of applying for federal grants, which are normally made available much… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-urges-phil-murphy-call-nj-house-dems-fund-chip | Congressman MacArthur Urges Phil Murphy to Call on NJ House Dems to Fund CHIP | 2017-12-21 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Congressman Tom MacArthur urged Governor-Elect Phil Murphy to call on New Jerseys Democratic Members of Congress to fund the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Today, I will vote for the third time this year to fund the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP), while most Democrats will vote against it for the third time, said Congressman MacArthur. Given Governor-Elect Murphys recent concern about federal issues, I am urging him to advocate for New Jerseys children and call on my Democrat colleagues in the House from New Jersey to reach across the aisle to join me in voting to fund the Childrens Health Insurance Program. On Background: This is the THIRD time Republicans will vote to fund CHIP and the THIRD time most Democrats will vote AGAINST funding this program. CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act (HR 3922) on 11/3/17 HJ Res 123 on 12/7/17 Additionally, The Washington Post has thoroughly debunked the idea that Congress sacrificed CHIP to deal with taxes, which is in direct contradiction with this December 7 tweet from Governor-Elect Murphy: It is unconscionable that Congress has failed to reauthorize health insurance for Americas children while passing a tax bill that hurts their families. Hundreds of thousands of NJ kids who rely on CHIP need this now. The bill is there & must be passed. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400804 | OSCE Adopts Child Trafficking Ministerial Decision Modeled After Smith's Initiative | 2017-12-20 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | On December 8, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) concluded its annual meeting of the Foreign Ministers of 57 OSCE participating States by adopting a ministerial decision on combatting child traffickingmodeled on OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA)resolutionsadopted in 2016 and 2017, authored by Helsinki Commission Co-Chairman Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04). Rep. Smith is the Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues in the OSCE PA. Entitled Strengthening Efforts to Combat All Forms of Child Trafficking, Including for Sexual Exploitation, as well as Other Forms of Sexual Exploitation of Children, the decision provides practical steps for participating States to protect children from traveling sex offenders, and from misuse of the internet for child trafficking and other sexual exploitation. Traveling sex offenders rely on secrecy and anonymity to commit crimes against children; the new decision will deter the sexual exploitation of children at home and abroad, and aid in the prosecution of child sex traffickers, said Smith. The decision calls on each of the OSCE participating States to keep a register of individuals who have committed sex offenses against a child, and to share that information with the law enforcement in destination countrieswhich would give the United States warning of foreign sex offenders entering U.S. borders. The decision also calls on OSCE participating States to enact extra-territorial jurisdiction in order to prosecute their citizens for serious sexual crimes against children, even if these crimes are committed in another country. Some believe the laws of a destination country allow sexual exploitation of a child, or rely on the fact that the judicial system in the destination country is weak, Smith continued. The Ministerial decision underscores the universal human rights of the child to be protected from sexual exploitation and calls for participating States to put all abusers on noticethey will be prosecuted when they return home. In addition… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400803 | Statement on H.R.1, the Tax Bill | 2017-12-19 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Rep. Chris Smith issued the following statement after the House voted on H.R.1, the tax bill: Today I voted no on H.R. 1 because while I believe that Americans are overtaxed and need relief, this bill would not provide that relief for New Jersey residents; it would, in fact, be detrimental for many of them. The bill rolls back or even eliminates certain itemized deductions, and almost half47%of the taxpayers in my district itemize, claiming an average of $31,981 in deductions. These deductions are used by many New Jersey taxpayers, and thus their modification or elimination is seriously problematic for me. Foremost among these changes that I opposed was the partial elimination of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction for income, sales, and property taxes, capping this deduction from federal taxes at $10,000. New Jersey has one of the highest rates of tax filers using the SALT deduction, with over four in ten taxpayers (42%) using it; the average SALT deduction in my district is $18,355. Many New Jersey taxpayers, including homeowners who pay some of the highest property tax rates of any state, could see their taxes go up. New Jersey residents already pay one of the highest tax rates per household to the federal government, but see one of the lowest returns on federal spending of any state. We need tax relief, but we must have relief that is not comparatively unfair to the taxpayers of New Jersey. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1552 | Statement of Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen in opposition to H.R. 1 | 2017-12-19 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Rodney Frelinghuysen | F000372 | frelinghuysen.house.gov | legacy | The people of New Jersey already carry an extremely heavy tax burden. They need and deserve tax cuts. Unfortunately, H.R. 1 caps the federal deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) which will lead to tax increases for far too many hardworking New Jersey families. This legislation will also damage our states housing market and business environment. I had hoped to be able to vote for a pro-growth tax bill. However, H.R. 1 forces New Jersey residents to pay for tax cuts for residents in other states. I voted No! -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-tax-reform-vote | Lance Statement on Tax Reform Vote | 2017-12-19 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Leonard Lance | L000567 | lance.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) released the following statement on the tax reform bill that passed in the U.S. House. I voted against the tax bill today because it significantly reduces the ability of New Jerseyans to deduct state and local taxes, a provision that has been in the code since 1913. Also, as a deficit hawk, I do not favor adding $1.5 trillion to the national debt. I was pleased, however, that the Conference Committee improved the bill in several ways, including provisions for extraordinary medical expenses and student debt and graduate tuition. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-s-statement-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act | Congressman MacArthurs Statement on The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act | 2017-12-19 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON Today, Congressman Tom MacArthur released the following statement after The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed the House: This is good news for the overburdened taxpayers in South Jersey. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act provides real relief for families and businessesby simplifying the tax code, lowering rates, doubling the standard deduction, providing tax credits for childcare and care of adult dependents; all while preserving the deductibility of property and state income taxes. I came to Washington to fight for my constituents and solve the tough problems that impact their lives. During this process, I urged the White House and House Leadership to preserve the deductibility of property and state income taxes, restore the medical expense deduction for seniors and those with high medical costs and protect the educator expense deduction for our dedicated teachers. I didnt back down from this fight and Im grateful my colleagues listened and preserved these critical provisions. In the end, this legislation will provide a vast majority of my constituents with a much needed tax cut and allow them to keep more of their hard-earned money. ### This legislation will benefit NJ-3 taxpayers in multiple ways including: More than half of NJ-3 constituents take the standard deduction, which doubles in this legislation. All NJ-3 taxpayers will benefit from Rep. MacArthurs fight to include a deduction on their property and state income taxes in line with New Jersey state law. Over 48,000 NJ-3 families currently claim the child tax credit. Under this legislation, the child tax credit will double to $2,000 per child. Plus, many more middle class families will be able to take full advantage of this credit, instead of it phasing out at alower income as it does today. NJ-3 families caring for an elderly parent or a child enrolled in college, would be provided with an extra $500 with the creation of the non-child dependent tax credit. Provides relief for NJ-3 seniors and residents with high medical bills by expanding th… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-statement-house-senate-conference-report-tax-reform | LoBiondo Statement on House-Senate Conference Report for Tax Reform | 2017-12-18 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | LoBiondo Statement on House-Senate Conference Report for Tax Reform Dec 18, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) today issued the following statement regarding this weeks planned vote on the House-Senate Conference Report on tax reform: When the tax reform debate began, I made clear what I could and could not support in a final bill. Hard-working South Jersey residents already face excessive taxes from Trenton, thus preserving key deductions at the federal level would be critical to garner my support. While improvements have been made from the House-passed version to retain deductions for medical and educational expenses, the $10,000 collective cap on state and local income tax and property tax deductions will be detrimental in my high-tax state of New Jersey. I will be voting NO as it is in the best interest of my South Jersey constituents. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-bill-names-raritan-post-office-for-john-basilone | Lance Bill Names Raritan Post Office for John Basilone | 2017-12-14 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Leonard Lance | L000567 | lance.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today secured passage in the U.S. House of his legislation, H.R. 2815, that would designate the U.S. Post Office at 30 East Street in Raritan, New Jersey, as the "Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone Post Office." In a speech before colleagues in the House of Representatives, Lance recounted the many honors Basilone earned in service to the country and asked the House to support his measure so as to inspire future service in Basilone’s tradition. “Gunnery Sergeant Basilone is an exemplar of brave service in our Armed Forces and a member of the greatest generation whose collective bravery and selflessness won World War II and liberated millions from oppression,” Lance told his colleagues on the House Floor. “In Congress, there are many actions we take to honor and remember those who serve our Nation. These commendations matter. Younger generations ask whose name is inscribed in monuments, at flag posts or on federal properties. And in retelling these stories we inspire young Americans to appreciate the generations that came before in public service. And Gunnery Sergeant Basilone indeed has a tremendous story.” Lance then recounted details from Basilone’s life. Lance told the story of Basilone’s decision first to enlist in the Army and later his enlistment in the Marine Corps. Lance recited the details of Operation Watchtower, where Basilone and his fellow Marines sought to regain territory in Guadalcanal in the Pacific Theater. And Lance recounted the specific citations that earned Basilone the Medal of Honor. Said Lance, “In a moment of selfless service to his fellow Marines, Gunnery Sergeant Basilone endured brutal enemy fire during the assault to assist nearby machine gunners in trouble. Seeing the immediate danger, Gunnery Sergeant Basilone killed eight encroaching Japanese soldiers and quickly provided aid and equipment to the pinned Marines. He saved many lives that day and in later testimony his fellow Marines credited Gunnery Sergeant Basil… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-s-leads-letter-urging-congress-restore-medical | Congressman MacArthurs Leads Letter Urging Congress to Restore the Medical Expense Deduction | 2017-12-13 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman MacArthur urged House and Senate Leadership to restore the medical expense deduction in the tax reform legislation on behalf of the over 140,000 seniors who live in New Jersey’s Third Congressional District. “For months, I've negotiated to improve this bill for my constituents and was able to successfully restore the property tax deduction—but my fight is not over,” said Congressman Tom MacArthur. “I’m urging House and Senate Leadership to restore the medical expense deduction that will benefit over 140,000 seniors in my district and other constituents with high medical bills. This deduction can represent a meaningful source of relief during the uncertainty and difficulty that medical conditions can bring, and should be restored.” Full text of the letter: Dear Speaker Ryan, Leader McConnell, Chairman Brady, and Chairman Hatch: As you work to finalize and pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, we urge you to maintain the deductibility of medical expenses. The House version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act achieves many worthy goals, including eliminating a myriad of special interest loopholes. Each of us supported it. Both the House and the Senate retain some credits and deductions that foster critical, broad-based public policy objectives, such as supporting families, home ownership and charities. We urge you to maintain the Medical Expense Deduction in this same spirit, as the Senate version has already done. Nine million American households claim the Medical Expense Deduction, and for these families, this deduction can represent a meaningful source of relief during the uncertainty and difficulty that medical conditions can bring. Some of the unfortunate outcomes of Obamacare have been higher medical costs, higher insurance premiums, higher deductibles, higher copays – these costs hit families hard, especially seniors. On behalf of our constituents, who badly need the tax relief that the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will provide, and especially on behalf of the hundreds of thousan… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-urges-congress-protect-and-expand-teacher-expense | Congressman MacArthur Urges Congress to Protect and Expand the Teacher Expense Deduction | 2017-12-13 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman MacArthur urged Congress to protect and expand the educator expense deduction to $500 from $250. Under current law, educators can receive a deduction for supplies they purchase for the benefit of their students, instead of paying out-of-pocket. After successfully fighting to preserve the property tax deduction for his constituents, Congressman MacArthur continues to work to improve this bill on behalf of South Jersey residents. “Two of my grandparents were school teachers and then superintendents, and my mother was a librarian so I have a deep respect for educators and our public school system,” said Congressman MacArthur. “Almost all teachers use some amount of their own money to buy supplies for their classrooms and they bear this expense out of dedication and love for their students. The tax code should reward this dedication and protect and expand this provision that supports teachers, and helps improve schools in New Jersey, and across the country.” Full Text of Letter: Dear Conferees, In the wake of the passage of historic, comprehensive tax reform, we write to you in order to highlight one issue that we believe should be addressed in the conference process. As supporters of H.R. 1, we write to express our concerns about the provision within the bill that would eliminate the tax deduction for school supplies paid for by educators. This important tax provision supports teachers, enhances students’ learning experiences, and improves schools across our country. We strongly support the Senate’s plan for expanding the educator expense deduction in support of our nation’s hard working teachers. Our nation’s teachers not only support America’s bright young minds with their time and care, they are also asked to subsidize our children’s education by purchasing supplies and materials for the classroom that are not reimbursed by their school. Virtually all teachers use some amount of their own money to buy supplies for their classrooms, and the average teacher spends $485 per y… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400799 | Smith Bill to Name Belmar Post Office After Local Hero Passes House | 2017-12-12 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Legislation introduced by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) naming the U.S. post office in Belmar, NJ in honor of Dr. Walter S. McAfee, a distinguished local scientist who helped with the development of radar transmissions into space, passed the House today. “I am thankful that today we are able to honor such a great man and I urge my fellow colleagues to support this bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1300 Main Street in Belmar, New Jersey, as the ‘Dr. Walter S. McAfee Post Office Building,’” Smith said on the Floor of the House during consideration of the legislation. “Dr. McAfee was instrumental in the success of Project Diana at U.S. Army Camp Evans, which resulted in the successful transmission of high-frequency radio signals out of the atmosphere, helping to pave the way for the Space Age,” said Smith, who represents Belmar and surrounding towns serviced by the post office on Main Street. Smith said that later on, at Fort Monmouth, McAfee worked to develop sensors used to track enemy movements during the Vietnam War. During the Cold War, he also directed a NATO study on surveillance and target acquisition. “He was also the first African-American to be promoted to GS-16 ‘super grade’ civilian status at the U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC), and was later inducted into the AMC Hall of Fame,” Smith added. “Throughout his lifetime, his achievements were recognized through the dozens of awards and honors he received for his contributions to science and to the defense of the U.S. and our allies,” Smith said of McAfee. “Dr. McAfee passed away in 1995 in Belmar, New Jersey. He and his wife, Viola, were married for close to 54 years and are survived by their daughters Diane Mercedes McAfee and Marsha Bera-Morris,” Smith said. “He was known for his love of learning, high ethical standards, and good sense of humor,” Smith said. To read excerpts of Smith’s remarks on the House Floor, click here. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400800 | U.S. Must Do More to Protect North Korean Refugees, Former Defectors Testify | 2017-12-12 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | China is complicit in North Korea’s human rights abuses through forcibly repatriating the citizens who escape, and it must be held accountable, proclaimed two panels of expert witnesses at a Capitol Hill hearing today on “Protecting North Korean Refugees” by the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations. “Amid escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, we cannot forget those suffering under the North Korean regime and those North Korean refugees who are in China,” said Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations. “North Korean asylum seekers are at imminent risk of repatriation, torture, sexual violence, forced abortions, hard labor and even execution,” Smith stated. “The Chinese government has a lot to answer for. It is no wonder that the UN Commission on Inquiry for North Korea Human Rights concluded that the Government of the People's Republic of China is aiding and abetting in crimes against humanity by forcibly repatriating North Korean refugees.” Click here to read Chairman Smith’s opening statement. Entitled “Protecting North Korean Refugees,” the hearing examined numerous occasions in recent decades where North Koreans fleeing the human rights abuses of the regimes of Kim Il-sung, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-un were trafficked in China for labor or sex, or were detained and repatriated to North Korea where they face the prospect of severe punishment by the state. The Administration could use policies created by Congress to hold North Korea, China and individuals and businesses within China accountable for the repatriation of North Korean refugees and the sex and labor trafficking of vulnerable refugees within China, Smith said. These actions could include sanctions under the North Korea Sanctions Enforcement Act, the Global Magnitsky Act, or from China’s Tier 3 status under the Trafficking in Persons Report. “The situa… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400798 | Congressional Hearing to Explore How to Protect North Korean Defectors | 2017-12-11 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | On Tuesday, December 12, at 2 p.m., the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations will hold a hearing on “Protecting North Korean Refugees,” to examine what more the U.S. can do to push China to protect North Korean defectors and grant them international protection. “As the Congress continues to look at ways to best apply maximum diplomatic and financial press on the regime of Kim Jong-un, this hearing will explore the strategic relevance of further pressing the Chinese government to protect North Korean refugees and evaluate the impact of surging outside information into North Korea,” Smith said. Who: Chairman Smith (NJ-04), Senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations; other members of the Committee Witnesses: Panel I Ms. Hyeona Ji North Korean Defector Co-Chairperson Worldwide Coalition to Stop Genocide in North Korea Ms. Han Ga Hee (alias) North Korean Defector Announcer and Sound Engineer Free North Korea Radio Panel II Mr. Greg Scarlatoiu Executive Director The Committee for Human Rights in North Korea The Honorable Robert King Senior Adviser, Korea Chair Center for Strategic and International Studies Former U.S. Special Envoy for North Korean Human Rights Issues Ms. Suzanne Scholte President Defense Forum Foundation Chairwoman North Korea Freedom Coalition What: House hearing on protecting North Korean defectors When: Tuesday, December 12, 2017 2:00 PM Where: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2200 (second floor) In July and August of 2017, 41 people fleeing human rights abuses in North Korea were detained in China, the group Human Rights Watch reported. This continues a decades-long trend of China detaining North Koreans fleeing the dictatorship and repatriating them, where they fa… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/second-session-115th-congress-begins | Second Session of 115th Congress Begins | 2017-12-11 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | Second Session of 115th Congress Begins Start: January 3, 2018 12:00 pm End: January 3, 2018 12:00 pm Location: U.S. Capitol, Washington, DC Dec 11, 2017 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-issues-challenge-murphy-menendez-booker | Congressman MacArthur Issues Challenge to Murphy, Menendez, & Booker | 2017-12-11 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tom MacArthur sent the below letter to Governor-Elect Phil Murphy and Senators Menendez and Booker, after their continued partisan attacks. December 11, 2017 Dear Governor-Elect Murphy, Senator Menendez, and Senator Booker, Instead of working to deliver real tax relief to New Jerseyans who deserve it, you have all decided to embark on a dishonest campaign intended to mischaracterize the tax reform legislation working its way through Congress for partisan political gain. Our shared constituents deserve better. They deserve the truth. New Jersey is among the highest-taxed states in the nation and a recent study ranked us as the worst state in America for out-migration. Retirees, millennials and families are leaving New Jersey in droves because they can't afford to stay. That crisis has zero to do with a federal tax reform bill that hasn't become law yet. Worse, it has become abundantly clear that you have not done any real analysis of this plan, outside of parroting partisan talking points. So, allow me to educate you about why the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is good for the constituents of New Jersey’s Third Congressional District. Right off the bat, more than half of my constituents take the standard deduction, which doubles in the legislation I supported. Nearly 70% of taxpayers across the country use the standard deduction, while high-income earners are more likely to itemize. Furthermore, the median family with two kids in NJ-03 makes $110,620. Under current law, this family pays $7,469.94. Under the House bill, they’d pay $6,460.26 – a tax cut of $1,000. This doesn’t even include the other benefits they may experience if they run or work at a small business, or if they work at a company that will now invest more in the New Jersey instead of overseas. Here are some other benefits of this bill: - An increase in the child tax credit. Over 48,000 families in my district currently claim the child tax credit. Under this legislation, each of these families would receive an addit… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400797 | On the Deadly Attack Against U.N. Peacekeepers In the Democratic Republic of the Congo | 2017-12-08 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) issued the following statement after an attack on U.N. peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Thursday killed 14 and injured dozens of others: “In what is being described as the worst attack on United Nations peacekeepers in recent history, at least 14 ‘blue helmets’ were killed and many more injured yesterday. The attack occurred at the UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) operating base at Semuliki in North Kivu when elements believed to be part of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan armed group that has adopted increasingly radical Islamist views, fired upon the UN base,” Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, stated. "The DRC army has launched three major offensives against the ADF since 2005, but the group’s leadership reportedly remains intact, and it has continued to operate in at least two areas of eastern DRC – sometimes in association with DRC militia groups. "This new outbreak of violence threatens the peace hoped to be established in eastern DRC prior to scheduled elections next year. Along with the recent violence in the DRC’s central Kasai region and potential violence from groups and individuals opposing the extension of DRC President Joseph Kabila’s term in office, the long-awaited national elections even now must be considered in danger of yet another postponement. Those elections were originally supposed to be held in November 2016, and then by the end of this month before the DRC government announced it could not fulfill the agreement on the election date. "The Administration, in collaboration with the UN and others in the international community, must continue to support MONSUCO’s mission to protect civilians and help implement plans to conduct elections by the current December 23, 2018, target date. To back up this effort, I intend to introduce a bill n… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-introduces-bipartisan-legislation-help-adolescents | Congressman MacArthur Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Help Adolescents Struggling with Addiction | 2017-12-08 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Republican Chairman of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force Congressman Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) and Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-CT) introduced the College Loan Deferment for Recovery Act. This bill would allow borrowers enrolled in a substance abuse treatment program to defer payments on public student loans, while actively receiving treatment without interest accruing during the deferment period. “The opioid epidemic continues to destroy communities across the United States, and in many cases, young Americans transitioning to adulthood are the most heavily impacted by this crisis,” said Congressman MacArthur. “This bipartisan bill will allow young adults to focus on treatment and overcoming addiction without having to worry about the financial burden of student loans. Young Americans, who are on the road to recovery, should have financial peace of mind while receiving life-saving treatment for addiction.” “Families shouldn’t have to choose between seeking treatment for their loved ones struggling with opioid addiction and paying the bills,” Congresswomen Esty said. “The pain of helping a family member seek treatment and recover is difficult enough; no one should have to tell their son or daughter that the family can’t afford to treat their child. By allowing Americans to defer student loan payments while receiving state-approved treatment, this bill will be a small step forward in our efforts to combat the opioid crisis and repair families. Like Congressman MacArthur, I’m committed to working across party lines to ensure that we heal everyone we can.” “Congressman MacArthur should be commended for his wanting to help persons in recovery in a very meaningful & measurable way,” said James P. Curtin, President & Chief Executive Officer of Daytop New Jersey. “All too often financial pressure can act as a relapse trigger. This relief, while someone is actively engaged in treatment, will go a long way in supporting someone’s path to recovery.” “One in ten. The percentage of p… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400820 | <span class ="kicker">Religion News Service Article***</span>Six Congressional members urge stronger action to protect religious liberty'' | 2017-12-07 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Six members of Congress stressed the need for the U.S. government to take a more vigorously active role in protecting endangered Christians in the Holy Lands and the Middle East. Four representatives and two senators spoke Tuesday at the Third International Conference on Religious Freedom in the nations capital, sponsored by the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The speakers were Representatives Chris Smith, R-New Jersey; Jeff Fortenberry, R-Nebraska; Carolyn Maloney, D-New York; Gus Bilirakis, R-Florida, and Senators Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, and James Lankford, R-Oklahoma. The sessions were held in the U.S. Senate Caucus Room and Capitol Visitor Center Auditorium. More than ever before, vigorous U.S. leadership and diplomacy are needed to address religious freedom violations in the region (Middle East and Holy Lands) and globally, Rep. Smith said. He also urged enhanced religious freedom training for the Foreign Service including ambassadors and integrating religious freedom into every aspect of U.S. foreign policy. Smith recommended a timely designation of a country of particular concern as well as designation of an entity of concern, such as a terrorist group. He also urged the meting out of sanctions on designated countries and holding not just countries but also individuals accountable. Rep. Maloney emphasized that religious persecution is happening all over the world, adding that there is a need to create a system to accurately track everything happening to Christian minorities and other religions. We need to put more meat in legislation, she added, such as no aid to Egypt unless they let Christians rebuild their churches. Maloney has advocated for reform in Turkey such as the reopening of Halki the Greek Orthodox Christian theological school the Turkish government closed in 1971. Look at countries that respect minorities, religion and women they dont have terrorism, Maloney added. Rep. Biilirakis emphasized the need to speak out. Our darkest moments have … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400795 | On President Trumps Recognizing Jerusalem as Capital of Israel | 2017-12-06 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | “Today, President Trump took a decisive and historic step toward restoring American leadership in the world," said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) today. "By rightfully recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, the United States has chosen to lead on principle. Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish people and has been for three millennia. The Jewish State has waited 70 years for international recognition of this fact and for 40 years has ensured religious liberty in all of Jerusalem, including international access to the city’s religious and cultural heritage. “With this recognition, our country boldly confirms the unshakeable ties that bind us in friendship and common purpose to our indispensable ally, the State of Israel. “I stand prepared to use my voice and vote in the House of Representatives to support the President’s commitment to comply with the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and relocate the United States Embassy to Israel to Jerusalem as soon as possible. I co-sponsored the Foreign Affairs Reform and Restructuring Act of 1998–which passed Congress–that set aside funding of the construction of a U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem. “I support President Trump’s new approach to achieving a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and his call for all regional leaders to break from the past and chart a new path toward enduring peace. “Just yesterday, the House voted to pass the Taylor Force Act, which would bar U.S. assistance to the Palestinian Authority unless they immediately stop paying huge amounts of money directly to Palestinian terrorists and their families–‘pay to slay’–who murder American and Israeli citizens.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400796 | Congressional Hearing Highlights Need to Promote Religious Freedom to Counter Extremism | 2017-12-06 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Promoting religious freedom must be an integral part of U.S. diplomacy to protect against the spread of religious extremism and terrorism, expert witnesses stated at a hearing on “Advancing Human Rights to Combat Extremism” on Wednesday, held by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations. “Advancing freedom of religion, both as an end in of itself and as means to achieve peace, stability and human flourishing, should be a core objective of U.S. foreign policy,” Chairman Smith stated at the hearing. “Religious liberty is opposed, however, by extremists who seek to impose their vision of an ideal society upon all,” Smith said. “This clash manifests itself in numerous parts of the world, in varying degrees of intensity, but is particularly acute in certain Muslim-dominated regions, where groups such as ISIS, al-Nusra, Boko Haram and al-Shabaab seek to bring all under their sway. “To combat these extremists, the ideological battlefield is just as important as the territorial one. By emphasizing human rights principles, we counter extremist messaging, support moderate voices and promote the popular aspirations of people around the world who simply want to live in peace and freedom,” Smith said. The hearing highlighted strategies for advancing human rights and religious freedom in U.S. foreign policy as a means to counter violent extremism. “For almost twenty years U.S. religious freedom diplomacy has been led by smart men and women, and staffed by some of the best minds in our diplomatic service. But they have been hamstrung by a lack of imagination and vision within the State Department,” said Dr. Tom Farr, president of the Religious Freedom Institute and director of the Religious Freedom Research Project at Georgetown University. “Fortunately, that deficit has begun to diminish, in large part because of the work of the current staff and the most recent Ambassador at Large for In… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-jerusalem-is-the-eternal-capital-of-the-jewish-state | Lance: Jerusalem is the Eternal Capital of the Jewish State | 2017-12-06 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Leonard Lance | L000567 | lance.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07), chair of the Republican Israel Caucus, today issued a statement supporting recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. “Today is a historic day in the long-standing and enduring friendship between the United States and Israel. Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish State. Our diplomatic efforts and our embassy should be based in the true capital of the State of Israel. The United States is sending a message to the world and to the Jewish people that we stand with our great ally. “Now is also the time to affirm our strong support for a two-state solution in the Middle East and I call for peace from both sides. I commend the Trump Administration for renewing the U.S.’s involvement in these talks and I hope a solution can be reached expeditiously. I will work in Congress in support of peace and security.” In January, Lance introduced the Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act that would facilitate the relocation of the United States Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. The U.S. House and U.S. Senate have voted on three separate occasions to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. · The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 · H. Con Res. 152 in 1997, which passed unanimously out of the House · And most recently, S.Res. 176, where Republicans and Democrats in the Senate voted unanimously just this past June in favor of the decision President Trump announced today. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-s-statement-concealed-carry-reciprocity-act | Congressman MacArthurs Statement on the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act | 2017-12-06 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman MacArthur released the following statement after the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act passed the House of Representatives: I’ve had multiple opportunities to listen to Shaneen Allen’s story and speak with her about the importance of protecting legal gun owners. Shaneen is a law-abiding single mother who was facing years in prison because her concealed-carry permit was considered illegal once she crossed from Pennsylvania to New Jersey. This legislation will ensure that what happened to Shaneen does not happen to any other law-abiding gun owners by requiring states to recognize each other’s gun carry permits, while recognizing states’ rights to create their own firearms laws. Opponents of this bill will argue that this legislation will enable dangerous people to obtain firearms. This is completely false. This bill, will allow a law-abiding citizen to carry concealed gun only if they are not federally prohibited from possessing or receiving a firearm. Additionally, this bill has nothing to do with gun purchases. Every person who wants to buy a firearm would still have to go through a thorough federal background check and in fact, this bill beefs up the Federal Instant Background Check system. This legislation will ensure legal gun owners, like Shaneen Allen, won’t have to fear arrest when they cross state lines. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400794 | Bill Co-sponsored by Smith Against Female Genital Mutilation Passes House | 2017-12-05 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | The House today passed legislation by Rep. Dave Trott (R-MI) and co-sponsored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) that increases the penalties for female genital mutilation (FGM) in the U.S., a practice that the World Health Organization regards as a human rights violation and one that Smith has spoken out against in the past. Seventeen years ago, Smith’s landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, P.L. 106-386, highlighted female genital mutilation as a crime targeting immigrant women and children, and underscored that these victims “must be able to report these crimes to law enforcement and fully participate in the investigation of the crimes committed against them and the prosecution of the perpetrators of such crimes.” “Despite current federal law prohibiting this practice, an estimated 500,000 young girls in the U.S. have been victims of female genital mutilation or are in danger of being subjected to this abuse,” Rep. Smith, Chairman of the House panel on global human rights, stated. “This forced mutilation is painful, carries long-term health risks, and serves no positive health benefits. We must do more to protect our young girls from this harmful and fundamentally misguided practice.” The Stopping Abusive Female Exploitation (SAFE) Act (HR 3317) would triple penalties for performing female genital mutilation from 5 to 15 years in prison, and it would call on states to have reporting requirements for suspected cases of mutilation. The practice of female genital mutilation—defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as including “procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons”— is “a violation of the human rights of girls and women,” according to WHO. It has been illegal in the United States since 1997. Yet over 200 million women have been mutilated in 30 countries in Africa and Asia, and including in the United States, where an estimated 500,000 girls under the age of 13 have had the procedure or … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-urges-congress-find-permanent-solution-daca | MacArthur urges Congress to find a permanent solution to DACA | 2017-12-05 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C.-Today, Congressman MacArthur urged House Speaker Paul Ryan to pass legislation this year that creates a permanent legislative solution to the expiring Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. MacArthur was joined by 34 House Republicans in this request. “I’ve always been a strong supporter of the DACA program and voted against eliminating this program during my first term in Congress,” said Congressman Tom MacArthur “Our immigration system is in need of reform, but this process should not start by hurting the most innocent and vulnerable population. I’m urging both parties to come together and find a solution that will protect DACA recipients before the end of the year.” Full text of letter below: Dear Speaker Ryan, We write in support of passing of a permanent legislative solution for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients before the end of the year. DACA recipients – young people brought to America through no fault of their own – are contributing members of our communities and our economy. For many, this is the only country they have ever known. They are American in every way except their immigration status. Since DACA’s inception, the federal government has approved approximately 795,000 initial DACA applications and 924,000 renewals. Since being approved for DACA status, an overwhelming majority of these individuals have enrolled in school, found employment, or have served in the military. Studies have shown that passing legislation to permanently protect these individuals would add hundreds of billions to our country’s gross domestic product (GDP). That is why the business community, universities, and civic leaders alike support a permanent legislative solution. We agree with President Trump that executive action was not the appropriate process for solving this issue, as was done under the previous administration, and we believe Congress should act. We are compelled to act immediately because many DACA recipients are about to lose or have already lost their p… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-applauds-team-veterans-memorial-middle-school-vineland-winning-2017 | LoBiondo Applauds Team from Veterans Memorial Middle School in Vineland for Winning 2017 Congressional App Challenge | 2017-12-04 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | MAYS LANDING, N.J. – U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) today applauded the 3-person team from Veterans Memorial Middle School in Vineland for winning the 2017 Congressional App Challenge. Their submission - “Eating Green” - is a mobile application designed to help consumers navigate the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recall notices on food products as well as health ratings of local restaurants. “Congratulations to Ljakadja, Hannah and Nishi for their innovative and informative app. It is clear they were looking to assist Americans’ desire to eat healthy and know the latest recall notices for unsafe foods. I was impressed by the substantial thought and execution displayed in this app,” said LoBiondo. “I applaud all of the students who participated in this year’s Congressional App Challenge and encourage you and your classmates to continue creating forward-looking technology.” The Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide competition aimed at encouraging middle and high school students to learn how to code by creating their own applications for mobile devices. The Challenge seeks to highlight the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education while spurring friendly competition between competing teams. This is the first year middle school students were invited to compete. Seventeen (17) teams comprised of fifty (50) students across South Jersey competed in the fourth annual challenge. This is the fourth year of the Congressional App Challenge and the fourth year LoBiondo’s office has hosted the competition for South Jersey students. Information about the Congressional App Challenge can be found at www.congressionalappchallenge.us For the 2nd Congressional district, the submitted apps were reviewed by the following judges: Videos of the 17 apps designed by South Jersey students as well as members of each team are as follows: Name of App Students School School To-Do List Thomas Castaldi Cape May County Technical High School Quack Daisy Siedlecki, Jesseni… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400789 | Winners in NJ-04 2017 Congressional App Challenge | 2017-12-01 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced Thursday the winners of the Fourth Congressional District’s 2017 Congressional App Challenge (CAC), a competition for students of all ages from across the nation. The announcement comes in anticipation of Computer Science Education Week, December 4-10, 2017. “The Congressional App Challenge was launched to give school students in STEM fields, computer science and programming a venue to showcase their software applications achievements,” said Smith. “The App Challenge is intended to foster creativity and promote teamwork. At the same time, it prepares them for the high-tech jobs of the future.” The winning app was designed by students of Point Pleasant Borough High School’s advanced software engineering class. The app, called “Lunch Buddy,” was designed to assist special needs students in the Life Skills class find classmates to sit with at lunchtime so they feel welcomed and provide them with a sense of comradery with their peers. The app is currently in use at the school. “Around the world, the STEM fields are central to the global workforces of the future and our nation must strive to be a leader,” Smith said. “Here at home in this competition, the winning team put together a great product that promises to make the lives of special needs students a little better. I thank the students and judges for participating in the competition. And I congratulate each of the winners.” The winning students, who all reside in Point Pleasant Borough, are: Luke Boylan; Theresa Cardone; Jaspreet Kaur; and Adrian Wittmann. The winners’ prize is a $250 credit for Amazon Web Service to be split between the four students. Additionally, the winning students and their teacher, Mr. Nick Gattuso, will be invited to the “House of Code” App Challenge Reception in Washington, DC in the spring. Additionally, four students from Communications High School in Wall Township will receive Honorable Mention for their app, “Ugo!” The studen… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400790 | Bill to End Discrimination Against Houses of Worship Moves One Step Closer to House Vote | 2017-12-01 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Language allowing houses of worship to receive vital federal disaster assistance was included in the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (HR 4460), which passed out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday by a voice vote. share: f t Language allowing houses of worship to receive vital federal disaster assistance was included in the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (HR 4460), which passed out of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday by a voice vote. “We are thankful that critical language allowing disaster relief to go to churches, synagogues, and mosques was included in the disaster reform bill,” Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), author of the original legislation giving churches access to the relief, stated. “They have been centers of service for communities devastated by natural disasters, like after Superstorm Sandy in 2012, or Hurricane Harvey just this year, providing food, supplies, counseling and other aid despite often suffering damage to their own facilities; they should not be shut out of needed relief and should be treated like other non-governmental organizations.” The bill that was advanced on Thursday included the exact language from the bipartisan bill The Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2017 (H.R. 2405), introduced in May by Smith and lead Democrat Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), and co-sponsored by a bipartisan group of lawmakers including Rep. Peter King (R-NY) and Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ). That bill enabled houses of worship, currently shut out of receiving federal disaster assistance because of their religious status, to have equal access to this critical aid as secular groups have. Under the bill, FEMA would judge the eligibility of churches and religious groups for disaster relief as they would for all private-non-profits, regardless of their religious status. “Five years after Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on many churches, synagogues, mosques and tem… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400793 | Congressional Hearing to Examine How Smiths Religious Freedom Law Helps Counter Violent Extremism | 2017-12-01 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Next Wednesday, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House panel on global human rights, will be chairing a hearing entitled “Advancing Human Rights to Combat Extremism.” The hearing will explore the best strategies to counter violent extremism in the Islamic world, including by promoting religious freedom. Smith’s bill which was signed into law last year, the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act (H.R. 1150), provided specific tools and resources for the State Department to implement religious freedom into U.S. diplomacy and all aspects of foreign policy, helping to counter violent extremism abroad. That law built upon existing law, the landmark International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. The new law required religious freedom training for all Foreign Service Officers; allowed the President to designate “violent non-state actors” for particularly severe violations of religious freedom, and sanction individuals for those abuses; strengthened the investigations into and monitoring of religious persecution; created a “Designated Persons List” for violators of religious freedom who have been sanctioned for their abuses; strengthened the Special Advisor for religious freedom position at the National Security Council; set up a comprehensive religious prisoners list of persons detained, imprisoned, tortured, and subject to forced renunciation of faith; required that the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom report directly to the Secretary of State; elevated the position of ambassador within the department; and set up a “Special Watch List” in the existing “Countries of Particular Concern” list. “The advancement of fundamental human rights – in particular, freedom of religion – should be a core objective of US foreign policy,” Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Chair of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, stated. “By emphasizing such principles, we counter extremist messaging, support moderate voices… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-telephone-town-hall-monday-december-4 | Lance Telephone Town Hall: Monday, December 4 | 2017-12-01 | 2017 | 2017-12 | Republican | House | NJ | Leonard Lance | L000567 | lance.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) will host a live telephone town hall from his desk in Washington, D.C. for constituents living in New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District on Monday, December 4 at 5:30pm. During the telephone town hall meeting, Lance will take questions on the important issues facing Congress and the American people. Lance will discuss tax reform, his leadership role in combatting sexual harassment, his involvement in a bipartisan health care solution and CHIP, the federal budget and foreign affairs. WHAT: Telephone Town Hall with Congressman Leonard Lance WHEN: Monday, December 4 at 5:30 pm HOW: Dial-In Phone Number: (908) 977-1113 Listen From Your Computer: listen.cmsteleconference.com PIN: 395245 Questions can be directed to Lance’s Westfield District Office at 908-518-7733. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400792 | <span class ="kicker">Article on Smith's Alzheimer's Hearing</span>'Support Caregivers, Cut Alzheimer's Bills: Witness to Congress' | 2017-11-30 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | By Allison Bell at ThinkAdvisor - Coping with the effects of dementia on aging populations is a problem for in every country in the world. The House [Foreign Affairs Committee] global health subcommittee recognized the broad impact of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia Wednesday, by holding a hearing on the global fight against dementia. Rep. Christopher Smith, R-N.J., the subcommittee chairman, said dementia now affects about 47 million people throughout the world, and that the number of people affected could rise to 131 million by 2050. Dementia already costs the world about $818 billion per year, he said. (Related: Why LTC Needs to Be Included in a Retirement Plan: Part 1) Michael Splaine, an Alzheimer's consultant who testified at the hearing, estimated that cost of coping with dementia eats up about 1% of the world's $80 trillion in annual gross domestic product. Several witnesses talked about the need to provide generous funding for Alzheimer's research. Mary Mittelman, a research professor at New York University, suggested that one way to help families and patients, and save money, quickly would be to provide regular counseling session for the relatives caring for loved ones with dementia, either through in-person visits or through telemedicine systems. New York University tried offering regular family counseling sessions. Counseling for family caregivers appeared to put off the time when people with dementia ended up in nursing homes by an average of about 18 months, Mittelman said. "This is a really powerful intervention," Mittelman said. This article was published on Nov. 30, 2017 and can be found online at: http://www.thinkadvisor.com/2017/11/30/support-caregivers-cut-alzheimers-bills-witness-to?slreturn=1512157795 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-nj-wins-under-environmental-clean-up-bill | Lance: NJ Wins Under Environmental Clean Up Bill | 2017-11-30 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Leonard Lance | L000567 | lance.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07), member of House Energy and Commerce Committee and Climate Solution Caucus, today supported H.R. 3017, the Brownfields Enhancement Economic Redevelopment and Reauthorization Act, on the House floor. Lance’s House Energy and Commerce Committee championed the bipartisan bill to reauthorize the successful Brownfields Program through the Environmental Protection Agency that is tasked with remediation and redevelopment of 419 contaminated sites in New Jersey. “The Brownfields Program has worked and must be reauthorized. Over 59,000 sites nationwide, and 419 in New Jersey, have been transformed by remediation and redevelopment freeing our land and water from harmful chemicals and other hazards. This is a tremendous win for environmental protection, economic development and for communities that have struggled with contaminated sites,” said Lance during debate in the U.S. House. The Brownfields Program assists localities with the cleanup of properties where redevelopment or preservation is complicated by environmental contamination. Brownfields sites are often abandoned, closed, or under-utilized industrial or commercial facilities, such as an abandoned factory in a town, a closed commercial building or warehouse, or a former dry cleaning establishment or gas station. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that there are more than 450,000 brownfields in the United States, and each of these sites has the potential to encourage economic development through the Brownfields Program. “Facilities in Dover, East Amwell, Phillipsburg, Roxbury and Somerville are slated for revitalization. This public-private partnership has been a winning formula as the Brownfields Program has already prompted $ 22 billion in private investment – a major return on a minimal, though important, federal investment,” added Lance. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400775 | <span class ="kicker">***Slide Show***Rep. Smith chairs hearing on Alzheimer's Disease</span>Advancements to Treat and Cure Alzheimers Being Made, but Significant Challenges Persist, Medical Experts Tell Congress | 2017-11-29 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Recent developments in the research of Alzheimer’s Disease have signaled that major medical breakthroughs could be coming, none too soon for this disease that is currently incurable and which poses a special burden to patients in developing countries who lack access to cutting-edge treatments, expert witness testified at a Congressional hearing on “A Global Update on Alzheimer’s Disease,” held today by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Chairman of the House global health subcommittee. PHOTO SLIDE SHOW AT LEFT FROM THE CONGESSIONALLY HEARING “Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease, robbing its victims of their memories and their very identities, and robbing their family and friends of the person they know and love,” Smith, who is also the co-founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, stated. Click here for Smith’s opening statement. The hearing was carried live by CSPAN and can be watched in its entirety by clicking here. “It is excruciatingly painful for someone to lose themselves gradually – to find themselves increasingly alone in a world they know,” Smith said. Tuesday’s hearing comes on the heels of the World Health Organization’s pronouncement in July, setting official benchmarks for countries to develop strategies to prevent and treat Alzheimer’s. This major development came after the National Alzheimer’s Project Act, which Smith co-authored and which became law in 2011, set up national goals for the U.S. to have successful treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s by 2025. “As we open today’s hearing, there are an estimated 47 million people in the world living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia—more than the entire population of Spain—according to a report by Alzheimer’s Disease International,” Smith said. “The total estimated global cost of addressing this condition today is $818 billion, but by as early as next year, it is estimated that this cost will rise to at least one trillion dollars.” The subcommittee has now held four hearings on Alzheimer’s… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400788 | Smith Condemns Chinas Sentencing of Taiwanese Democracy Advocate | 2017-11-29 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | In response to the sentencing of Taiwan democracy advocate Lee Ming-cheh to five years imprisonment for discussing human rights and democracy over social media and supporting human rights defenders in China, Congressman Chris Smith, Chair of the Global Human Rights Subcommittee and Cochair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China issued the following statement: “Tuesday’s sentencing is another reminder that the Chinese government will go to great lengths to curtail even private discussions of human rights and democracy. China refuses to play by international rules and will attempt to silence its critics—even those beyond its border. It is clear from this decision that anyone in China, including foreigners and foreign visitors, who are critical of the government’s efforts to curtail universally-recognized freedoms may be prosecuted for attempting to undermine the regime. Lee Ming-che did nothing wrong and should be released immediately to be reunited with his courageous wife Li Ching-yu. His ongoing imprisonment needlessly harms cross-Straits relations between Mainland China and Taiwan. Lee Ming-cheh’s case should be a priority for the international community.” In July, Smith held a hearing featuring the spouses of detained human rights defenders in China. Lee Ming-cheh’s wife, Li Ching-yu, testified at the hearing. Click here to read her full statement. http://docs.house.gov/meetings/FA/FA16/20170518/105985/HHRG-115-FA16-Wstate-Chin-yuL-20170518.pdf Smith has held over 60 hearings on human rights and the rule of law in China. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-bill-ends-taxpayer-funded-cover-ups-of-sexual-harassment | Lance Bill Ends Taxpayer-Funded Cover Ups of Sexual Harassment | 2017-11-29 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Leonard Lance | L000567 | lance.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ- 07), New Jersey’s only member of the House Ethics Committee, introduced legislation today to end taxpayer-funded settlements of sexual harassment claims and other workplace disputes against members of Congress and congressional staff. Lance’s bill would also reveal publicly the names of those perpetrators who have engaged in such conduct in the workplace. “Taxpayers in congressional districts across the Nation are outraged over allegations and the lack of transparency and accountability concerning taxpayer-financed harassment settlements in Congress. Since 1997, Congress has paid millions of dollars out of a secret U.S. Treasury Department fund to settle hundreds of workplace claims against members of Congress and congressional aides. Such secrecy is a gross betrayal of public trust and must end immediately. My legislation, if enacted, would increase government transparency for the American taxpayer, create a safer work environment and hold members of Congress and congressional staff — past and present — accountable for their actions,” Lance said. Lance’s Ensure Transparency and Honesty in Congressional Settlements (ETHICS) Act comes following news reports of millions of dollars in taxpayer-funded settlements to resolve workplace disputes on Capitol Hill. The Seventh District lawmaker introduced this legislation on the same day the U.S. House unanimously passed legislation to mandate sexual harassment training and victim support services in Congress. Over the past several weeks, numerous individuals from all walks of life have voiced their stories of sexual harassment. A number of these allegations are tied to members of Congress, both past and present. According to the congressional Office of Compliance, the federal government has paid more than $17 million in taxpayer money in workplace settlements since 1997, but has not said how much of that money has been spent settling sexual harassment claims. Lance’s ETHICS Act would: 1. Prohibit any future taxp… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/congressional-app-challenge-announcement-reception | Congressional App Challenge Announcement & Reception | 2017-11-29 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | Congressional App Challenge Announcement & Reception Start: December 2, 2017 10:00 am End: December 2, 2017 11:30 am Location: Atlantic County Institute of Technology - 5080 Atlantic Ave, Mays Landing, New Jersey Nov 29, 2017 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/new-years-day-federal-offices-closed-0 | New Years Day - Federal Offices Closed | 2017-11-29 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | New Years Day - Federal Offices Closed Start: January 1, 2017 End: January 1, 2017 Nov 29, 2017 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/ventnor-city-holiday-parade | Ventnor City Holiday Parade | 2017-11-29 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | Ventnor City Holiday Parade Start: December 9, 2017 5:00 pm End: December 9, 2017 6:00 pm Location: Ventnor, New Jersey Nov 29, 2017 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400772 | Congressional Hearing on Global Efforts to Treat and Cure Alzheimers Disease Set for Nov. 29 | 2017-11-27 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Millions of people worldwide have some form of dementia and suffer from a steady deterioration of memory and cognitive skills. Yet the vast majority of those with Alzheimer’s and related dementias have not received a diagnosis of their condition, and of those who have, many are unable to access the standard of care that they need. Earlier in 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) adopted a global plan to address Alzheimer’s and set targets for countries to meet to establish plans for Alzheimer’s awareness, research, treatment, and prevention. WHO called on countries who have not yet adopted their own plans on Alzheimer’s to do so. “Today, 47 million people worldwide live with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, and this number is estimated to grow to 131 million by 2050 as populations age,” Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House panel on global health, stated. “Congress has both a moral and practical imperative to act.” Smith will be convening a hearing to review the state of care for Alzheimer’s patients, and prevention and treatments for Alzheimer’s Disease. Witnesses from the National Institutes of Health will share what the U.S. government has done to address Alzheimer’s research and treatment worldwide, while other witnesses from the medical profession will discuss patient care and the current state of Alzheimer’s research. Who: Chairman Smith (NJ-04), Senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations; other members of the subcommittee Witness: Panel I Marie Bernard, M.D. Deputy Director National Institute on Aging National Institutes of Health Roger Glass, M.D. Director Fogarty International Center National Institutes of Health Panel II Mary Mittelman, Dr.P.H. Research Professor Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Family Support Program … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400774 | Rep. Smith Condemns Terrorist Attack on Muslim Worshipers in Egypt | 2017-11-27 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) today released the following statement on the horrific terror attack on a mosque in Egypt. “I mourn the devastating loss of life that resulted from the recent terrorist attack on a mosque in Egypt. This meticulously planned massacre targeted hundreds of innocents, including dozens of children, peacefully worshipping during Friday prayers. “The terrorists responsible for this atrocity hold in contempt the life and liberty of all Egyptians. The United States should support the Egyptian people in their battle against this threat and support their aspiration to live in freedom, peace, and security.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400771 | Smith Commends Mladics Conviction for Genocide | 2017-11-22 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | In response to the verdict issued today by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia on the trial of Ratko Mladic, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chair of the House global human rights subcommittee, said that the decision should serve as a notice that all perpetrators of war crimes and human rights abuses must brought to justice. share: f t In response to the verdict issued today by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia on the trial of Ratko Mladic, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chair of the House global human rights subcommittee, said that the decision should serve as a notice that all perpetrators of war crimes and human rights abuses must brought to justice. “This should be lesson to all those committing genocide and war crimes today—there is no statute of limitations on these crimes and we will document your crimes, hunt you down and bring you to justice. Accountability is not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’,” Smith said. Mladic, the commander of Bosnian Serb forces during the civil war in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s, was convicted today on 10 out of 11 charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity committed in the conflict. Mladic is remembered especially for his role in atrocities committed in the siege of Sarajevo and at Srebrenica in 1995, when over 8,000 Bosnian Muslims were massacred by Serbian soldiers. “While we cannot restore the many thousands of lives Mladic snuffed out in the Srebrenica genocide, and in war crimes that were committed under his watch during the Bosnian conflict, we hope this verdict will give some closure to their families and friends,” Smith said. Although Mladic was tried for crimes committed in Bosnia only, he participated in military operations in Croatia as well, as a field commander in the Yugoslav army in the early 1990s before he became the commander of Bosnian Serb forces in 1992. “Mladic specialized in attacks on defenseless civilians, and left a tr… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1537 | Frelinghuysen Delivers for Local First Responders | 2017-11-22 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Rodney Frelinghuysen | F000372 | frelinghuysen.house.gov | legacy | Frelinghuysen Delivers for Local First Responders MORRISTOWN, NEW JERSEY - Northern New Jersey’s first responders have been receiving important new training tools thanks to the advocacy of U.S. Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11). Since October of 2016, Frelinghuysen has been working with local fire departments and county training academies on creating a pilot program to enhance automobile extrication training – a skill used nearly every day on the roads of New Jersey. “Auto accident scenes are chaotic and very dangerous and first responders must be very proficient in extricating injured victims. To make their training as credible as possible, they need real vehicles for their drills,” said Frelinghuysen. “We jumped on the opportunity to contact Volkswagen, which agreed to donate cars. This is proving to be a solid partnership.” Volkswagen has diesel vehicles in the inventory of the “buy back” program they established in 2015 to take the cars off the road due to faulty emissions testing systems. “I want to commend the Mountain Lakes Fire Department which came up with the idea to reutilize vehicles. I also want to thank Volkswagen for working for months with our office to get this program off the ground,” said Frelinghuysen. Mountain Lakes received three cars in September and trained with these cars multiple times over the last month, most recently on Tuesday, November 21. Brookside Engine Company (Mendham) has received two cars and will also be conducting training in the near future. Volkswagen is now working with officials at the Morris County Sherriff and Training Academy and the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office/Training Academy. At this point, a total of 30 cars are expected to be delivered. “Every day, New Jersey first responders put their lives on the line to quickly react to emergencies involving highway accidents. Our goal is to improve their training regime,” said Frelinghuysen. “Quite possibly, this program will save lives. For that, we owe a debt of gratitude to our first responders… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/op-ed-new-jersey-needs-tax-relief | OP-ED: New Jersey Needs Tax Relief | 2017-11-21 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | Nobody knows more than the people of New Jersey the pressure that high taxes can put on a family, small business or senior on a fixed income. After decades of tax, spend and borrow policies foisted upon us by Trenton politicians from both parties, we live in the highest taxed state in America. People are voting with their feet and moving to lower tax states, draining New Jersey of future teachers, doctors, entrepreneurs and community leaders. While fixing Trenton isn’t possible from my seat as a Member of Congress, passing common sense federal policy that helps New Jersey’s middle-class is within my reach. Currently, that means achieving the first comprehensive federal tax reform in 31 years. As for the misleading reports that this tax reform would automatically be bad for New Jersey, they are simply not true. Worse, they are counterproductive to honest public discourse. I haven’t been in Washington very long, but I’ve been here long enough to know that there are too many members of the press who care about being first rather than being accurate, and too many politicians who care about being re-elected more than doing what is right by their constituents. Sadly, legislators willing to dive deeply into policy, ask tough questions, demand real answers, and forge compromise where nobody gets 100% of what they want, are a dying breed. I have tried to be different. I have sought to work with people of differing opinions and political parties to move our country forward and find solutions to the difficult challenges facing America. So, while others were busy churning out press releases that amount to throwing spitballs from the sidelines, I’ve been at the negotiating table fighting to get tax reform that benefits you. And it’s starting to pay off. My priorities on tax reform have been clear: 1) Moving from a high-rate system with lots of loopholes that usually just benefit the wealthy, to a simpler, fairer system that lowers rates and closes loopholes, which is good for everyone; 2) Increasing the… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400767 | <span class="kicker">Trentonian article on Intl Megan's Law</span>'Over 23 years later, Megans Law is still expanding, this time worldwide' | 2017-11-20 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | By Jeff Edelstein, Trentonian Staff - It’s hard to believe it’s been 23 years since the death of Megan Kanka, the Hamilton 7-year-old who was raped and murdered by a twice-convicted sex offender. It is, without question, the most heinous and brutal crime in modern Mercer County history. It’s something no one who lives around here will ever forget. Of course, the tragedy eventually led to the creation of Megan’s Law, first here in New Jersey, and then across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. The premise of the law is simple: When a convicted child sex offender moves into town, they have to register with local authorities and people in the neighborhood are notified by their presence. I’m all for the law, for the record. It’s just a shame we need it. Because if it was up to me, anyone convicted of molesting a child would never get a chance to “move into town.” Life imprisonment is fine by me. Heck, you could convince me of the death penalty in certain cases. My rationale is simple: If a society can’t effectively protect its children from predators, it has little business calling itself a society. I harbor no love in my heart for any human who would sexually molest a child. As such, I don’t care about the rights of these people. I don’t care about the fact they’re forever marked wherever they go. They should be marked. The end. (NOTE: OK, maybe not “the end.” I’m writing this part after original publication, after it was pointed out to me I’m painting with a broad brush. Who I’m talking about specifically, and who I’m talking about after this note, is the true scum, the true pedophile. I’m not talking about 18-year-olds who hooked up with a 14-year-old and are branded sex offenders. That’s not right, and they don’t belong on any list. I’m talking about evil predators. Moving on, then.) But not everyone agrees. Like the United States Senate. How else to explain the nine years(!) it took Congressman Chris Smith to pass International Megan’s Law, a bill introduced six times before finally being signed by P… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-invites-governor-elect-murphy-discussion-tax | Congressman MacArthur Invites Governor-Elect Murphy to a Discussion on Tax Policy | 2017-11-20 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Tom MacArthur sent a letter to Governor-Elect Phil Murphy inviting him to a substantive discussion on tax policy, after the Governor-Elect questioned the Congressman’s efforts to provide tax relief for New Jerseyans. The full text of the letter is below: Dear Governor-Elect Murphy, The day after you were elected, I was pleased to talk with you and agree to work together to improve the lives of New Jerseyans, while refraining from taking cheap political shots at each other. I thought we had a good conversation and remain hopeful we can have a productive working relationship. I was therefore, very disappointed by press reports that during your very first sit-down TV interview this past weekend, you chose to go after me over my sincere efforts to provide real tax relief for my constituents. While you have promised to raise taxes on New Jerseyans by $1.3 billion dollars, the bill I voted for will cut taxes for the vast majority of families and businesses in our state. This bill includes a number of provisions that will benefit our residents including: • Increasing the child tax credit from $1,000 per child to at least $1,600 • Creating a tax credit for those caring for non-child dependents • Doubling the standard deduction to $24,000 for a family • Preserving a property tax deduction that will benefit all N.J. homeowners • Moving from a high-rate system with lots of loopholes that usually just benefit the wealthy, to a simpler, fairer system that lowers rates and closes loopholes Furthermore, I understand that state legislative leaders in New Jersey are already reconsidering their plans to raise taxes, which would be a welcome new direction for Trenton. I have never shied away from a serious policy discussion and recently held a five hour town hall meeting in Willingboro, a town in which I only received 12% of the vote in the last election. In that same spirit of an open and honest dialogue, I'd like to invit… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400766 | <span class ="kicker">TrentonTimes/NJ.com News Article***</span>'Sex offenders get branded passports under International Megan's Law' | 2017-11-18 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | The effort to notify other countries about traveling sex offenders got more teeth recently when federal authorities started issuing passports to convicted pedophiles that identify their offender status. It's a component of the International Megan's Law, a federal law sponsored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist., and signed by President Obama in February of 2016. The bill was named for Megan Kanka, the 7-year-old Hamilton girl killed in 1994 by a convicted sex offender who lived on her street. Her name also is memorialized on the New Jersey community notification law passed shortly after her death, which has companion laws in all 50 states. Sample of a sex offender's U.S. Passport. Smith and the Kanka family talked about the passport provisionFriday morning in Trenton, saying it's just the latest in a now 23-year cause to notify the world about sex offenders. "Child predators thrive on secrecy - a secrecy that allows them to commit heinous crimes against the weakest and most vulnerable," Smith said. "Now, this is another layer of protection," the congressman said of the new stamp offenders will get on their passports. The international Megan's Law required the federal Homeland Security and Justice departments to inform foreign governments when registered sex offenders are visiting their countries, and to get reciprocal information when they come to the U.S. Since then, Smith said, the law has led to the United States warning nearly 100 countries about 3,500 convicted pedophiles seeking to enter their country, and nearly 2,000 being denied. "Others, and this is speculative, were likely given more scrutiny by law enforcement while in the country," Smith said. The passport branding, though, was delayed until Oct. 31 of this year, when the State department started issuing them, Smith said. A convicted offender, if they get a passport, will find this message inside: "The bearer was convicted of a sex offense against a minor, and is a covered sex offender pursuant to 22 United States Code Section 212b… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400752 | Smiths Law Results in Important New Protections for Children Against Predators | 2017-11-17 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | A new passport identifier for convicted pedophiles will help protect children from pedophiles looking to travel abroad, possibly to abuse children, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), author of legislation to create the identifier. share: f t A new passport identifier for convicted pedophiles will help protect children from pedophiles looking to travel abroad, possibly to abuse children, said Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), author of legislation to create the identifier. “Child predators thrive on secrecy—a secrecy that allows them to commit heinous crimes against the weakest and most vulnerable,” Smith stated at a press conference on Friday in Trenton, N.J., about the passport protections included in his International Megan’s Law, which had several other provisions aimed at protecting children. “We know from law enforcement and media documentation that Americans on U.S. sex offender registries are caught sexually abusing children in Asia, Central and South America, Europe—everywhere,” Smith said. “Again, we have a duty to protect the weakest and most vulnerable from abuse.” To read Smith’s full remarks, click here. The new passport protections from the U.S. State Department were mandated by Smith’s International Megan’s Law, which passed the House three times before finally being enacted in February of 2016. The law is named after Megan Kanka, a resident of Smith’s home town of Hamilton, N.J. who, at seven years old, was sexually assaulted and killed in 1994 by a repeat sex offender who was a neighbor, but whose offender status was unbeknownst to residents of the community. Smith spoke alongside Megan’s family, who have been fighting for legal protections for children from predators at the state, federal, and international levels. “This is a big step in trying to protect the children of the country and the whole world,” Rich Kanka, father of Megan Kanka, stated on Friday. “Megan was a wonderful little girl. She loved everybod… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400765 | Churches, Synagogues One Step Closer to Receiving Disaster Assistance | 2017-11-17 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Within the President’s $44 billion request on Friday to address ongoing hurricane recovery efforts is a critical provision that Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) has been fighting for since Hurricane Sandy. The Administration is supporting policies to enable houses of worship to be eligible for federal disaster relief, which is exactly what Smith’s bipartisan bill H.R. 2405, Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2017, calls for. share: f t WASHINGTON— Within the President’s $44 billion request on Friday to address ongoing hurricane recovery efforts is a critical provision that Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) has been fighting for since Hurricane Sandy. The Administration is supporting policies to enable houses of worship to be eligible for federal disaster relief, which is exactly what Smith’s bipartisan bill H.R. 2405, Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2017, calls for. In a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) on Friday, requesting additional disaster assistance for FY 2018 for hurricane recovery efforts, Director of the Office of Management and Budget Mick Mulvaney stated: “In addition, the Administration notes its support for legislation that would make houses of worship eligible for disaster relief funding (provided they meet the other relevant criteria for private non-profit facilities) and offers technical assistance regarding the timeframe for applicability.” Smith thanked the Administration for recognizing the needs of churches and faith-based organizations. “I would like to thank the President for including this critical provision into his supplemental request. Faith-based organizations are hit just as hard as other private non-profits when natural disasters strike,” Smith said. “They don’t need or want special treatment—but to be totally excluded from recovery programs is unjust and unfair, and discriminatory based on religion. It’s ironic that churches, synagogues, and mosques are among… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-sexual-harassment-in-congress | Lance Statement on Sexual Harassment in Congress | 2017-11-16 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Leonard Lance | L000567 | lance.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) released the following statement after a series of reports of sexual harassment by members and candidates for Congress: “Sexual harassment is morally abhorrent and has no place in our society regardless of political affiliation. Any member of Congress or candidate for Congress who admits to or has been credibly accused of it is not qualified to serve in public office. “Congress should take the lead on this issue and pass Rep. Jackie Speier’s mandatory sexual harassment training legislation, which I am cosponsoring.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-tax-vote | Lance Statement On Tax Vote | 2017-11-16 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Leonard Lance | L000567 | lance.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) released the following statement after opposing the tax reform plan that eliminated the state and local tax deduction. “I believe tax reform should benefit all Americans and not pick winner states over loser states. Yet the House-passed proposal would negatively affect too many hard-working constituents and small businesses in my congressional district and many other parts of New Jersey. That’s why leading business groups and elected officials across the Garden State oppose this tax reform as currently drafted. We need tax reform that is fair for all Americans — including the taxpayers of New Jersey — and I will continue to work toward that goal.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/177th-fighter-wing-change-command-ceremony | 177th Fighter Wing Change of Command Ceremony | 2017-11-16 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | 177th Fighter Wing Change of Command Ceremony Start: November 19, 2017 2:30 pm End: November 19, 2017 3:30 pm Location: Air National Guard 177th Fighter Wing, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey Nov 16, 2017 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/stocktons-stockhack-technology-innovation-event-opening | Stockton's "StockHack" Technology Innovation Event | 2017-11-16 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | Start: November 18, 2017 1:00 pm End: November 18, 2017 2:00 pm Location: Stockton University, Galloway, New Jersey | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-statement-voting-no-tax-reform | LoBiondo Statement on Voting NO on Tax Reform | 2017-11-16 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | LoBiondo Statement on Voting NO on Tax Reform Nov 16, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) today issued the following after his NO vote on H.R. 1, the “Tax Cuts & Jobs Act”: “When the House tax reform legislation was introduced, I said my support was dependent on preserving key deductions critical to taxpayers in my high-tax state of New Jersey. As hard-working South Jersey residents already face excessive taxes from Trenton, I cannot support compounding the financial burden by eliminating their state and local income tax deductions, capping their property tax deductions, and removing deductions for medical or education expenses. While I support reforming and simplifying the tax code, my NO vote today was in the best interest of my constituents.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-statement-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act | MacArthur Statement on The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act | 2017-11-16 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON –Today, Congressman Tom MacArthur voted in favor of The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which is the first meaningful overhaul of America’s tax code in 31 years. He specifically discussed his successful efforts to restore the deductibility of property taxes, which led to a compromise that benefits all property owners in South Jersey. The average homeowner in Burlington and Ocean Counties respectively pay $6,682 and $6,102 in property taxes annually, and the amended tax bill allows a deduction of $10,000, while also completely eliminating the AMT, which has trapped increasing numbers of working families. Congressman MacArthur explained, “Our tax code hasn’t been updated in 31 years—it’s outdated, over-complicated and needs to change. It burdens working Americans with sky-high rates and is filled with special loopholes that benefit the favored few. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act puts an end to this. It provides real relief for families and businesses—by simplifying the tax code, reducing rates, doubling the standard deduction, providing tax credits for childcare and care of adult dependents, and eliminating the AMT that has trapped working families.” “I came to Washington, D.C. to get things done and work to improve the lives of my constituents, not walk away from tough fights. Months ago, some in my own party wanted to eliminate the state and local tax deduction, which would have had a devastating impact on the overburdened taxpayers in New Jersey. After months of negotiations with The White House and House Leadership, I was able to successfully restore the property tax deduction, which will benefit all South Jersey property owners.” “In the end, we built consensus, got results, and working families will reap the benefits, while enjoying significant rate cuts on their income taxes.” "Congressman Tom MacArthur has worked tirelessly to ensure property tax deductions are included in our tax reform plan,” said Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Congressman Kevin Brady. “I appreciate his leadership as w… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400747 | Smiths End Tropical Diseases Act Marked Up in Committee, Will Move to House Floor for Vote | 2017-11-15 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Chris Smith’s (R-NJ) bill, The End Neglected Tropical Diseases Act (H.R. 1415), was adopted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday morning, moving it one step closer to the House Floor for a vote. share: f t Congressman Chris Smith’s (R-NJ) bill, The End Neglected Tropical Diseases Act (H.R. 1415), was adopted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday morning, moving it one step closer to the House Floor for a vote. “H.R. 1415 deals with a group of seventeen parasitic, bacterial, and viral diseases which blind, disable, disfigure, and sometimes kill victims from among the more than one billion of the world’s poorest people,” Smith, chairman of the House global health subcommittee, stated on Tuesday. “These diseases trap the most marginalized communities in a cycle of poverty,” Smith said. “H.R. 1415 will support the control and elimination of NTDs [natural tropical diseases] in the U.S. and abroad.” The End Neglected Tropical Diseases Act would improve the U.S. response to NTDs like Ebola, rabies, leprosy, and other blinding and disabling diseases afflicting over one billion of the poorest people in the world in the tropical regions like in sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. Outbreaks of some of these diseases have also been reported in the U.S. and other developing countries as of late. And they have, in the past, shown an ability to spread and threaten to become pandemics like with the Ebola and Zika viruses, and now with a plague outbreak in Madagascar. Smith’s bill would try improve efforts by USAID to respond to these diseases, and would seek to bring together efforts by various federal agencies and aid programs to develop and distribute medicines to treat NTDs. “This legislation emphasizes field research by USAID on the impact of treatments that helps future application of often lifesaving medicines,” Smith said. The bill would also call on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400748 | Smith Awarded for 20 Years of Fighting Trafficking | 2017-11-15 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) received the Lifetime Pathbreaker Award from the anti-sex trafficking group Shared Hope International on Wednesday, for his work over the span of two decades in fighting human trafficking. share: f t Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) received the Lifetime Pathbreaker Award from the anti-sex trafficking group Shared Hope International on Wednesday, for his work over the span of two decades in fighting human trafficking. “We used to think that trafficking was something that primarily happened to foreigners in the U.S., and now we know that it can happen to any vulnerable person, of any age, of any nationality,” Smith, co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus, said in his remarks Wednesday upon reception of the award. “The wheels of justice turned slowly over the last 20 years, but they have carried us to a place in the United States and internationally where the fight against human trafficking cuts across political parties and borders, national and international institutions. What started with the effort of a few has become the cause of many,” Smith said. The Lifetime Pathbreaker Award is given by Shared Hope International to defenders of trafficking victims who have fought against apathy or inaction on the injustice. Smith was honored for originally being a “lone voice” on human trafficking while many others were unaware of the extent of the problem. Linda Smith, founder and president of Shared Hope International, lauded Smith as a visionary in the fight against human trafficking, noting that “if there hadn’t been a vision of this man, we would not be standing here today.” “The heart of Chris Smith is what is being carried on in this movement,” she said before presenting Rep. Smith with the award. Smith was also honored for authoring and sponsoring the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), the first law that clearly defined the problem of human trafi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-menendez-booker-statement-va-ig-report-death-charles-ingram-iii | LoBiondo, Menendez, Booker Statement on VA IG Report on Death of Charles Ingram III | 2017-11-15 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) along with the offices of U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker today were briefed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of the Inspector General (IG) on its findings and recommendations regarding the death by suicide of Charles Ingram III at the community-based outpatient clinic (CBOC) in Northfield in March 2016. The lawmakers requested the IG investigate the incident to determine potential failures in VA procedures and to make corrective recommendations. The full report is available here. “The IG’s report clearly details systematic failures at the Northfield clinic that contributed to the horrific death of Charles Ingram. While a different outcome is not known had procedures been properly followed, we do know that Mr. Ingram’s death served as a wake-up call to the VA for its years of neglect to South Jersey veterans,” said LoBiondo. “In the past 18 months the VA has made measurable progress to rebuild a trust with our veterans through increased services, proactive outreach and expanded care in our communities. However, maintaining that relationship is a mission that will never end and I will not let them forget.” “Sadly, this IG report confirms what we have learned from our veterans about the operations and management of the Northfield CBOC,” said Sen. Menendez. “Our veterans and their families should not have to worry whether or not VA procedures and systems are working properly. I am appreciative of the leadership of Dr. Adelman who took over supervision of our CBOCs to address these failures. While progress is being made to improve delivery of care for our veterans, I will continue to hold the VA to the highest standards of accountability for our veterans.” “Today’s report makes clear that important policies and procedures weren’t followed in the lead-up to Charles Ingram’s death last year,” said Booker. “Ingram’s death was a tragedy that shook us to the core and reminded us of what’s at stake when it comes to providing car… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-s-statement-national-flood-insurance-program | Congressman MacArthurs Statement on National Flood Insurance Program Reform | 2017-11-15 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman MacArthur released the following statement after the House voted to the pass the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) reform package: Over five years ago, Superstorm Sandy devastated the Jersey Shore. Ocean County - my home - was the epicenter of the storm and half of all NJ Sandy flood claims happened here. Families across South Jersey are still dealing with the devastating effects of Superstorm Sandy, in part because of the incompetence and mismanagement of FEMA and it’s contractors. At the start of this Congress, I sought a seat on the Financial Services Committee so I would have the opportunity to reform the National Flood Insurance Program and ensure Jersey Shore residents won’t have to face this situation again. The NFIP is critical for Americans who face destruction after a natural disaster, but it is certainly not flawless. During the rough and tumble of this process, I fought successfully for a long-term reauthorization that ensures that every coastal resident and business has access to the flood program at affordable rates, increases investment in mitigation and instills more accountability at FEMA. I am particularly pleased that I was able to add bill language prohibiting FEMA from hiring disbarred attorneys, a bizarre practice during the Sandy claims review process. The people whose lives were torn apart by Sandy are hard-working Americans and I’ll never stop fighting for them. I’m grateful the House of Representatives came together on a bipartisan basis and voted to protect and reform this vital program. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-applauds-passage-nation-s-defense-bil | MacArthur Applauds Passage of Nations Defense Bil | 2017-11-15 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. – Congressman MacArthur today applauded the final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018: Our nation’s defense bill will provide our troops with the tools and resources they need to defend our country both at home and abroad, while also strengthening the future of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and thousands of New Jersey jobs. The NDAA will increase the size of our military, rebuild our military facilities, and increase our missile defense funding to protect our homeland and ensure the readiness of our troops around the world. It also honors our troops and their families by giving them the largest pay raise in 8 years and providing permanent payments to surviving military spouses. Our servicemen and women, and their families sacrifice so much for our freedom and we have a moral obligation to care for them. Importantly, the NDAA provides Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst with $146.5 million for construction that will support the new KC-46 refueling tankers. These tankers will ensure Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst remains our nation’s premier air mobility installation and protects the livelihood of the over 42,000 New Jerseyans who are employed at the base. I fought to secure the tankers for JB MDL, along with many of colleagues, and am grateful our hard work paid off. Supporting our military and protecting our country should never be a partisan issue and I’m glad members of both parties were able to come together and support this vital legislation. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400750 | <span class ="kicker">News Transcript Article on Smith Announcement</span>'Navy halts plan to let civilians live on base' | 2017-11-14 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | By MARK ROSMAN, Managing Editor - The U.S. Navy has abandoned a plan that would have permitted civilians to live in housing on Naval Weapons Station Earle in Monmouth County. Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) announced that after nearly a year of negotiations with high-ranking officials of the Navy, the Pentagon has cancelled plans to open housing on NWS Earle to non-military personnel. The Navy's plan to permit civilians to live in rental housing on an active base drew sharp criticism from municipal, county and state officials when it was initially announced. "I want to thank the Navy for the commitment they made nearly a year ago at a meeting in my office to hear our concerns and to conduct their own due diligence in pursuing the issues we raised about security, safety and other impacts their plan could have had on ojur communities," said Smith, who represents Colts Neck, Tinton Falls and other communities surrounding the base. "They remained true to their word and as good neighbors they are taking their own actions to address their excess housing capacity without burdening the community and local taxpayer," he said. Smith credited former and current Navy officials for their professional approach to community objections to the plan, according to a press release. He said that in December 2016, then Assistant Secretary of the Navy Dennis McGinn instituted a 60-day suspension of the housing plan after a meeting in Smith's Capitol Hill office with Navy officials, Smith, state Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) and Colts Neck Committeeman (now mayor) Russell Macnow. At that meeting, Smith also presented the concerns of Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian Burry and a detailed letter from Tinton Falls Board of Education President Peter Karavites and Vice President Bill Holobowski, according to the press release. Smith noted that the 60-day suspension was stretched to nearly a year in which regular discussions continued, the Navy studied the suitability and capacity requirements for housing on the base, and made internal… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-backs-defense-bill-0 | Lance Backs Defense Bill | 2017-11-14 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Leonard Lance | L000567 | lance.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) released the following statement after the U.S. House passed the conference report of the National Defense Authorization Act: “The world is a dangerous place and the brave Americans who step forward to protect the United States and our allies need support, compensation and the tools to do the job. This legislation authorizes the critical missions to confront emerging threats and enables the U.S. to remain a global force for good. And it includes a significant pay raise for our men and women in uniform. As we conclude Veterans Day weekend we are reminded that our Nation counts on the volunteer service of those willing to protect our country. We must give them the tools to defend themselves and maintain American military superiority.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-applauds-approval-national-defense-authorization-act-includes-priorities | LoBiondo Applauds Approval of National Defense Authorization Act includes Priorities for South Jersey | 2017-11-14 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02), a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, today applauded passage of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which sets national security priorities for the upcoming year including increasing collaboration between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Defense Department on unmanned aerial systems – research conducted at the FAA Technical Center in Egg Harbor Township. “Congress is finally heeding the concerns of President Trump and our military leaders to stop the degradation of our defense readiness. Today, in light of the growing threats both domestic and from abroad, we begin to reverse course to ensure those charged with protecting our homeland are given the resources they need to succeed,” said LoBiondo. “In South Jersey I have continued efforts to expand the physical footprint and operational capabilities of the 177th Fighter Wing base since joining the House Armed Services Committee. Through this legislation and over the next year, I will continue to work with the men and women at the 177th to ensure they have all the resources they need to successfully complete their vital homeland security mission.” Building on past success, the FY18 NDAA plans for modernization of the radar for F–16 fighter aircraft across the National Guard. LoBiondo previously secured $40 million for the research and development of the active electronically scanned array radar (AESA) systems to replace the existing 1970s technology. The new radar system helps to better detect the evolving threat picture, identify new potential threats that current technology cannot, and allow greater capabilities to the Air National Guard F-16 fleet for national security efforts. Aircraft that perform the Aerospace Control Alert (ACA) mission are receiving the upgrades including the 177th Fighter Wing, which is slated to receive their AESA radars in 2019. Other key provisions included in the FY18 NDAA conference report are: Annual re… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-votes-against-efforts-drastically-increase-fees-flood-insurance-policyholders | LoBiondo Votes Against Efforts to Drastically Increase Fees on Flood Insurance Policyholders in South Jersey | 2017-11-14 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – With a region still recovering from Superstorm Sandy, U.S. Congressman Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) today vowed to continue to fight against drastic increases to flood insurance premiums for South Jersey policyholders. LoBiondo spoke on the House floor prior to passage of the “21st Century Flood Reform Act” which he strongly opposed. The video of his remarks is available here and speaks for itself. Recalling the difficulty in negotiating with House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (TX-05) during the 2014 debate on flood insurance, LoBiondo anticipated “hand to hand combat”. The House Financial Services Committee approved a series of bills, labeled the “21st Century Flood Reform” in June. Objecting to several key provisions, LoBiondo and a coalition of Republican coastal lawmakers were able to force three substantial changes prior to today’s vote: Restarting the grandfathered rate elimination claim count at zero (not including past flooding incidents); Eliminating the prohibition on new coverage for structures with high-value replacement costs; and, Restricting the elimination of insurance coverage for multiple-loss properties only if claims paid out exceed 3x the value of the structure (Previously the provisions kicked in at 2x the value of the structure). To address LoBiondo’s remaining issues with the package, he filed an amendment with Representative Peter King (NY-02) with the House Rules Committee earlier this week that would have additionally: Lowered cap on premiums for primary residences from $10,000 to $5,000; Eliminated consideration of coastal and inland locations to justify premium rates; Eliminated an opt-out mechanism for mandatory coverage requirement on commercial properties; and, Reduced the potential for sanctions against communities with repetitively flooded areas by increasing threshold to 100 percent repetitive loss communities only. The House Rules Committee rejected LoBiondo and Kind’s amendment, scheduling a floor vote for today. LoBiondo a… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400738 | Smith Speaks at Preview of Exhibit Commemorating Genocide Victims, Survivors | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) spoke on Sunday at the preview and ribbon cutting of a new exhibit commemorating the victims and survivors of three different genocides, at the Center for Holocaust, Human Rights & Genocide Education (Chhange). share: f t Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) spoke on Sunday at the preview and ribbon cutting of a new exhibit commemorating the victims and survivors of three different genocides, at the Center for Holocaust, Human Rights & Genocide Education (Chhange). The exhibit, “Journeys Beyond Genocide: The Human Experience,” is housed on the campus of Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, NJ. It is a dynamic exhibition featuring powerful testimonies of local Holocaust and genocide survivors, and showcases their archival items. Over 100 people attended the VIP preview of the exhibit, which covers three previous genocides: the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide, and the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi people in Rwanda. “The promise of the genocide convention remains unfulfilled,” said Smith, who in 2000 held the first-ever U.S. hearing on the Armenian Genocide of 1915, as part of an attempt to pass a Congressional resolution recognizing the atrocities committed against the Armenians as a genocide. “The goals of the genocide convention of 1948 are to prevent and punish genocide. Prevent. We have failed. We need to do more,” Smith said on Sunday. He went on the say that, “It is my hope that exhibits such as this will educate and hopefully sensitize more and more people, including our young people, to realize that they have a stake in this.” The Center for Holocaust, Human Rights & Genocide Education at Brookdale Community College was founded in 1979. It seeks to educate students and residents in the area about the history of genocide and human rights, and has previously hosted genocide survivors as volunteers and as speakers. “We do not study the past because we love old things. We study the p… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400746 | Congressman Smiths Statement on the Tax Bill | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Smith’s statement on H.R. 1, the tax bill under consideration in the House this week: While I believe Americans are overtaxed and need relief, I must vote “no” this week on the tax bill, H.R. 1, because of its negative impact on both my State and my congressional district. Almost half – 47% ‒ of the taxpayers in my district itemize, claiming an average of $31,981 in deductions. The elimination – even modification – of the state and local tax deduction (SALT) will significantly increase taxes for many. That’s unacceptable, and reason enough to oppose the legislation. Making matters worse are other provisions in the legislation that nullify or significantly scale back numerous well-crafted deductions including the medical deduction – utilized by 40,000 taxpayers in my district, largely the elderly and disabled, with an average deduction of $9,254 – as well as deductions for student loans, education, property damage, and mortgages, among others. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/reps-huffman-and-lobiondo-introduce-bipartisan-bill-reauthorize-national-sea-grant | Reps. Huffman and LoBiondo Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Reauthorize National Sea Grant College Program | 2017-11-13 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | Washington, D.C. - Congressman Jared Huffman (D-CA) and Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) today introduced the National Sea Grant College Program Amendments Act, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the National Sea Grant College Program through 2023. The Sea Grant program, first established in 1966, guides the federal government's collaboration, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with a network of states and universities on important research into issues facing America’s oceanic, coastal, and Great Lakes resources. “Building resilient coastal communities and economies is critical to families in my district who depend on sustainable coastal ecosystems, and that’s why the Sea Grant program is so vital,” Huffman said. “Through my work with the Sea Grant program in Congress and in California, I have seen firsthand the impacts and results of NOAA’s Sea Grant research. I’m grateful to Rep. LoBiondo for joining in this bipartisan effort to save the Sea Grant program and allow these Sea Grant experts to find solutions to the problems facing our coastal resources.” “For coastal communities in South Jersey and across the nation, a better understanding of the ecological and economic impacts of rising sea levels and climate change is critical. Sea Grants are an outstanding example of how public-private partnerships can better assist communities in long-term planning. I have long supported the Sea Grant program and am pleased to join with my colleague Rep. Huffman on this bipartisan legislation,” said LoBiondo. The bill would advance the long-running program’s capability to train generations of coastal and ocean scientists and to address regional and national issues in partnership with states, universities, researchers, and local resource managers. The legislation would also require that the Sea Grant fellows are equitably distributed, to the maximum extent practicable, among political parties and both chambers of Congress. In 2016 alone, the program reported $575 million in economic … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400723 | Chairman Smith Opening Statement at Hearing on Political Crisis in Democratic Republic of the Congo | 2017-11-09 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) gave the following opening statement at a hearing he chaired today entitled “Resolving the Political Crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” held by the House Subcommittee on Africa and Global Human Rights: The Democratic Republic of the Congo was supposed to conduct elections one year ago this month in order to achieve the required transition of political power by December 19. However, after years of stalling on making preparations for elections, the Government of the DRC failed to hold elections last year and relied on a constitutional provision that President Joseph Kabila could not step down until an election was held to select a replacement. This interpretation is in apparent contradiction to other constitutional provisions requiring elections to be held on time and limiting Kabila to two terms. The election commission has just announced that elections cannot be held until sometime in late 2018, with an inauguration in early 2019. The prolonging of the Kabila regime has ratcheted up tensions in the country. Polling has indicated that a majority of Congolese want the Kabila government to end and be replaced by a transitional government until a new one can be elected. Enduring conflict hotspots in eastern DRC have seen recent flare-ups, while new hotspots have emerged in previously relatively stable areas, such as the central Kasai region and southeastern Tanganyika province. The conflicts in Kasai and Tanganyika alone have caused the displacement of nearly 2 million people since mid-2016, giving DRC one of the highest rates of human displacement in the world. Political unrest in urban centers, a string of large prison breaks, and violent attacks in Kinshasa by members of a religious sect that has declared itself in opposition to Kabila have further contributed to worsening insecurity. The conflict in Kasai, which reportedly was first sparked in 2016 by the murder of a traditional leader by state security forces, has become a catastrophic humanitarian crisi… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400724 | New Jersey Hospital Association Names Smith Legislator of the Year | 2017-11-09 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ), along with fellow New Jersey Reps. Leonard Lance (R) and Frank LoBiondo (R), was named a Legislator of the Year by the New Jersey Hospital Association on Friday, at the association's Fall Membership Luncheon in Princeton, NJ. share: f t Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) was named a Legislator of the Year by the New Jersey Hospital Association on Thursday. Smith, along with fellow New Jersey Reps. Leonard Lance (R) and Frank LoBiondo (R), was honored by the association at its Fall Membership Luncheon in Princeton, NJ for his support for affordable health care access for everyone, and in particular his vote to protect Medicaid during this last round of health care reform in Congress. Approximately 150 CEOs, hospital trustees, government relations officers, and others from the state of New Jersey were in attendance. In his speech accepting the award, Smith thanked the association for its work and advocacy on health care reform and ensuing quality health care for all. Below are excerpts of Smith’s remarks on receiving the award: Thank you for this award. But more importantly— thank you! NJ Hospital Association – for your extraordinarily effective advocacy, timely dissemination of accurate and critical information and admonishment to do what is right especially during the most recent healthcare reform debate. Thank you—for crunching the numbers and sweating the details to ensure that all potential health care consequences, pro and con, are truly understood—before we vote. So, when bad outcomes follow bad laws, you are justified in saying I told you so. As a member of congress for 37 years, I have always respected and relied on NJHA recommendations. As Chairman and founder of several congressional caucuses including autism, Alzheimer’s, Lyme disease, and now the Heart and Stroke caucus, I especially appreciate and admire your mission – and the noble work – you and members of the association un… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400726 | <span class ="kicker">***Slide Show of Hearing w State Dept, USAID, NGOs***</span>Smith Chairs Hearing on Political Crisis in Democratic Republic of the Congo | 2017-11-09 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing a crisis of widespread violence and political instability–including delayed elections–which, if not addressed, could spread to surrounding countries, witnesses testified today at a hearing held today by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), chair of the House subcommittee on Africa. share: f t The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing a crisis of widespread violence and political instability because of continually delayed elections, which, if not addressed, could spread to surrounding countries, witnesses testified today at a hearing held today by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), chair of the House Subcommittee on Africa. Smith said the DRC government has tried to legitimize current President Joseph Kabila remaining in power after his constitutionally-mandated two-term limit, by claiming that the constitution also states that the president cannot leave office before a successor has been elected. Polls have shown that a majority in the country want the current Kabila government to be replaced by a temporary, transitional government until the next election. With the postponement of elections has come political turmoil and violence in a country with already-existing conflicts. The DRC borders nine other countries in the heart of Africa, and broadening conflicts could threaten to destabilize the region. “The conflicts in Kasai and Tanganyika alone have caused the displacement of nearly two million people since mid-2016, giving DRC one of the highest rates of human displacement in the world,” Rep. Smith said. “Political unrest in urban centers, a string of large prison breaks, and violent attacks in Kinshasa by members of a religious sect that has declared itself in opposition to Kabila have further contributed to worsening insecurity.” Click here to read Smith’s opening statement. The event was covered live by CSPAN. Click here to watch the video of the hearing: https://www.c-span.org/video/?437055-1/hearing-… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-leads-bipartisan-letter-urging-census-bureau-include-lgbt-data | MacArthur leads bipartisan letter urging Census Bureau to include LGBT data in census | 2017-11-09 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C. – Congressman MacArthur today urged the Director of the Census Bureau to provide their reasoning for not including demographic questions on sexual orientation and gender identity in the upcoming census and to reconsider that decision. On March 28, 2017, the U.S. Census Bureau notified Congress what subjects it planned to include in the upcoming surveys. These subjects included the familiar topics: gender, age, race, ethnicity, relationship, and homeownership status. Absent from this list of important demographic subjects are sexual orientation and gender identity. MacArthur was joined by Representatives Kathleen Rice (D-NY), Annie Kuster (D-NH), Charles Dent (R-PA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Donald Norcross (D-NJ), John Katko (R-NY), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Elizabeth Esty (D-CT), Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), and Donald Beyer (D-VA) in this request. Garden State Equality and American Unity Fund have both expressed support for this letter. “It seems almost too obvious that LGBT data should be included in the census,” said Christian Fuscarino, Executive Director of Garden State Equality. “Our community is heavily affected by the policies and programs that go through Congress, and it is unethical for these decisions to be made without knowing the size of sexual orientation and gender identity related demographics. In short, we don’t count unless we are counted. We encourage this push for LGBT inclusion and commend Congressman MacArthur and his fellow representatives for helping to create a more equal nation.” “As Members of Congress work to improve the lives of their constituents, it’s critical that we have the most accurate data available about our country’s makeup,” said Congressman MacArthur. “Unfortunately, we still don’t have any official data on the size of the American LGBT community. I urge the Census Bureau to include this data in their next census so that Representatives will have a better understanding of how laws and programs will impact LGBT Americans.” “I’m proud to co-le… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400710 | Smith Delivers Remarks on Alzheimers Caregiving at Capitol Hill Briefing | 2017-11-08 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | November is National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, and among the many events organized to raise awareness about this disease and the need for more support for patients and caregivers was a briefing on Capitol Hill hosted by a coalition of non-government organizations dedicated to improving treatments and one day finding a cure for Alzheimer’s. The event, sponsored by the Gerontological Society of America, the AARP in partnership with the John A. Hartford Foundation, the Alzheimer’s Association and the National Alliance for Caregiving, accomplished exactly this in highlighting personal stories of caregiving by members of Congress. Members shared their family’s own experience with caring for a loved one battling Alzheimers. Rep. Chris Smith, the founding co-chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, updated the group on legislation he is championing to assist caregivers, and then delivered the following remarks on his experience in caring for his mother who struggled with signs of Alzheimer’s and with brain cancer: In 1996 my mother was diagnosed with brain cancer and with early signs of Alzheimer’s disease, and lived with my family for almost a year. Despite having broken hearts over her ordeal—brain surgery at UPenn, a long recuperation and mental confusion—we absolutely cherished her living with us. My wife Marie—the primary caregiver—was a saint. Nothing was too much for Marie, including 24/7 monitoring—and a baby monitor in her room and ours—ensuring the timely and accurate taking of medicine, doctor visits and reassurances that, “Mom you are not a burden, we love you and there is no other place on earth we would want you to be than with us.” We had many sleepless nights. Twice EMT was called for medical emergencies. The brain cancer eclipsed the progression of Alzheimer’s, so the tell-tale forgetfulness was still in the early stage. During one emergency hospitalization at Fox Chase, my mother looked up at us and said: “I thought I was lost and you would … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400711 | Smith and Colleagues Stand with Healthcare Heroes, Call for Conscience Protection Act to Become Law | 2017-11-08 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | In a press conference today at the House Triangle, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Rep. Diane Black (R-TN), Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and other members of Congress called for the enactment of the Conscience Protection Act in the forthcoming end-of-year spending bill. share: f t In a press conference today at the House Triangle, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Rep. Diane Black (R-TN), Senator James Lankford (R-OK) and other members of Congress called for the enactment of the Conscience Protection Act in the forthcoming end-of-year spending bill. “It is an honor and privilege to join these “nurses of conscience” who believe that abortion kills children and harms women and stood up for their beliefs at the risk of great personal sacrifice and injury – loss of job, demotion, or other forms of retaliation” said Smith, Co-Chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Life Caucus. To read Smith’s complete statement click HERE. Members were joined by three nurses who have been subject to coercion by their employers to participate in abortions. Fe Vinoya was one of 12 nurses at the Same Day Surgery Unit in University Hospital in Newark, NJ who were threatened with the loss of their jobs if they did not participate in abortion. “After years of working as a critical care and emergency room nurse, I never imagined that the hospital I worked for would force me to choose between taking the life of an unborn child and losing my job,” Vinoya said. “I became a nurse to help people, not to do harm.” Sandra Mendoza lost her job at the Winnebago County Health Department in Rockford, IL, after 18 years of service when she didn’t agree to participate in abortion. Mendoza said, “While we may not all agree on abortion, I’d hope we can all agree that no doctor or and nurse should be forced out of employment on account of their faith and commitment to protecting life.” Cathy DeCarlo had served five years at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York before she was compelled by he… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400714 | Smith Introduces Bill to Heighten Review of Acquisitions of U.S. Money Transfer Companies by Chinese Firms | 2017-11-08 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | The Chinese government’s efforts to steal sensitive personal and financial data, most recently from U.S. government employees and particularly those with security clearances, is a national security concern and the reason Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) introduced legislation (H.R. 4235) to strictly review efforts by Chinese companies to acquire U.S. financial service firms specializing in money transfer or other forms of payment. share: f t The Chinese government’s efforts to steal sensitive personal and financial data, most recently from U.S. government employees and particularly those with security clearances, is a national security concern and the reason Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) introduced legislation (H.R. 4235) to strictly review efforts by Chinese companies to acquire U.S. financial service firms specializing in money transfer or other forms of payment. “Protecting the personal privacy of U.S. military service members and Federal employees has to be a national security priority, particularly as Chinese firms are expanding efforts to acquire U.S. financial services companies” Smith, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, stated. “The hacking of the electronic files at Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Equifax exposed sensitive personnel and financial information of U.S. government employees, providing Chinese and other foreign intelligence agencies information that could be used to target Federal workers with security clearances. The U.S. government must look more closely at proposed acquisitions of U.S. financial services companies for their national security implications,” Smith said. H.R. 4235 authorizes a full review of the acquisitions of U.S. financial services companies by Chinese-owned firms, or those that are primarily based in China and require a report to Congress and the President about the implications of such acquisitions on the national security and economic… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| 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 | 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. “I am committed to protecting veteran’s 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,” said Smith. “We have a duty to make sure that these needs – whether they be housing for homeless vets, compensation and treatment for serious injuries sustained in service, or VA health care funding – are met,” Smith said. Smith is a two-term chairman of the House Veterans’ 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. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Harley-Davidson of Ocean County, 300 Highway 70, Lakewood, NJ. At 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. The 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. For 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: Monmouth County Constituent Services Center 112 Village Center Drive, Second Floor Raintree Shopping Center Freehold, NJ 07728 phone (732) 780-3035 Ocean County Office 405 Route 539 … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400716 | Smith Leads Bipartisan Letter to President on Human Rights in Vietnam | 2017-11-08 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | As President Trump begins a two-day visit to Vietnam on Friday, Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) today released a letter urging the President to address Vietnam’s “dismal human rights record” by making any expansion of U.S. economic and strategic cooperation contingent upon concrete improvements in human rights. The bipartisan letter was signed by 20 Republican and Democratic members of the House of Representatives, including Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. share: f t As President Trump begins a two-day visit to Vietnam on Friday, Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) today released a letter urging the President to address Vietnam’s “dismal human rights record” by making any expansion of U.S. economic and strategic cooperation contingent upon concrete improvements in human rights. The bipartisan letter was signed by 20 Republican and Democratic members of the House of Representatives, including Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “For too long Vietnam has gotten a free pass on human rights,” said Smith, chairman of the House panel on global human rights. “Diplomats are so focused on the fact that Vietnam is ‘not China’ that this oppressive police state is granted trade and security benefits without condition.” “President Trump has a real opportunity to bring about tangible reforms in Vietnam if he links better U.S.-Vietnam relations to tangible human rights improvements. This will be warmly welcomed by the Vietnamese people who want the U.S. to be a voice for freedom—because their voice is silenced,” Smith said. The letter included a list of 105 known religious and political prisoners and urged the President to raise specific cases, such as those of human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai, Buddhist leader Thich Quang Do, blogger Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh and others from Vietnam’s diverse religious and ethnic communities—Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Khmer Krom, Montagnard, Hmong, Hoa Ha… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1534 | Jobs Growing at the Port of New York and New Jersey | 2017-11-07 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Rodney Frelinghuysen | F000372 | frelinghuysen.house.gov | legacy | Jobs Growing at the Port of New York and New Jersey WASHINGTON, D.C -- A recently released study indicates that container traffic at the Port of New York and New Jersey jumped 24 percent, bringing with it a corresponding increase in jobs, individual and business revenue and local, state and federal tax revenues. Other cargo sectors were increased during the study period of 2014 – 2016. One of the primary enablers of this surge in commercial activity undoubtedly is the now-completed 20-year Harbor Deepening Project, funded by the Appropriations Committee. “Our Port is the economic engine for northern New Jersey,” said Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11), the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “Ninety percent of global trade moves by ship, so I made it one of my highest priorities in Congress to ensure the Port of New York and New Jersey, the largest on the East Coast, remains the most attractive destination for international trading partners. This study shows that our efforts are paying off for our state!” Through his work as the only New Jersey member of the Appropriations Committee and past Chairman of the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee, Frelinghuysen secured hundreds of millions of federal dollars for the Harbor Deepening Project since its authorization in 1997. By dredging the main channel to a depth of 50 feet and raising the deck on the Bayonne Bridge, the Port can accommodate the newest container ships, which sail along the U.S. East Coast now that the upgraded Panama Canal has opened to the world’s largest ships. According to the report, compiled jointly by the New York Shipping Association and the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, the Port accounted for nearly $8.5 billion in federal, state and local tax revenue last year and supported more than 400,000 jobs, up 20 percent over the two-year study period. Port businesses and agencies employ 229,000 workers and support another 171,000 indirect jobs. The jobs include longshoremen, truckers, shipping clerks, mechani… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-letter-to-sec-mattis-is-background-check-info-being-reported | Lance Letter to Sec. Mattis: Is Background Check Info Being Reported? | 2017-11-07 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Leonard Lance | L000567 | lance.house.gov | legacy | WASHNGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today sent a letter to Defense Secretary James Mattis requesting the U.S. Department of Defense commission a comprehensive review of agency compliance with reporting to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The Lance letter comes as reports suggest the perpetrator in the shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas was court-martialed by the Air Force for domestic violence. The Air Force failed to report the domestic violence conviction to the NICS system. Under federal law, that conviction should have stopped the purchasing of the guns he acquired. “I request that you commission a comprehensive review of the entire Department of Defense to ensure any similar actions do not go unreported and that all future instances are properly reported. We all must remain vigilant in our efforts to ensure that firearms stay out of the hands of individuals deemed unfit to possess them by federal law,” Lance wrote. Lance has long supported the NICS system – being one of a minority of Republicans in Congress to vote to increase funding for the system and strengthen the system to ensure states and other entities are complying. The NICS system successfully completed over 23 million background checks last year. Had the court-martial conviction been reported by the Air Force, the NICS system may have flagged the potential purchase. “We all must remain vigilant in our efforts to ensure that firearms stay out of the hands of individuals deemed unfit to possess them by federal law,” Lance concluded. FULL LETTER TEXT: The Honorable James N. Mattis U.S. Secretary of Defense 1000 Defense Pentagon Washington, D.C. 20301-1000 Dear Secretary Mattis: I, like all Americans, was deeply saddened to learn of the tragic shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas this past Sunday. I struggle to comprehend such horrific actions. I was equally disturbed when I learned that this event could have been prevented due to existing federal law. During my time in Congress, I ha… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-congressman-frank-lobiondo | Lance Statement on Congressman Frank LoBiondo | 2017-11-07 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Leonard Lance | L000567 | lance.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) released the following statement after Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) announced his retirement from the U.S. House of Representatives: “Frank has been a tremendous leader for the State of New Jersey and will continue to fight for the Garden State until his term ends next year. From his time in Trenton to representing southern New Jersey in Congress, Frank always put the needs of the State and the Nation first. He is someone whose judgment and counsel I always trust. Heidi and I wish him and Tina great success in the future.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-statement-2018-election | LoBiondo Statement on 2018 Election | 2017-11-07 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) today issued the following announcement: “Today I announce I will not seek reelection in 2018. “I am sincerely humbled by the trust and responsibility the voters of New Jersey’s 2nd Congressional District placed in me. I am deeply appreciative of the lifetime friendships I have made across the 8 counties I represent. I am forever grateful to my talented and dedicated staff that have worked in the Washington and Mays Landing offices over the years. “As a freeholder, Assemblyman and now Congressman I always looked for solutions that produce real world results built upon cooperation and partnerships. People before politics has always been my philosophy and my motivation. Regrettably, our nation is now consumed by increasing political polarization; there is no longer middle ground to honestly debate issues and put forward solutions. “As expected, there will be those who wildly speculate about my choice without any basis in fact. My decision is not health-related as I am in good health and continue to maintain a full schedule. “My decision is not electoral. Throughout my career I have always made my constituents and the interests of my district my top priority, therefore I am very confident voters would again reelect me. “As I am term-limited as Chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee and in my position on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, now is appropriate time to leave. Furthermore, as some of my closest colleagues have also come to realize, those of us who came to Congress to change Washington for the better through good governance are now the outliers. In legislating, we previously fought against allowing the perfect to become the enemy of the good. Today a vocal and obstinate minority within both parties has hijacked good legislation in pursuit of no legislation. “From day one I have always put South Jersey first and people before politics, giving 200 percent to representing our interests while promoting our way of life. Fro… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400707 | Smith Re-Introduces Kevin and Avontes Law to Help Protect Children with Autism and Seniors with Alzheimers | 2017-11-06 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | A bill authored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.) to help protect wandering children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and elderly Alzheimer’s patients has been re-introduced in the House. share: f t A bill authored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.) to help protect wandering children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and elderly Alzheimer’s patients has been re-introduced in the House. Kevin and Avonte’s Law, H.R. 4221, would fund programs and technology that are critical to preventing the wandering of those with Alzheimer’s and Autism. Smith introduced it during the 114th Congress and it passed the House with broad bipartisan support, receiving over 340 votes. The bill was not acted on in the Senate; Smith re-introduced it on Thursday. The law re-authorizes the Missing Americans Alert Program, and directs the Department of Justice to award grants to eligible law enforcement and public safety agencies and non-profit organizations to set up programs to prevent wandering. The programs could be educational, or they could include funding for non-invasive tracking technology for those who wander. It is supported by the National Autism Association, the Alzheimer’s Association, Autism Speaks, Autism New Jersey, the Autism Society, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, SafeMinds, the National Down Syndrome Society, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. “Wandering is one of the most concerning challenging behaviors for individuals with ASD [autism spectrum disorder],” Dr. Suzanne Buchanan, executive director of Autism New Jersey, stated. “This behavior presents safety risks including drowning, getting struck by traffic, falling from a high place, dehydration or worse. In recent years, accidental drowning after wandering accounted for 91 percent of total U.S. deaths reported in children with ASD ages 14 and younger. “Parents of children who have wandered away, and caregivers who have temporarily lost Alzheimer’s p… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400708 | Smith to Host Press Conference on Conscience Protection Act | 2017-11-06 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) will host a press conference Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. on the Conscience Protection Act of 2017, which would uphold the conscience rights of health care providers, religious charities, and churches who are being forced to participate in or provide coverage for abortions. share: f t Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) will host a press conference Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. on the Conscience Protection Act of 2017, which would uphold the conscience rights of health care providers, religious charities, and churches who are being forced to participate in or provide coverage for abortions. Nurses who have been forced, against their religious beliefs, to participate in abortions at hospitals will also be present alongside members of Congress to tell their own stories of fighting against discriminatory health care policies, and to advocate for the passage of the Conscience Protection Act. Current federal law does not sufficiently protect the conscience rights of health care professionals and others. The act originally passed the House in 2016, and has been re-introduced in the House. Supporters are hoping to pass it as part of the appropriations bill for the 2018 fiscal year. It would bar the federal government, and any state and local governments that receive federal funding, from taking action against persons or organizations in the field of health care who conscientiously object to performing, paying for, or participating or assisting in any health procedure they find to be morally objectionable. Who: Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Life Caucus Rep. Andy Harris (MD-01), member of GOP Doctors Caucus and the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Life Caucus Other members of Congress Cathy DeCarlo Nurse, forced against her religious beliefs to participate in late-term abortion … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400709 | <span class ="kicker">House hearing on DRC set for Thurs. Nov. 9th</span>State Dept., USAID, Academia & Human Rights Advocates to Testify on Elections in the DRC | 2017-11-06 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | The challenges facing the people and the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) will be the topic of a hearing entitled “Resolving the Political Crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” set to be held Thursday by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), chairman of the House subcommittee on Africa and global human rights. “The government of Joseph Kabila delayed the required 2016 presidential elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in which he was forbidden by the constitution to run for reelection. Since then, his government has continued to bog down preparations for an election to replace him, which now is being predicted for no earlier than 2019,” said Smith. “This hearing is intended to gather suggestions from the State Department, USAID and private sector witnesses on how to overcome the current transition stalemate in the DRC.” Who: Chairman Smith (NJ-04), Senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations; other members of the Committee, and: Witnesses: The Honorable Donald Yamamoto Acting Assistant Secretary Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State Cheryl Anderson Acting Assistant Administrator Bureau for Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development Mvemba Dizolele Professorial Lecturer in African Studies School of Advanced International Studies Johns Hopkins University Fred Bauma Representative La Lutte pour le Changement Severine Autesserre Professor of Political Science Barnard College Columbia University … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-backs-chip-renewal-extending-medicaid-in-puerto-rico | Lance Backs CHIP Renewal, Extending Medicaid in Puerto Rico | 2017-11-03 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Leonard Lance | L000567 | lance.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) voted yes today to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through fiscal year 2022. Lance has supported the Children’s Health Insurance Program since his first days in Congress. Lance also secured passage of the HELP Puerto Rico Act, legislation he authored with Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón, that would provide $1 billion in funding to Puerto Rico’s Medicaid funding. The HELP Puerto Rico Act passed as part of CHIP bill. “This legislation accomplishes the very important goals of reauthorizing the Children’s Health Insurance Program, community health centers and extending critical resources for Medicaid in Puerto Rico. One of the first votes I cast in Congress was for CHIP - creating a fiscally responsible health program that now serves 8.5 million children in the United States. And I continue to support community health centers and the work they do for underserved areas like Dover and Somerville, New Jersey. We also cannot forget about the many families and children in Puerto Rico who also benefit from the Medicaid program. That’s why I am teamed up with Resident Commissioner González-Colón to make sure low-cost federal health care continues to be made available to our American children in Puerto Rico,” said Lance. Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón praised passage of the Lance provisions. “I thank Congressman Leonard Lance for listening to my concerns and working together on this authorization. Achieving this authorization this week is a great relief in the course of all the work we have been carrying out on the one hand for the island’s recovery after Hurricane María and at the same time on the other to keep pushing in D.C. for inclusive treatment for Puerto Rico,” said González-Colón. Lance’s Energy and Commerce Committee took the lead in reauthorizing the CHIP program this year as well as federally-supported community health centers. CHIP is an important safety net progr… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1532 | Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen statement on proposed tax reform bill: | 2017-11-02 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Rodney Frelinghuysen | F000372 | frelinghuysen.house.gov | legacy | “Now that the House Ways and Means Committee has released its proposed tax reform bill, I look forward to evaluating its details to determine the legislation’s effect on my New Jersey constituents. “As always, I invite residents of my district to let me know what they think.” ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-tax-plan-proposal | Lance Statement on Tax Plan Proposal | 2017-11-02 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Leonard Lance | L000567 | lance.house.gov | legacy | Lance Statement on Tax Plan Proposal WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) released the following statement after the release of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act: “I commend Speaker Ryan and Chairman Brady for their hard work and efforts. There is much to like in the legislation but the proposed cap on deductibility of state and local taxes makes the bill unacceptable at this time. Eliminating or rolling back state and local tax deductibility will hurt New Jersey’s hard-working middle-class families and our state economy. I am going to continue to negotiate on the issue. We have made some progress but more needs to be done.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-statement-tax-reform-bill-introduction-house | LoBiondo Statement on Tax Reform Bill Introduction in House | 2017-11-02 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | LoBiondo Statement on Tax Reform Bill Introduction in House Nov 2, 2017 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) today issued the following statement regarding the introduction of the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” in the House of Representatives: “President Trump rightly continues to push Congress to reform our tax code, which will spur economic growth and allow most Americans to keep more of their hard-earned money. The bill introduced today preserves tax-free 401k contributions and charitable deductions which are critical to many Americans. However, the elimination of state and local income tax deductions and the $10,000 cap on property tax deductions would be detrimental to New Jersey residents. Thus this bill is not something I could support in its current form. I am working with my fellow New Jersey and New York colleagues on a counterproposal to preserve these deductions and truly make this reform a net positive for the residents of South Jersey.” # # # | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1531 | Thornberry, Frelinghuysen Journey to Middle East, Visit the Troops | 2017-11-01 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Rodney Frelinghuysen | F000372 | frelinghuysen.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) and the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Mac Thornberry (TX-13) have returned to the United States from Iraq following a weekend visit to the Central Command area of operations. Thornberry and Frelinghuysen met with key military leaders and troops. Thornberry and Frelinghuysen are charged with Congressional oversight of the United States’ efforts to defeat the terrorist threat and support countries in the region that share our values and goals. Thornberry’s panel sets policy for the Department of Defense and Frelinghuysen’s panel funds operations of the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. The purpose of the trip was to conduct oversight and explore policy, strategy, and funding issues associated with the deployment of U.S. and Coalition forces in the region. Oversight included examination of regional dynamics, threat trends, military-to-military cooperation with coalition partners, counterterrorism efforts, U.S. force posture in the region, and resource requirements. They also visited with U.S. Marines in Beirut, Lebanon and soldiers in Baghdad, Iraq among other locations. -30- | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-s-veterans-legislation-introduced-senate | MacArthurs Veterans Legislation Introduced in Senate | 2017-11-01 | 2017 | 2017-11 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman MacArthur applauded the introduction of The Fairness for Korean DMZ Veterans Act in the Senate by Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS). This legislation, which was originally introduced in the House by Congressman MacArthur, expands the time frame of eligibility for disability compensation for veterans who served at or near the Korean DMZ and are suffering from herbicide-related conditions. Currently, that time frame is between April 1, 1968 and August 31, 1971. This legislation will change the eligibility date to September 1, 1967 for these veterans, allowing them to receive the health care they have earned. The Fairness for Korean DMZ Veterans Act has gained bipartisan support from many Senators who serve on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, including Senators John Tester (D-MT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH). The legislation has been supported by both the VFW and the American Legion. The VFW estimates that hundreds of veterans would be helped by this change. “I’m grateful that Senator Moran is introducing The Fairness for Korean DMZ Veterans Act in the Senate,” said Congressman MacArthur. “As the son of a Korean War veteran and Representative of more than 50,000 veterans, I originally introduced this bill in the House because I believe we have a moral obligation to provide quality care for our veterans. This bill will ensure hundreds of veterans who served at the Korean DMZ that are suffering from Agent Orange and other herbicide-related conditions finally receive the care they deserve.” “Many veterans who served in the Korean DMZ during the Vietnam War are suffering from significant health conditions associated with exposure to toxic herbicides, and some of these veterans are still excluded from qualifying for the healthcare benefits they need,” said Senator Moran. “The Fairness for Korean DMZ Veterans Act would help more Korean DMZ veterans have access to critical healthcare benefits they have been previously denied. I am grateful to again work with Sen… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400702 | Cong. Smith Statement on Manhattan Attack | 2017-10-31 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Rep. Smith (NJ-04) issues statement after a terror attack in NYC Oct. 31 share: f t Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) released the following statement after a terror attack in New York City killed eight people and injured 11: My wife, Marie and I join all those who grieve and pray for the innocent victims of today’s horrific terrorist attack in New York City—those killed in the attack, their families, as well as those injured and the bystanders who had to witness this atrocious act of violence. We offer our sincere gratitude to the brave members of the New York Police Department who moved fast to stop the perpetrator and thereby save additional lives that could have been lost. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/every-breath-counts-run-walk-survive | Every Breath Counts Run Walk Survive | 2017-10-31 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | Every Breath Counts Run Walk Survive Start: November 11, 2017 9:00 am End: November 11, 2017 9:00 am Location: St. James Church - Newport Avenue and Boardwalk, Ventnor, New Jersey Oct 31, 2017 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/millville-army-air-field-museum-16th-annual-veterans-appreciation-day | Millville Army Air Field Museum 16th Annual Veterans Appreciation Day | 2017-10-31 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | Millville Army Air Field Museum 16th Annual Veterans Appreciation Day Start: November 4, 2017 11:00 am End: November 4, 2017 11:00 am Location: Army Air Field Museum - 1 Leddon Street, Millville, New Jersey Oct 31, 2017 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/upper-deerfield-township-annual-veterans-day-ceremony | Upper Deerfield Township Annual Veterans Day Ceremony | 2017-10-31 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Republican | House | NJ | Frank LoBiondo | L000554 | lobiondo.house.gov | legacy | Upper Deerfield Township Annual Veterans Day Ceremony Start: November 4, 2017 10:00 am End: November 4, 2017 11:00 am Location: Veterans Monument - Route 77, Seabrook, New Jersey Oct 31, 2017 | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400701 | Bipartisan Coalition Asking Administration to Support Victims of Terrorism at the Supreme Court | 2017-10-30 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.) is leading a bipartisan coalition of over 60 House members in asking the Administration to support American victims of terrorism seeking redress at the Supreme Court. share: f t Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.) is leading a bipartisan coalition of over 60 House members in asking the Administration to support American victims of terrorism seeking redress at the Supreme Court. Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.) is leading a bipartisan coalition of over 60 House members in asking the Administration to support American victims of terrorism seeking redress at the Supreme Court. “As Members of Congress, we have a compelling interest to speak out in defense of the ATA [Anti-Terrorism Act of 1992], passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, and in support of these American victims waiting for justice,” Smith and other members wrote in the letter to the Solicitor General. Smith and Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-NY) co-led a letter signed by 67 House Democrats and Republicans and sent to Solicitor General Noel Francisco on Oct. 26. The members asked the Administration to respond to the Supreme Court’s request for a brief in the case of Sokolow v. PLO. The case before the Court involves American victims of a suicide bombing in Jerusalem who are seeking civil redress from the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and Palestinian Authority (PA). One of the plaintiffs resides in Smith’s New Jersey district. A jury for the Southern District of New York ruled unanimously in the plaintiffs’ favor, that the PLO and the PA were liable for the damage inflicted. The Second Circuit Court of Appeals, however, vacated that decision, saying that the lower court did not have jurisdiction for the organizations in the claim. The plaintiffs appealed to the Supreme Court, citing the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1992 (ATA) which was passed to give American victims of terrorism abroad a legal mechanism to sue the perpetrators. The … | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1530 | Frelinghuysen Op-ed: House Appropriations Getting the Job Done | 2017-10-30 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Republican | House | NJ | Rodney Frelinghuysen | F000372 | frelinghuysen.house.gov | legacy | The Daily Record House Appropriations Getting the Job Done by: Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) 10/30/17 The conventional wisdom is that Washington is broken. However, if one were to go looking for what actually works in Congress, one need only look to the House Committee on Appropriations. This committee, charged with providing the funding for every federal government program, agency and office, passed 28 bills this year alone. This total includes the “regular” FY 2017 and the FY 2018 appropriations bills, several stopgap “Continuing Resolutions” and two emergency disaster assistance bills to aid the victims of hurricanes in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands. These 28 bills were developed, drafted, debated and passed between January and October of 2017, upholding Congress’ authority under the Constitution to fund our obligations at home and abroad. In essence, we completed more than two appropriations cycles in just eight months. The ultimate achievement was passage in September of all 12 of our FY ’18 appropriations bills before the end of the fiscal year on September 30. This was the first time it had been accomplished since 2004 and it was done through “regular order” with each of the bills fully debated, along with over 400 amendments. Furthermore, the deed was accomplished within just four months of receiving the details of the new President’s first budget proposal — a new congressional record. Of course, process and speed are important. But so, too, are the actual contents of these bills which contain important funding for projects in New Jersey. A prime example is the more than $900 million the committee included for eligible programs such as the Gateway project in the New Jersey-New York area. Now more than ever, it is imperative to our economic survival. While important, Gateway is just one example of provisions that will benefit New Jersey. To protect our state from emerging terrorist threats, the committee continued to fund the Urban Area Security Initiative (… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-leads-letter-encouraging-air-force-increase-size-hurricane | MacArthur leads letter encouraging Air Force to increase size of Hurricane Response Unit located at JB-MDL | 2017-10-30 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Republican | House | NJ | Tom MacArthur | M001193 | macarthur.house.gov | legacy | Washington D.C. - Congressman MacArthur today urged the Secretary of the Air Force to increase the size of the 621 Contingency Response Wing located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. This wing is the Air Force’s highly specialized unit that is often the first to respond to humanitarian disasters, as well as serving a wartime role. It quickly deployed to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands after Hurricane Maria to assist with the recovery efforts. With all these operations happening simultaneously, the unit is currently stretched thin potentially compromising its readiness for wartime activities. MacArthur was joined by Representatives Donald Norcross, Leonard Lance, Chris Smith, Frank Lobiondo, Josh Gottheimer, Albio Sires, Frank Pallone, Bill Pascrell, and Senators Cory Booker, and Bob Menendez in this request. “The airman of the 621 Contingency Response Wing bravely serve our country and always perform their duties when called upon,” said Congressman Tom MacArthur. “However, they are currently responding to multiple simultaneous humanitarian disasters and need our help. It’s important that the Air Force fully man this unit and ensure these brave men and women can respond to any wartime activities without abandoning their current humanitarian missions.” | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400700 | Five Years Post Superstorm Sandy Ravaged Ocean, Monmouth Counties & Jersey Shore, Recovery Goes On Continues | 2017-10-28 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Five Years Post Superstorm Sandy Ravaged Ocean, Monmouth Counties & Jersey Shore, Recovery Goes On Continues f t # e POINT PLEASANT BEACH , Oct 28, 2017 | Jeff Sagnip ((609) 585-7878) Congressman Chris Smith went to the border of Monmouth and Ocean counties--among the areas hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy--on the fifth anniversary of a storm that destroyed thousands of homes, businesses and public property on a scale not seen in recent memory, and killed more than 100 people on the East Coast. Smith met with local officials in Point Pleasant Beach, led by Mayor Stephen Reid, at the historic Manasquan Coast Guard Station. He also went to a dune area slated for imrpovement, as well as the site of a destroyed house still under construction. He met with faith-based leaders whose churches provided clothes, shelter and food in the wake of the storm, and listened to their powerful stories of emergency response, recovery and rebuilding in the community. Smith shared the status of his bipartisan bill regarding recovery from Sandy and other disasters, entitled "The Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act," which passed in 2013 by a lopsided vote of 354-72 but was stalled in the Senate. Reintroduced in 2017, Smith's new bill, HR 2405, remains a bipartisan piece of legislation that would put houses of worship on an even playing field with other non-profit organizations seeking disaster assistance. There were many nonprofit religious organizations, churches, synagogues, and other religious centers that were shut out of getting federal assistance despite damage they sustained, and despite their leadership helping so many people in the immediate aftermath of the storm. He also spoke about his Equity for Disaster Victims Act of 2017, (HR 3674) which would provide relief to victims of Supe… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400703 | <span class ="kicker">APP News Article on Navy Earle Announcement by Smith</span>'Naval Weapons Station Earle won't open housing to the public' | 2017-10-28 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | BY DAN RADEL APP Staff Writer - The Pentagon has officially canceled plans to open housing to the general public at Naval Weapons Station Earle, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., announced Tuesday. Smith said the decision alleviates "local concerns about security and the proper vetting of nonmilitary renters who would be exempt from paying property taxes." The issue surfaced in January because about 30 percent of the 89 residences managed by Balfour Beatty Northeast Housing on the base was empty. Currently, active duty military personnel are preferred, but the units are open in some cases to other military members, National Guard and reservists, civil service employees, and military and civil service retirees. Locals Oppose:Officials poised to fight Earle civilian housing Schools: Bill would move Earle students to Colts Neck However, state, county and local officials fought the plan for a year, saying that opening the weapons station housing to members of the general public would pose a serious security risk for Monmouth County. “We used every tool in our toolkit to express our concerns that allowing civilians to rent housing on NWS Earle, an active ammunition depot, would create unnecessary security risks for our community,” said Assemblywoman Jennifer Beck, R-Monmouth. An attempt by the Navy in 2010 to open the housing on the base to the general public was also defeated. The base is located in parts of Colts Neck, Howell, Middletown, Tinton Falls and Wall. This story can be found online at: http://www.app.com/story/news/military/2017/10/27/housing-plan-nixed-naval-weapon-station-earle/806081001/ | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | ||
| http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400690 | Smith Awarded for Defending International Religious Freedom, Persecuted Religious Minorities | 2017-10-27 | 2017 | 2017-10 | Republican | House | NJ | Christopher Smith | S000522 | chrissmith.house.gov | legacy | Just one day after Rep. Smith was honored by an international organization dedicated to the defense of Christian minorities, the internationally-recognized human rights leader received a second award from a national coalition honoring his work in promoting religious freedom around the world. share: f t Just one day after Rep. Smith was honored by an international organization dedicated to the defense of Christian minorities, the internationally-recognized human rights leader received a second award from a national coalition honoring his work in promoting religious freedom around the world. On Thursday, Smith received the Thomas Jefferson International Religious Freedom Champion Award from the International Religious Freedom Roundtable, a group of representatives from key non-governmental organizations who work to advance international religious freedom issues and help prisoners of conscience who are punished for their faith. He received the 2017 IDC Cedars of God Award on Wednesday from the group In Defense of Christians, for leading in the passage of legislation protecting and aiding vulnerable religious and ethnic minorities. “As you all know well, people of faith and conscience are suffering and dying for their beliefs around the world right now,” Smith said on Thursday upon receiving the IRF Champion Award. “There is so much more to do. People of faith around the world face genocide, torture, imprisonment, and severe restrictions on the most fundamental decisions of faith and conscience.” Here are Rep. Smith’s full remarks. The evening before, at the Wednesday event, Smith was honored at the annual IDC Solidarity Dinner for his leadership in Congress in protecting persecuted Christians and other minorities. More than 500 people from around the world, including religious leaders, members of Congress, and human rights advocates, attended the dinner where Vice President Mike Pence was the keynote speaker. Pence thanked Smith for his… | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |
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