url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/martin-luther-king-day-federal-offices-closed,Martin Luther King Day - Federal Offices Closed,2015-12-30,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Martin Luther King Day - Federal Offices Closed
Start:
January 18, 2016
End:
January 18, 2016
Dec 30, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/presidents-day-federal-offices-closed-0,President's Day - Federal Offices Closed,2015-12-30,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"President's Day - Federal Offices Closed
Start:
February 15, 2016
End:
February 15, 2016
Dec 30, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1144,Frelinghuysen marks the Centennial of the National Park Service,2015-12-29,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"On August 25, 2016, the National Park Service will turn 100 years old! In addition to some of the local sites mentioned below, the National Park Foundation and the National Park Service initiated the Find Your Park movement to encourage people to enjoy and support America's national parks. For more information, visit here:http://findyourpark.com/. New Jersey's 11th Congressional District: Morristown National Historical Park New Jerseys 11thdistrict is fortunate to be the home of our nations oldest and most historic National Park, Morristown National Historical Park. Working with the Park Service and the Washington Association, Congressman Frelinghuysen has been leading the effort to secure dollars for the Park and to help renovate the museum. For more information on Morristown National Historical Park, please visit:http://www.nps.gov/morr/index.htm. Thomas Edison National Historical Park Located in West Orange, Thomas Edison National Historical Park includes Edisons former home and laboratory. The museum collection at the Park, the largest single body of Edison-related material, is estimated to number over 300,000 items, while the archives contain approximately five million documents. For more information, visit their webpage:http://www.nps.gov/edis/index.htm. The Crossroads of the American Revolution Two hundred and thirty years ago New Jersey was at the crossroads of America's Revolutionary War. Today, there are nearly 300 sites in New Jersey with direct ties to the American Revolution. Among the landmarks areWashingtons Headquarters inMorristown, Jockey Hollow, the Old Trenton Barracks,the Dey Mansion inWayne,the Princeton, Monmouth, and Red Bank battlefields, andthe Great Falls of the Passaic. Congressman Frelinghuysen introduced H.R. 87, legislation to recognize the critical role our state played in the American Revolution. This legislation was included in the National Heritage Areas Act of 2005, which was signed into law on October 12, 2006. The Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area Act will raise the profile of New Jersey's historical importance. For more information regarding the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, please visitwww.revolutionarynj.org/.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-christmas-greeting,Lance Christmas Greeting,2015-12-24,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"FLEMINGTON, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today released the following Christmas greeting:
May the birth of the Savior remind all peoples of the true meaning of Christmas:Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May God be with our men and women in the military, especially those who are in distant lands, this holiday season.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398636,"Asbury Park Press article'WWII veteran finally receives his medals'",2015-12-23,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"BY DAN RADEL, ASBURY PARK PRESS STAFF WRITER At 90 years old, Alfred Caponigro has received many gifts -- but this year, his familygavehim one of the greatest presentsthey could his long-lostservice medals.
The World War IIveteran is battling cancerbut no one couldtell that from the joy on his face when he wassurrounded in hishome by his family members Tuesday night -- and his long-delayed gift.
""I think there's27 grandchildren and 25 great-great children, or it's the other way,"" jokedhis daughter Elena Mazza, about their very large Italian-American family.
The medals arrived byspecial delivery fromRep.Chris Smith (R-N.J.) who came bearingtheeight medals and ribbons thatCaponigro earned but never collected for hisservice to the country.
""It is witha sincere gesture of gratitude that I give you these. You earned them. You are the greatest generation,"" Smith said, sitting next toCaponigro in hisliving room, the two gentlemen clasped in a handshake.
For a short moment the veteran was teary eyed.
Caponigro was born in Montclair on June 21,1925,a first-generation Italian-American. His parents came to the United States fromLacedonia, Italy when they were teenagers.
When he was 17 he joined the U.S. Navy with the help of his parent's signature because he was too young to enlist without their consent.
""I thought it was the right thing to do,"" he said.
He was a part of the D-Day invasion,what Smith called the ""decisive battle ofWorld War II."" He lost his hearing during the battle and suffered another injury to his hand went he got hit byshrapnel. For the rest of his life he wore hearing aids.
""The sky was blacked out from the planes,"" Caponigro recalled of the D-Day.
It did not stop him from raising seven children or making a career at DuMont Laboratories, before taking a job at Fort Monmouth for the U.S. Department of Defense.
""My grandmother who passed away a couple of years ago started the exercise of trying to retrieve medals and accommodations he might have earned as a result of his service,"" said his grandson Robert Williams. ""My grandfather didn't ask for any of this. If you ask him what his legacy is, itwould be his children,his grand-children and his great grandchildren.""
One of the medals Caponigro received was the French Legion of Honor,the highest honor France bestows on non-French citizens Smith said.
Caponigro was also awarded the World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Honorable Service Ribbon, Navy Honorable Discharge Label, and the N.J. Distinguished Service Medal.
Even Caponigro's great grandchildren understood the importance of the medals he finally received.
""Poppy is a good man. He helps others. During the war there was a big bomb and he lost his hearing.One time he was at our school because it was Veteran's Day,"" offered his 7-year old great granddaughter Marissa Williams. This article originally ran on Dec. 23, 2015 on Page one of the Asbury Park Press., and can be could online at:
http://www.app.com/story/news/local/eatontown-asbury-park/2015/12/22/wwii-vet-receives-medals-death-bed-chris-smith/77749008/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398637,"***Ocean Twp. vet, 90, never received medals after the war***Monmouth Co. World War II Vet Presented Medals for Service",2015-12-23,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) presented long-overdue medals to Alfred Caponigro of Ocean Township, Monmouth County, on Dec. 22, nearly 73 years to the day after the veteran enlisted in the U.S. Navy.
Mr. Caponigro enlisted Dec. 28, 1942, and fought in the Battle of Normandy on D-Day and the days afterward off Utah Beach on the coastal patrol vessel PC 1176, the sister ship of which was sunk during the battle. During his service, he became deaf and was discharged with a 100 percent disability rating by the Navy. In front of many of the veterans seven children, 25 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren and other friends and family at the veterans home, Smith presented Mr. Caponigro with:
World War II Victory Medal
American Campaign Medal
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
Combat Action Ribbon
Honorable Service Lapel
Navy Honorable Discharge Lapel
NJ State Distinguished Service Medal
Smith also presented him with the French Legion of Honor, the highest honor France bestows on non-French citizens. Smith asked the French Consulate in New York to expedite the medal. Smith sent a letter to the National Archives National Person Records Center requesting the medals be issued. The Navy approved the medals and Smith received the medals in November.
It is witha sincere gesture of gratitude that I give you these, said Smith, who was the chairman of the Veterans Committee in the House of Representatives for four years. You earned them. You are the greatest generation.
A humble man, Mr. Caponigro said he would not accept medals after the war because of all of the other Americans who didnt make it back, or who lost limbs and other injuries. His family, in particular his grandson Bob Williams, encouraged him to seek the medals for the familys history, and he contacted Smiths office in September for assistance.
Smith has written 13 bills that have been enacted into law to assist veterans.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398635,"Smiths Stem Cell Bill Now LawMeasure will provide $265 million over five years for cord blood, bone marrow transplant programs",2015-12-21,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Rep. Chris Smiths Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2820) is now law, and authorizes $265 million for cord blood and stem cell research and treatment over the next five years.
Smith and lead co-sponsor Rep. Doris Matsui shepherded the bill through the House last summer. It passed the Senate and House earlier this month and was signed into law by the President over the weekend.
As adopted by both houses of Congress, H.R. 2820 now ensures that the two collaborative programs that support treatment and therapies derived from adult stem cell lines will continue to receive funding through 2020. Under the legislation, the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program will be authorized for five years at $30 million annually, while the National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI) is authorized at $23 million annually for a five-year period.Smith authored the original law (The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005P.L. 109-129) that created the national cord blood program and expanded the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program.
It is incredibly timely to reauthorize this life-giving program during this gift-giving time of year, Smith said. Americans willing to give the gift of life to others are at the heart of the success of this program. In reauthorizing it we are grateful for the adult donors willing to provide bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells, as well as mothers who donate their childs cord blood through public cord blood banks.
First passed in 2005, the original legislation established a nationwide integrated bone marrow and cord blood stem cell transplantation program. Stem cells derived from cord blood and bone marrow have been used successfully to treat tens of thousands of patients with such diseases as leukemia, sickle cell anemia and genetic disorders. The enactment of H.R. 2820 will continue to build these donor networks, thus enabling more people to have access to these lifesaving treatments.
It remains one of the best kept secrets in America that umbilical cord blood stem cells and adult stem cells in general are curing people of a myriad of terrible conditions and diseases in adults as well as children. Cord blood, what was once seen as medical waste, is now making miracles, Smith said.
There are 13 public banks contracted through NCBI, including the New Jersey Cord Blood Bank which collects cord blood from five participating hospitals. The New Jersey Cord Blood Bank, part of Community Blood Services in Montvale, has approximately 7,000 cord blood units in storage and has shipped 300 units to transplant centers for treatment.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) estimates that every year about 12,600 people depend on the programs made available by this law to find an unrelated adult marrow donor or cord blood unit for treatment.
Today, Americans have access to more than 12 million adult volunteer donors and 209,000 cord blood units through the national registry, known as Be The Match. Transplants involving these adult stem cells are often the only hope for patients battling fatal blood cancers and other bone marrow disorders and conditions. Since the inception of the registry, the Program has successfully facilitated 68,000 transplants.
Importantly, during consideration in the Senate HELP Committee, language was added to direct the relevant agencies to study the state of science using adult stem cells and birthing tissues to develop new therapies for patients. Smith said Last year I visited Celgene Corporation of Summit, New Jersey to learn of its extraordinary efforts to use cord blood to heal diabetic foot ulcers and how their researchers have turned amniotic membranean old placentainto wound management that has now advanced past stage three clinical trials to the approval and regulatory filings stage.
Breathtaking scientific breakthroughs have turned medical wastepost birth placentas and umbilical cord bloodinto medical miracles treating more than 70 diseases including leukemia, lymphoma and sickle cell anemia, said Smith. Not only has God in His wisdom and goodness created a placenta and umbilical cord to nurture and protect the precious life of an unborn child, but now we know that another gift awaits us immediately after birth. Something very special is left behindcord blood that is teeming with lifesaving stem cells.
The measure had the support of Reps. David Jolly (R-FL) and Chaka Fattah (D-PA), and in the Senate the bill was championed by Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Burr (R-NC) and Al Franken (D-MN), making helpful modifications and sending it back to the House for one final vote of approval Dec. 16.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398634,Smith Demands Release of Vietnam Human Rights Advocate Nguyen Van Dai,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam RepresentativesChris Smith (NJ-04), Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), and Loretta Sanchez (CA-46), join today to appeal to the Prime Minster of Vietnam appealing for the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Nguyen Van Dai. Mr. Dai is a respected human rights defender and founder of the Brotherhood for Democracy, an online group of formerly jailed political prisoners.
Smith, Lofgren, and Sanchez, write in the letter [h]is arrest is the latest example in a series of aggressive state-sponsored actions taken against him, including a severe beating by plain clothes security officials earlier this month and a four year prison term that started almost immediately after Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization with the support of the United States. They add [t]he crime he has been charged withconducting propaganda against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam does not equate with his actions, which have been peaceful political expression, advocating for universally-recognized human rights, and providing legal assistance. Click here to read the letter.
Congressman Smith has met Nguyen Van Dai and most of Vietnams prominent human rights and religious advocates, including Father Nguyen Van Ly and the Venerable Thich Quang Do, both of whom remain in some form of detention in Vietnam. Among the nations in Southeast Asia, Vietnam has the highest number of political prisoners.
To support the causes of human rights and democracy in Vietnam, Congressman Smith introduced the bipartisan Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2015. The bill stipulates that the Administration cannot increase funds to promote trade and some defense programs in Vietnam until the President certifies that the Government of Vietnam has made substantial progress in establishing human rights protections. (Bill can be found here)
The Vietnam Human Rights Act would not prevent funding for certain types of humanitarian assistance, efforts to account for POWs/MIAs, food aid, programs to clean up Agent Orange and unexploded ordinances,or programs to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS, and combating human trafficking.
The Administration has promised Vietnam lucrative trade benefits as part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and new security cooperation, Smith said. The American people should not have to subsidize torture or underwrite the jailing of journalists, religious leaders, labor activists, or advocates of democracy or Internet freedom. The bipartisan Vietnam Human Rights Act will restore the right priorities to U.S. policy toward Vietnam. The Communist Party is not Vietnams future, that future lies with Nguyen Van Dai and the many other advocates of political reform and human rights who seek our freedoms more than our trade. U.S. policy must send the unmistakable message to the Government of Vietnam that human rights improvements are fundamental to better relations, critically linked to our mutual economic and security interests, and will not be ignored or bargained away.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-passage-of-the-year-end-spending-bill,Lance Statement on Passage of the Year-End Spending Bill,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today released the following statement after the U.S. House passed the year-end omnibus spending bill, formally known as the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016:
I opposed the year-end spending agreement passed by the House today.
The measure does contain a number of provisions I support such as lifting the ban on crude oil exports, closing dangerous loopholes in the federal visa waiver program, providing critical healthcare benefits for 9/11 first responders and blocking several Obamacare provisions including my legislation stopping the taxpayer bailout of insurance companies through the Obamacare risk corridor program.
Most concerning to me is this legislation will reverse the hard-fought cuts in spending enacted by Congress in 2011 the first real cuts the federal government has seen in decades. If Congress is serious about reducing our Nations crippling deficits and debt then we must abide by these reasonable budget restraints.
Passage of the omnibus spending bill is a missed opportunity to repeal excessive regulations and replace misguided executive actions with common-sense conservative reforms that the American People support.
Finally, the annual congressional appropriations process is in a state of collapse. Americans are tired of Washingtons budget dysfunction and end-of-the-year fiscal scrambles where 2,000 page bills are cobbled together with only a few days to review. We must and can do better. We must have the courage to fix our broken budget process, return to regular order in 2016 and pass 12 separate appropriations bills one bill at a time.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/2nd-session-114th-congress-begins,2nd Session of 114th Congress Begins,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"2nd Session of 114th Congress Begins
Start:
January 5, 2016
End:
January 5, 2016
Dec 18, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1140,Frelinghuysen praises House approval of 9/11 First Responders Health Bill,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"Frelinghuysen praises House Approval of 9/11 First Responders Health Bill New Jersey Responders Benefit WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) today praised inclusion of the Zadroga Act into the must-pass Consolidated Appropriations Act approved by the House today. The Zadroga Act provides a long-term extension of the health care program for 9/11 first responders, including many from New Jersey, and others suffering from long-term health problems due to their work in Lower Manhattan in 2001 and 2002. Along with NYFD and other New York personnel, dozens of New Jerseys first responders worked in the recovery zone at Ground Zero that horrible day and thereafter, including the New Jersey Task Force One search and rescue team, said Frelinghuysen. The reauthorization of this long-term health program is very good news for our 9/11 heroes and their families. They deserve the very best medical care if they get sick. In 2010 Congress created, with Frelinghuysens support, the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) and the Victim Compensation Fund (VCF), two critical programs that provide medical monitoring, treatment, and compensation to first responders and survivors that have been found to have a higher incidence of certain illnesses and cancers due to exposure to toxins at Ground Zero. Today, the House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act. This bipartisan legislation reauthorizes the WTCHP for the next 75 years and the VCF through 2020, ensuring that New Jersey's bravest, who answered the call on that horrible day, continue to receive lifesaving medical treatment, said Frelinghuysen, the Vice-Chairman of the House Homeland Security Appropriations Committee. James Zadroga was a New York City Police Department(NYPD) officer who died of a respiratory diseasethat has been attributed to his participation in rescue and recovery operations in the rubble of the World Trade Center. He was the first NYPD officer whose death was attributed to exposure to his contact with toxic chemicals at Ground Zero. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1141,Frelinghuysen Hails House Passage of Omnibus Appropriations Act,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"Frelinghuysen Hails House Passage of Omnibus Appropriations Act Support for Armed Force, Intel Community Comprises Largest Funding Category WASHINGTON, D.C. Calling it absolutely critical for the national security of the United States, U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen today hailed passage of H.R. 2029, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for Fiscal 2016. The American people are justifiably concerned about their security, said Frelinghuysen, the chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. The defense section of this Omnibus Appropriations Act funds our troops, improves their readiness, allows our Armed Forces to conduct operations overseas and cares for military families and the wounded. It is a major component of the effort to keep America and Americans safe. The Omnibus legislation contains the fiscal year 2016 Defense Appropriations bill for the range of military activities which protect American interests around the globe. The bill includes funds to combat the real-world threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, to continue operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, and to combat other current and emerging threats to national security from Iran, Russia, North Korea and China. In total, the Defense portion of the Omnibus contains $514.1 billion in base discretionary funding, $23.9 billion above the fiscal year 2015 level. This bill also includes $58.6 billion in Global War on Terror/Overseas Contingency Operations (GWOT) funding. This level reflects the increased defense discretionary funding provided by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, which was enacted on November 2. +++++++++++++++ Ongoing Military Operations The bill contains $58.6 billion in GWOT/OCO funding for ongoing military operations abroad. This funding level will provide needed resources and training for our troops to conduct successful operations and fight our enemies around the globe. This includes funds to combat the threat presented by ISIL, train our Iraqi allies, continue combat operations in Afghanistan, reinforce European countries facing Russian aggression, support allies in the Middle East and Africa, and increase intelligence and surveillance capabilities. Military Personnel and Pay The legislation includes $129.2 billion to provide pay for 1,308,915 active-duty troops and 811,000 reserves. This funding level is $1.2 billion above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level. The bill fully funds the one percent pay raise for the military and provides $300 million above the request to address the housing allowance shortfall ensuring secure housing for all eligible troops and their families. Defense Health and Military Family Programs The bill contains $32.3 billion for the Defense Health Program to provide care for our troops, military families, and retirees. This is $260 million above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level, and includes a $1.1 billion increase above the Presidents request for important research on traumatic brain injury and psychological health, cancer, and suicide prevention outreach programs, among others. Operation and Maintenance The legislation includes $167.5 billion for operation and maintenance $5.8 billion above the fiscal year 2015 enacted level. Within this amount, priority is placed on key areas such as essential readiness programs to prepare our troops for combat and peacetime missions, flying hours, tank miles, steaming days, equipment and depot maintenance, and base operations. Of the funds provided by the bill for operation and maintenance, $609 million above the Presidents request is included to address shortfalls in military readiness, training, and depot maintenance ensuring that our troops are well prepared and supported to meet all current and emerging threats. The bill also includes $263.3 million for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response programs, and an additional $25 million to continue the expansion of the Sexual Assault Victims Counsel program to all military services. Research and Development The bill contains $69.8 billion for research, development, testing, and evaluation of new defense technologies, such as the Ohio Class Submarine replacement and the Long-Range Strike bomber. These efforts will help to advance the safety and success of current military operations and prepare our nation to meet a broad range of security threats in the future. Equipment Procurement The legislation provides a total of $111 billion for new equipment and upgrades. This funding is necessary to ensure our nations military readiness, and will provide the platforms, weapons, and other equipment our forces need to train, maintain our force, and to conduct successful operations. Some of these equipment purchases will include: 68 F-35 Joint-Strike Fighters 102 Blackhawk Helicopters 64 Remanufactured Apache Helicopters Three Littoral Combat Ships Two Attack Submarines Two DDG-51 Guided Missile Destroyers Seven EA-18G Growlers and five F-18E/F Super Hornets 12 KC-46 Tankers Guantanamo Bay The legislation prohibits funding for transfers of Guantanamo detainees to the U.S. or its territories, prohibits funding to modify or acquire any facility in the U.S. to house detainees, and places conditions on the release of detainees to other countries. These provisions are similar to the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1143,House Approves Funding for Highlands Conservation Act,2015-12-18,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"House Approves Funding for Highlands Conservation Act Washington, DC Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) praised the House of Representatives for including his request for funding for the Highlands Conservation Act as part of the Fiscal Year 2016Omnibus Appropriations Bill. Frelinghuysen, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, stated that $10 million for land acquisition, from willing sellers, in the Highlands region is included in the bill that was passed by the House today. To date, this is the highest number appropriated in any single year. Preserving the New Jersey Highlands should always be a federal priority. A major source of drinking water and in the most densely populated metropolitan area in the country, the Highlands is a critical area in need of protection. This appropriation shows just how well the Highlands Conservation Act has been working. The Act requires that every federal dollar be matched 100 percent by non-federal dollars. Over $17 million that has been previously appropriated has leveraged state, local, and private funds at a better than two-to-one ratio protecting more than 5,000 acres in the 4-state Highlands Region, said Frelinghuysen. The Highlands Conservation Act, which Frelinghuysen sponsored, was signed into law in 2004. This legislation directs critical funding to the Highlands region of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut. It is one of the last open space treasures in the most densely populated area of the United States. Overall, the region provides and protects drinking water supplies for 3.5 million New Jerseyans. Stressing local responsibility and public/private partnerships, the Highlands Conservation Act requires state and local governments from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut to identify willing sellers and prioritize land acquisition projects. -30-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398632,"Reauthorization of the Zadroga Act included in Omnibus LegislationSmith, cosponsor of House bill, says 9/11 1st Responders Deserve Maximum, Continued Support",2015-12-17,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The 2016 Omnibus resolution that will be voted on in the House Friday includes a critical provision to extend much-needed health care coverage for the brave men and women who participated in the rescue, recovery and clean-up of Ground Zero.
The men and women who responded to the horrific attacks did so with unparalleled courage and without hesitationconcerned only for the welfare of individuals in and around the World Trade Center, not for the potential that they may become sick years later, said Smith, an early and active supporter of establishing the program who has cosponsored the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Reauthorization Act (HR 1786) to permanently extend it. Enactment of this provision will solidify the commitment that we as a nation made to honor and remember the victims, their families, and first responders by ensuring they receive the care and treatment they need and have earned.
The World Trade Center Health Program, which expired at the end of September provides medical monitoring and healthcare coverage for the firefighters, police officers, and emergency response personnel from New York, New Jersey and around the country who responded to the 9/11 attacks. As a result of exposure to toxins and other hazards at the site, many have since experienced respiratory injuries and illnesses.
During one of the darkest times in our countrys history, our emergency responders reminded all Americans that when challenged, everyday men and women become heroes, Smith said. This reauthorization continues the tangible benefits now aiding them through their battles with these serious, and unfortunately often fatal, illnesses.
The legislation is named after James Zadroga, a New Jersey native who responded on 9/11 as a member of the New York City Police Department (NYPD). He died from a respiratory disease in 2006 at age 34 in his parents home in Little Egg Harbor Township in Ocean County.
The Omnibus bill also includes an extension of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (VCF, as expanded by the Zadroga Act) which provides compensation for economic losses experienced by responders who suffered physical illness or injury.
Smiths support for the Zadroga Act is one of the many actions he has taken as a consistent and effective supporter of programs and benefits for those who survived 9/11 as well as the thousands of family members who lost a loved one killed in the attack. He helped lead on several legislative initiatives including a timely tax relief package and the creation of the Victims Compensation Fund.He was the lead Republican in the effort to establish the independent investigation known as the 9/11 Commission and he chaired several hearings himself investigating what can and should be done to make America safer.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-passage-of-the-path-act-will-bring-stability-and-certainty-to-our,Lance: Passage of the PATH Act Will Bring Stability and Certainty to our Economy,2015-12-17,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today released the following statement after passage of H.R. 2029, theProtecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act of 2015:
The PATH Act delivers important taxrelief to millions of workingfamilies, small businesses and manufacturers by making a number of temporary taxprovisions permanent. Thelegislation would, among other things, postpone the onerous medical device tax for two years under Obamacare and make permanent thecritical research and development tax credittwo key victories for New Jerseys vibrant life sciences sector thatemploys thousands of Garden State residents and delivers billions of dollars to our state economy. Thebill also contains important bipartisan reforms to rein in the IRS and protect taxpayers from being targeted unfairly. Passage of the PATH Act will bring stability and certainty to our economy and lays the groundwork for enacting comprehensive tax reform in 2016.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-leads-letter-president-iran-s-nuclear-program,MacArthur Leads Letter to President on Irans Nuclear Program,2015-12-17,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Congressman Tom MacArthur today urged President Barack Obama to immediately restore all relevant sanctions on Irans nuclear program. MacArthur was joined by 14 House colleagues in this request.
Recently, Vladimir Putin announced that Russia has begun to deliver S-300 surface-to-air missiles to Iran in direct violation of the five year ban of offensive weapon sales included in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) agreed to in July. These missiles will expand Irans current capabilities and have the potential to shoot down an American, Israeli, or allied bombers.
In July, MacArthur opposed the JCPOA calling it a threat to the security of America, Israel and our allies in the Middle-East which does not end Irans nuclear program, but actually results in reduced pressure and less protection.
President Obama is ignoring another Iranian provocation and further endangering the US and our allies, said Congressman Tom MacArthur. We can never underestimate the resolve of a state sponsor of terror. The ink is barely dry on the agreement and Iran is already seeking to rearm. We must put an end to this before any harm comes to the United States, Israel and our allies in the Middle East.
###
Full text of the letter here",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398630,Smiths Bipartisan Stem Cell Bill Heads to the Presidents Desk,2015-12-16,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"With a unanimous show of support, U.S. Rep. Chris Smiths legislation, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2820), cleared its final hurdle and is on its way to the President for signature and enactment.
Smith and lead co-sponsor Rep. Doris Matsui shepherded the bill through the House last summer with the support of Reps. David Jolly (R-FL) and Chaka Fattah (D-PA), and worked with Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Richard Burr (R-NC) and Al Franken (D-MN) who championed the bill in the Senate, making helpful modifications and sending it back to the House for one final vote of approval.
As adopted by both chambers, H.R. 2820 now ensures that two collaborative programs that support treatment and therapies derived from adult stem cell lines will continue to receive funding through 2020. Under the legislation, the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program will be authorized for five years at $30 million annually, while the National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI) is authorized at $23 million annually for a 5 year period.Smith authored the original law (The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005P.L. 109-129) that created the national cord blood program and expanded the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program.
It is incredibly timely to reauthorize this life-giving program during this gift-giving time of year, Smith said. Americans willing to give the gift of life to others are at the heart of the success of this program. In reauthorizing it we are grateful for the adult donors willing to provide bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells, as well as mothers who donate their childs cord blood through public cord blood banks.
Passage of the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act provides hope to the thousands of Americans and their families who suffer from painful and potentially life-threatening blood cancer or other bone marrow disorders, said Congresswoman Matsui. The Be the Match National Registry makes possible life-saving transplants by connecting patients with donors, and funding the services and research needed to eradicate these devastating diseases.
First passed in 2005, the original legislation established a nationwide integrated bone marrow and cord blood stem cell transplantation program. Stem cells derived from cord blood and bone marrow have been used successfully to treat tens of thousands of patients with such diseases as leukemia, sickle cell anemia and genetic disorders. The enactment of H.R. 2820 will continue to build these donor networks, thus enabling more people to have access to these lifesaving treatments.
""It remains one of the best kept secrets in America that umbilical cord blood stem cells and adult stem cells in general are curing people of a myriad of terrible conditions and diseases in adults as well as children. Cord blood, what was once seen as medical waste, is now making miracles, Smith said.
There are 13 public banks contracted through NCBI, including the New Jersey Cord Blood Bank which collects cord blood from five participating hospitals. The New Jersey Cord Blood Bank, part of Community Blood Services in Montvale, has approximately 7,000 cord blood units in storage and has shipped 300 units to transplant centers for treatment.
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) estimates that every year about 12,600 people depend on the programs made available by this law to find an unrelated adult marrow donor or cord blood unit for treatment.
Today, Americans have access to more than 12 million adult volunteer donors and 209,000 cord blood units through the national registry, known as Be The Match. Transplants involving these adult stem cells are often the only hope for patients battling fatal blood cancers and other bone marrow disorders and conditions. Since the inception of the registry, the Program has successfully facilitated 68,000 transplants.
Importantly, during consideration in the Senate HELP Committee, language was added to direct the relevant agencies to study the state of science using adult stem cells and birthing tissues to develop new therapies for patients. Smith said Last year I visited Celgene Corporation of Summit, New Jersey to learn of their extraordinary efforts to use cord blood to heal diabetic foot ulcers and how theyve turned amniotic membranean old placentainto wound management that has now advanced past stage three clinical trials to the approval and regulatory filings stage.
Breathtaking scientific breakthroughs have turned medical wastepost birth placentas and umbilical cord bloodinto medical miracles treating more than 70 diseases including leukemia, lymphoma and sickle cell anemia, said Smith. Not only has God in His wisdom and goodness created a placenta and umbilical cord to nurture and protect the precious life of an unborn child, but now we know that another gift awaits us immediately after birth. Something very special is left behindcord blood that is teeming with lifesaving stem cells.
Original House cosponsors David Jolly (R-FL) and Chaka Fattah also joined in celebration of the bills passage. Representative Jolly said, I applaud my colleagues in the House and Senate for approving this bipartisan legislation that reauthorizes the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation program and the National Cord Blood Inventory through fiscal year 2020. These programs have saved tens of thousands of lives and continue to make key advances in marrow and cord blood transplantations that increase survival rates and expand the number of diseases for which marrow transplantation is a cure.I urge the President to sign this important, life-saving measure right away.
Representative Fattah said, Evolving research tells us that bone marrow and cord blood transplants continue to be effective treatments for a number of diseases and disorders, but in order for this to be truly successful, we must ensure that access to the national registry is expanded and there are readily available donor databases for those patients in need. The passage of this legislation will now ensure these steps happen and will ultimately save lives as a result. This issue has been a longstanding priority for me, and I am proud Congress has voted overwhelmingly to reauthorize the critical funding for these two programs.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-amendments-prohibiting-base-closures-and-retirement-kc-10,MacArthur Amendments Prohibiting Base Closures and Retirement of the KC-10 Included in 2016 Government Funding Bill,2015-12-16,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Congressman MacArthurs amendments prohibiting base closures and the retirement of the KC-10 were today included in the 2016 government funding bill.
""The KC-10 is critically important not only to our military's air mobility and readiness, but to the survival of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and the 40,000 New Jersey residents employed there,"" said Congressman MacArthur. ""Our fight for the KC-10 and the Joint Base began in January, and Im so pleased our hard work has paid off with written protections preventing a future base closure as well as the retirement of the KC-10 in our nations defense bill and the 2016 government funding bill.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-applauds-protections-911-first-responders,MacArthur Applauds Protections for 9/11 First Responders,2015-12-16,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Congressman MacArthur applauds protections for 9/11 first responders included in the 2016 government funding bill.
Congressman MacArthur was working in New York City at the time of the terrorist attacks and saw first-hand what first responders sacrificed in the line of duty.
The 2016 government funding bill includes a five-year extension of 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund (VCF) and reauthorization of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act through 2090.
When we said never forget, we meant it, said Congressman MacArthur. The heroes of 9/11 risked their lives and offered care in our nations time of need and they must not be forgotten. The James L. Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act will provide medical monitoring and treatment for 9/11 first responders and victims. Across the country, 9/11 responders and survivors are suffering from conditions caused by their exposure at Ground Zero and they deserve a program that delivers results our heroes will not be forgotten.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-honors-women-s-suffrage-alice-paul-congressional-gold-medal,MacArthur Honors Womens Suffrage with Alice Paul Congressional Gold Medal Act,2015-12-16,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Congressman Tom MacArthur today announced that he had introduced H.R. 4204, the Alice Paul Congressional Gold Medal Act, to posthumously award a Congressional gold medal to Alice Paul, in recognition of her role in the womens suffrage movement and in advancing equal rights for women.
Alice Paul was born on January, 11, 1885, in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, and died on July 9, 1977. Alice Paul dedicated her life to securing suffrage and equal rights for all women and, as founder of the National Womans Party, she was instrumental in the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Few residents of South Jersey have had a greater impact on American history than Alice Paul, said Congressman Tom MacArthur. Alice Pauls tireless dedication and courage paved the way for future generations guaranteeing all American women the right to vote. Alice Paul is an example to all Americans of what one individual can do to make a difference for millions of people. I am proud to recognize her tireless efforts to give a voice to women in our democracy and abroad.
Alice Paul was a courageous suffragist who dedicated her life to advancing womens rights in nearly every aspect of American society, said Representative Kathleen Rice. Im proud to join Representative MacArthur in cosponsoring this bipartisan bill honoring a hero from our region who championed efforts to secure womens right to vote and legal protections against gender-based discrimination.
""On behalf of Sewall-Belmont, I'm very proud that this legislation has been introduced to honor a true American hero,"" said Page Harrington the museum's Executive Director. ""Too often women's history is forgotten, and the women who contributed to further perfecting our democracy are left out of the history books. I believe this Congressional Medal will help us to elevate the status of Alice Paul, the National Woman's Party, and the tireless work of so many women who contributed to womens suffrage and equal rights progress, returning her memory and that of others back into the public conversation.""
Lucienne Beard, Executive Director of the Alice Paul Institute which is based at Pauls birthplace in New Jersey, remarked, HR 4204, the Alice Paul Congressional Gold Medal Act, is a fitting tribute to Alice Pauls lifelong work for legal equality for all Americans. She is truly a champion of the rights expressed in our Constitution.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-knocks-out-internet-access-tax,Lance Knocks Out Internet Access Tax,2015-12-11,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.--- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07), member of the Energy and Commerce Communications & Technology Subcommittee, today joined a strong bipartisan House majority in passing a permanent extension of the Internet Tax Freedom Act forever forbidding states and localities from taxing customers for access to the Internet.
Taxing Internet access punishes the student working on an assignment, the job seeker posting a resume and everyday people accessing e-mail and other online activity, said Lance. Taxing access to the Internet will needlessly stifle economic activity. The heavy hand of government does not tax customers for window shopping and visiting stores. Enactment of a permanent moratorium on Internet access taxes will allow American consumersand small businesses to continue to thrive in the digital economy.
The Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act passed as part of H.R. 644, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act, and permanently renews the ban on Internet access taxes. If not renewed, consumers could see Internet access taxes imposed by many jurisdictions eager to raise revenue from the lapsed statute.
A tax on internet access would burden the millions of Americans who rely on the Internet every day. Americans must be assured they will never be taxed just for going online, concluded Lance.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398628,"***On Human Rights Day***Smith Urges Visa Ban Targeting Chinese Officials Complicit in Forced Abortions",2015-12-10,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) and Senator Marco Rubio (FL), the Chair and Co-Chair of the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), sent a letter today to President Obama asking him to enforce existing U.S. law and implement visa bans against Chinese officials complicit in the brutal enforcement of forced abortions or forced sterilizations.
Smith and Rubio said that there has been a glaring lack of implementation of visa ban legislation and requested that the President provide a roadmap to ensure that [the] law is faithfully implemented.Click here to read the letter.
President Obama has not once spoken out against Chinas coercive population control policies, though it would have been widely applauded by the Chinese people who deeply hate the policy, said Smith. This issue is not one of pro-life vs. pro-choice, but of violence carried out against women and couples by officials of Chinas Family Planning Commission and sanctioned by Chinese government policy.For more than three decades, Chinese officials have carried out massive crimes against humanity, condemning millions of Chinese woman and girls to abortion, infanticide, abandonment, or human trafficking.Not using existing law is a gross failure of the Obama administration.
Congressman Smith authored the Admiral Nance and Meg Donovan Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 2000 and 2001 (Public Law 106-113) which gave both the Obama and Bush administrations the power to deny U.S. entry visas to Chinese officials complicit in forced abortion, forced sterilization, and extensive intrusions into family life. This authority has rarely been used.
At a CECC hearing held last week, Members of Congress learned that police state population control efforts continued, despite the October 2015 announcements by the Communist Party that married Chinese couples may be allowed to have two children.One witness recounted how her husbands government job was threatened unless she underwent an abortion, saying such threats remain commonplace in China.She is currently living in hiding until her child is born.Another witness testified to an extensive system of monitoring and control by Chinas Family Planning Commission which still coercively enforces birth restrictions.
After the hearing, Smith and Rubio sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry asking for information about the State Departments implementation of the Girls Count Act, which was passed in Congress with broad bipartisan support and signed into law by President Obama on June 12, 2015. The law would make the protection of children a priority, particularly the regarding the marginalization and exploitation of girls, by assisting China with birth registries and a variety of programs intended to raise the legal and financial status of girls in order to help address the cultural and financial rationale for sex-selective abortionsa massive problem in China, where an estimated 40 million girls are missing from the population because birth restriction policies lead Chinese families to abort the girl child. Click here to read the letter to Secretary Kerry.
On Human Rights Day we must remember our responsibility to protect the most vulnerable. There is existing U.S. law that can help protect Chinese woman and children from the violence of Chinas draconian population control policies, but the law is not being implemented by the Obama Administration, said Smith.Sanctioning Chinese officials who brutally carry out Chinas population control policies will send a clear signal that the international community condemns forced abortion and sterilizations and that no one responsible for these horrific practices will ever benefit from access to the United States.
The bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) chaired by Smith and co-chaired by Senator Rubio recently released its 2015 Annual Report, which shows that Chinese provincial governments continued to coercively enforce birth restrictions and monitor family size in the past year. The report also showed that population control policies created a sex ratio imbalance resulting in the birth of significantly more males, millions of whom will be unable to find wives.The severe imbalance drives regional human trafficking throughout Asia for the purposes of forced marriage and sexual exploitation. The CECC Annual Report can be found at www.cecc.gov.
The CECC consists of nine bi-partisan Senators, eight bi-partisan Members of the House of Representatives, and five senior Administration officials appointed by the President. The Annual Report was approved unanimously by all of the CECCs members.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-letter-to-the-president-postpone-any-iran-sanction-relief,Lance To President: Tehrans Ballistic Missile Tests Violates Nuke Deal,2015-12-10,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) sent aletterto President Barack Obama today calling for postponement of any sanction relief by the United States following reports that Iran carried out another test of a new medium range ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. Lance called on the United Nations to investigate these incidences and for the Joint Comprehensive Plan ofAction (JCPOA) to be put on hold until the world community knows the facts behind the missile launches.
Moving forward with the implementation of the JCPOA and failing to hold Iran accountable to its global obligations will only invite more violations from Tehran and potentially endanger the national security of United States and its allies, wrote Lance in his letter.
Lance, who co-chairs the House Republican Israel Caucus, voted against the nuclear deal with Iran known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) citing Irans long history of antagonism, human rights abuses and ties to global terrorism. Lance also raised concerns about secret side agreements worked outside of public scrutiny and billions of dollars in sanction relief before Iran meets a single obligation. These ballistic missile tests only further question Irans sincerity to the deal negotiated by the Obama Administration.
In light of these blatant Iranian transgressions I urge you to delay further implementation of the JCPOA and postpone any sanction relief until the United Nations investigates these violations, Lance emphasized.
Letter text:
December 10, 2015
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
On November 21, 2015 Iran reportedly carried out a test of a new medium range ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear warhead. This launch comes more than a month after a well-publicized firsttest of a ballistic missile on October 10, 2015.
These actions are in clear violation of United Nations Security Council-passed resolutions 2231 and 1929 that compel Iran to refrain from any work on ballistic missiles foreight years and ban the Islamic Republic from conducting all ballistic missile tests. They also come on the heels of a recent report from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that found Iran had been working on nuclear weapons technology until at least 2009.
Irans behavior is not only in direct contravention of two UN resolutions but also Measure #28 of the Joint Comprehensive Plan ofAction (JCPOA), which states clearly that Iran and the E3/EU+3 will commit toimplementing the JCPOA ingood faith and in a constructive atmosphere, based on mutual respect, and to refrain from any action inconsistent with the letter, spirit and intent of this JCPOAthat would undermine its successful implementation.
In light of these blatant Iranian transgressions I urge you to delay further implementation of the JCPOA and postpone any sanction relief until the United Nations investigates these violations.
Moving forward with the implementation of the JCPOA and failing to hold Iran accountable to its global obligations will only invite more violations from Tehran and potentially endanger the national security of United States and its allies.
Thank you for your attention to this critical matter.
Sincerely,
Leonard Lance
Member of Congress
Seventh District, New Jersey",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398617,"Christian & Yezidi Genocide in Syrian, Iraq Focus of House Hearing",2015-12-09,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Several experts testifying on Capitol Hill today labeled the brutal campaign against Christians, Yezidis and others in Syria and Iraq genocide and called on the Obama Administration to declare it as such and provide the greater humanitarian actions and other relief genocide demands.
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the house panel that oversees global human rights said todays hearing focused on the plight of persecuted religious minorities in Syria and Iraq, which constitutes genocide, and the failure of much of the international community to live up to their pledges of humanitarian assistancefactors which push refugees to Europe and beyond. He said witnesses cited widespread violence targeting religious minorities such as Christians and Yezidis (a non-Islamic religious minority) in territory controlled by ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
Each day, our newspapers, magazines, radios and television screens are filled with images of people fleeing territory controlled by the Islamic jihadist group known as the Islamic State of al-Sham, or ISIS, said Smith at the House hearing he chaired of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations. More than half of the 635,000 refugees an estimated 53 percent in Europe are from Syria alone, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees or UNHCR, Smith said. The crisis has become the largest displacement crisis in the world, with 3.8 million people having fled to Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt, in addition to those internally displaced. Click here to read his opening remarks.
Smith noted that while violence plays a major role in the impetus of Syrians to leave their homes, the UNHCR has said perhaps the main trigger for flight is the humanitarian funding shortfall. In recent months, for example, the World Food Programme (WFP) cut its program by 30 percent, and the current Syrian Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan for 2015 is only 41 percent funded. The UNHCR expects to receive just 47 percent of the funding it needs for Syria over the next year.
Testifying at the hearing were: Gregory Stanton, President of Genocide Watch; Bishop Francis Kalabat, Chaldean Catholic Eparchy of Saint Thomas the Apostle of Detroit, who recently visited the area; Mirza Ismail, Chairman of the Yezidi Human Rights Organization International, who also recently visited the area; Carl A. Anderson, Supreme Knight, Knights of Columbus, which has been raising funds to meet the humanitarian needs of targeted minorities in ISIS territory; and Noah Gottschalk, Senior Policy Advisor for Humanitarian Response at Oxfam America. After the hearing their testimonies can be found by clicking here.
President Stanton stated in his testimony entitled Weak Words Are Not Enough, that Failure to call ISIS mass murder of Christians, Muslims, and other groups in addition to Yazidis by its proper name genocide would be an act of denial as grave as U.S. refusal to recognize the Rwandan genocide in 1994. He also said the crimes of ISIS are the greatest threat to civilization since Nazism and Stalinist and Maoist Communism. Like those movements, ISIS has a millenarian, utopian ideology that turns mass murder into an ideological duty, and worse, a religious virtue.
In his testimony, Bishop Kalabat testified that the thousands of displaced Christians whose plight has gone unrecognized by the Obama administration.
There are more than 150,000 Iraqi Christians who are now displaced in northern Iraq or are refugees in other countries such as Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey who are being victimized by the Obama administration in not recognizing their suffering, Kalabat said. There are countless Christian villages in Syria who have been taken over by ISIS and have encountered genocide and the Obama administration refuses to recognize their plight. Again I say, shame on you.
Chairman Ismail said he came to Congress to seek support to prevent the annihilation by ISIS of his people, the Yezidis, and of the Chaldo-Assyrian Christians in Iraq and Syria.
We are an ancient and proud people from the heart of Mesopotamia, the birth place of civilization and the birth place of many of the worlds religions, Ismail said. And here we are today, in 2015, on the verge of annihilation. In response to our suffering, around the World there is profound, obscene silence. We Yezidis are considered Infidels in the eyes of Muslims, and so they are encouraged to kill, rape, enslave, and convert us.
Supreme Knight Anderson said Syrian Christians and other vulnerable minorities are disproportionately excluded from the U.S. Syrian Refugee Resettlement Program due to reliance on a functionally discriminatory UN program.
Christians fear taking shelter in the camps of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) because of religiously motivated violence and intimidation inside the camps, Anderson said. The U.S. State Department publicly acknowledge that genocide is taking place against the Christian communities of Iraq and Syria, including in its anticipated pending statement on genocide that, according to reports, refers only to Ninevehs Yazidi community.
The United States is rightly viewed as the worlds leading defender of vulnerable minorities, and it is critically important that the State Department consider the best available evidence before issuing a statement that would exclude Christians, said Anderson.
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398624,"China Commission Chair, Human Rights Advocates Hold Press Conf.:Five Years After Winning Nobel Peace Prize, Liu Xiaobo Remains Imprisoned",2015-12-09,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"On the eve of Human Rights Day, Congressman Smith and Chinese human rights leaders gathered to call for the release of Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo, who remains in prison and whose wife, Liu Xia, remains detained and isolated in arbitrary detention.
An empty chair at the press conference in the House Rayburn Building symbolized Lius absence. It was reminiscent of an empty chair that was also present at the ceremony where Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize 2010 in Oslo, Norway.
China is in a race to the bottom with North Korea for the title of worlds worst violators of human rights,said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), the Chairman of the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), Congressman Chris Smith. The hope that an economically prosperous and rising China would embrace political reform and human rights has been destroyed. It is time for a new approach. We will not forget Liu Xiaobo or his wife. The CECC remains committed to seeking their release from confinement and detention. We will not forget them next year, or the year thereafterregardless of the circumstancesor how uncomfortable it makes the Chinese government. Click here to read Smith's opening statement.
Smith said that President Obama and his Administration has not done enough to secure Liu Xiaobos release: He is certainly not as clear and tough on the issue of political prisoners as he is on cyber-security issues or environmental issues with China, Smith said. That the President, a fellow Nobel Laureate, has been reluctant to raise these cases in publicand link them to better U.S.-China relationsis certainly perceived as weakness by Chinas leaders. Diplomatic efforts have not lead to Liu Xiaobos release, and the group asked that President Obama and other world leaders renew efforts to publically and privately seek the Lius release.
Sen. Marco Rubio, Co-Chair of the CECC, noted that this week marks the five-year anniversary of Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobos award of the Nobel Peace Prize.
The anniversary aptly coincides with International Human Rights Day when the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which China was not only a signatory but also an original drafter, Rubio said. Enshrined in the document are a variety of rights and protections to include freedom from arbitrary arrest, freedom of expression, freedom of religion and conscience and freedom of movement. Sadly these God-given rights remain elusive for millions of Chinese citizens including Liu, said Rubio.
Attending the press conference was:
Chen Guangcheng, Distinguished Fellow in Human Rights, Simon Center on Religion and the Constitution, Witherspoon Institute, and the Distinguished Visiting Fellow, Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies, Catholic University. Chen is a Chinese legal advocate and activist who escaped from China in 2012;
Fang Zheng, President, Chinese Democracy Education Foundation, the president of Chinese Democracy Education Foundation. He is a former student protester who was seriously injured during the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. During the evacuation of the Square in the early morning of June 4, Fang was run over by a Peoples Liberation Army tank, which led to the amputation of both his legs.
Dr. Yang Jianli, President, Initiatives for China/ Citizen Power for China. Dr. Yang Jianli is a scholar and democracy activist internationally recognized for his efforts to promote democracy in China. He has been involved in the pro-democracy movement in China since the 1980s and was forced to flee China in 1989 after the Tiananmen Square massacre. In 2002, Dr. Yang returned to China to support the labor movement and was imprisoned by Chinese authorities for espionage and illegal entry. He was released in 2007.
The bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) chaired by Smith and co-chaired by Senator Rubio recently released its 2015 Annual Report, which concludes that the government of President Xi Jinping has staged an extraordinary assault on the rule of law, human rights, ethnic minority groups, and civil society in recent years. The report also provides evidence that the Chinese government continues to coercively enforce birth restrictions and monitor family size in the past year. Chinas population control policies created a sex ratio imbalance resulting in the birth of significantly more males, millions of whom will be unable to find wives.The severe imbalance drives regional human trafficking throughout Asia for the purposes of forced marriage and sexual exploitation. The CECC Annual Report can be found at www.cecc.gov.
The CECC consists of nine bi-partisan Senators, eight bi-partisan Members of the House of Representatives, and five senior Administration officials appointed by the President. The Annual Report was approved unanimously by all of the CECCs members.
We must show leadership and resolve because only the U.S. has the power and prestige to stand up to Chinas intransigence, Smith said. The U.S. must not shy away from meeting with the Dalai Lama or other dissidents. We must use visa bans on Chinese officials who violate human rights. We need to connect Internet and press freedoms as both economic and human rights priorities. And we must demand, repeatedly and clearly, that the unconditional release of political prisoners is in the interest of better U.S.-China relations.
I believe that someday China will be free. Someday, the people of China will be able to enjoy all of their God-given rights. And a nation of free Chinese men and women will honor and celebrate Liu Xiaobo as a hero. He will be honored along with all others like him who have sacrificed so much, and so long, for freedom, Smith said.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-recognized-for-cancer-work,Lance Recognized for Cancer Work,2015-12-09,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) has been named a Leader in Cancer Prevention by The Prevent Cancer Foundation. The Prevent Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the mission of saving lives through cancer prevention and early detection. Its Leader in Cancer Prevention award recognizes contributions to cancer prevention and early detection through legislation, advocacy or education.
Cancer was the great public health challenge of the 20th century and countless people work every day toward a 21st century that is cancer free. The doctors, medical professionals, scientists and researchers, advocates and survivors and their loved ones are the heroes of cancer care. I am proud to be their voice in Washington and together we will continue these efforts until we find a cure, said Lance, who lost his mother 50 years ago to cancer.
Carolyn Aldig, President and Founder of the Prevent Cancer Foundation, praised Lance. Under Congressman Lances leadership, we have been able to create real change so fewer families face the challenges of cancer diagnoses or the devastation of losing loved ones to these diseases. The Congressional Leaders in Cancer Prevention have introduced and supported critical cancer prevention legislation, served as messengers to their communities and been strong champions of cancer research, funding, education and outreach.
The Prevent Cancer Foundations goal is to reduce mortality from all preventable cancers by encouraging healthy behaviors, making health education and prevention and early-detection services more accessible to all communities and advocating for prevention based research. The Foundation cited several Lance achievements for the award:
Passage of the 21st Century Cures Act legislation that creates a National Institute of Health Innovation Fund, opens the innovation pipeline enabling biomedical innovation to come to the market faster and streamlines the regulatory process.
Passage of the FDA Safety Over Sequestration Act legislation which exempts Food and Drug Administration user fees from sequestration and puts those resources back for the approval of drugs and medical devices.
Passage of the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act legislation that requires the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to develop a long-term strategic plan for developing better treatments and potential cures for the deadliest of cancers, such as pancreatic and lung cancers.
Passage of the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act legislation that directs millions of dollars to support research into childhood cancer and other pediatric diseases and disorders.
Authoring the bipartisan Breast Cancer Patient Education Act a bill that will require that patients be informed of the availability and coverage of breast reconstruction and prostheses.
Authoring the bipartisan MODDERN Cures Act a bill that will update the drug evaluation process to encourage the discovery and development of new treatments for rare diseases and cancers.
Authoring the bipartisan Cancer Drug Coverage Parity Act a bill that ensures cancer patients affordable access to life-saving drug treatment.
Authoring the bipartisan Lymphedema Treatment Act a bill that will improve coverage for the treatment of lymphedema from any cause by allowing for coverage of compression supplies.
Founding the Congressional Life Science Caucus a caucus for lawmakers to advocate for issues important to the life science community.
Founding the Congressional Deadliest Cancers Caucus a caucus will raise awareness about the deadliest forms of cancers and advocate for research and other measures to increase survival.
Leading a bipartisan letter urging the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to protect access to life-saving colorectal cancer screenings.
Leading a bipartisan effort to renew aid to 9/11 first responders and survivors reauthorizing the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act will provide medical treatment and compensation to first responders, rescue workers and survivors who have been sickened or injured at Ground Zero, the Pentagon and Shanksville.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-acts-protect-911-memorial-and-first-responders,MacArthur Acts to Protect 9/11 Memorial and First Responders,2015-12-09,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Congressman MacArthur today continued calls to protect and preserve the 9/11 memorial and reauthorize the James L. Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act.
MacArthur introduced The National 9/11 Memorial at the World Trade Center Act to support the 9/11 Memorial Foundation and guarantee the sacred site will always be a safe and free place of remembrance open to all.
On Saturday, Congressman MacArthur visited the 9/11 memorial at the World Trade Center in New York and spoke about his 9/11 legislation and continued calls to reauthorize the James L. Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The Zadroga Act would reauthorize an expiring health care program that provides medical monitoring and treatment for 9/11 first responders and reauthorize a victims compensation fund for five years.
The tragic events of September 11, 2001, changed our lives forever, said Congressman MacArthur. Nearly 3,000 Americans lost their lives while thousands of first responders and law enforcement officials answered the call to save fellow Americans. A federal recognition for the 9/11 memorial will solidify its standing and recognize the endurance of the survivors, the bravery of those who risked their lives to save others, and the power of our free nation to overcome evil with good.
MacArthur continued, While we pledge to memorialize those we have lost, we must never forget the brave men and women who remain. Across the country, 9/11 responders and survivors are suffering from conditions caused by their exposure at Ground Zero and they deserve a fully-funded and permanent health compensation program.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-proud-join-fight-veterans-healthcare,MacArthur Proud to Join Fight for Veterans Healthcare,2015-12-09,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Congressman Tom MacArthur today cosponsored legislation to give Americas veterans faster and better access to quality health care outside the problem-plagued Veterans Health Administration. The Veterans Freedom of Healthcare Act was introduced by Representative Donald Norcross (NJ-01) and has the supportof Republicans, Democrats, local veterans organizations and health care providers.
The Act would allow Americas heroes to use their VA benefits at the health care provider of their choice, like a doctor in their own town, instead of having to travel to a different city or state for an appointment.
Our veterans deserve access to quality care anytime, anywhere,"" said Congressman Tom MacArthur. ""Our current system limits veterans to particular hospitals or clinics and doesnt give our nations heroes the best care available. There are far too many veterans waiting months to be seen by a healthcare professional within the VA system and its an absolute travesty. This bill would give our veterans the choice to seek medical care outside of the VA system and improve access and quality for every individual that has served our nation. I am proud to join Congressman Norcross in the pursuit of bipartisan solutions to ensure South Jersey veterans have access to the high quality care they deserve.
Our veterans didnt wait to answer the call of duty to serve and protect our freedoms. They shouldnt have to wait for quality health care. They deserve the freedom to choose their own health care provider, said Rep. Donald Norcross. Many of these veterans didnt have the choice when it came to military service. Now, they deserve a choice. A choice of where they wish to go for health care, and when. And by the best caregivers America can provide. I share Congressman MacArthurs commitment to ensuring our heroes get the care theyve earned through their service to our country.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398607,"Concerns Raised about Drug Resistant TB; UN Special Envoy, CDC, USAID Come before House PanelSmith Chairs Hearing on Global TB Report, Warns of Health Danger",2015-12-08,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The threat of an emerging crisis of a multi-drug resistant tuberculosis around the world was the topic of a hearing Tuesday by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), head of the House Foreign Affairs Global Health Subcommittee, who convened a hearing on Drug Resistant Tuberculosis: The Next Global Health Crisis.
Smiths subcommittee heard testimony from three witnesses who are among the worlds leading experts on combatting TB: United Nations Special Envoy Dr. Eric Goosby; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Dr. Tom Frieden, and; USAIDs top medical expert, Dr. Ariel Pablos-Mendez. Smith warned that not enough attention is being paid to eradicating tuberculosis (TB)a contagious airborne disease which killed 1.5 million people last yeartwice the number of deaths of Ebola in West Africa.
Our next great global public health crisis may very well be multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, Smith said.Just as Ebola surprised many at the ferocity with which it spread, I am concerned that the world is not prepared to meet the threat from this highly contagious airborne disease which killed 1.5 million people last year alone. Click here to read Smith opening remarks.
The United States, the CDC reports there were 555 deaths from TB in 2013, the most recent year for which these data are available. This is an 8 percent increase from the 510 TB deaths in 2012. Overall, the number of TB deaths reported annually has decreased by 67 percent since 1992, its recent historical peak. Occasional outbreaks such as those at a Kansas high school this year, and in Jacksonville, Fla. in 2012 have occurred.
These experts have spoken on the need for proactive vigilance.A sustained focus on tuberculosis prevention today will save lives and money tomorrow, helping people the world over as well protecting the homeland from what otherwise could become a global pandemic, said Smith.
Dr. Eric Goosby briefed congressional members that TB is the number one infectious disease killer in the world, surpassing HIV/AIDS. In this case, being number one is not an achievement there is no trophy for taking more lives than any other disease. Click here to read Dr. Goosbys opening remarks.
Goosby, who was the US Global AIDS Coordinator before assuming his UN post, pointed to a new World Health Organization report on global TB, released on October 28, which estimated that last year some 480,000 people developed multi-drug resistant TB (MDR TB), which is far harder to treat. Some 10 percent of multidrug-resistant cases are extremely drug resistant, according to the WHO report.
CDCs Frieden remarked that the spread of MDR TB is a global health security concern worldwide, threatening decades of progress in TB prevention and control. He added that even in countries with low TB rates, such drug resistant cases can strain the public health system. The problem is even greater in vulnerable nations, where CDC is helping such nations build core public health competencies. Click here to read Dr. Friedens opening remarks.
New data released this fall by the WHO shows that tuberculosis is now the leading infectious killer in the world, Dr. Pablos-Mendez said. Each day, more than 4,100 individuals die, each week, more than 28,000more than twice the total number of deaths from Ebola in West Africa since the outbreak beganand each year, 1.5 million succumb to this preventable disease. In 2014, approximately 9.6 million people developed TB, including 3.2 million women and 1 million children. Pablos-Mendez testified that TB affects individuals in the most economically productive age groups and is one of the top five causes of death among women of reproductive age. TB predominantly affects the poorest and most vulnerable, and approximately 95 percent of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries, he said. Click here to read Dr. Pablos-Mendez opening remarks.
The hearing attracted bipartisan support, with the co-Chair of the House Tuberculosis Elimination Caucus, Rep. Eliot Engel of New York, joining the members of the subcommittee.
Smith finished by stressing a positive note, saying We can eliminate TB, just as we have successfully fought polio. It takes political will, however, and an investment of resources that will pay dividends in the long run.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398608,"***House Hearing Set for Weds. Dec 9*** Targeting & Neglect of Religious Minorities in ISIS-Controlled Territory Focus of House Hearing Weds. Dec 9",2015-12-08,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"What some believe amounts to genocide against religious and ethnic groups living in areas of Syria and Iraq now controlled by the Islamic State of al-Sham, also known as ISIS, was the topic of a House hearing of the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations chaired by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04).
Fulfilling the Humanitarian Imperative: Assisting Victims of ISIS Violence, is the title of the hearing set to be held on Wednesday Dec. 9. Who: Chairman Chris Smith, and other members of the House subcommittees, and witnesses:
Gregory H. Stanton, Ph.D., President of Genocide Watch
The Most Rev. Bishop Francis Kalabat, Chaldean Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle in America
Mirza Ismail, Founder and Chairman, of Yezidi Human Rights Organization-International
Patrick Kelly, Vice President for Public Policy, Knights of Columbus
What: Congressional hearing on ISIS victims
When: Wednesday, Dec. 9 at 2 p.m.
Where: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2255 (second floor)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-backs-tightening-visa-waivers,Lance Backs Tightening Visa Waivers,2015-12-08,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today rallied his colleagues to support H.R. 158, the Visa Waiver Program Improvement Act, a measure he cosponsored which will strengthen the visa-waiver program to help prevent foreign terrorists from entering the United States. The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the measure 407-19.
Passing H.R. 158 will close a dangerous loophole that we know terrorists will exploit to carry acts of terror here in the United States. Terrorists such as September 11ths 20thhijacker Zacarias Moussaoui and shoe-bomber Richard Reid both used the Visa Waiver Program to enter the United States. We must be more vigilant in the face of these great threats, Lance said during debate on the House Floor. This legislation comes at a critical time. The heinous acts of terror and mass murder perpetrated in Paris and San Bernardino demonstrate the alarming strength and reach of ISIS and its allies. This threat is certainty not contained and our fight against radical jihadists at home and abroad must be the Nations most pressing issue.
H.R. 158 strengthens the rules for an the program that permits foreign nations to enter the United State with little scrutiny:
Mandates the Secretary of Homeland Security suspend participation of countries in the Visa Waiver Program if they do not share terrorism and foreign traveler data with the U.S;
Directs that the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) be a counterterrorism tool and requires DHS to consider including additional information pertaining to terrorism threats to better screen foreign travelers;
Requires an annual threat assessment conducted by the Director of National Intelligence and DHS to assess information sharing between Visa Waiver Program countries and the U.S;
Requires an annual intelligence assessment conducted by the Director of National Intelligence and DHS to assess airport, passport and travel document standards;
Directs DHS to report, within 30 days, on what additional data might be necessary to improve ESTA as a counterterrorism tool to screen travelers.
The measure heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-house-eyes-strong-refugee-measures,Lance: House eyes strong refugee measures,2015-12-08,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"The details that have been reported from the investigation into what occurred in San Bernardino have suggested that the attack was premeditated and thoroughly planned by ISIS-inspirited terrorists. Our fight against radical jihadists at home and abroad is the Nations most pressing issue and the House of Representatives is immediately taking action.
A measure I cosponsored, H.R. 158, theVisa Waiver Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act, will shortly be considered by the House as we work to strengthen the Visa Waiver Program to help prevent foreign terrorists from entering the United States. There are growing concerns about the ability of terrorists to use our visa waiver programs, which allow individuals from 38 participating countries to travel to the U.S. without first obtaining a visa. Some security analysts estimate between 5,000 to 6,000 European nationals including British, French, Belgian and Dutch citizens have traveled to Syria as recruits to join ISIS. And the Associated Press reported last month that more than 1,200 ISIS recruits have returned to Europe. Under the visa waiver program many of these individuals could enter the United States undetected and undeterred.
In order to stop the threat of jihadists who have gone to fight for the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq from entering the United States, Congress must close dangerous loopholes in the federal visa waiver program, deny visa waivers to foreign nationals who had traveled to Syria or Iraq during the previous five years and revoke and confiscate the passports of U.S. citizens suspected of engaging in terrorist activities.
There is also a debate regarding our countrys refugee policies. Our country has a long history of helping people in need. But some dangerous individuals may very well be planning to take advantage of our compassion. Terrorists have made it clear that they intend to infiltrate refugee populations seeking asylum from ISIS to reach the West and carry out deadly attacks like those in Paris. While the overwhelming majority of refugees pose absolutely no threat to us, we simply do not have a sufficient process for figuring out who each person is and verifying his or her background.
That is why the House of Representatives passed a bill I cosponsored, H.R. 4038, that would pause the Presidents refugee resettlement program until an effective vetting and monitoring process is in place that ensures the safety of the American people. The Obama Administration senior intelligence officials have said we have no way to be certain that we are not admitting ISIS terrorists. This came in sworn testimony before Congress weeks before the attack in Paris.
FBI Director James Comey told the House Judiciary Committee in October that people of serious concern came into the United States as refugees, including two whose fingerprints were found on improvised explosive devices in Iraq. And on the same day the President was critical of the concerns of a strong majority American people, eight suspected ISIS terrorists were arrested in Turkey attempting to enter that country with the refugee population. These examples are why the House needed to act.
H.R. 4038 puts in place new standards for a proposed Syrian or Iraqi refugee:
The countrys top security officialsthe Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of the FBI and the Director of National Intelligence must unanimously certify that the individual does not represent a security threat;
It directs the FBI to validate that the background checks are thorough enough to keep dangerous individuals out of the country;
It mandates Congress must receive certifications before admittance;
And it instructs the DHS Inspector General to assess the refugee approvals independentlymaking sure that high-risk individuals do not slip through the cracks.
If refugees cannot clear those security parameters then they should not be admitted to the United States. The persecuted and orphaned will pass this vetting process. ISIS terrorists will not.
The threat of ISIS is not contained as the President has suggested. It is not going away. Given these realities, it is clear Congress must be more aggressive in taking action to screen all those who enter the United States, as well as take stronger actions against European Nationals and American citizens who join terrorist organizations.
Please visitlance.house.gov/ISISand let me know your thoughts and concerns. I look forward to hearing from you.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-response-to-president-obama-s-address-on-terrorism,Lance Response to President Obamas Address on Terrorism,2015-12-07,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"FLEMINGTON, NJ ---Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) released the following statement on the Presidents Oval Office addressto the Nation last evening: All Americans want the President to be successful in his efforts to protect the United States from radical Islamic terrorists. Last nights speech, however, did little to inspire confidence in the Administration's understanding of thethreat we face or how to defeat it. The President is correct: Terrorism has entered a new phase. The horrific attacks in Paris and San Bernardino clearly showthat we need an aggressive and robust strategy to defeat radical Islamic terrorism. The President presented the Nation with the status quo instead.
The status quo is unacceptable. Thats why this week the House will vote on a bipartisan bill toclose dangerous loopholes in the federal visa waiver program to reduce the risk from having an extremist enter the country from abroad. This legislationbuilds on a recent bipartisan vote to strengthen the certification process in our refugeeprogram that helps ensure the safety of the American people.
The best solution, however, is a comprehensive plan to eliminate ISIS and the threat of radical extremists, and only our commander-in-chief can provide that. Victory cannot be achieved with more of the same but through strong American leadership and a renewed commitment to the War on Terror. That is what the American People were hoping to hear from the President last evening.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-legislation-will-lower-home-heating-costs,MacArthur Legislation Will Lower Home Heating Costs,2015-12-07,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Congressman Tom MacArthur today announced the inclusion of his natural gas access and infrastructure legislation in the North American Energy Security and Infrastructure Act of 2015 that recently passed the full House of Representatives.
MacArthurs bill, the National Energy Security Corridors Act (NESCA), would enhance the reliability and reach of thenations energy infrastructure by thoughtfullyidentifying natural gas pipeline routes on federal lands, in order to move natural gas from west to east. This legislation will require and empower the Department of the Interior to designate transmission corridors within two years for natural gas pipelines, as it already does for other related infrastructure including electric lines, telephone lines, and water pipelines.
As temperatures drop across the country and many Americans turn their heat on for the first time all year, residents in New Jersey will see vastly different prices than residents from other states, including parts of neighboring Pennsylvania. For example, in February of 2015, New Jersey residents were paying 15 times the rate that Pennsylvania residents were due to a lack of pipeline infrastructure.
This bill will help to rein in out-of-control energy costs in the Northeast and bring our nations' energy policy into the 21st century, said Congressman MacArthur. South Jersey residents should never have to choose between heating their homes and other key priorities like a quality education or affordable healthcare. My legislation will help to lower home energy costs, improve infrastructure and create good-paying local jobs, and will also ensure that natural gas pipeline construction meets rigorous environmental standards and requires thoughtful placement of pipelines.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398605,"***Firefighters Grant Opens Monday***Federal Funding Can Help Pay for Fire House Equipment",2015-12-04,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Applications for the popular Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) offered by the federal government will be accepted beginning Monday, Dec. 7 and ending Friday, Jan. 15, 2016 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.This is one of the best FEMA grants that can help protect our firefighters as they do their jobs protecting the rest of us, including people, homes, businesses and public property, said Smith, a long-time member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus who helped create the equipment grant program in 2000. I encourage fire companies to consider applying for this grant before the deadline.
Under the AFG program, millions of dollars have come to New Jersey firefighters for such equipment as radios, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), turn out gear (firefighting suits, boots and helmet), and even fire vehicles such as ladders and pumpers.
Many of our local fire companies have received grants over the years, Smith said. But even if a previous application has been rejected, or if other grants in past years have been received, fire companies should consider trying again this year. They can contact my office if they need assistance. We have been able to overcome some hurdles for applicants. The most important thing is to not miss the deadline.
The grant comes through the U.S. Department of Homeland Securitys Assistance to Firefighters Grants Operations and Safety Grant Program. It is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.
The purpose of AFG is to award grants directly to fire departments and non-affiliated Emergency Medical Services organizations (EMS) to protect both the health and safety of the public and first-responder personnel. A competitive processoverseen by fire service subject matter expertsawards grants to applicants whose requests are aligned with the priorities of the AFG Program. For more about the FY 2015 AFG Program please visit http://www.fema.gov/assistance-firefighters-grant. For additional information on the FY 2014 AFG program please visit our web site at: http://www.fema.gov/assistance-firefighters-grant, or contact the AFG Program Help Desk at 1-866-274-0960 or via email at firegrants@dhs.gov.
For towns of less than 20,000, there is a 5 percent applicant match. For towns of over 20,000 residents (but less than one million) there is a 20 percent applicant match.
Interested organizations are eligible to submit up to three applications under the following categories for FY 2014: Operations and Safety for professional training, wellness and fitness programs equipment, personal protective equipment, modifications to facilities, and supplies that support firefighting and non-affiliated EMS operations and safety; Vehicle Acquisition for: pumpers, aerials, brush trucks, tankers/tenders, rescue vehicles, ambulances; and Regional Grants in which multiple organizations serving more than one local jurisdiction would benefit directly from the activities requested with grant funds.
Congress created the program to upgrade capabilities of local firefighters to respond to fires and fire-related hazards, such as vehicular accidents. Since 2001, the AFG has provided over $6 billion in grants to first-responder organizations to obtain much-needed emergency response equipment, personal protective equipment, firefighting and emergency vehicles, and training. During fiscal year (FY) 2015, the AFG will award another $306 million to first-responder organizations that need support to improve their capability to respond to fires and emergencies of all types.
Congressman Smith, who represents New Jerseys Fourth Congressional District in the House of Representatives, has offices in Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties. Inquiries regarding the AFG program should be directed to the Monmouth County office is located at 112 Village Center Drive, Raintree Towne Center, 2nd floor. The phone number is (732) 780-3035.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-asks-iaea-what-else-might-iran-be-hiding,Lance Asks IAEA: What Else Might Iran Be Hiding?,2015-12-04,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07), co-chair of the House Republican Israel Caucus, fired off a letter today to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) asking the organization to further investigate Irans nuclear program as a new report has concludedIran formerly worked to build a nuclear weapon despite Irans claims to the contrary during the Obama Administrations nuclear negotiations earlier this year.
In a letter toits IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano, Lance wrote, It would not be prudent for the IAEA to acquiesce to Irans requests to close the probeIran has not been able to answer questions credibly about the military aspects of its nuclear program. The refusal to provide the IAEA with answers to a myriad of concerns about its nuclear ambitions, including apparent preparations for a nuclear test.
Lance also raised the issue of whether Iran could also have concealed possible coordination with known terroist allies, Considering Irans dishonesty on the objectives of its nuclear program and its role as a leading state sponsor of terror including potential coordination with leaders of groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, the IAEA probe should continue. In order to certify Irans future compliance with the JCPOA it is imperative that international regulators such as the IAEA have a clear picture of the past military dimensions of Irans nuclear program.
Lances letter comes before a critical December 15thmeeting of the IAEA when terminating the probe will be considered.
The Honorable Yukiya Amano
Director General
International Atomic Energy Agency
Vienna International Centre, PO Box 100
A-1400 Vienna, Austria
Dear Director General Amano:
I write to encourage the International Atomic Energy Agency to keep open its probe into the possible military dimensions of Irans nuclear program. Given the findings in the IAEAs upcoming report that evidence of military dimensions exist and Irans continued refusal to cooperate fully, I believe it would be appropriate for the IAEA to continue its investigation past December 15, 2015.
According to the report, Iran has not been able to answer questions credibly about the military aspects of its nuclear program. The refusal to provide the IAEA with answers to a myriad of concerns about its nuclear ambitions, including apparent preparations for a nuclear test and its work at the Parchin facility, does not bode well for its future compliance with the JCPOA and indicates that it would not be prudent for the IAEA to acquiesce to Irans requests to close the probe. Considering Irans dishonesty on the objectives of its nuclear program and its role as a leading state sponsor of terror including potential coordination with leaders of groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah, the IAEA probe should continue. In order to certify Irans future compliance with the JCPOA it is imperative that international regulators such as the IAEA have a clear picture of the past military dimensions of Irans nuclear program.
While I have significant concerns about the JCPOA, I recognize that the IAEA has a crucial role in its implementation and verification. Closing the probe into Irans past nuclear program is premature when many questions remain while Iran continues to be uncooperative. It would not set the tone of robust enforcement needed to ensure Irans compliance with the JCPOA. I respectfully ask that you consider keeping the probe open when the IAEA next meets on December 15, 2015.
Sincerely,
Leonard Lance
Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398592,"China Commission Witnesses:Little Has Changed in China; Govt Still Violently Enforcing Population Control, Despite Two-Child Policy",2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Chinese Communist Partys announcement of a Two-Child Policy should not be applauded, despite international acclaim being given to China for apparent revision of the 35-year-old One-Child Policy,said the Chairman of the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China, Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04). At a hearing today, he called on the Chinese government to abolish all of its brutal population control policies and urged the Obama Administration to use existing U.S. law to block entry into the U.S. for Chinese government officials responsible for implementing Chinas coercive, brutal population control policies.
The Chinese government will continue to brutally control family life as it does most other aspects of Chinese life,said Smith.The one-child policy may possibly become a two-child policy but Chinas police state population control policies will not end anytime soon.The Chinese government retains the power to tell couples what their families must look like and the power to punish those who disobey birth quotas. For the past 35 years the Chinese government has wasted precious human potential and sanctioned state-sponsored violence against women and children--enabled by pro-abortion groups globally and the United Nations Population Fund.No one should applaud Chinas announced two-child policy, instead we should be insisting they abolish intrusive and abusive birth restrictions forever. Click here to read Chairman Smiths testimony.
The hearing, entitled Chinas Announced Two-Child Policy & the Continuation of Massive Crimes Against Women and Children was held by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), which Congressman Smith chairs with Senator Marco Rubio of Florida (click here for Co-Chairman Rubios statement). The hearing examined the October 2015 announcement by the Chinese Communist Party that it may adopt a universal two-child policy for married couples in order to address the massive demographic and economic problems associated with a rapidly aging population and shrinking workforce. The hearing webcast can be watched here. The hearing included expert witnesses including Nicholas Eberstadt from the American Enterprise Institute, Reggie Littlejohn, founder of Womens Rights Without Frontiers, and Steven Mosher, President of the Population Research Institute. The hearing also included two womens rights activists from China, who have worked to help women facing forced or coerced abortion in China, Jennifer Li and Sarah Huang. The witnesses provided evidence that a two-child policy will have minimal impact on Chinas demographic problems and will not fundamentally change the dynamics on the ground. Chinese couples are still not free to decide the size of their own families and the human rights abuses associated with coercive enforcement of birth restrictions will continue.Witnesses also provided testimony about grass-roots efforts to help Chinese women and families circumvent birth limitation policies and forced abortions and evidence that Chinese officials are currently coercively enforcing birth restrictions, despite the announced policy revision.
Forcible birth control looks to be the Chinese government's preferred policy path for the indefinite future, said Nicholas Eberstadt. Click here to read Eberstadts testimony.
I saw tears. I felt their fears, said Li. I held their hands and I hold their stories in my heart. I want the world to see the reality of the heartbreak population control has brought. Click here to read Lis testimony.
A Chinese mothers womb is one of the most dangerous places for an unborn child, said Huang. I have been in hiding since becoming pregnant. My husband's employer said that an abortion would be mandatory for me or he would lose his job. Click here to read Huangs testimony.
Coercion is the core of the policy, said Littlejohn. A two- child policy will not end any of the human rights abuses caused by the One-Child Policy, including forced abortions, involuntary sterilization or sex-selective abortions of baby girls. Click here to read Littlejohns testimony.
Xi Jinping has not suddenly developed a conscience, said Mosher. The underlying policy has not, and probably will not, change. What will happen if the Chinese people don't procreate according to plan? A government bent on regulating its population will do whatever is necessary to 'produce' the number of children it has ordered reproduced. Click here to read Moshers testimony.
Smith also announced at the hearing that he was sending a letter to President Obama, asking that he implement the Admiral Nance and Meg Donovan Act, authored by Smith, and deny U.S. entry visas to Chinese officials responsible for implementing Chinas population control policies. It has been a gross failure for the Obama Administration to fail to enforce existing law. We already have a law in place that will bar visas to Chinese officials, but unfortunately, it is not being used. Text of letter can be found here.
In the long line of Chinese Communist Party mistakes, the brutal enforcement of population control may be one of the deadliest and most hated, said Smith.The international community, led by the U.S., must insist that China abolish all birth restrictions, dismantle its family planning apparatus, compensate the victims of forced abortions and sterilizations, raise the legal and inheritance status of girls, and permanently close a dark and deadly chapter in Chinese history.
The bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) chaired by Smith and co-chaired by Senator Marco Rubio recently released its 2015 Annual Report which shows that Chinese provincial governments continued to coercively enforce birth restrictions and monitor family size in the past year. The report also showed that population control policies created a sex ratio imbalance resulting in the birth of significantly more males, millions of whom will be unable to find wives.The severe imbalance drives regional human trafficking throughout Asia for the purposes of forced marriage and sexual exploitation. The CECC Annual Report can be found at www.cecc.gov.
The CECC consists of nine bi-partisan Senators, eight bi-partisan Members of the House of Representatives, and five senior Administration officials appointed by the President. The Annual Report was approved unanimously by all of the CECCs members.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-offices-drop-off-locations-for-service-member-holiday-greetings,Lance Offices Drop-Off Locations for Service Member Holiday Greetings,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WESTFIELD, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today announced his district offices are serving as drop-off locations for the Red Cross Holiday Mail for Heroes Program. Interested residents should visit either of Lances New Jersey offices until Friday, December 18th with cards of holiday well wishes to be delivered to members of the Armed Services serving overseas.
A special note of thanks during the holidays will remind our brave service members that they are thought of and missed, said Lance. Writing a note of appreciation will only take a moment and mean a lot to those away from home during the holidays.
To ensure cards reach their destination, the following program guidelines apply:
All cards must be signed.
Cards should have a generic salutation such as Dear Service Member. Cards addressed to specific individuals cannot be delivered through this program.
Only cards are being accepted. Please no gifts or other items.
Please do not include email or home addresses on the cards. This program is not meant to foster pen pal relationships.
Please do not include inserts of any kind, including photos.
Lances District Offices
Westfield District Office:
425 North Ave. East
Westfield, NJ 07090
(908) 518-7733
Flemington District Office:
361 Rt. 31 (Unit 1400)
Flemington, NJ 08822
(908)788-6900
Offices are open normal business hours, Monday-Friday, 9am 5pm.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-passage-of-highway-bill,Lance Statement on Passage of Highway Bill,2015-12-03,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today joined a bipartisan majority in the U.S. House in passing the first long-term highway and transit bill in a decade.
Every motorist and commuter in New Jersey knows the importance of a strong highway and mass transit system. The House took action today to move forward on projects that will get people to and from work quicker, goods efficiently shipped and lay the groundwork for the type of infrastructure that keeps our area running. This measure is fully-funded, provides long-term certainty vital to economic growth and will create new, good-paying jobs. said Lance after passage.
The Fixing Americas Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (H.R. 22) reauthorizes federal surface transportation programs through FY2021 while providing long-term certainty for state and local governments, flexibility for states to invest in transportation infrastructure, reforms permitting processes and eliminates duplicative bureaucratic burdens.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-votes-to-repeal-no-child-left-behind,Lance Votes to Repeal No Child Left Behind,2015-12-02,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today supported a major education reform package that replaces the No Child Left Behind Act with greater local control and bipartisan reforms designed to improve K-12 education.
Education decisions should be made by local school boards, not bureaucrats in Washington. This landmark education package replaces No Child Left Behind with reforms that greatly reduces one-size-fits-all Washington policies and restores local control and decision making. These reforms empower parent-teacher decision making at PTA and board of education meetings, not by decrees from the federal government. said Lance after the vote.
S. 1177, the bipartisan conference agreement negotiated by the House and Senate reduces the federal role in K-12 education by:
Repealing the federal accountability system
Ending the era of federally-mandated high-stakes testing
Prohibiting the secretary of education from dictating national education policy or requiring states to adopt Common Core
Repealing 49 ineffective and duplicative programs, as well as reducing the size of the federal bureaucracy
And the conference agreement restores local control by:
Returning responsibility for accountability and school improvement to state and local leaders
Providing school districts more funding flexibility to help school leaders better target federal resources on local needs and priorities
Protecting the right of state and local leaders to determine what standards, assessments, and curriculum are best for their students
Providing parents information about local school performance so they can hold their schools accountable
Strengthening the charter schools program and the magnet schools program to offer parents greater school choice
Preventing any federal interference in private schools and home schools",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398587,Helsinki Commission Briefing on Rescuing Victims of Human Trafficking,2015-12-01,2015,2015-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the Helsinki Commission, chaired by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, will hold a briefing Dec. 1 entitled Best Practices for Rescuing Trafficking Victims.
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, authored by Chairman Smith, and its reauthorizations have numerous provisions to ensure that foreign victims trafficked into the United States receive at least the same care as refugees, and that they can apply for a T or a U visa if returning to their home country is too dangerous.However, the numbers of foreign victims found in the United States each year is below the estimated thousands.In 2014 approximately 750 foreign victims were identified, up from 520 in 2013, but still far below suspected numbers.We can do better at identifying foreign victims.
Recent research indicates that more than 80 percent of trafficking victims in the United States have contact with the healthcare system in the course of being trafficked.Some are even brought to the clinic by their trafficker.This hearing is the latest installment in the ongoing TVPA oversight series with a focus on best practice development for identifying--and rescuing--foreign trafficking victims in the U.S. Two foreign-born victims will be sharing insights on what helped them escape, and how doctors could have helped free them sooner.
The following panelists are scheduled to participate:
Panel 1: Survivors
Roxana,Foreign-born Female Survivor of Sex Trafficking in the United States
Celena,Foreign-born Female Survivor of Sex Trafficking in the United States
Panel 2: Experts
Yaroslaba Garcia,ACT Clinical Director; President, Southwest Florida Regional Human Trafficking Coalition
Dr. Kimberly Chang,Asian Health Services Community Health Clinic
Dr. Jordan Greenbaum,Stephanie Blank Center for Safe and Healthy Children, Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398586,"*** Hearing Set for Thurs. Dec. 3***Hearing on Chinese Governments Announced Two-Child Policy Planned",2015-11-25,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), will hold a hearing Thursday, Dec. 3 to examine much-reported changes to the brutally enforced one-child policy recently announced by the Chinese Communist Party.
The announcement that a universal two-child policy will be adopted, allowing all married Chinese couples to have two children, will be reviewed. The policy change was driven by serious demographic challenges currently facing Chinaa rapidly aging population, a shrinking labor force, and a dramatic gender imbalance that drives regional human trafficking problems and potentially higher levels of crime and societal instability. Central authorities still insist that family planning will continue to be a fundamental national policy and many unanswered questions remain about implementation of the policy. Why did China not completely abolish birth restrictions? Will coercive implementation continue? What will happen to Chinas massive bureaucracy of family planning officials? Will the two-child policy counter Chinas massive demographic problems?
The hearing will examine the potential demographic, economic, and social implications associated with Chinas new Two-Child Policy and seek recommendations on how the international community can assist China to address them.
Who: Rep. Chris Smith, CECC chairman and longtime advocate of human rights in China, other invited members of Congress, and witnesses:
Nicholas Eberstadt, Ph.D., Henry Wendt Scholar in Political Economy, American Enterprise Institute
Reggie Littlejohn, Founder and President, Womens Rights Without Frontiers
Jennifer Li, Co-Founder, China Life Alliance
When: Thursday, Dec. 3 @ 10 a.m. -12 noon
What: Hearing entitled Chinas New Two-Child Policy & the Continuation of Massive Crimes Against Women and Children
Where: Room 210 of the Capitol Visitors Center",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-office-marks-4000th-successful-constituent-case,Lance Office Marks 4000th Successful Constituent Case,2015-11-24,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WESTFIELD, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today announced his congressional offices have successfully closed its 4000th constituent casework request. Constituent cases are opened by Lances staff when residents ask the office for assistance and are experiencing difficulties with federal agencies such as the IRS, Social Security Administration, Veterans Affairs, the State Department or any other federal agency. Lances staff works as an advocate for the constituent until a successful resolution.
Too often important matters such as Veterans Affairs benefits, Social Security checks and passport requests get lost somewhere in the federal bureaucracy. The job of our casework managers is to help residents get the services or assistance they are entitled to. I encourage all residents experiencing difficulty with a federal agency to use my office as a resource, said Lance.
A few success stories:
Casework success: 94 year-old veteran gets hospice care
A Union County veteran tried for weeks to get hospice care from the Veterans Administration. Lance casework managers discovered errors made by the V.A. that was preventing this veteran from getting the services he was entitled to. When pointed out to V.A. staff the veteran was admitted to hospice care the next day.
Casework savings: $22,000 in one case alone from the Veterans Administration
A Somerset County veteran contacted our office forassistance with his stalled dependency claim and benefits/compensation claim. Lance casework managers were able to escalate his case and clear the way for payment. Thousands of dollars have been recouped by caseworker managers diligence.
Casework savings: $300,000 in total missed earnings from Social Security Administration
A Hunterdon County constituent had beenwaiting for a decision on his Social Security case. Our caseworkers made an inquiry, submitted additional informationto the file and determined thathis situation warrantedan expeditious resolution. This story has played out on almost a weekly basis.
Casework success: Received never awarded military medals
A Korean War veteran from Somerset County never received several military medals and ribbons he was awarded during his service in the U.S. Marine Corps. Our office arranged for medals to be awarded and gathered with local veterans for a ceremony to present them to the veteran.
Casework success: $65,000 saved by correcting IRS error
A Union County family was billed $65,000 from the IRS in mistaken liens. Our caseworkers advocated for them until there was a successful resolution.
Residents in need of assistance should call Lances Westfield District Office at (908)518-7733 or Flemington District Office at (908)788-6900. Lances offices can assist with problems with the IRS, missing or incorrect figures from Social Security, assistance with passports and visas and a number of veterans related services including health care and pensions, treatment access and receiving service medals that were lost, stolen or never-awarded.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/opinion-combating-isis-keeping-america-safe,Opinion: Combating ISIS & Keeping America Safe,2015-11-24,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"ISIS has shown the world their savage brutality time and time again. They maim and kill the innocent with no regard for humanity; they brutalize women and children; and they despise basic freedoms that we hold dear. The tragic attacks on Paris are the clearest example yet that the targets of ISIS violent campaign are not limited to certain regions, nationalities or religions, and that includes the people of the United States on our own soil. Make no mistake, if they are able to attack us here, they will.
That is why containing ISIS is not enough; we must destroy them and that requires decisive leadership. To that end, its long past time that the President partners withCongress todevelop and implement a consistent strategy that roots out and defeats ISIS wherever it can be found. In the bipartisan Defense Bill we recently passed, Congress again urges the President to take further action, and the time for that action is now.
In regard to the refugee crisis, the United States has a long, proud history of standing for religious freedom and providing safe haven for oppressed and persecuted peoples around the world. However, the first and greatest responsibility of the United States government is the safety and security of our own citizens. Until we can say with certainty that the individuals trying to enter our nation are, in fact, refugees, and not terrorists, we have no choice to but to freeze any incoming applications from Syria and Iraq, while we aggressively scrutinize the vetting process. The unpleasant truth is that we have to be right 100 percent of the time. Literally just one mistake just one jihadist that slips through the cracks could mean the lives of hundreds, if not thousands, of innocent Americans. I am not willing to take that risk.
Furthermore, the following quotes from senior Obama administration officials make those risks clear. Jeh C. Johnson, Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said that: It is true that we are not going to know a whole lot about the Syrians that come forth in this process We know that organizations like ISIL might like to exploit this [Syrian refugee resettlement] program
James B. Comey, Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Department of Justice, said that: There is risk associated with bringing anybody in from the outside, but especially from a conflict zone like [Syria] My concern there [about bringing Syrian refugees into the United States] is that there are certain gaps I dont want to talk about publicly in the data available to us. (Source for both quotes: https://homeland.house.gov/press/nations-top-security-officials-concerns-on-refugee-vetting/)
This should not be a partisan issue, nor an ideological one. The strategy to destroy ISIS and protect our homeland is about the safety and security of our own citizens, and that must come before every other consideration.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398584,"CNN Op-Ed by Smith'Syrian refugee crisis: It's about compassion and security'",2015-11-23,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Chris Smith is U.S. representative from New Jersey, a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, chairman of the House Global Human Rights Subcommittee, the U.S. Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Congressional-Executive Commission on China. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
(CNN) On November 19, I voted for H.R. 4038, the American SAFE Act of 2015, which requires that, in addition to the Department of Homeland Security screening, the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducts background investigations on any aliens seeking U.S. refugee admission.
I took this position because I believe we must find a way forward in addressing the current Syrian refugee crisis that incorporates compassion and security. Both are justified.
Syria's crisis of refugees and internally displaced people has fueled the largest such emergency in Europe since World War II and involves seven countries in the Middle East. At least 250,000 people have been killed in Syria's civil war, with the security forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad responsible for many of them. However, ISIS and other extremist groups also have been responsible for killing Syrian civilians.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), up to 700,000 refugees and migrants have arrived in Europe by sea alone this year. More than half of them -- an estimated 53% -- are from Syria. Of those refugees and migrants, 20% are children, only 14% are women and the vast majority (65%) are men.
Violence plays a major role in the impetus of Syrians to leave their homes and flee their increasingly dangerous country, but Shelly Pitterman of the UNHCR said perhaps the main trigger for flight is the humanitarian funding shortfall. In recent months, the World Food Programme (WFP) cut its program by as much as 40%. The current Syrian Regional Refugee and Resilience Plan for 2015 is only 41% funded. The UNHCR expects to receive just 47% of the funding it needs for Syria in the next year.
Secretary of State John Kerry said in September that the United States intends to resettle at least 85,000 refugees in fiscal year 2016, including 10,000 Syrians. Certainly, there is a grave humanitarian need for Syrians. My subcommittee has held numerous hearings attesting to the genocide -- and that is no exaggeration -- being faced by both Christians and Yazidis, a non-Islamic religious minority in the territory controlled by ISIS.
Thousands of people in both groups have been hounded by ISIS, and U.N. experts said this past August that 1,500 Christians and Yazidis have been forced into sexual slavery. People whose ancestors have lived in this region for millennia are being chased from their traditional homes and left to the mercy of an international community less and less able to meet their needs or even defend their lives in too many instances. Those leaving ISIS territory definitely have a good reason to flee.
However, we also must acknowledge the danger of infiltrators coming among the refugees. ISIS has announced its intention to attack the United States as it has France. Certainly, there have been failed or thwarted terrorist efforts here in our homeland since 9/11. Still, it only takes one successful attempt to cause the kind of tragedy that cost the lives of more than 3,000 people at the Twin Towers in New York and the Pentagon 14 years ago.
Aaron Brown, writing in London's Express newspaper on November 18, quoted an ISIS spokesman who said the group has smuggled more than 4,000 covert operatives into Western nations hidden among innocent refugees -- ready to engage in future attacks, especially in the European Union, which has been flooded with refugees from the Middle East due to conflicts there. While it's not possible to check this claim, we cannot dismiss the ambition of ISIS to take advantage of the refugees crisis.
Now the Obama administration is seeking to allow the United States to become home to thousands of new refugees after having taken in thousands of people from the region over the past few decades. Most of these people are law-abiding adherents to orthodox views of the Muslim religion, but we are seeing hundreds of young Muslims being radicalized and some attempting to go to the Middle East to join jihadist campaigns.
ISIS has distributed a guide on ""How to Survive in the West"" to those sent to the United States or those it has radicalized to teach them methods to launch an attack in the West. Given the fact that so-called ""sleeper agents"" may live inconspicuously for years, how can we detect those who may merely be waiting for an opportune moment to launch an attack?
FBI Director James Comey said in congressional testimony last month that there are gaps in the data that will prevent effective vetting of current refugees from the region -- even though the administration continues to tout its ""robust"" vetting process.
So as the result of neglect in preventing or ending the Syrian conflict several years ago and a lackluster effort to fulfill promises of humanitarian assistance since then, we face growing anxieties about a flood of people who desperately need our help, even as we must consider the security concerns that President Obama and his Cabinet members seem determined to ignore.
Simple solutions won't work, but an acceptable resolution that seriously considers both compassion and security is urgently required. A moratorium on refugee resettlement is justified until both concerns are in balance.
Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion.
This article was originally posted at: http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/20/opinions/smith-syrian-refugee-crisis/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398585,"Philadelphia Inquirer Op-Ed by Rep. Smith'It's time to demand answers of Planned Parenthood'",2015-11-23,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Chris Smith is a U.S. congressman representing New Jersey's Fourth District -
In September, Pope Francis admonished a joint session of Congress to follow the Golden Rule, to ""do unto others as you would have them do unto you."" He said that the Golden Rule compels us to ""protect and defend human life at every stage of development"" and that ""it is wrong to remain silent and look the other way.""
The House has voted to form a select investigative panel to learn more about the brutal practices at Planned Parenthood that were exposed in undercover videos released by the Center for Medical Progress (CMP).
Establishing this select panel is the right thing to do. We simply can't remain silent or look the other way.
Congress needs to thoroughly investigate profoundly disturbing conduct by top-level Planned Parenthood officials. Caught on tape - and I have watched all the videos - Planned Parenthood's top leadership, not interns or lower-level employees, showed callous disregard for children's lives while gleefully calculating the financial gain derived from the sale of baby body parts.
We already know that every day Planned Parenthood dismembers or chemically poisons to death approximately 900 unborn babies. Since 1973, more than seven million children have been violently killed in Planned Parenthood clinics.
Now, because of the CMP videos, Planned Parenthood's involvement in trafficking in baby body parts has been revealed. In one clip, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, senior director of Planned Parenthood Federation of America's Medical Services, says on camera:
""We have been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, and because we know that, I am not going to crush that part. I am going to basically crush below, I am going to crush above, and I am going to see if I can get it all intact. . . . I would say a lot of people want liver; and for that reason, most providers will do this case under ultrasound guidance, so they will know where they are putting their forceps.""
What Nucatola describes is a dismemberment abortion - arms, legs, torsos, decapitation - but the prized body part is preserved, pulled out intact, and then sold to brokers.
In another video, a top doctor at Planned Parenthood Federation, Mary Gatter, offers to use a ""less crunchy technique"" to get more intact organs and baby body parts.
""Less crunchy""? Like Nucatola, Gatter is nonchalantly talking about crunching - that is, crushing - babies to death in ways that are more likely to preserve body parts and intact organs.
The videos have again brought into sharp focus the fact that some babies actually survive abortion.
Dr. Savita Ginde, vice president and medical director of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, confesses that ""if someone delivers before we get to see them for a procedure, then they [the baby] are intact."" A fetal-tissue broker describes watching how a ""fetus . . . just fell out.""
It just fell out. It - the baby - fell out, she says. And then what happened to that baby?
Tragically, we know what happens to these victimized babies - they are killed and some have their organs stolen.
It was just two years ago that the infamous Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell was convicted of murder for killing children who were born alive after attempted abortion. The grand jury report described his practices: ""Gosnell had a simple solution for the unwanted babies he delivered: he killed them. He didn't call it that. He called it 'ensuring fetal demise.' The way he ensured fetal demise was by sticking scissors into the back of the baby's neck and cutting the spinal cord. He called that 'snipping.' ""
Gosnell's grisly after-birth abortion practices were exposed only when he was investigated for illegal drug charges and, in the words of the grand jury, ""the search team discovered fetal remains haphazardly stored throughout the clinic - in bags, milk jugs, orange juice cartons, and even in cat-food containers. Some fetal remains were in a refrigerator, others were frozen.""
We must not remain silent and look the other way. The dehumanizing practices revealed in these undercover videos must be investigated.
I suspect that if President Obama watched at least one of the videos, he would join us in demanding real answers and an immediate end to Planned Parenthood's inhumane behavior.
Or at least I hope he would.
Originally published in the Sunday Nov. 22, 2015 print edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer and online at:http://www.philly.com/philly/opinion/20151122_It_s_time_to_demand_answers_of_Planned_Parenthood.html#ApTdPZHsLmfFCLJe.99",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-starts-life-science-caucus,Lance Starts Life Science Caucus,2015-11-23,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"BRIDGEWATER, N.J.--- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today joined BioNJ President & CEO Debbie Hart at the Center of Excellence at Bridgewater to announce the creation of the Congressional Life Science Caucus. Peter Cocoziello, President & CEOof Advance Realty, welcomed Lance as he outlined how the Caucus will serve as a bipartisan working group dedicated to educating Members of Congress, federal stakeholders and other industries on the legislative goals of the life science sector a major jobs engine in New Jersey and the hub for many 21st century advancements in biotechnology, diagnostic and medical devices, digital health, agriculture and renewable energy.
New Jersey depends on the life science sector and the world depends on its innovation. From health care to energy needed to power the 21st century economy, the life science sector is vital to the health, wellness, safety and advancement of our Nation and world. The work done right here in Bridgewater will help craft the solutions to some this centurys most pressing challenges, Lance told the employees and backers of the Caucus that assembled in Bridgewater. The life science industries have decided to call New Jersey home because of our well-educated work force and support of their mission. The job of the Congressional Life Science Caucus will be to empower and give these industries the support of the public sector. New Jersey and the world are counting on them.
BioNJ commends Congressman Leonard Lance on his decision to co-found the Congressional Life Science Caucus, along with Congressman Scott Peters, said Debbie Hart, President & CEO of BioNJ. Congressman Lance has been instrumental in developing and supporting the life science ecosystem in New Jersey, home to one of the nations largest biotech clusters. He knows the importance of the industry that is bringing new treatments and cures to patients around the world, as well as contributing substantially to New Jerseys economy. We are proud that he will play such an important role in supporting the industry nationally as well as in his home state of New Jersey.
Dr. Stuart Peltz, CEO of PTC Therapeutics and board member for BioNJ, made a detailed presentation on the work being accomplished across the State in the life science field. State Senator Kip Bateman (LD-16) was also in attendance for the announcement.
In Congress, Lance has stressed greater investment in life science research and development to foster innovation and growth, bring life-saving treatments to patients, promote cleaner manufacturing processes and energy and keeping America competitive. Lance represents many businesses and their employees who work and invest in research and development and who contribute to the innovation economy. Lance also sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and its Health Subcommittee, which has broad jurisdiction over federal agencies and policies important to health care, medical research and the life sciences sectors.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398581,"NJ.com article on Smith hearing with NJ parent, State Dept.'N.J. Rep. Chris Smith demands U.S. enforce law to prevent child abductions'",2015-11-20,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"NJ.com article on Smith hearing with NJ parent, State Dept.'N.J. Rep. Chris Smith demands U.S. enforce law to prevent child abductions'
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The U.S. is not enforcing the provisions of legislation designed to force countries to return abducted children, according to the statute's author.
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.), said the U.S. is not imposing the sanctions required under theSean and David Goldman Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act, named after a Tinton Falls son and father.
The law requires the government to take a series of actions, including official protests, public condemnation, and the suspension of foreign aid, to countries that sign the Hague Abduction Convention and do not within 12 monthsreturnAmerican children abducted by their non-custodial parent.
RELATED:Plainsboro woman still waiting for return of children abducted by her ex-husband (VIDEO)
At a hearing of Smith's House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Africa, global health, global human rights and international organizations, the lawmakersaid that countries have violated the law with impunity.
""I am concerned that the State Department has chosen not to impose any sanctions on any of those nations found to have engaged in a pattern of noncompliance,""Smith said.
David Goldman, who testified at the hearing, also called on the U.S. to act against foreign countries when necessary.Goldman, who spent five years trying to get his son, Sean, back after his then-wife took him to her native Brazil in 2005 when their child was 4. She divorced him overseas and then remarried. She died during childbirth and Goldman finally won custody in 2009 after a dozen trips to Brazil, sometimes with court orders in hand.
""Our government need not be so concerned about upsetting a country that harbors child abductors of American citizens' children,"" Goldman said. ""We must demand their return. We're not asking for any favors. We're expecting the rule of law to be followed and if it isn't then let them see there are tangible consequences.""
Michele Thoren Bond, the State Department's assistant secretary for consular affairs, said the law was ""a priority for the U.S. government"" and is regularly discussed in meetings with foreign officials.
""We are committed to fully and successfully implementing the law,"" Thoren Bond said. ""The tools it contains reflect the constant balance diplomats seek in advancing the many interests of the United States around the world.""
The good news, Smith said, was that international child abductions are down as the Goldman Act allows judges to put at-risk children on a no-fly list. An estimated 750to1,000 American children illegally are taken to foreign countries every year, but Smith that that number is on the downswing. This article was originally posted online at:
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/11/watch_rep_smith_demand_enforcement_of_goldman_act.html#comments
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398582,"Washington Times article on Smith int'l parental abductions hearing'Tool to return abducted children from overseas underused, State Dept. told'",2015-11-20,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Anjali Shastry - The Washington Times - Friday, November 20, 2015 -
The Obama administration isnt using a new tool Congress approved in 2014 to bring back children abducted and taken abroad by a parent, a prominent victims rights advocate told the House on Thursday, saying the State Departments preference for quiet diplomacy falls short.
David Goldman, whose ex-wife took his son Sean to Brazil for more than five years, said the new law, dubbed the Goldman Act after his own plight, has real teeth: The State Department can impose sanctions on other countries it deems uncooperative in returning stolen children.
But the Obama administration has been slow to embrace the tool, he told the House Foreign Relations Committee.
I beg, I plead, on behalf of all these other left-behind parents and families and grandmas and cousins and nieces and nephews and the communities they were ripped away from that we use the law to get these children home. It provides our government a number of options to persuade countries to return abducted American children, Mr. Goldman said, his voice breaking. One of the first rules of government is to protect our children and the Goldman Act does just that.
Every year, between 750 and 1,000 American children are taken abroad by a parent, creating international custody disputes that are not easily solved.
Rep. Chris Smith, New Jersey Republican, wrote the Goldman Act hoping to press the State Department to make a more forceful defense of U.S. parents rights. He said he found it concerning that the administration has not imposed sanctions on countries engaging in a pattern of noncompliance and listed Japan, Brazil and India.
The Goldman Act gives the State Department the power to give uncooperating countries a slap on the wrist, such as a closed-door meeting with foreign officials about the abduction or an official public statement detailing unresolved abduction cases. But they can also delay or cancel official U.S. state visits; withdraw, limit or suspend U.S. developmental or security aid; and formally request an extradition.
Rep. Mark Meadows, California Republican, said the department should delay or cancel bilateral working relationships with countries who have not recognized U.S. custody agreements.
Ambassador Michele Thoren Bond, assistant secretary for consular affairs at the State Department, insisted that quiet diplomacy can pay off when working with other countries, and said part of the problem was the way American judges handled Hague Abduction Convention cases. Such abduction cases go through the international body, but judges on U.S. soil often do not know how to deal with them.
In the United States, every time there is a child abducted here, a package of information is sent to the judge who will hear the case, she said. But the typical family court judge may never hear a Hague Convention case, and if they do hear one, it may be the only one they ever hear.
Mr. Goldman regained physical custody of Sean in 2009, but the committee also heard from parents whose children are still separated, including Navy Capt. Paul Toland Jr., whose daughter Erika was taken by her mother from a U.S. Navy base in Japan 12 years ago. The mother committed suicide in 2007, leaving Capt. Toland as Erikas sole living parent yet the 13-year-old remains with her grandmother in Japan.
If a governor, senator or famous celebritys child were abducted overseas, you can bet our government would expend every resource possible to ensure the return of those children, Capt. Toland said. But the sad reality is that our children are simply not important enough for the American government to expend the political capital necessary to return them.
Capt. Toland faces a unique problem, because Japan only signed the Hague agreement in early 2014, but it doesnt apply to abductions before that. So far, the Japanese government has not pushed to return any of the more than 50 American abductees that live in the country.
The lack of governmental cooperation is not unique to Japan Brazil has not returned a single parentally abducted child to the U.S. since Sean.
Some left-behind parents said Congress needs to pass even stiffer legislation than the Goldman Act.
Robert Makielskis ex-wife took his two children, Gabriel and Isabel, to the Dominican Republic five years ago. He has gone to local judges in Culpeper, Virginia, and The Hague, and appealed to the State Department for help. He won full custody of his children after the divorce, but Gabriel and Isabel had already been taken, and he said the Goldman Act hasnt helped because its left too much up the administration.
The wording doesnt mandate a timeframe, doesnt set a timeline [to use sanctions], Mr. Makielski said. It doesnt say to use the most extreme monetary sanctions, versus the least severe a lot of things are discretionary here. This story can be online here: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/nov/20/tool-to-return-abducted-children-from-overseas-und/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398572,"David Goldman, U.S. State Dept. Testify at Smith Hearing on Goldman ActSmith Criticizes State Dept. for Failures in Implementing Goldman Act & Return Abducted American Children",2015-11-19,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The U.S. State Departments deeply disappointing implementation of the new Goldman Act aimed at bringing home American children abducted and held overseas was the topic of a House hearing held by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), author of the law to put pressure on foreign countries to return American children.
I am concerned that the State Department has chosen not to impose any sanctions on any of those nations found to have engaged in a pattern of noncompliance, Smith said. The Goldman Act not only shines a light on a countrys record through the annual designation of countries showing a pattern of non-compliance, it holds countries accountable and incentivizes systemic reform. Actions escalate in severity, and range from official protests through diplomatic channels, to public condemnation, to extradition, to the suspension of development, security, or other foreign assistance. Click here to read Smiths statement.
Smith, who wrote Sean and David Goldman Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act (P.L. 113-150), chaired the hearing, which heard testimony from the laws namesake David Goldman, as well as State Department Assistant Secretary Michele Bond, and left behind parent Navy Captain Paul Toland. Mr. Goldman also introduced the human rights panel to his son Sean, who attended the hearing with his step-brother. It took five years to reunite David and Sean who was abducted to Brazil. Smith traveled with David Goldman repeatedly to Brazil in 2009 to bring Sean Goldman, then 9, back to the U.S. He held numerous congressional hearings on Goldmans and other Americans cases.
Between 2008 and 2014, nearly 9,000 children were reported as abducted to the State Department. Between 750-1,000 American children are abducted each year from the U.S. and held in foreign countries. Only 18 percent of open cases and 34 percent of resolved cases resulted in the return of the abducted child last year, yet the State Department still refuses to take serious action on behalf of American families.
The Goldman Act was enacted in 2014, and provides new tools for the State Department to better assist parents and children separated by international abduction. It also mandates an annual report to list countries demonstrating a pattern of non-compliance and a follow up report for actions the State Department took with non-cooperative countries to achieve results.
The Goldman Act was designed to raise the stakes on the foreign countrys inaction or obstruction, and move the country to end to the nightmare of abduction, said Smith.
While the State Department has an array of options, it chose in 2014 to continue only with talk, and not to take any of the following steps prescribed by the Goldman Act, such as:
delay or cancel one or more bilateral working, official, or state visits with any country;
withdraw, limit, or suspend U.S. development assistance with any country;
withdraw, limit, or suspend U.S. security assistance with any country;
withdraw, limit, or suspend foreign assistance to the central government of a country relating to economic support; or
make a formal request to extradite an individual who is engaged in abduction and who has been formally accused of, charged with, or convicted of an extraditable offense.
Contrary to Sec. 103 of the Goldman Act, the State Department has also not pursued bilateral agreements for resolution of current cases in the top 10 countries with a high number of open current casessuch as Japan and India.
It is as though the State Department is refusing to learn from the past and is doggedly committed to a strategy that is demonstrably ineffective, said Smith, referring to the pursuit of Hague Convention ratification without an agreement for the pre-Hague cases. The actions report recounts in great detail the State Departments myopic focus on persuading India to ratify the Hague Conventiona step that will not only exclude all the 75 current cases, but will marginalize themas we have seen in Japan already.
David Goldman, giving emotional testimony, told the House panel that, The Goldman Act is designed to work on a country to country basis and may impose punitive measures against individual nations harboring abducted American children. Our government need not be so concerned about upsetting a country that harbors child abductors of American citizen children. We must demand their return. Were not asking for any favors. Were expecting the rule of law to be followed and if it isnt then let them see there are tangible consequences. Click here to read Goldmans testimony.
Assistant Secretary of State Michele Bond was peppered with question from Members of both parties pressing for action for left behind parents. Although Bond claimed the State Department is committed to fully and successfully implementing the law, and said the tools it contains reflect the constant balance diplomats seek she would not commit to using any of the Goldman Acts tougher penalties, including sanctions, even in countries where quiet diplomacy has not resulted in an increase in returns of U.S. children. Click here to read Asst. Secretary Bonds statement.
Captain Toland, a left behind dad whose daughter Erika has been held in Japan for eight years and who is the Co-Founder and National Director Bring Abducted Children Home, also testified about his case.
Yes, Akiko Futagi is a grandparent to Erika Toland. But this also means that she is NOT a parent. Under the law in normal modern countries, she would have no right to keep my child away from me, said Toland, Erikas only living parent, who has not received so much as a photograph of his daughter or been permitted a phone call since her mother died in 2007 after abducting the child in 2004. Signing the Hague was simply a smokescreen devised by Japan to relieve international pressure. The courts still have no mechanism of enforcement, the courts still drag cases out over many months to run out the clock, and the judges simply work to find a way to maintain the status quo. In my clear-cut and unambiguous case, I have endured three court dates over the course of eight months, with another court date set for December, and no end in sight. Click here to read Captain Tolands testimony
Japan joined the Hague Convention at U.S. urging in April of 2014 without a separate bilateral agreement to cover the 67 long-pending abduction cases of American children. The Convention should provide a right of access to the children in these cases, but has not yet resulted in meaningful access. No American children have been returned by court order from Japan. Despite these shortfalls in 2014, the State Department failed to name Japan as a country showing a pattern of non-compliance or take follow-up action in any of its Goldman Act reports to Congress.
The State Departments first report issued earlier this year on international child abductions was highly criticized as flawed, and was later partly amended. The Department promised to produce better annual reports in the future. Smith has been critical of the State Department implementation, particularly of the reports failure to name Japan, to a list of sanctionable worst offenders, as required by the Goldman Act.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398583,"Star Ledger article on Smith meeting on coastal lakes'N.J. coastal lakes to be part of federal flooding study'",2015-11-19,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"New Jersey could be in line for federal funding to repair 12 of its coastal lakes in Monmouth and Ocean counties after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers agreed to include those bodies of water in a major study after Hurricane Sandy's devastation.
The inclusion of those lakes as well as a harbor and a watershed in the study was a major coup for the counties because the Army Corps rarely works on smaller bodies of water and exclusion from the Army Corps' study would have meant the towns around those lakes would be hard-pressed to get federal funding on their own.
RELATED:Scientists look at restoring lakes damaged by Hurricane Sandy
Announcing the new development in the corps' upcoming New Jersey Back Bays study, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith said this marks and important step toward helping coastal towns solve repetitive flooding problems that were exacerbated by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
""Superstorm Sandy highlighted the significant health and safety hazards associated with storm damage to homes and public property,"" Smith said. ""We will continue to work to bring federal support to the table to make these coastal lakes and our communities safer.""
In the wake of Sandy, the Army Corps is set to conduct a study of the state's bays to determine how to alleviate flooding. But the state's coastal lakes were not included in that study, which would have made it very difficult for towns around those bodies of water to secure federal funding for any repair work, Smith said.
While the study will include all of the state's coastal lakes, the most severe damage during Sandy was in Monmouth and Ocean counties where lakes connected to the Atlantic Ocean overflowed their banks because of Sandy's huge storm surge.
Some towns with coastal lakes were under water for up to a week after Sandy.
The study is part of a more comprehensive study called the North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study, which helps towns understand and prepare for future flood risks.
The lakes to be included in the study are Wesley Lake, Fletcher Lake, Sylvan Lake, Silver Lake, Lake Como, Wreck Pond, Spring Lake, Stockton Lake, Lake Louise, Little Silver Lake, Lake of the Lillies, and Twilight Lake.
The other areas included are the Deal Lake watershed and Glimmer Glass Harbor.
Smith along with officials from the state Department of Environmental Protection and local Assemblymen Sean Kean and David Rible held a meeting last week at the Monmouth County Sheriff's Southern Communication Center in Neptune.with representatives of the affected towns to make the announcement.
Since Sandy, state officials have cobbled storm aid funding together to get some lake projects started. They include the dredging of Deal Lake, which borders seven towns in Monmouth County. That work, officials said, is only a fraction of what needs to be done for the state's largest coastal lake.
And this summer, state officials announced funding for work on Wreck Pond, which borders five towns in Monmouth County, for dredging and replacement of its outfall pipe.
Lake Como, which caused major flooding in Belmar during Sandy, is also getting fundingfor construction of a discharge station.
MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-strengthen-vetting-system-for-refugees,Lance: Strengthen Vetting System For Refugees,2015-11-19,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today voted for H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act legislation that would be a first step in strengthening the vetting system for Syrian and Iraqi refugees being admitted to the United States.
The first responsibility of the federal government is to secure the homeland and keep the American people safe. And with the recent horrific terrorist attacks in Paris and growing threats against American cities like New York and Washington, D.C., it is now more critical than ever that the United States Congress act immediately to suspend the Presidents refugee resettlement program until an effective vetting and monitoring process is in place that ensures the safety of the American people, said Lance.
H.R. 4038 passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 289 to 147 sets in place new standards for vetting Syrian or Iraqi refugees:
Certification: Iraq and Syria refugees only admitted if Nations top security officials Secretary of the Homeland Security, FBI Director and Director of National Intelligence certifies to Congress that each refugee is not a security threat with monthly reporting to all 12 congressional committees.
Background Investigation: FBI Director administers thorough background investigations. Refugee not admitted until Director certifies that individual received a background investigation that is sufficient to determine if refugee is not a security threat to the United States.
IG Review Certification: DHS Inspector General shall conduct a risk based review of all certifications and provide an annual report detailing its findings to the appropriate committees.
Lances vote today comes on the heels of his call to President Obama earlier in the week to halt immediately admissions of refugees from Syria and Iraq to the United States until a more comprehensive strategy to address the Syrian refugee crisis and defeat ISIS is developed. The 7th District lawmaker is a cosponsor of two measures (H.R. 3314 and H.R. 3573) that would halt all of the Presidents refugee resettlement plans pending a comprehensive review by the Governmental Accountability Office of the programs costs and effectiveness of its screening, monitoring and security procedures. And Lance also signed a letter to House Speaker Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) requesting that the year-end spending bill feature language to defund refugee resettlement.
The threat of ISIS is not contained as the President has suggested. It is not going away. So until there is a certification process in place to prevent terrorist threats in America, the Syrian and Iraqi resettlement program should be paused, concluded Lance.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/new-years-day-federal-offices-closed,New Years Day - Federal Offices Closed,2015-11-19,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"New Years Day - Federal Offices Closed
Start:
January 1, 2016
End:
January 1, 2016
Nov 19, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/participate-hour-code-program-tuckerton-elementary-school,Observe the Hour of Code Program at Tuckerton Elementary School,2015-11-19,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Observe the Hour of Code Program at Tuckerton Elementary School
Start:
December 7, 2015 11:00 am
End:
December 7, 2015 11:45 am
Location:
Tuckerton Elementary School - 213 Marine Street, Tuckerton, New Jersey
Nov 19, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1133,"Frelinghuysen applauds House passage of ""Security Against Foreign Enemies"" (SAFE) Act",2015-11-19,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHNGTON, D.C. U.S. Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) today applauded House passage of legislation which suspends the flow of Syrian refugees into the U.S. until the refugees can be properly and thoroughly vetted. Our federal government has no greater responsibility than keeping Americans safe, said Frelinghuysen, the Chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.Knowing that our nation has a proud tradition of opening its arms to those in need, terrorists will certainly attempt to take advantage of our compassion. We cannot allow ISIS infiltration through our refugee assistance program. Frelinghuysen co-sponsored and voted for the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act (H.R. 4038). The measure prevents admission to the United States of any potential Syrian or Iraqi refugee until the nations top security officials the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of the FBI, and the Director of National Intelligence unanimously certify that the individual does not represent a security threat. Tens of thousands of people are now streaming out of Syria into Europe, he said. Reliable intelligence is unavailable on many of these refugees. After five years of brutal civil war, Syria is an ungoverned area. So how do you vet individuals from a war-torn country that has few criminal and terrorist databases to check? Records do not exist there. House approval of the SAFE Act is another step toward enhancing American security. There will be more. Today, it is simply prudent that this program be suspended for people leaving the Syrian war zone until we can be sure that the Obama Administration has installed a robust screening process and we receive strong assurances of safety from our law enforcement and intelligence officials and our allies. ####",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398570,"*** Hearing Set for Thurs. Nov 19***State Dept. to Face House Panel on Efforts to Bring U.S. Children Home, New Goldman Act",2015-11-18,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The fight to bring home American children unlawfully held in foreign countries will be the heart of the testimony from left-behind parents who are victims of international child abduction at a congressional hearing Thursday. The U.S. State Department, under criticism for being slow to fully utilize the new Sean and David Goldman Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act (The Goldman Act, (Public Law 113-150), will also testify.
Smith, chairman of the Global Human Rights Subcommittee and author of the Goldman Act said the law enacted in 2014 requires the Secretary of State to take action against countries refusing to cooperate in resolving the nearly 1,000 cases of American children victimized by international parental child abduction each year. It requires the Secretary first to report to Congress on which countries fail to cooperate on the resolution of U.S. abduction cases, and then to take action based on that report.The Secretarys first report to Congress was released several months ago.
Smith traveled repeatedly to Brazil in 2009 in order to bring Sean Goldman, then 9, back to the U.S. after a five-year abduction to Brazil. Most children never come back after an abduction, and many devastated parents never see or hear from them again.
WHAT:Congressional hearing entitled The Goldman Act to Return Abducted American Children: Ensuring Administration Action.
WHO: Smith, members of the Subcommittee on global human rights, and witnesses: > Michele Thoren Bond, Assistant Secretary Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. State Dept.
> David Goldman, Co-Founder and Director of the Bring Sean Home Foundation (former left behind father of child abducted to brazil, returned after five years)
> Captain Paul Toland, (USN), Co-Founder and National Director Bring Abducted Children Home (left behind Dad whose daughter Erika is being held in Japan) WHEN: Thursday, Nov. 19 at 11 a.m. WHERE: Room 2172 in the Rayburn House Office Building (first floor).",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/americans-for-tax-reform-backs-lance-measure,Americans for Tax Reform Backs Lance Measure,2015-11-18,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today announced that Americans for Tax Reform is backing his measure that will open the secret taxpayer-funded reports compiled by the Congressional Research Service (CRS) to the public. Lance authored H.Res. 34, which will finally open CRS reports after over a century of being kept from public access.
Taxpayers pay for these reports but cannot read them. It is past time that taxpayers get to use what they are paying for. At least $100 million dollars every year goes to funding valuable public information that countless people would find useful for school work, research or general information but they are shut out from having access to it. I am pleased the Americans for Tax Reform organization is joining this fight for taxpayers, said Lance.
Rep. Lances bipartisan bill creates a publicly accessible electronic database for CRS reports, similar to what is already available to those working in Congress, said Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform, in a letter to members of Congress. This is a common sense proposal that will increase transparency, give taxpayers greater access to important information, and enrich public knowledge. I urge you to work to lift this outdated, unnecessary rule and allow CRS reports into the public domain.
Lobbyists and special interests have no trouble getting their hands on these reports. I thank ATR for using its platform to fight for fairness and transparency, added Lance.
Lances measure is currently before the Committee on House Administration. Lance and his bipartisan co-author, Rep. Michael Quigley (IL-05), have succeeded in bringing attention to the issue after years of inaction by Congress and CRS.
Read more:
Give public access to Congressional research reports (Lance and Quigley, The Hill)
The publicly funded reports you cant read (Samuelson, Politico)
Should Congressional Research Service Reports Be Public? (Hess, CQ)
Congress Selfish Reason for Not Sharing CRS Reports (Hess, CQ)
15 reasons CRS reports should be public (Kosar, R Street)
Trying to crack open Congresss confidential think tank after a century of secrecy (Rein, Washington Post)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-votes-to-make-loans-more-affordable,Lance Votes To Make Loans More Affordable,2015-11-18,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) tonight released the following statement on House passage of H.R. 1737, the Reforming ConsumerFinancial Protection Bureaus (CFPB) Indirect Auto Financing Guidance Act, andH.R. 1210, the Portfolio Lending and Mortgage Access Act:
New rules and regulations from theConsumerFinancial Protection Bureau have put unnecessary burdens on hard-working families trying to achieve the American Dream of home and car ownership. Tonights action by the House will make loans moreaccessible and affordable to millions of Americans by getting CFPB government bureaucrats off the backs of communitybanks and credit unions lenders,said Lance after the votes.
H.R. 1210 targets a bureaucratic rule that ties of the hands of community hands with complicated mortgage rules. The Independent Community Bankers Association reports that 73% of community bankers have decreased their mortgage business or completely stopped providing mortgage loans due to the expense of complying with the regulatory burden.H.R. 1737, a measure Lance cosponsored,provides more opportunities for consumers to receive the best financing available to purchase an automobile.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/after-paris-us-must-lead,"After Paris, US Must Lead",2015-11-18,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"To those who believe we are not at war with ISIS, the faces of grieving families from Fridays terrorist attacks in Paris shatter your rose-colored glasses of the world in which we live.
To those who believe the United States and its values of freedom and democracy are not also targets of radical Islamic terrorists, the lack of resolve to fight evil abroad weakens our security at home.
The Obama administrations ongoing ineptitude to formulate and execute an effective counterterrorism policy has created the vacuum we face today. The horrific attacks on innocent civilians at a sporting event, a concert hall, and restaurants are due to ISIS, aligned terrorists groups in Africa, and their sympathizers stepping in to fill that void and exploit our weakness.
It is clear after Paris and Beirut, as well as the downing of a Russian commercial airliner in Egypt, that ISIS is successfully expanding its global reach. For some time they have engaged with regional terrorist organizations, particularly in Africa, to build alliances in terror. The ISIS video released in the aftermath of the Paris attacks that specifically names Washington, D.C., as a target reaffirms that their sights are set on Western cultures.
For five years, as a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I have been receiving near-daily classified briefings on terrorist threats and operations. With a specific focus on Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, I have made nearly a dozen classified trips with intelligence and counter-terrorism officers to the region to see firsthand where our efforts have made strides, as well as where restrictions on rules of engagement for U.S. military and special forces continue to limit our ability to thwart terror networks.
Each trip, however, reveals greater cooperation and synergy among once-autonomous terrorist groups such as al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. They are not only sharing operational intelligence, but also financial resources and technological savvy. The terrorism threat is growing more global at an alarming rate.
In the aftermath of Paris, we are actively working with intelligence agencies across the globe to investigate and intercept additional threats against Americans and our allies. But we must also fortify our security here at home.
First, we must immediately halt the relocation of Syrian refugees to communities across our country. Expanding the program to include thousands of additional Syrians. as proposed by President Obama, should be withdrawn or prevented by Congress. Thirty states including New Jersey have already made clear they do not want additional refugees.
While the humanitarian need remains great, our nations security must come first. The porous borders of Turkey and Iraq allow unlimited Syrians both innocent civilians as well as ISIS fighters unfettered access to global transportation with limited tracking options. The confirmation that one terrorist in the Paris attack carried a forged Syrian passport and entered Europe as a refugee indicates that the current security screening procedures are wholly inadequate and must be reexamined by our intelligence and law enforcement officials.
Second, the presidents latest effort to bring captured terrorists currently held at Guantanamo Bay to prisons in the United States reportedly by executive order to circumvent Congress must be resoundingly opposed by the American people and blocked by the courts.
Third, Congress should immediately take up and pass long-overdue border security legislation with broad bipartisan support. For too long progress on border security bills has been held hostage to tangential issues. The White House should prioritize strengthening our borders rather than continuing its politicization of the larger immigration debate.
Finally, we need a comprehensive, concise, and coordinated strategic response to ISIS in Syria and Iraq. We must have a muscular military response in cooperation with our allies, including Arab and African countries. We needed a plan from the Obama administration more than four years ago, when ISIS gained a foothold in the region. Surgical strikes have not had a debilitating impact to date.
Despite what the president asserts, the terrorists are not contained they must be defeated. ISIS cannot be negotiated with, as some have argued they must be decimated and destroyed. To that end, we do not simply have a failure of policy we have a complete lack of policy.
Our failure to lead fuels the extremists ability to spread terror across the globe. Our allies dont trust us and enemies no longer fear us.
All of us in South Jersey and across America share the heartache and stand in solidarity with France in the aftermath of this attack. The unifying humanity of those of us who celebrate freedom and cherish liberty will never be broken by the terrorist acts of a radical few. But our nations foreign policy and military might must be proportional to the threats we face today, not some underestimated junior varsity team of years ago.
We, the United States, must lead today to ensure our safety and security tomorrow.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/hanukkah-begins-sundown,Hanukkah Begins at Sundown,2015-11-18,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Hanukkah Begins at Sundown
Start:
December 6, 2015
End:
December 14, 2015
Nov 18, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-requests-freeze-refugee-admissions,MacArthur Requests Freeze on Refugee Admissions,2015-11-18,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Congressman Tom MacArthur today announced he has joined a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers calling for an immediate freeze on the admission of refugees from Syria and Iraq onto American soil.
In light of the horrific attacks carried out in France, the bipartisan coalition calls for an immediate admissions freeze until the Department of Homeland Security properly certifies that asylum seekers from these countries do not present a safety threat. In order to fulfill this requirement, the Department must provide all information used to justify admission for each asylum seeker to the House and Senate Intelligence and Homeland Security Committees and satisfy the concerns of all Committees.
My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and the entire nation of France, said Congressman MacArthur. We must remain united in combating these attacks, and the many forms they have taken, which have demonstrated the imminent threat ISIS poses to our country, our allies and our way of life. Until we can say with certainty that the individuals trying to enter our nation are refugees and not terrorists, we must freeze any incoming applications from Syria and Iraq. The safety and security of New Jersey families must come first.
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398567,"Goldman, State Dept. to Testify at Smith Hearing Thurs. Nov. 19 Smith, Ex-Left-Behind Dad David Goldman Still Fighting to Return Abducted Children",2015-11-17,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Highlighting a case eerily similar to the five-year fight waged by David Goldman to bring his abducted American son, Sean, home from Brazil, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) today joined Goldman and Texas father Chris Brann pressing for the return of Branns son Nico, age 6, who was abducted to Brazil in 2013.
The parental child abduction of Nico Brann to Brazil is a particularly egregious act of abduction and wrongful retention, said Smith who has called and will chair a hearing this Thursday on the State Departments flawed implementation of the The Goldman Act, (Public Law 113-150, Smiths new law to help reunited abducted children with the left behind parent. Dr. Chris Brann, the left behind father, is a textbook example of a parent having done all in his power to inhibit Nicos abduction; unlike his ex, he followed the law in both countries and yet he is treated like a criminal and only allowed to see his son for a few hours and under the watch of two or three armed guards.The parallels with the Goldman case are astounding. Click here to read Smiths statement.
The State Department has censured Brazil nine times since 2003 for being in violation of its Hague Convention obligations. Could it be any more clear that quiet diplomacy is not working? Lets use the Goldman Act tools, said Goldman, advising Brann to hang on to hope that he and Nico will one day be reunited. Never give up hope. Never give up on your God-given right to be with your son. Never give up fighting. I hope our government does what it needs to do to solve your case.
Named for Sean and David Goldman and designed to assist others still separated by abduction, Smiths law gives added weight to the State Departments quiet diplomacy requests for return and access.The actions required by the law escalate in severity, and range from official protests through diplomatic channels, to extradition, to the suspension of development, security, or other foreign assistance. Thursdays hearing will examine the Departments efforts under the new legislation and progress, and/or lack thereof, in the global fight to bring home abducted American children.
A strong focus will be on Brazils and Japans utter failure to return U.S. children home despite their signatory status under international law. At the hearing entitled The Goldman Act to Return Abducted American Children: Ensuring Administration Action, the State Department is expected to defend how it has dealt with abduction cases in Japan, Brazil, India and other countries.
The State Departments first report issued earlier this year on international child abductions was highly criticized as flawed, and was later partly amended. The Department promised to produce better annual reports in the future. With nearly 1,000 American children abducted each year from the U.S. and held in foreign countries, the hearing will focus on the U.S. State Departments stumbling implementation of the Goldman Act, a law that gives the State Department leverage in the return of abducted American children. Smith has been critical of the State Department implementation, particularly of the reports failure to name Japan, a country with more than 50 long-term abductions, to a list of sanctionable worst offenders, as required by the Goldman Act.
Along with David Goldman, others testifying at the Thursday hearing include: Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the U.S. Department of State Michele Bond; and Navy Captain Paul Toland, a left behind Dad whose daughter Erika is being held in Japan and who is the Co-Founder and National Director Bring Abducted Children Home.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-to-vote-to-halt-president-obama-s-syrian-refugee-program,Lance To Vote To Halt President Obamas Syrian Refugee Program,2015-11-17,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today said he will support legislation to suspend President Obamas plan to admit 10,000 Syrian refugees to the United States.
As elected officials in Congress our first priority must be to protect our homeland and our citizens from harm. The horrific attacks in Paris warn us yet again that ISIS is not contained as our President has claimed. And with the current conflict raging in the Middle East, we cannot be certain that all individuals seeking refuge from that region pose no threat to the American people.
Reliable intelligence is unavailable about refugees from countries like Syria attempting toenter the United States. In fact, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation has acknowledged gaps remain in the screening process for Syrian refugeesattempting to relocate intothe U.S.
Thats why Congress must act immediately to suspend the Presidents refugee resettlement program until an effective vetting and monitoring process is in place that ensures the safety of the American people. If the President will not act; Congress must, said Lance.
Lance has called on President Obama to halt immediately admissions of refugees from Syria and Iraq to the United States until a more comprehensive strategy to address the Syrian refugee crisis and defeat ISIS is developed. The 7th District lawmaker is a cosponsor of two measures (H.R. 3314 and H.R. 3573) that would halt the Presidents refugee resettlement plan pending a comprehensive review by the Governmental Accountability Office (GAO) of the programs costs and effectiveness of its screening, monitoring and security procedures.
Lance will be attendinga classified brief later this afternoon with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson and FBI Director JamesComey to discuss the Paris terrorist attacks.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-launches-congressional-app-challenge,MacArthur Launches Congressional App Challenge,2015-11-17,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC Congressman Tom MacArthur today challenged high school students in New Jerseys Third Congressional District to participate in the Congressional App Challenge.
The Congressional App Challenge is designed to engage students' creativity and encourage their participation in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education fields, allowing students to compete by creating and exhibiting their software application, or ""app,"" for mobile, tablet or computer devices on a platform of their choice.
Computer science and STEM skills are essential for economic growth and innovation, said Congressman MacArthur. Our dependence on technology wont be going away anytime soon and we need to proactively inspire the bright minds of our technologically savvy students to pursue these crucial STEM-based skills. I am excited to see what inventive apps students in the Third Congressional District create to solve everyday problems and enhance our lives.
The 2016 Congressional App Challenge submission period will run through January 15, 2016. Third Congressional District winners will be selected by a panel of local judges and announced on February 22, 2016. Winners will be honored by Congressman MacArthur and have their apps featured on a display in the U.S. Capitol building.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398565,"Article on Smith efforts to include coastal lakes in Army Corps study'Flood-prone coastal lakes may get fix'",2015-11-16,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"BY APP Staff Writers ERIK LARSEN and AMANDA OGLESBY - Since superstorm Sandy struck, Twilight Lake floods often.
The storm dumpedsand into the lake when it pushed feet of water throughthis Bay Headneighborhood in 2012, raisingthe already shallow lake bed.In the three years since,Twilight Lake has overflowed its banksduring heavy rainand nor'easters.
We have a low part of the town, and it floods constantly,"" said Bay Head Mayor Bill Curtis.We need to ...keep the water in TwilightLake instead of on peoples property.
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J.,plans to help.
TwilightLake isone of 14 flood-prone lakes and bodies of water in Ocean and Monmouth countiesexpected tobe included in a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study of New Jerseys back bays,Smith announced Thursday.
In a letter to the heads of the Army corps' Philadelphia and New York districts, Smith wrote that the study should includethe Deal Lake Watershed in Ocean Township;Wesley Lake in Neptune;Fletcher Lake in Neptune and Bradley Beach;Sylvan Lake in Bradley Beach and Avon;Silver Lake in Avon and Belmar;Spring Lake in its namesake borough;Lake Como in Belmarand the adjacent boroughs of Lake Como and Spring Lake;Wreck Pondin the boroughs of Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights and Sea Girt; andLittle Silver Lakeand the Lake of the Lillies, both in Point Pleasant Beach. Though lakes like Sylvan Lake and Wreck Pond may not normally be tidally-connected, after Sandy all of the lakes and the ocean were one big body of water, so I know it is imperative to the coastal municipalities that the non-tidal lakes would be included in the study of how to help combat flooding, and that is why I pushed to have them included, Smith wrote. The New Jersey Back Bays study is the result of a larger, comprehensive, post-Sandy study called the North American Comprehensive Coastal Study, which Smith supported in testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water inMarch 2013, according to a prepared statement from Jeff Sagnip, the congressman's spokesman.
Superstorm Sandy highlighted the significant health and safety hazards associated with storm damage to homes and public property, Smith wrote. We will continue to work to bring federal support to the table to make these coastal lakes and our communities safer.
Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Vincent Barrella said the three borough lakes included in the study Lake Louise, Little Silver Lake and the Lake of the Lillies can flood with little instigation from the weather.
""We have dredged and taken some steps on our own to alleviate that issue, but it is still a major issue, especially when you get the tidal surge coming in from high tide going into Lake Louise, and that spills over into Little Silver Lake,"" he said.""Any heavy rain events, it's a problem. If we can do something to alleviate that, that is fantastic.""
In Bay Head, Twilight Lake's inclusion in the study might eventuallybringrelief to homeowners who have also struggled with flooding for years.
""I'm very happy that he (Smith) is including it,"" said Curtis, the mayor.
In July, Smith announced that $3.58 million in federal Sandy aidwould be added to $2 million previously awarded by the Fish and National Wildlife Services for Wreck Pond. That funding is currently being used to construct a secondary outfall pipe and living shoreline along the pond, which will help protect residents and businesses in the area from future flooding, Sagnip said. The abovearticle was published on Page 3 of the Asbury Park Press on Nov. 16, 2015: http://www.app.com/story/news/local/ocean-county/sandy-recovery/2015/11/15/smith-goes-washington/75695634/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398564,"Obama Administration to Overlook Christians in Iraq?Smith Statement on News Reports of Administrations Plans to Exclude Christians from Genocide Designation",2015-11-13,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"News reports that the Obama administration is considering excluding Christians from its potential designation of ISIS genocide victims, and only including the Iraqi religious minority Yazidis, have left U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights issues, shocked and dismayed.
ISIS has also committed genocide against Christians, Smith said. They have been systematically targeted for murder, torture, rape, displacement extermination the President should acknowledge this. I am shocked and dismayed that President would even think to exclude the present day genocide of Christians.
Earlier this year, Pope Francis stated Today we are dismayed to see how in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world many of our brothers and sisters are persecuted, tortured and killed for their faith in Jesus. This too needs to be denounced: in this third world war, waged peacemeal, which we are now experiencing, a form of genocide I insist on the word is taking place, and it must end.
Ignoring Christians, and the full range of religious and ethnic groups who have been victims of the ISIS genocide, would continue the Presidents policy of silence and weak response, Smith said. When will the President actually implement his own Presidential Study Directive on Mass Atrocities and National Security Strategy?
The Presidential Study Directive on Mass Atrocities (Presidential Directive 10, August 4, 2011) states that Preventing mass atrocities and genocide is a core national security interest and a core moral responsibility of the United States. The 2015 National Security Strategy of the United States states that The mass killing of civilians is an affront to our common humanity and a threat to our common security...We have a strong interest in leading an international response to genocide and mass atrocities when they arise, recognizing options are more extensive and less costly when we act preventively before situations reach crisis proportions we will continue to mobilize allies and partners to strengthen our collective efforts to prevent and respond to mass atrocities using all our instruments of national power. Smith co-chaired a 2014 Congressional hearing on the Genocidal Attacks against Christian and Other Religious Minorities in Syria and Iraq and has been a long-time champion of preventing genocide, mass atrocities, and war crimes in many parts of the world and holding perpetrators accountable.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-urges-students-to-build-apps-0,Lance Urges Students to Build Apps,2015-11-13,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"FLEMINGTON, N.J. Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today encouraged students in the Seventh Congressional District to participate in the second annual House Student App Challenge. The contest invites high school students from across the Nation to create software applications, or apps, for mobile, tablet, or computer devices on a platform of their choice.
The app contest showcases the innovative ideas of New Jersey students. I hope many take advantage of this nationwide event to demonstrate their creativity and technical savvy, said Lance a member of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee. This exciting competition will challenge students to build or expand their interest in science, technology, engineering and math education and compete with other student leaders across the country.
The competition is designed to engage students creativity and encourage their participation in STEM education fields. The contest is free and open to all high school students in grades 9 through 12 who reside in the Seventh Congressional District of New Jersey. All work must be original in concept, design and execution.
Students who would like to participate should contact Ryan McDevitt in Lances Washington Office for further details at 202-225-5361 or visit Congressional App Challenge.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398563,Smith Hosts Army Corps of Engineers Meeting with Towns that Have Coastal Lakes,2015-11-12,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Twelve Monmouth County lakes, prone to flooding and able to wreak havoc on communities in coastal towns, will now be included in a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study of New Jerseys Back Bays, says Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) who hosted a meeting today with federal officials and representatives from shore communities in his congressional district.
Thursdays meeting was the first in a series of planning and brainstorming meetings which will be held in order to spotlight our coastal lakes and work to incorporate them into federal proposals for assistance and long-term risk abatement and storm protection strategies, Smith said.
Smith, who has worked for years on a variety of efforts to secure federal support for mitigating the flooding associated with New Jerseys coastal lakes, intensified efforts in the past six months to convince the Army Corps to include the lakes in this upcoming study, which originally was only planned to include four tidally-connected lakes.
Though lakes like Sylvan Lake and Wreck Pond may not normally be tidally-connected, after Sandy all of the lakes and the ocean were one big body of water, so I know it is imperative to the coastal municipalities that the non-tidal lakes would be included in the study of how to help combat flooding, and that is why I pushed to have them included, he added.
The New Jersey Back Bays study is the result of a larger, comprehensive, post-Sandy study called the North American Comprehensive Coastal (NAACS) Study, which Smith supported in testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water on March 13, 2013.
Representatives from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the municipalities with coastal lakes, as well as the offices of Assemblymen Sean Kean and David Rible, attended the Nov. 12 briefing, which took place at the Monmouth County Sheriffs Southern Communication Center in Neptune.
Superstorm Sandy highlighted the significant health and safety hazards associated with storm damage to homes and public property, said Smith. We will continue to work to bring federal support to the table to make these coastal lakes and our communities safer.
In a letter to the heads of the Army Corps Philadelphia and New York districts, Smith wrote, From flooding to environmental concerns, these small bodies of water are associated with a number of big problems for homeowners and municipalities alikeI am specifically requesting that you apply all appropriate discretion to the study guidelines and add the Deal Lake Watershed, Wesley Lake, Fletcher Lake, Sylvan Lake, Silver Lake, Lake Como, Spring Lake, Wreck Pond, Little Silver Lake, and the Lake of the Lillies into the Back Bays study once and for allThese bodies of water and their surrounding land areas must be given all and every due consideration by way of formal analysis and research so as to identify means to alleviate their ongoing flooding and environmental issues.
In addition to the non-tidal lakes mentioned, the study will also examine the tidally-influenced Stockton Lake, Glimmer Glass Harbor, Lake Louise and Twilight Lake.
Smith, who represents some of the hardest-hit New Jersey coastal areas of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, worked to include initial federal funding for Wreck Pond in the 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations bill.As far back as 2007, at Smiths request, U.S. Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN) who was the chairman of the congressional committee that oversaw federal infrastructure projects, attended a meeting in New Jersey about Wreck Pond with officials and residents from Sea Girt, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights and Wall Township, as well as Army Corps representatives. Since then, Smith has worked continuously to help address the many issues surrounding the coastal lakes.
In July 2015, Smith announced that $3.58 million in federal Sandy funding would be added to $2 million previously awarded by the Fish and National Wildlife Services for Wreck Pond. That funding is currently being used to construct a secondary outfall pipe and living shoreline along the Pond, which will help protect residents and businesses in the area from flooding.
The towns affected by coastal lakes in Smiths district include: Deal Lake Watershed Area, Ocean Township; Wesley Lake, Neptune; Fletcher Lake, Neptune/Bradley Beach; Sylvan Lake, Bradley Beach/AvonSilver Lake, Avon/Belmar; Lake Como, Belmar and Lake Como/Spring Lake; Spring Lake, Spring Lake; Wreck Pond, Spring Lake & Spring Lake Hts./Sea Girt; Stockton Lake, Sea Girt/Manasquan; Glimmer Glass, Manasquan; Lake Louise, Point Pleasant Beach; Little Silver Lake, Point Pleasant Beach; Lake of the Lillies, Point Pleasant Beach, and; Twilight Lake, Bay Head.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-op-ed-honoring-and-helping-vets-should-be-focus-year-round,Lance Op-ed: Honoring and helping vets should be focus year-round,2015-11-10,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"Every year on Veterans Day I look forward to the ceremonies across New Jersey that celebrate those who served in defense of our great nation. These community events are always filled with proud family members, grateful residents and a patriotic spirit that shows the veterans our tremendous appreciation for their service to the nation.
In May, Memorial Day commemorates the lives lost in service to our country, while Veterans Day honors all those who served. But a salute, a show of gratitude or a thank you to our nations heroes should be our practice year-round and certainly is a major point of my focus in Congress. From education and job training, to high-quality health care, Im committed to ensuring that veterans receive what they have earned and have ample opportunities outside of the armed services.
Several reforms that passed the House of Representatives deliver on this vision:
For the first time, veterans are able to seek private care outside the Veterans Administration (VA). Major reforms we passed last year made it so that veterans could apply for private care through the Choice Program if they are unable to get an appointment from the VA or do not live close to a VA facility. Recent data shows that 65 percent of eligible veterans have chosen this private program over VA services.
And more veterans will be able to take advantage of private care because of changes we recently made to cut red tape and expand eligibility for the Choice Program. We also directed the VA to come up with a plan to consolidate all of its private care programs into a single, stronger Choice Program. This is good government, and could lead to even better and faster care for veterans.
Veterans now have better access to mental health resources. This law is designed to help prevent veteran suicides, which occur at a heart-breaking rate. It is named in honor of Clay Hunt, a decorated Marine who struggled with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
It is now easier for veterans to find good-paying jobs. The Hire More Heroes Act, a top priority for the new Congress, gives small businesses incentives to hire veterans by offering relief from ObamaCare mandates. It was the first jobs bill that the House passed this year.
We increased funding to tackle the VA claims process. Congress mandated prioritizing ending the disability claims backlog and improving the transfer of health care records while rescinding $41 million from VA performance bonuses.
The VA Secretary now has the authority to discharge or demote senior executives who are failing our veterans. When the VAs leaders insisted that they did not have the authority to take action against bureaucrats, terminations and accountability got held up by red tape. We took action and eliminated that excuse.
Veterans will now be able to use a permanent ID card that proves their military service. Instead of making veterans carry around old forms that contain sensitive information, this will make it easier for veterans to get the services they need and provide more protection from identity theft.
We saved New Jerseys Vets4Warriors program. A one-size-fits-all mandate from the Pentagon nearly shuttered the successful Rutgers program. Vets4Warriors gives service members confidential assistance from peers where they can share life experiences and talk in highly effective ways. The Vets4Warriors program has had over 130,000 contacts with service members and their families.
Veterans can also expect consistent cost-of-living-adjustments ensuring the compensation promised to them. We boosted disability compensation, support for surviving spouses and families and added additional funds to meet everyday needs.
And we created the first Thrift Savings Plan program that rewards all service members for timed served regardless of length of service.
This Veterans Day let us reflect on the brave young men and women a world away from home, separated from friends and loved ones and the comforts of everyday life. May God keep them safe and let them come home to the embrace of a grateful Nation.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398560,Congressman Smith Meets with Central NJ Support Group to Discuss Challenges Posed by Dystonia,2015-11-09,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) attended a local meeting of the Central Jersey Dystonia Support Group on Saturday to hear from dystonia patients and their loved ones about how dystonia has affected their lives. Smith also updated the group on federal efforts to research this debilitating neurological disorder and achieve earlier diagnoses.
Research makes all the difference in the worldbut $12 million to $13 million at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) per year for dystonia is just not enough, Smith told the group.
Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder which causes uncontrollable movements and abnormal body postures. An estimated 250,000 Americans are affected by the disorder.
The meeting, which was held at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold, was attended by dozens of patients and family members from the central New Jersey area as well as members of the Freehold Township Committee, Deputy Mayor Anthony Ammiano, Committeewoman Barbara McMorrow, and Committeeman Lester Preston. The Liberty Oak Chorus, a chapter of Sweet Adelines International, also performed at the Nov. 7 meeting.
The Central Jersey Dystonia Support and Action Group is run by Janice and Len Nachbar of Freehold, who recently spoke at a congressional briefing on dystonia organized by Smith in Washington D.C. The Nachbars invited Smith to address their group.
In March, Smith led a letter signed by 20 Members of Congress asking Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriators to include dystonia in its Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP).DoD conducts a broad spectrum of medical research on various health conditions that affect military personal and their families, including dystonia.
I was glad to meet with these advocates and listen to their stories, Smith said. They are not only extremely dedicated but have perspective on dystonia that is very insightful to me when dealing with the issue in Washington.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398556,Rep. Smith Honored by Voices of Bosnian Genocide,2015-11-06,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Voices of the Bosnian Genocide honored Helsinki Commission Chair Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) on Thursday with an award recognizing his efforts to ensure that the genocide at Srebrenica is acknowledged.
It is moving to receive this award from young people, many of whom are survivors of the genocide or lost relatives at Srebrenica and are now working to promote human rights, said Rep. Smith. Today the international community is nearly unanimous when it proclaims that the Srebrenica massacre was a genocide, although shockingly, there are those who continue to deny that the policies of aggression and ethnic cleansing implemented by Serb forces meet that criteria.
For more than 20 years, Rep. Smith has worked tirelessly to see that the perpetrators of the horrific acts at Srebrenica and elsewhere in Bosnia-Herzegovina are punished and that closure is provided to survivors and victims families. In July 2015, Rep. Smith authored H. Res. 310 defining the Srebrenica massacre as a genocide, which was passed unanimously by the U.S. House of Representatives.
Voices of the Bosnian Genocide is a Seattle-based nonprofit organization devoted to raising awareness and educating the public about the genocide that took place in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the 1990s and the ongoing effects that the genocide is having on Bosnia and the world. The group is made up of individuals who are passionate about genocide education and prevention and human rights.
###
The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is an independent agency of the Federal Government charged with monitoring compliance with the Helsinki Accords and advancing comprehensive security through promotion of human rights, democracy, and economic, environmental and military cooperation in 57 countries. The Commission consists of nine members from the U.S. Senate, nine from the House of Representatives, and one member each from the Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-keystone-xl-pipeline-rejection,Lance Statement on Keystone XL Pipeline Rejection,2015-11-06,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07), member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement after the Obama Administration rejectedthe Keystone XL pipeline:
Rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline harms American consumers, American workers and ourlargest trading partner and ally Canada while helping our adversary China, which will undoubtedly benefit from the flow of Canadian crude west instead of into the United States. The Presidents decision today is irresponsible and Congress must overturn it.
Recent studies from the Presidents own U.S. State Department outline some of the benefits that would come with the project, including more than 42,000 direct and indirect jobs including 3,900 construction jobs, and an estimated $3.4 billion boost to the economy.Two thorough environmental analyses also showed that the proposed Keystone XL pipeline would have a minimal impact on the environment.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-release-of-tpp-text,Lance Statement on Release of TPP Text,2015-11-05,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07), Vice Chair of the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee, released the following statement in reaction to the Obama Administration releasing the full text of the recently completed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement:
For months I have urged President Obama to make his trade agenda more transparent and release the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) documents to the public for viewing because I have long believed that increased transparency gives the public, the experts and the press an opportunity to review the deal and allows for an honest public debate on the merits of TPP and the importance of free trade. And thanks to trade promotion authority legislation passed by the U.S. House earlier this year, the American public will now have the ability to review the details of the agreement that was released earlier today. I continue to reserve judgment on enactment of TPP and look forward to discuss final ratification in Congress with my constituents.
The TPP text can be found at:https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/trans-pacific-partnership/TPP-Full-Text
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 126 to 302 against legislation necessary to complete negotiations on the Presidents Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade initiative. Lance joined the majority in the House in voting against the legislation, saying, Like many of my constituents, I support free trade and increasing good-paying jobs and economic growth in New Jersey. I voted against reauthorizing Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) as part of the debate on the Presidents TPP trade negotiations because my constituents also want trade agreements that are transparent and good for American workers and American taxpayers. My vote sends a very clear message to President Obama that we can do better in these areas.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/14th-annual-veterans-appreciation-day-millville,14th Annual Veterans Appreciation Day in Millville,2015-11-05,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"14th Annual Veterans Appreciation Day in Millville
Start:
November 7, 2015 11:00 am
End:
November 7, 2015 12:00 pm
Location:
Millville Army Air Field Museum - One Ledden Street, Millville, New Jersey
Nov 5, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/cape-may-county-veterans-day-ceremony-1,Cape May County Veterans Day Ceremony,2015-11-05,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Cape May County Veterans Day Ceremony
Start:
November 11, 2015 2:00 pm
End:
November 11, 2015 3:00 pm
Location:
Veterans Cemetery - Crest Haven Road, Cape May Court House, New Jersey
Nov 5, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/christmas-federal-offices-closed,Christmas - Federal Offices Closed,2015-11-05,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Christmas - Federal Offices Closed
Start:
December 25, 2015
End:
December 25, 2015
Nov 5, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/mainland-regional-high-schools-veterans-appreciation-breakfast,Mainland Regional High School's Veterans Appreciation Breakfast,2015-11-05,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Mainland Regional High School's Veterans Appreciation Breakfast
Start:
November 11, 2015 8:00 am
End:
November 11, 2015 10:00 am
Location:
Mainland Regional High School - 1301 Oak Avenue, Linwood, New Jersey
Nov 5, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/somers-point-veterans-day-ceremony,Somers Point Veterans Day Ceremony,2015-11-05,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Somers Point Veterans Day Ceremony
Start:
November 11, 2015 11:00 am
End:
November 11, 2015 12:00 pm
Location:
Patriot Park on Bethel Road, Somers Point, New Jersey
Nov 5, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/speak-cumberland-christian-schools-newly-elected-class-officers,Speak to Cumberland Christian School's Newly-Elected Class Officers,2015-11-05,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Speak to Cumberland Christian School's Newly-Elected Class Officers
Start:
November 12, 2015 11:30 am
End:
November 12, 2015 12:15 pm
Location:
Cumberland Christian School - 1100 W Sherman Avenue, Vineland, New Jersey
Nov 5, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/upper-deerfield-townships-annual-veterans-day-ceremony-2,Upper Deerfield Township's Annual Veterans Day Ceremony,2015-11-05,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Upper Deerfield Township's Annual Veterans Day Ceremony
Start:
November 7, 2015 10:00 am
End:
November 7, 2015 10:00 am
Location:
Veterans Monument - Route 77, Seabrook, New Jersey
Nov 5, 2015",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398543,"State Dept. Faces Bipartisan Grilling on Trafficking GradesAuthor of U.S. Human Trafficking Laws Demands End to Politicized Tier Rankings in Trafficking Report",2015-11-04,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The State Departments use of grade inflation for governments known to be complicit in human trafficking abusei.e. countries such as China, Malaysia, Vietnam Cuba, and Uzbekistanwas examined and received widespread rebuke at a hearing today held by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights issues.
Smith is the author of the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act, a law which among other significant provisions mandates the State Departments comprehensive assessment of countries in the annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP).
We must get the Report rightno fudging; no favors to nations based on other agendas or we risk losing the most effective tool we have to help the more than 20 million victims of trafficking enslaved around the world today, said Smith.
From the very beginning, the State Department objected to singling out and sanctioning nations with poor records on trafficking, Smith said pointing to testimony from 1999 prior to his human trafficking bill becoming law.In testimony of then President Clintons Assistant Secretary for Human Rights, Harold Koh, he argued that no TIP office, no TIP report, and no TIP sanctions were needed to combat human trafficking. He was wrong, we know now that these efforts bring results. We have seen countries turn 180 degrees and begin truly fighting trafficking after the TIP Report and tier ranking accurately exposed each countrys failures. Click here for chairmans opening remarks.
In todays hearing entitled Demanding Accountability: Evaluating the 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report, the House Foreign Affairs Committee subcommittee on global human rights focused on the State Departments 2015 TIP report and the process behind the required tier ranking of countries highlighting China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cuba, and Uzbekistan, among others.
The tier ranking decisions made by the State Department were clearly politicized, raising the bar for some countries and lowering it for others, said Smith. If you want proof these decisions were politicized just look at the numbersChina convicted 35 traffickers, Malaysia 3, and Thailand 151--but only Thailand is Tier 3. What message does that send?
Grade inflation for certain favored countries undermines accuracy and accountability, and demoralizes countries that actually made significant progress last year. When we engage in this type of trafficking ranking a cronyism where new friends and economic partners are given a free pass, for reasons unrelated to the suffering of trafficking victimsU.S. credibility is harmed, U.S. leadership is undermined, and the trafficking victims are left helpless and alone, said Smith, who after the delayed release of the TIP report in July promptly teamed up in a bipartisan press conference with Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI), Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY), and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) to criticize the Obama Administration for politicizing the TIP ratings.
The State Departments position was defended by Dr. Kari Johnstone, Principal Deputy Director in the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons; James Carouso, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs and; Alex Lee, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs, U.S. Department of State. None of the three submitted written testimony.
In a joint statement submitted to the House human rights panel, Johnstone, Lee, and Carouso acknowledged that the TIP Report is, The most effective diplomatic tools our government has for encouraging a foreign government to take action and make progress in combating modern slavery.
Also testifying was Mark Lagon, a former Ambassador-at-Large for Trafficking in Persons Office at the Department of State and current President of Freedom House. Founded in 1941 as the first American organization to advocate the advancement of freedom around the world, Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization also dedicated to promoting democracy and fundamental human rights.
The grounds for the upgrade are deeply questionable, said Lagon regarding Cuba, referencing the burgeoning sex industry and that Cuba does not claim any efforts to prevent forced labor nor any trafficking specific shelters. Click here to read Lagons testimony. Lagon also called the upgrade of Vietnam to Tier 2 bewildering and noted that India is demographically the country with the largest trafficking problem.India is ranked at Tier 2 despite the fact that the country provides no useable data on prosecution of traffickers or protection of victims.Moreover, in 2014, India refused to allow trafficking victims and their families to leave India for the U.S. on U.S. granted trafficking visas, putting the citizens and U.S. prosecution of traffickers at risk.
Smith also stated that Chinas ranking should place it among the worlds worst.China still forces prisoners to perform manual labor. It forcibly repatriates trafficked North Korean refugees, knowing they will be imprisoned, tortured, or killed. And Chinas coercive population control program, in combination with a cultural preference for boys, has resulted in tens of millions of women and girls missing from the populationmaking China the sex-trafficking magnet of the world. Ignoring this fact does little to save innocent victims, he said.
On Malaysias downgrade in the tier rankings to allow its entrance into the TPP, Congressman Smith said,We cant turn a blind eye to the inconvenient truth that modern slavery is prevalent in Malaysia.The Administrations decision is clearly about TPP dollars. Instead of demanding change from Malaysia, the Administration changed our standard to give Malaysia a pass. President Obama made a commitment to fight modern slavery, but the Malaysia decision prioritizes trade over trafficking victims and may put millions of U.S. dollars in the pockets of traffickers.
""More than bad optics, more than flouting the will of Congress, such circumventing of accountability is disastrous for the labor trafficking victims, he added.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-effort-to-reform-mental-health-care-system-gains-steam,Lance Effort to Reform Mental Health Care System Gains Steam,2015-11-04,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) tonight helped secure passage of a major overhaul of the countrys mental care system in the House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Lance is an original cosponsor of the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act which now advances to the full Committee for further consideration.
Mental health is another tenet in our work to tackle our many public health challenges. For more than a year we have conducted an extensive review of our Nations mental health system to outline ways to improve care, expand access and close the gaps that are currently letting too many fall through the cracks. This is the next step in the legislative process and in building a broad bipartisan coalition to fix our broken mental health care system. There are more issues to address in the coming weeks, said Lance, a member of the Subcommittee after the 12 hour session.
Lance is an original cosponsor of Congressman Tim Murphy (PA-18)s Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act (H.R. 2646). The measure builds on reforms included in Lances 2014 legislation that put community mental health centers on more equal footing with other health centers by improving quality standards and expanding access. H.R. 2646 takes a clinical approach to supporting families and individuals undergoing sudden or long-term mental health crises.The bill targets programming and resources on psychiatric care for patients and families most in need of services by increasing inpatient and outpatient treatment options. It also makes judicial reforms by clarifying standards used to commit an individual to medical care and updates legal framework to help families and physicians make informed decisions.The bill views those who need care through the mental health lens, not just through the criminal justice system.The legislation also fixes patient access problems in the Part D program and Medicaid.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398536,"***House Passes Smith Resolution 418-0***Smith Bill To Help Protect Jewish Communities In Europe Passes House Unanimously",2015-11-03,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Following the recent upswing in violent anti-Semitic attacks in several European nations, the U.S. House of Representatives today unanimously passed legislation urging the United States and European governments to take key steps to help keep Jewish communities safe. The legislation was introduced by Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04).
The number of violent anti-Semitic attacks has increased from 100 to 400 percent in some European countries since 2013, said Rep. Smith, who co-chairs the Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism. The murders in Paris, Copenhagen, and elsewhere reminded us that there are those who are motivated by anti-Semitism and have the will to kill.
H. Res. 354 calls on the U.S. Administration to encourage European governments, law enforcement agencies, and intergovernmental organizations to formally recognize and partner with Jewish community groups to strengthen crisis prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and responses related to anti-Semitic attacks.
This resolution calls for the United States Government to work with our European allies on specific actions that are essential to keep European Jewish communities safe and secure, Rep. Smith continued. It is based on consultations with the leading experts who are working directly with these communities. (Read his full statement here.)
The legislation passed today was endorsed by leading Jewish community groups including the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, the Jewish Federations of North America, the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League, the Orthodox Union, the Secure Community Network, and the Simon Wiesenthal Center. The 89 bipartisan co-sponsors included all seven of the other co-Chairs of the House of Representatives Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism: Reps. Ted Deutch (FL-21), Nita Lowey (NY-17), Eliot Engel (NY-16), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27), Kay Granger (TX-12), Steve Israel (NY-03), and Peter Roskam (IL-06).
Jewish Federations are grateful to the House of Representatives for passing a responsive resolution today, which provides a needed framework for how the U.S. government and Jewish community security groups like the Secure Community Network can work with their European counterparts to combat increasing anti-Semitic attacks in Europe, said William C. Daroff, Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Director of the Washington Office of the Jewish Federations of North America. Jewish Federations are proud to have worked with Congress on this resolution's language and passage.
Battling the anti-Semitic threats facing European Jewish communities is vital to ensure the democratic and pluralistic fabric of Europe for all its citizens, said American Jewish Committee Executive Director David Harris. This resolution sends a powerful message that battling the anti-Semitic threats facing European Jewish communities is a shared responsibility.
As a former law enforcement executive responsible for the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes, I applaud the unwavering leadership and determination of Congressman Smith for bringing this resolution to fruition, said Paul Goldenberg, National Director of the Secure Community Network. It is a time of tremendous need, concern and uncertainty for all faith-based communities who face intimidation, hate crimes and fear of violence.
Rep. Smith has a long record as a congressional leader in the fight against anti-Semitism. He is the author of the provisions of the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act of 2004 that created the Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism within the U.S. State Department.
Following his 2002 landmark hearing on combating the escalation of anti-Semitic violence in Europe, Escalating Anti-Semitic Violence in Europe, he led a congressional drive to place the issue of combating anti-Semitism at the top of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) agenda, as a result of which in 2004 the OSCE adopted new norms for its participating States on fighting anti-Semitism. In 2009, he delivered the keynote address at the Interparliamentary Coalition Combating Anti-Semitism London conference.
In the 1990s, he chaired Congresss first hearings on anti-Semitism and in the early 1980s, his first trips abroad as a member of Congress were to the former Soviet Union, where he fought for the release of Jewish refuseniks.
###
The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is an independent agency of the Federal Government charged with monitoring compliance with the Helsinki Accords and advancing comprehensive security through promotion of human rights, democracy, and economic, environmental and military cooperation in 57 countries. The Commission consists of nine members from the U.S. Senate, nine from the House of Representatives, and one member each from the Departments of State, Defense, and Commerce.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398537,"***Hearing Set for Weds. Nov. 4*** Demanding Accountability: Evaluating the State Dept.s 2015 Trafficking Report",2015-11-03,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The U.S. State Departments main effort to combat human trafficking will be the topic of a hearing planned by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights issues, and author of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, a law which mandates the State Departments annual Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP).
Demanding Accountability: Evaluating the 2015 Trafficking in Persons Report, is the title of the hearing to be held before the House Foreign Affairs Committee subcommittee on global human rights. Who: Members of the House global human rights subcommittee, and witnesses:
Dr. Kari Johnstone, Ph.D. Principal Deputy Director, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, U.S. Department of State
Mr. James Carouso, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, U.S. Department of State
The Honorable Mark Lagon, President of Freedom House (Former Ambassador-at-Large for Trafficking in Persons Office at the U.S. Department of State). Founded in 1941 as the first American organization to advocate the advancement of freedom around the world, Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization dedicated to the expansion of freedom around the world and promoting democracy and fundamental human rights.
What: Congressional hearing on human trafficking with US State DepartmentWhen: Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 1 p.m.
Where: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2172 (first floor)
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398538,"U.S. Reps. Smith, Waters Mark Memory Screening Week and Alzheimers Disease Awareness Month, Urge Citizens to Take Advantage of Free Screenings",2015-11-03,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Representatives Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), House Co-Chairs of the Bipartisan, Bicameral Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease, commended the Alzheimers Foundation of America (AFA) for holding Memory Screening Week from Nov. 1-7 and urged the general public, especially those 65 and over, to take advantage of the screenings.
To find screening sites, one simply needs to enter their zip code at: http://www.afascreenings.org/search-us.
I applaud the AFA for expanding access to these important screenings, which inform the healthcare decisions of our seniors and help them prepare for a better future. For many years I have collaborated with AFA to help raise awareness about Alzheimers disease and dementia, and their work in eliminating stigma and providing clinical resources has helped countless Americans get the help they need, said Smith.
National Memory Screening Week is a wonderful opportunity for individuals with memory concerns to get free and confidential screenings for Alzheimers disease and other problems affecting memory, said Waters. It is also an opportunity to raise awareness of Alzheimers disease and promote the value of memory screening and early detection.
AFA has held National Memory Screening Day during National Alzheimers Disease Awareness Month for the past 12 years. This year, the AFA has expanded the successful program to a whole week. From Nov. 1-7, local sites will offer free, safe and confidential memory screenings to the public, as well as patient education about brain health and successful aging.
According to a recent study conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of Alzheimers Foundation of America, about nine in 10 adults ages 40+ (91 percent) say without their memory, they wouldnt be themselves. Yet, one in two (56 percent) say they have other health concerns more pressing than getting a memory screening, said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., president and chief executive officer of the Alzheimers Foundation of America. We encourage people to take advantage of the free, confidential memory screenings being offered throughout the country during National Memory Screening Week. A screening is much like other routine health check-ups its simple, non-invasive and lasts less than 10 minutes.
Memory screenings are not used to diagnose illness, but can help determine whether a person might benefit from further examination by a qualified physician. In addition to helping patients avoid or correct misdiagnosis and other medical problems, memory screenings benefit persons with healthy memory scores by dispelling fears, providing a baseline for future screenings and promoting healthy aging.
Alzheimers disease, a degenerative condition caused by disease of the brain, is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. While Alzheimers currently has no cure, early detection can help patients and caregivers plan for more positive health outcomes.
Early detection of Alzheimers disease improves treatment and helps individuals and families plan for their future, said Waters. I congratulate the Alzheimers Foundation of America for continuing to expand its National Memory Screening Program.
I urge everyone to participate in a free memory screening this week, said Smith, who noted that there are screening sites throughout New Jersey. Knowledge is power, and in addition to providing earlier and more accurate diagnoses, memory screenings offer insight into brain health which can improve quality of life for all.
For additional information on Alzheimers disease and memory screenings, visit:
www.nationalmemoryscreening.org .
Smith and Waters recently teamed up to introduce Alzheimers Action Now, a package of four bills that together aim to help Alzheimers patients and their families; promote public awareness of Alzheimers disease; and encourage voluntary contributions to research efforts.The Alzheimers Action Now legislative package includes three bills introduced by Rep. Waters in July: The Alzheimers Caregiver Support Act (H.R. 3090), The Missing Alzheimers Disease Patient Alert Program Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3091), and the Alzheimers Disease Semipostal Stamp Act (H.R. 3092). The package also includes the Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimers Act (H.R. 1559) introduced by Rep. Smith in February.
The Task Force co-chairs also requested an increase in funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically targeted for Alzheimers disease. While the bill did not make it to the floor prior to a continuing resolution, their efforts were recognized by the Appropriations Committee in the House. Their bill included a $300 million boost at NIH for AD, for a total of $886 million to continue the search for an Alzheimers treatment and cure.
Smith co-authored the bipartisan National Alzheimers Project Act or NAPA, which passed the House in 2010 and was enacted in 2011. NAPA set a goal of preventing and successfully treating Alzheimers disease by 2025 and established a national plan to coordinate government and private sector research as well as improve care and support services for patients and families. Click here to read the national plan.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398541,"Washington Times Op-EdLittle praise for Chinas two-child policy",2015-11-03,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"BY CONGRESSMAN CHRIS SMITH - Media outlets across the nation last week ran with the headline: China Abolishes One-Child Policy. Yet these headlines are highly misleading. It is true that China will revise its birth limitations policy, but this revision is not some major change to be lauded. The one-child policy has simply become a two-child policy, while the coercive population control apparatus remains essentially unchanged. The Chinese government has retained its power to tell Chinese couples how many children they may have and retained the power to punish couples who disobey.
The new two-child policy may allow for more births, but it does not remove the incentives given to local officials to pressure, coerce or even force mothers to abort a child if it is the couples third child. Nor does this policy erase the damage that three decades of coercive birth control polices have already inflicted on Chinese families. There will be no justice for victims of forced abortions or sterilizations; the horrific crimes committed by Chinas population control police will likely be swept under table. We shouldnt be applauding Chinas policy, we should be insisting they abolish all birth limits.
What Americans have referred to as the one-child policy has long been a misnomer. In Chinese, they call the policy population and birth planning and it stemmed from the belief that the Chinese Communist Party should control production of Chinese families like the production of its factories. The consequences of treating families like cogs in an economic machine have been devastating for Chinas women and girls. Over the past three decades of Chinas coercive birth control policy, it was common for pregnant women to be hunted down like dogs and forced to abort their surplus children. Local officials used massive fines to line their own pockets as couples hid their second and third children. Many of these extra children were unable to obtain the documentation needed to attend school, receive health care or get jobs. They became stateless children within China.
Moreover, in a country without Social Security, traditional customs dictate that couples depend on sons to care for them in their old age. This son preference has led to a severe and prolonged sex-ratio imbalance in China. Chinese couples had to make the unimaginable choice to abort or abandon their unborn child if it was a girl. Chinas National Bureau of Statistics estimated in 2014 that China already has 34 million more men than women. This surplus of men is the cause of serious human trafficking problems, as foreign women from Southeast Asia and North Korea are trafficked into China for forced marriage or commercial sexual exploitation.
It should come as no surprise that this policy was hated by the Chinese people. In part due to push back from the people, the government has long allowed rural couples to have a second child if their first child was female. For a number of years, some localities have allowed couples in which both parents are only children to have two children. In 2013, Chinas government further revised its birth control policy to allow two children per couple if one parent is an only child.
These policy revisions have been piecemeal and unevenly applied across Chinas provinces, but highlight two key facts: First, the new announcement was not a dramatic change but just another policy adjustment, similar to previous adjustments; and second, given the minimal impact of the 2013 policy adjustment, there is little reason to expect the universal two-child policy to fundamentally change the dynamics on the ground in China. Chinese couples are still not free to decide the size of their own families. The human rights abuses associated with Chinas coercive birth control policy will continue. Chinas pernicious sex-ratio imbalance will likely persist for the foreseeable future.
Christopher H. Smith, New Jersey Republican, is chairman of the U.S. Congressional-Executive Commission on China and chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Global Human Rights and International Organizations.
Op-Ed originally published Nov. 2 2015 at:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/nov/2/christopher-smith-little-praise-for-chinas-two-chi/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-op-ed-it-s-time-to-put-some-meaningful-legislation-on-president-obamas,Lance Op-ed: Its time to put some meaningful legislation on President Obama's desk,2015-11-03,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"After countless efforts stymied by the U.S. Senate and its 60-vote threshold to pass legislation, the House of Representatives took a new route last week and passed a comprehensive package that targets Obamacare, striking many of its onerous taxes and laying the groundwork for a new President to complete a full repeal and replacement plan. The package also reduces the deficit by 130 billion dollars in the coming years and redirects federal mandatory funding for Planned Parenthood while the investigations into that organization and its practices continue. The package proceeded through reconciliation - the ability of the House and Senate to pass legislation with a simple majority vote. It is time that the Republican Majority use all the procedural tools at our disposal to challenge the President.
Reconciliation works likethis: In the budget resolution passed by both chambers of Congress earlier this year, three House committees were given instructions for advancing reconciliation legislation. Specifically, each committeethe Energy and Commerce Committee of which I am a member, the Ways and Means Committee and the Committee on Education and the Workforce must produce at least $1 billion insavingseach. Each committee greatly exceeded those parameters.
The Energy and Commerce Committee provisions finally end the Obamacare slush fund, known as the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which gives the Secretary of Health and Human Services billions of dollars to spend each year with little accountability. Funds from this program have financed questionable programs and outright waste and some Democrats have joined in calling for its termination. The Energy and Commerce section also directs Planned Parenthood funding to other health care providers investing in high quality access healthcare options for women and men.
The Ways and Means Committees contribution repealed a series of significant pieces of Obamacare, including the repeal of the individual and employer mandates, the repeal of the medical device tax and the repeal of the so-called""Cadillac Tax"" thatforces people to accept difference insurance coverage from the coverage they knew and liked. Forcing Americans, under penalty of higher taxes, to purchase coverage of the governments choosing is the exact opposite approach we need to create a patientcentered health care system. The employer mandate hurts small businesses and costs jobs. The medical device tax increases the cost of care, discourages medical innovation and harms job creation, especially for New Jerseys vibrant life science sector. We should be promoting the discovery of new medical technology, not taxing it away.
And theEducation and Workforce Committee advanced provisions that strip Obamacare's auto-enrollment mandate that forces many employers to enroll new full-time employees into employer-sponsored health care coverage they may not want or need. This duplicative and wasteful mandate will create unnecessary confusion for workers and employers and results in penalties for those already enrolled in health insurance coverage and lowers employees take-home pay.
Reconciliation is our best chance to send legislation to the Presidents desk thanks to avoiding theSenate filibuster. Democrats used reconciliation to help pass Obamacare in 2010. Last week we used this same reconciliation process to redirect Planned Parenthood funding and begin replacing Obamacare, keeping our promise to the American people.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398535,"Smith Welcomes Global TB Report, but Warns of Health Danger",2015-11-02,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), head of the House Foreign Affairs Global Health Subcommittee, warned that not enough attention is being paid to eradicating tuberculosis (TB)a contagious airborne disease which killed 1.5 million people last year. Smith made the comments in response to the newly released World Health Organizations (WHO) 2015 Global Tuberculosis Report.
TB has surpassed HIV/AIDS as the leading infectious disease cause of premature death. What is most troubling is the emergence of multi-drug resistant and extensively drug-resistant strains, and we need to pay particular attention to the prevalence of TB in Eastern Europe, parts of sub-Saharan Africa and North Korea, said Smith. The number of TB deaths annually dwarfs those attributable to Ebola, which by comparison has claimed the lives of less than 12,000 people since the March 2014 Ebola outbreak.
The new report was released October 28. The WHO estimates that in 2014, some 480,000 people developed multidrug resistant TB, which is far harder to treat. Some 10 percent of multidrug-resistant cases are extremely drug resistant.
Noting the lives that are lost to TB, Smith also said that, We need to stop being penny wise and pound foolish when it comes to combatting Tuberculosis. TB testing and treatment pays dividends, but a funding gap exists. When we fail to invest in attacking TB, we pay a greater price down the road not only in terms of lives destroyed but also in terms of dollars. We have a window of opportunity now in which to tackle the disease, but if multidrug resistance is allowed to develop, the climb becomes that much steeper.
The WHO estimates that $8 billion worldwide is needed to respond fully to the TB epidemic in low and middle-income countries, but the amount committed falls short by some $1.4 billion.
Smith also criticized the Obama Administration for consistently lowballing TB in the global health budget, relying on Congress to restore funding to previous year levels.
In addition to welcoming the WHO report, Smith did praise the naming of Dr. Eric Goosby as the UN Special Envoy on Tuberculosis. We worked with Dr. Goosby when he was the US Global AIDS Coordinator, and he is someone who has dedicated his life to public health. As Special Envoy on TB, Dr. Goosby will be able to help galvanize attention on the need to combat TB. A sustained focus is necessary, and he is the right man for the job.
Smith looks forward to seeing new diagnostic tools come on line, as well as the development of improved anti-TB drugs.
We can eliminate TB, just as we have successfully fought polio, Smith said. It takes political will, however, and an investment of resources that will pay dividends in the long run both in terms of lives saved and productivity gained.
Link to the new WHO Report: http://www.who.int/tb/publications/global_report/en/
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-receives-bob-franks-public-service-award,Lance Receives Bob Franks Public Service Award,2015-11-02,2015,2015-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"TRENTON, N. J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) proudly accepted the Honorable Bob Franks Public Service Award from the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey on Friday in a special ceremony in Trenton. The HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ), a trade association for the research-based biopharmaceutical and medical technology industry, selected Lance for his accomplished record on public health matters and his work on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and its Health Subcommittee.
Right now in laboratories across New Jersey exciting and groundbreaking treatments are being tested, vetted and envisioned. I work in Congress to give these modern-day inventors the tools they need to research and develop 21st Century cures and therapies that will improve and save lives, Lance told the crowd at the annual celebration of New Jerseys life science leaders. We must commit ourselves to keeping American ingenuity ahead of global competitors. Legislation we have passed in Washington and the partnerships we have formed offer great promise to New Jerseys significant biopharmaceutical and medical technology industry. I will continue to work in the bipartisan spirit of Congressman Bob Franks and be a strong voice and tireless advocate for New Jerseys life sciences community.
Dean J. Paranicas, President and Chief Executive Officer of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey praised Lance. Whether it is protecting patient access to life-saving medicines and medical technologies or preserving the innovative environment necessary to discover the next generation of treatments and cures, Congressman Lance has been a tireless advocate for advancing human health. His enthusiasm for public service and his dedication to the patient community are highly commendable, and we are pleased to honor him with this award.
The award is named for the late Congressman Bob Franks who represented the Seventh Congressional District from 1993-2001. Franks wife, Fran, and two of their daughters, Sara and Abby, joined Lance on stage for the award presentation. Following his service in Washington, Franks served as President and CEO of the HealthCare Institute. Lance told the crowd he tries to follow Franks lead on health issues. I use the same approach that Bob did: Look for common-ground, find bipartisan agreement, use advocate enthusiasm and create important public policy to help in the fight to protect patient access to health care and preserve the environment necessary to find the next generation of treatments and cures for the worlds patients. This is how Congress should work, together on issues that make a lasting difference.
HINJ cited several Lance achievements for the award:
Passage of the 21st Century Cures Act legislation that creates a National Institute of Health Innovation Fund, opens the innovation pipeline enabling biomedical innovation to come to the market faster and streamlines the regulatory process.
Passage of the FDA Safety Over Sequestration Act legislation which exempts Food and Drug Administration user fees from sequestration and puts those resources back for the approval of drugs and medical devices.
Passage of Excellence in Mental Health Act legislation that creates pilot programming to expand state resources in improving access to high-quality mental health care
Championing the MODDERN Cures Act legislation that will update the drug evaluation process to encourage the discovery and development of new treatments for chronic and rare diseases.
Founding of the Congressional Life Science Caucus a caucus for lawmakers to advocate for issues important to the life science community
Keeping patient care at the forefront of every debate Lance has met with hundreds of constituents and organizations advocating for improvements to the Nations health care system.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398534,"China Commission Chairman Smith:Chinas Coercive Population ControlIncluding Forced Abortionto Continue Despite Plans to Modify Population Policy",2015-10-29,2015,2015-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Even if the new policy allows couples to have two childrena claim that remains to be seenthe coercive population control policy is essentially unchanged, said Rep. Chris Smith, a leading expert on US-China relations in the House of Representatives. Children will continue to be killed if unauthorized by the government and huge fines imposedthe so-called social compensation feeon families who evade detection and have so-called illegal children.
Smith said, Chinas population control program is the most brutal, hated, and disastrous anti-woman, anti-child policy ever.
Both the old and new policies implement forced abortions, involuntary sterilizations and huge fines.These coercive methods result in a gender imbalance favoring males that drives human trafficking problems region-wide, added Smith, who serves as the Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China.It remains highly restrictive because it still limits the size of Chinese families, which means it will be enforced coercively.
The new policy also needs to be thoroughly vetted for dishonesty, Smith said. The Chinese government lies about its human rights record.In 2013 it claimed an end to the horrific Reform Through Labor system of detention.But we know now that system has continued under different names.
Congressman Smith has been a vocal critic of the policy since 1983 and has held 55 hearings on human rights in China and led several fact-finding trips to the communist country.In April, 2015 he chaired a hearing to discuss the disastrous economic, security, and demographic consequences of Chinas population control policies (April 30, 2015 CECC hearing).In a speech given last year on the 34th anniversary of the one-child policy, Congressman Smith called it state-sponsored violence and said that forced abortion is a crime against humanitynothing in human history compares to the magnitude of Chinasassault on women and girls. Academics and demographic experts have come to similar conclusions about the policy, Wang Feng, the former director of the Brookings-Tsinghua Center, said thathistory will judge the One-Child Policy as worse than the Cultural Revolution [as it] will influence more than one generation.
The bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) chaired by Smith and co-chaired by Senator Marco Rubio recently released its 2015 Annual Report which shows that Chinese provincial governments continued to coercively enforce birth restrictions and monitor family size. The report also showed that population control policies created a sex ratio imbalance resulting in the birth of significantly more males, millions of whom will be unable to find wives. The severe imbalance drives regional human trafficking throughout Asia for the purposes of forced marriage and sexual exploitation. The CECC Annual Report can be found at www.cecc.gov.
The CECC consists of nine bi-partisan Senators, eight bi-partisan Members of the House of Representatives, and five senior Administration officials appointed by the President. The Annual Report was approved unanimously by all of the CECCs members.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-election-of-paul-ryan-as-house-speaker,Lance Statement on Election of Paul Ryan as House Speaker,2015-10-29,2015,2015-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives elected Congressman Paul D. Ryan (WI-01) the 54th Speaker of the House of Representatives:
Paul Ryan is the best person for the job of leading the House of Representatives. We are at a critical time in American history and I have great confidence in my friend from Wisconsin. Paul will lead the House in pursuing policies that help American families by lowering the deficit, reforming our tax code, strengthening entitlements to make them sustainable and tackling our National debt. I congratulate Paul Ryan on his election.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1127,Rep. Frelinghuysen statement on Speaker Ryan,2015-10-29,2015,2015-10,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"I welcome the election of Paul Ryan as Speaker of the House. While he is a man of new ideas, Paul has deep respect for the institution of the House and shares my commitment to returning to regular order and allowing the House Committee system, especially the Appropriations Committee process, to operate as it should. I look forward to working with Speaker Ryan for greater fiscal discipline, balanced budgets and limiting the long reach of the federal government. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1129,Op-Ed: Obama's veto of defense act leaves U.S. military at risk,2015-10-29,2015,2015-10,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"Home | Site Map| Privacy Policy
2306 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515-3011 (202) 225-5034 Open: Mon. - Fri., 9am to 5:30pm
30 Schuyler Place, Second Floor Morristown, NJ 07960 (973) 984-0711 Open: Mon. - Fri., 9am to 5pm",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398533,"Smith, Doyle Organize Autism Event with Sesame StreetSesame Street Briefs Congress on Early Intervention for Children with Autism",2015-10-28,2015,2015-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"A special briefing Tuesday organized bythe bipartisan co-chairs of Coalition for Autism Research and Education (C.A.R.E.) focused on Sesame Workshops new autism initiativeincluding a new muppet, Julia, who has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)as well as on strategies for early detection and intervention, said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04).
Children with autism who receive early intervention and treatments following an ASD diagnosis demonstrate significant improvement in their long-term development, said caucus co-chairman Smith (R-NJ) who helped arrange the event. We also need to continue to focus on raising awareness about autism as an effective means to prevent the recent tragedies we have seen involving bullying of autistic youth and young adults.
The briefing, entitled Best Practices for Early Intervention for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, examined the available resources that help address daily challenges faced by children with ASD and their families.
Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 68 children have been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The CDC has reported intervention has the greatest potential to benefit children with autism if it begins before three years of age, yet 80 percent of children who need early intervention services are missed.
The guests at the briefing were Dr. Jeanette Betancourt Ed.D.,Senior Vice President for U.S. Social Impact at Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, and Dr. Jennifer Stapel-Wax, Psy.D., Associate Professor at Emory University School of Medicine and Director of Infant and Toddler Clinical Research Operations at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta.
Dr. Stapel-Wax spoke about Marcus Autism Centers work with eye tracking technology, which can predict whether a child will have autism at six months of age. Children with autism spend too much time looking at objects and not as much time looking at faces, she explained to Members of Congress and staff after a video demonstration.
Smith praised Marcus Autism Center for their efforts: The science demonstrates that the earlier intervention begins, the better the outcomes for children on the spectrum. If we can continue to make progress in lowering the age of diagnosis, we can ensure more children receive the early intervention and treatment that will improve their quality of life. Hopefully the best practices learned today will translate into best practices for everybody, Smith said.
Dr. Betancourt presented Sesame Workshops new initiative, See Amazing for All Children, which is a campaign to educate families, teachers, and caregivers about autism and encourage inclusion and acceptance. We believe that for there truly to be inclusion there must be understanding from the earliest stages, Dr. Betancourt said.
Smith co-chairs the autism caucus with Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA).
This initiative includes the development of more autism-friendly programming, web-based content, and apps for mobile devices along with Julia, the first autistic muppet, Rep. Doyle said. Its great that autistic children will be able to see someone like them onscreen. Not only will Sesame Street be telling autistic kids that they are a valuable part of our community; it will also be bringing that message to other kids and teaching them the best ways to be more inclusive and help autistic children overcome some of the obstacles they may face.
The sensitivity taught through Sesame Workshops initiative will not only reach the next generation of kids, but also teach their parents, Rep. Smith said.
Sesame Street and Autism is a powerful example of the unique role Sesame Street can play in addressing real world issues impacting children, helping all kids grow smarter, stronger and kinder, said Sherrie Westin, Executive Vice President, Global Impact and Philanthropy at Sesame Workshop. The response to Julia and this initiative has been overwhelming and we were thrilled to be invited by Representatives Doyle and Smith to share these critical resources with Congress.
Rep. Smith is currently leading a multi-member letter along with Rep. Doyle asking the Administration to include funding in its next budget for a multi-agency initiative to get more children tested for autism.
Smiths most recent autism legislation, the 2014 Autism CARES Act (PL 113-157), authorizes $1.3 billion in autism research over five years, including $22 million for the Developmental Disabilities Surveillance and Research Program; $48 million for Autism Education, Early Detection, and Intervention, and; $190 million for hundreds of Research Grants at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and for the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee. Smiths law also tasks federal agencies with undertaking a comprehensive review of current federal policies and programs impacting students with disabilities as they transition into adulthood.
Smith has also authored the 2011 Combating Autism Reauthorization Act, (Public Law 112-32), which is built on by the Autism CARES Act (PL 113-157).
For more information about Julia click on graphic at left or visit: http://autism.sesamestreet.org/
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http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-budget-deal,Lance Statement on Budget Deal,2015-10-28,2015,2015-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today released the following statement after the U.S. House passed H.R. 1314, the Bipartisan Budget Act. This two-year budget deal suspends the federal debt limit until March 2017 and breaks the 2011 budget caps for defense and non-defense programs:
""Rather than taking meaningful steps to address the growing debt, the budget deal removes spendingcaps put in place as part of the 2011 Budget Control Act (BCA)resulting in $80 billion in new spending over the next two years. I believe the spending caps set forth by the BCA and implemented through sequestration are the first real cuts in spending that the federal government has seen in decades and should remain intact.
""Additionally in past years Congress has required a serious commitment to reducing our Nations crippling deficit to accompany any vote tosignificantly raise the borrowing limit. The budget agreement brokered between President Obama and congressional leaders falls well short ofthat fiscally responsible requirement. Absent significant entitlement spending reforms and meaningful spending reductions, I could not support the final budget agreement.""
Background: H.R. 1314, the Bipartisan Budget Act, suspends the federal debt limit through 2017, allowing for the accumulation of approximately $1.5 trillion in new federal debt and increases discretionary spending by $80 billion over two years. The bill passed 266 to 167.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398518,"Sesame Workshop to introduce 'Julia,' new muppet with autism, to Capitol Hill on Tues. Oct. 27Sesame Street to Brief Congress on Early Intervention for Children with Autism",2015-10-27,2015,2015-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Advocates for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have taken the fight to the streetSesame Streetat a special briefing Tuesday hosted bythe bipartisan Coalition for Autism Research and Education (C.A.R.E), said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04).
Best Practices for Early Intervention for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder, is the title of the congressional briefing. Early intervention and Sesame Streets new Muppet, Julia, who has autism, will be the highlights of the event, which will also examine the science behind early intervention, barriers to early screening and detection, the core components of intervention for infants and toddlers, different types of intervention, and best practices.It will further examine the available resources that help address daily challenges faced by children with ASD and their families.
For more information about Julia click on graphic at left or visit: http://autism.sesamestreet.org/
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 68 children have been identified with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a dramatic 30 percent increase since 2012. The CDC has also reported that intervention has the greatest impact on autism if it begins before three years of age, yet 80 percent of children who could benefit from early intervention are missed.
Who: Congressmen Chris Smith (R-NJ), Mike Doyle (D-PA) co-chairs of the Houses bipartisan Coalition on Autism Research and Education (CARE); other members of the caucus, and; speakers:
Dr. Jeanette Betancourt Ed.D., Senior Vice President for U.S. Social Impact at the Sesame Workshop
Jennifer Stapel-Wax, Psy.D., Associate Professor, Division of Autism and Related Disorders Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine
Dr. Betancourts responsibilities include the strategic branding and delivery of domestic and international outreach initiatives to assure the greatest impact and visibility. She has directed Sesame Workshop Outreach projects in the areas of bilingual education, literacy, music, health and safety, resiliency, and child care.
Dr. Stapel-Wax is the Director of Infant and Toddler Clinical Research Operations Marcus Autism Center, Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta. Stapel-Wax has more than two decades of experience in clinical work and graduate level teaching at Emory University, the Georgia School of Professional Psychology and at the Marcus Autism Center. Her clinical and research interests are in the areas of development and assessment of young children, neurodevelopmental disorders, and teaching, training and supervision.
What: Special congressional briefing with Congressmen Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Mike Doyle (D-PA)
When: Tuesday, Oct. 27 @ 3-4 p.m.
Where: Room 122 of the Cannon House Office Building
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398520,Global Crisis of Religious Freedom Focus of Hearing,2015-10-27,2015,2015-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The alarming global trends of rising religious persecution and what more the United States government needs to do to protect vulnerable religious minorities such as persecuted Christians in the Middle East, were the subjects of a hearing chaired by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) today entitled The Global Crisis of Religious Freedom.
The world is witnessing a global religious freedom crisis that poses a direct challenge to U.S. interests in the Middle East, Asia, China, and Sub-Saharan Africa, said Smith, Chairman of the House global human rights subcommittee. Ancient religious communities face extinction, young women are sold into slavery because they are considered apostates, religion-related terrorism and violence are on the rise, and religious believers face torture, beheadings, and long-prison sentences for simply trying to live out their faith. The grim global realities suggest that the current State Departments efforts are insufficient to stem the rise of persecution and the decline of religious freedom globally. It is worth asking why and what can be done better.It is worth asking whether new tools are needed to help U.S. religious freedom diplomacy address one of the great crises of the 21st century. If we dont act, the problems will only get worse. Click here to read Chairman Smiths opening statement.
October 27th is the global commemoration of International Religious Freedom, marking the anniversary of the signing of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.The U.S. also recognizes January 16th as Religious Freedom Day.
The hearing featured the U.S. State Departments Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, David Saperstein and Robert P. George, Chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, a bipartisan and independent government advisory body. It was the first time, during the Obama Administration, that an Ambassador for Religious Freedom testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Both discussed religious freedom conditions in countries such as China, Nigeria and Pakistan, and offered recommendations on ways to address persistent religious persecution globally.
In his testimony, Ambassador Saperstein highlighted the challenges of religious persecution and religion-based violence in Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, China, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Burma, Vietnam, and Sudan. He also discussed the challenges of a persistent anti-Semitism in Europe and some of the progress made by the State Department coordinating diplomacy globally with Canada.
Ambassador Saperstein said, We continue to face daunting, alarming, and growing challenges to religious freedom around the world. To address these challenges, we are building new partnerships, investing in new programs, increasing our staff, and continuing to coordinate with U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Click here to read the Ambassadors written testimony.
Robert George, the Chairman of the bipartisan USCIRF, agreed with assessment that religious freedom is under serious and sustained pressure globally, but offered recommendations for how the State Department could improve its efforts to protect this fundamental freedom. Dr. George recommended that the State Department use all the tools available in the landmark International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and other measures to address the religious freedom challenges of the 21st century. He gave specific examples of how such tools may work in the countries of Vietnam, Tajikistan, and Pakistan.
Dr. George said, Religious freedommerits a seat at the table with economic and security concerns as the U.S. and other nations conduct their affairs...in countries that honor and protect this right, religious freedom generally is associated with vibrant political democracy, rising economic and social well-being, and diminished tension and violence. In contrast, nations that trample on religious freedom are more likely to be mired in poverty and insecurity, war and terror, and violent, radical extremism. This instability directly bears not only on the well-being of those societies, but the security of the United States and overall global stability. Click here to read Dr. Georges opening statement.
Congressman Smiths bill, HR 1150, the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, was endorsed by Dr. George as an important step in upgrading the State Departments ability to address religious persecution and religion-related violence. The bipartisan bill, authored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) with the lead co-sponsorship of Congresswoman Anna Eshoo (D-CA), would strengthen U.S. diplomatic initiatives for religious freedom, including the training of diplomats in counter extremism to enhance their roles in U.S. response, and re-program State Department resources toward religious freedom protection and promotion.
The bill has broad ecumenical and bipartisan support, including from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and over 80 ethnic minority groups and religious organizations, including Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Bahii, and Jewish groups.
The problem we face will not disappear anytime soon, said Smith. We know that countries with high levels of religious freedom are more prosperous, have less religion-related violence and terrorism, and are more democratic. More robust efforts to advance religious freedom diplomatically will advance U.S. interests around the world and help protect vulnerable religious minorities. The stakes are too high and the suffering too great to downplay religious freedom as a priority of U.S. foreign policy.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398529,"Smith, House Vote to Boost Dyslexia Research",2015-10-27,2015,2015-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) today praised House passage of the Research Excellence and Advancements for Dyslexia Act (READ Act/H.R. 3033)bipartisan legislation that will boost dyslexia research funding at the National Science Foundation (NSF).
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month, and the House took a strong step forward today by passing legislation designed to enhance our understanding of dyslexia and assist millions of American children, said Smith, who cosponsored the READ Act.
The READ Act will prioritize funding at the National Science Foundation for dyslexia and identify best practices in early detection, development of course materials, and teacher training for dyslexic students, Smith continued.
The READ Act, which passed the House Oct. 26, requires that at least $5 million be directed annually for competitively awarded dyslexia research projects at the NSF. These projects will be focused on early identification; professional development for teachers; and curricula and educational tools.
Dyslexia is the most common learning disability in the United States today. An estimated one out of every six children in the United States may have dyslexia, a learning disability which causes difficulty in reading fluency and comprehension despite normal or above-average intelligence.
Absent effective intervention, dyslexia can be a significant barrier to educational achievement, confidence in school, and future success, said Smith. More must be done to find evidence-based strategies to help children with dyslexia reach their full potential in school.Smith is a member of the bipartisan Dyslexia Caucus, co-chaired by Reps. Lamar Smith and Julia Brownley (CA-26), which seeks to raise awareness and put forth policy changes that provide assistance to and remove barriers for individuals with dyslexia.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=398532,"Article on Jt. Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Pay Parity Issue, Smith Bill'Advisory committee: End pay disparity on joint base; pay higher NY rate'",2015-10-27,2015,2015-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By BCT Reporter David Levinsky -
The long-standing issue of civilian pay disparity on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst may be closer to getting solved, thanks to a recommendation from a federal advisory committee.
The Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee voted earlier this month to recommend that the entire joint base be included in the higher-paying New York wage area, rather than split between New York and the lower-paying Philadelphia wage area.
The split and wage disparity was caused when the joint base was formed in 2009 from the formerly separate installations of Fort Dix, McGuire Air Force Base and Lakehurst Naval Engineering Station.
Workers at Lakehurst, which is in Ocean County, earn higher salaries or hourly wages because that portion of the base is in the New York pay area. Fort Dix and McGuire employees with the same jobs earn lower pay because their formerly separate installations are considered in the Philadelphia area.
The issue first was addressed in 2009 by Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th of Robbinsville, and others, including former Rep. Rob Andrews, of the 1st Congressional District, and late Rep. John Adler, of the 3rd District. The trio pressured the federal Office of Personnel Management to agree to raise the salaries of civilians working on McGuire and Dix to the higher Lakehurst rate.
The change was approved only for salaried workers. The disparity for more than 500 ""wage scale"" employees has remained despite requests to the Office of Personnel Management to make the change for the remaining employees.
Smith has introduced legislation to mandate the disparity be corrected on the joint base and any other installation where a similar disparity occurs as a result of an installation merger or reorganization.
The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-3rd of Toms River, and is pending before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
The advisory committee's recommendation may offer a faster path for the disparity issue to be resolved.
The 11-member committee is charged with studying the federal government's prevailing rate system and issuing recommendations to the Office of Personnel Management about potential changes and other related issues.
The committee voted 5-4 on Oct. 15 to recommend that the entire joint base be included in the New York area. The committee previously recommended that the issue be resolved at the joint base and several other locations across the country with pay disparity issues.
Steve Landis, president of the Local Association of Civilian Technicians chapter on the joint base and a member of the advisory committee, said getting a recommendation solely for the joint base could be a breakthrough.
""The issue with the joint base is totally unique,"" Landis said. ""We're happy it's finally going through. A lot of people (at the joint base) may be getting some long-overdue raises.""
Smith, who represents a portion of the joint base,also called for the Office of Personnel Management to act on the committee's recommendation.
The Advisory Committees recommendation to end the pay disparity at JB MDL is long-overdue but still, a welcomed step to bring fairness to the men and women who are paid at a lower rate for the same jobs performed across the base, Smith said Monday. I urge (OPM's) Acting Administrator Cobert to immediately approve of FPRACs recommendations and issue the regulations that put them in effect as soon as possiblethe Administrator can end this outdated and unfair policy and I am hopeful she will use her authority to do so in a timely manner. Originally published at: http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/local/advisory-committee-end-pay-disparity-on-joint-base-pay-higher/article_6fce3446-7c0c-11e5-ad04-7f44c9b349fa.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/congressman-tom-macarthur-announces-784-million-missile-defense-contract,Congressman Tom MacArthur Announces $784 Million Missile Defense Contract,2015-10-26,2015,2015-10,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"October 22, 2015: SNJ Today
MOORESTOWN Congressman Tom MacArthur announced that Lockheed Martin has received a $784 million missile defense contract to be carried out in Moorestown, New Jersey.
Lockheed Martins contract provides options to develop, deploy, test, and operate a Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR). The LRDR combines radar, ballistic missile defense algorithms, and combat systems to support the defense of the Homeland.
Congressman MacArthurs position on the House Armed Services Committee has made him a leader on national security issues, including missile defense. In his first six months in office Congressman MacArthur offered amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act to modernize ships equipped with the AEGIS missile defense system, as well as advance initiatives to send the AEGIS Ashore missile defense system to our allies abroad.
This is great news for Lockheed Martin and even better news for the Moorestown community, said Congressman MacArthur. A strong missile defense is critical to protecting our homeland and troops abroad, as well as our allies. The LRDR radar is a welcome addition to our national security missile defense system and will help to keep Americans safe.
To learn more about Lockheed Martin, visithttps://www.lockheedmartin.com/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z