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://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-russia-sanctions,Lance Statement on Russia Sanctions,2016-12-29,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"FLEMINGTON, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) released the following statement on sanctions imposed against Russia:
""For too long the Obama Administration has let Russia dictate international politics. Today's action brings consequences for Russian hacking of our political parties - which I have long called unacceptable.
""This country is in serious need of a reevaluation of our standing on the world stage. A delayed response to Russian hacking and betraying our ally Israel before the United Nations this week have affirmed the impression of a weakened United States. We must again act from a position of strength before we further embolden the world's bad actors.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400013,"Trentonian article on Smith trip to Iraq to visit refugees'NJ Congressman Chris Smith makes Christmas-season visit to Iraq, says ISIS genocide must end'",2016-12-27,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Sulaiman Abdur-Rahman, of The Trentonian - As millions of people around the globe celebrate a merry Christmas, Congressman Chris Smith of New Jersey has made a recent trip to Iraq to meet with Christian survivors of a nearly three-year-long ISIS-fueled genocide.
“This Christmas season, the survival of Christians in Iraq, where they have lived for almost 2,000 years, is at stake,” Smith, a Republican who represents parts of Mercer, Ocean and Monmouth counties, said Tuesday in a statement. “I hope that President-elect (Donald) Trump will act urgently to make sure his administration helps these Christians with the funds Congress has approved for survivors of ISIS atrocities.”
Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda, the highest-ranking ordained Catholic in the Iraqi city of Erbil, invited Smith to the Kurdistan region of northern Iraq. During their meeting, according to Smith’s office, Archbishop Warda emphasized that unless the ancient minority Christian communities of Iraq received significant financial support very soon, they may not survive.
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey (center) meets with Iraqi Archbishop
Bashar Warda (right) and Christian survivors of the ISIS-fueled genocide in
Iraq on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016. Photo Courtesy of U.S. Rep. Chris Smith’s Office
“My Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act legislation is a blueprint for how to assist Christians and other genocide survivors and hold perpetrators accountable,” Smith said of his H.R. 5961 bill that was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in September. “I will be working tirelessly to get this bill on the new president’s desk when we reconvene in January.”
President-elect Trump is a Republican who has vowed to destroy ISIS.
Smith accused President Barack Obama’s Democratic administration of ignoring Christian families who have survived the ISIS genocide, but U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gave a speech earlier this year highlighting the known atrocities of ISIS, a terrorist group also known as Islamic State, ISIL and Daesh.
Kerry on March 17 revealed his personal judgment that ISIS “is responsible for genocide against groups in areas under its control, including Yezidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims” and noted that “Daesh is also responsible for crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing directed at these same groups and in some cases against Sunni Muslims and Kurds and other minorities.”
“The fact is that Daesh kills Christians because they are Christians; Yezidis because they are Yezidis; Shia because they are Shia,” Kerry added. “This is the message it conveys to children under its control. Its entire worldview is based on eliminating those who do not subscribe to its perverse ideology.”
In addition to being a congressman, Smith also chairs the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, a U.S. government agency that promotes human rights worldwide.
The U.S. Helsinki Commission is affiliated with the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, also known as the OSCE, which comprises 57 participating nation-states throughout the world, including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Turkey and Russia.
Smith has urged leaders in other OSCE countries to provide more humanitarian assistance to Christian genocide survivors and to support criminal investigations into people suspected of perpetrating genocide.
A July 2016 report published by the Institute for International Law and Human Rights and other organizations said: “Many minority communities in Iraq are now on the verge of disappearance. The Christian population, which before 2003 numbered as many as 1.4 million, had dwindled to 350,000 by early 2014, and since the ISIS advance is now estimated as under 250,000.”This article originally ran on page 3 of the Dec. 25, 2016 print edition of the Trentonian daily newspaper, and can be found online at:
http://www.trentonian.com/general-news/20161224/nj-congressman-chris-smith-makes-christmas-season-visit-to-iraq-says-isis-genocide-must-end",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400005,"Crux article on ISIS genocideU.S. Congressman urges action to save Iraqi Christians",2016-12-23,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"ERBIL, Iraq - American foreign policy in Iraq has had its share of missteps, and one quiet casualty of this policy has been the country’s ever smaller Christian population.
Now Congressman Chris Smith, chairman of the Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organization Subcommittee, and of the bi-partisan Helsinki Commission, is asking questions - not just in Washington, but in Iraq itself.
In one of the horrible ironies of American foreign policy here, Christians in Iraq were targeted for genocide by ISIS, but not for assistance from the U.S. government or the U.N. In fact, Christian leaders in the region have repeatedly stated that they risk extinction, with their population still inside Iraq having declined by almost 90 percent in just over a decade.
Still, unlike the governments of Poland and Hungary, the U.S. and U.N. bureaucracies have clung stubbornly to the idea that only individuals should be helped and the endangered Christian communities have not received meaningful American or U.N aid - especially in Erbil, where most now live as displaced persons.
Prior to coming to Iraq, Smith had held hearings on the issue in Washington, hearing from experts including Steve Rasche, an American attorney who works at the Archdiocese of Erbil, and Carl Anderson, CEO of the Knights of Columbus, which has donated millions of dollars to the Archdiocese of Erbil and others assisting Christians in the region.
In visiting Erbil, Smith wanted to see what was happening first hand. And he brought two messages: he wanted the U.S. government and the UN to start helping the Christians, and he wanted to know why they were not doing so already.
“The president has not stepped up to assist for the last three years, but he could step up before he gets out of office,” Smith told Crux. “My hope for the new government, my fondest hope,” Smith added “is that it provide immediate life saving aid to the displaced Christian community in Erbil.”
About half of the Christians remaining in Iraq now live in Erbil, where the Chaldean Archdiocese provides care for as many as 70,000 who have been displaced.
During his visit, Congressman Smith was hosted by the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil and met with several families who had been displaced by ISIS, as well as with bishops from the Chaldean and Syriac Catholic, and the Syriac Orthodox Church. The Congressman also had meetings with UN, U.S. And NGO leaders there and visited the Ashti 2 center: the largest Christian camp for those displaced , which houses 6,000 people.
At the camp, he met with displaced families and also their priest, Father Emmanuel, who directly negotiated with ISIS as it invaded.
Responding to some in the international community who attempt to downplay what Christians endured by claiming they could pay a tax to be left unmolested, Emmanuel told Smith that such stories are simply untrue because it was never a real option, and that the Christians rightly saw any such talk from ISIS as a trap. In fact, even when suggested by ISIS the option never materialized, and almost every Christian from these villages who wasn’t killed or captured, fled.
News stories indicated that the few elderly souls who remained were repeatedly robbed in the name of the “tax” and then forcibly converted to Islam anyway.
And no Christian services have been celebrated in Qaraqosh - the largest Christian town - for more than two years.
The stories Smith heard were of total loss, but also of defiance, survival and deep faith.
One Christian family told of being evicted from Mosul, and fleeing to Qaraqosh, only to have to flee again when ISIS came there. And when Smith asked if their faith had been diminished or strengthened, every family said in unison that their suffering had made their faith even stronger.
In addition to discussions of the homes lost, and villages captured, Mr. Smith was also shown pictures of the destroyed homes, booby traps and desecrated churches and graves in the newly liberated areas of Nineveh from which many of the displaced originally came.
The pictures made clear how far away the dream of returning home remains for those displaced and how much money and security will be needed if any are ever to return at all.
Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil, who had invited the congressman, welcomed his visit and told Crux that he hoped it would help usher in better solutions for the Christian community in Iraq.
“There are lobbies in Washington making decisions on behalf of Christians here, and those decisions have an effect,” he told Crux. In addition to humanitarian assistance, the emphasis must be on “equal rights” for non-majority groups like the Christians, and “an end to corruption in both the areas of the country controlled by the Baghdad government, and those controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government.”
Syriac Catholic Archbishop of Mosul Boutros Moushe also told Congresman Smith that the problem wasn’t just ISIS. “They looted and burned our houses and were responsible for what happened. These evil intentions still exist,” he said. “We need the international community’s assistance to bring trust again.”
Many throughout the day openly expressed hope that President-elect Trump would be more open to helping them than President Obama had been.
And, while happy to share their concerns, that an American Congressman would focus on the plight of Christians was a rare ray of hope for a besieged community that has generally felt ignored by Washington. And they were grateful.
Syriac Orthodox Archbishop Nicodemus of Mosul commended Congressman Smith in words that summed the feeling up well: “I am so excited, this is the first time an American [official] has come just to ask about Christians,” he said.This article was published Dec. 23, 2016 at:
https://cruxnow.com/global-church/2016/12/23/u-s-congressman-urges-action-save-iraqi-christians/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400010,Smith Statement on Passage of the Anti-Israel Resolution by the UN,2016-12-23,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on International Organizations, released the following statement in response to the anti-Israel vote held today by the U.N.:
“The Obama Administration today turned its back on one of our closest allies, the state of Israel. By refusing to veto today's U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements, the President directly contributed to the malicious international campaign to delegitimize the Jewish state. While the U.S. has long acknowledged direct bilateral negotiations as the only path to peace, Obama has opened the door for the U.N. and its chorus of anti-Israel prejudice to invade the process. Sadly, this perilous step is consistent with the Obama Administration's record of making compromises with our enemies and finding fault with our friends. The United States is weaker as a result of these policies and peace is further delayed. President-elect Trump's inauguration cannot come soon enough. I, along with Israel's other true friends in the U.S. Congress, look forward to working with President Trump to reaffirm our unshakeable commitment to Israel's sovereignty and security, and healing the damage done to this critical alliance by President Obama.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-christmas-greeting-0,Lance Christmas Greeting,2016-12-23,2016,2016-12,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 light of the Christmas season remind all people that this is ‘a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time.’ It is time to be spent in the warm embrace of family, friends and loved ones. May God be with our men and women in the military and may His blessings extend to those in all lands. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-anti-israel-un-resolution,Lance Statement On Anti-Israel UN Resolution,2016-12-23,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"FLEMINGTON, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07), co-chair of the Republican Israel Caucus, issued the following statement on the UN Security Council vote on an anti-Israel resolution:
“President Obama should have ordered the United States to use our veto power and stand up for our great ally Israel. Instead our Ambassador sat in silence. Abstaining on this vote handed a victory to the forces that wish to delegitimize Israel. This resolution sets back the cause of peace, erects a bigger wedge between the two sides and hinders critical negotiations. The United States should have exercised its veto power and ended this divisive anti-Israel effort.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400003,Smith Statement on Proposed Anti-Israeli UN Resolution,2016-12-22,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), author of the 2004 legislative amendment that created the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism and member of the steering committee of the Interparliamentary Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism, released the following statement in response to the postponed anti-Israel resolution put before the UN Security Council:
“Although Egypt postponed today’s planned vote in the United Nations Security Council on its resolution condemning Israeli settlements, the threat to the peace process from such one-sided initiatives cannot be ignored. Our close ally Israel exists in a hostile region and routinely faces reckless international initiatives such as this one that undermine the prospects for bilateral peace negotiations. As Israel’s most steadfast friend, the United States must diligently reject and veto these efforts. Ensuring the failure of such resolutions means improving the chances for peace through direct, bilateral talks—the only path to a better future for both Israelis and Palestinians.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-asks-feds-to-cover-cost-of-trump-protection,Lance Asks Feds To Cover Cost of Trump Protection,2016-12-22,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today wrote a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch asking the United States Department of Justice to make available grants and funding to cover the costs of security required to protect President Trump, his family and dignitaries who will visit Trump National Golf Course in Bedminster. Similar funding arrangements with the Department of Justice were made available when President Obama visited Chicago and Hawaii and such an arrangement would ease the financial burden of heightened security.
“New Jersey once again will be a crossroads for American history, and the Trump Administration has indicated Trump National will continue to be a meeting place for foreign leaders, elected representatives and other officials. Local law enforcement has provided the Secret Service with assistance in protecting the President-elect and should its assistance be required any time President Trump visits in the future, it could be a considerable financial burden for Bedminster Township, Somerset County and the State of New Jersey,” Lance said. “It is my understanding that law enforcement in Hawaii and the City of Chicago received grants from the Department of Justice to assist with the protection of President Obama and I am requesting that similar grants be made available to several jurisdictions in New Jersey.”
Lance has also asked U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker to support grant requests that would cover New Jersey expenses.
Letter text:
December 22, 2016
The Honorable Loretta Lynch
Attorney General of the United States
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
Dear Attorney General Lynch:
As the Representative for Bedminster, New Jersey, which is home to Trump National Golf Course, I am respectfully requesting your office’s assistance in securing grants and funding opportunities available to state and local law enforcement for assisting the Secret Service with the protection of President Trump after he is inaugurated, including but not limited to the extra funds appropriated to Byrne JAG in the recent Continuing Resolution.
Since his election, President-elect Trump has spent a considerable amount of time at Trump National, as he intends to do after his inauguration. Local law enforcement has provided the Secret Service with assistance protecting the President-elect. Attached is a breakdown of the cost to Bedminster Township during the President-elect’s recent visits to Trump National. Bedminster has also provided an estimate of future costs, beyond January 20, 2017. Should local assistance be required in the future, it could be a considerable financial burden for Bedminster Township, Somerset County and the State of New Jersey. It is my understanding that law enforcement in Hawaii and the City of Chicago received grants from the Department of Justice to assist with the protection of President Obama and I am requesting that similar grants be made available to several jurisdictions in New Jersey, including but not limited to the Bedminster Township Police Department, the Somerset County Sheriff’s Department, the New Jersey State Police and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police.
I respectfully respect that DOJ officials let our office know when funding opportunities become available. The contact person in my office is Michael Taggart at 202-225-5361 or michael.taggart@mail.house.gov.
Thank you very much for your consideration of this request. Best personal wishes.
Sincerely,
Leonard Lance
Member of Congress",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1328,Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen Announces Congressional App Challenge Winner,2016-12-22,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen Announces Congressional App Challenge winner
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) has announced a team of high school students from Wayne have won the third Congressional App Challenge. Teammates Kelly Wallert (Wayne Hills), Sangjun Ko (Wayne Hills), and Sruthi Soorian (Wayne Valley) created an app called “Book Browser.”
“For the third year, I have been highly impressed by the STEM education and coding ability displayed by high school students of my Congressional District in the Congressional App Challenge,” Frelinghuysen said. “After viewing the student app submissions, I remain confident that the future of our nation’s technological prowess is in the most capable hands. Congratulations to Kelly, Sangjun, and Sruthi on their fantastic work.”
“Nothing is more important to our Nation’s continued economic strength than developing the talents and expertise of students interested in STEM fields,” Frelinghuysen continued.
The Congressionally chartered “Congressional App Challenge” is a competition aimed at encouraging U.S. high school students to learn how to code by creating their own applications. The Challenge is intended to highlight the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education and encourage students to engage in these fields. By encouraging and recognizing our nation’s young programming talent, Congress hopes to shine a light on the growing importance of these skills.
The winning application, “Book Browser,” is an app designed to allow school libraries to communicate with one another to share book resources, so that unwanted or old versions of books do not get wasted. View the presentation here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeFR5_YMlP8.
More information about the competition can be found here: http://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399994,"NJ.com Article on Smith Trip to Iraq, ISIS Victims'Christian refugees escaping ISIS get visit from N.J. Rep. Chris Smith'",2016-12-21,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"BY JONATHAN SALANT OF STAR LEDGER/NJ.COM -
""To my shock, they have not gotten support from the administration,"" said Smith, chairman of the House Foreign Relations subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations. ""They need help.""
Iraqi troops are trying to repel the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, from the territory they control. The Islamic State has massacred Christians and others under their rule. The Christian community in the region dates back almost 2,000 years.
Last week, President Barack Obama signed Smith-sponsored legislation to provide new training and resources for the U.S. State Department to respond to attacks on religious minorities.
""Ancient Christian communities in Iraq and Syria are on the verge of extinction and other religious minorities in the Middle East face a constant assault from the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria,"" Smith said after Obama signed the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, named for a former Virginia congressman. ""The freedom to practice a religion without persecution is a precious right for everyone, of whatever race, sex, or location on earth."" Thousands of Christians fleeing Islamic State-held territory in Iraq got a visit this week from Rep. Chris Smith.
At the invitation of the Syriac Orthodox archbishop of Mosul, Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf, himself a refugee, Smith (R-4th Dist.) toured a 6,000-person refugee camp among other stops in the Kurdish region of Iraq. In all, about 75,000 Christians have forced to leave their homes and now live in the Erbil area, Smith said.
""In plain sight, they've been neglected,"" Smith said Tuesday in a telephone interview from Iraq shortly before he prepared to leave the country.
OTHER SMITH NEWS: Obama signs Smith's Gold Star families bill
The measure was sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.)
Smith said he planned to hold hearings once Congress reconvenes next month to attention on the problem and encourage the White House to help.
Many of the refugees would like to return home when it is safe to do so, he said. In the interim, they need support from the U.S.This article was published Dec. 2, 2016 at:
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/12/christian_refugees_escaping_isis_get_visit_from_nj.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399990,"In Erbil, US Congressman asks why Christian survivors of genocide not getting humanitarian aid from US & other OSCE countriesSmith Leads Mission to Genocide Survivors in Iraq",2016-12-20,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Just days before Christmas, a leading human rights lawmaker, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) went to Iraq to witness first-hand the plight of Christians who escaped ISIS into the Erbil area of the Kurdistan region and the failure of the Obama Administration to help them.
After meeting with Christian families and leaders, and officials from the U.S., other Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) participating States and the United Nations, Smith said he returns to Washington to lead Congressional efforts to target more humanitarian aid to Christians and other religious minorities who have survived genocide. Smith also visited a camp for 6,000 internally displaced people, managed and supported by the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil.
“This Christmas season, the survival of Christians in Iraq, where they have lived for almost 2,000 years, is at stake,” said Smith, who chairs both the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and the House panel on global human rights and international organizations. “Today I met with Christian families who survived the ISIS genocide and have been ignored for two years by the Obama Administration. I hope that President-Elect Trump will act urgently to make sure his Administration helps these Christians with the funds Congress has approved for survivors of ISIS atrocities.”
The Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Mosul, Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf, who had to flee ISIS and seek refuge in Erbil, told Smith, “So often concern for Christians is minimized. I am so happy, because you are the first American who has come to just ask about the Christians. We pray that President Trump will help us. We are the last people to speak the Aramaic language. Without help, we are finished.”
“I also saw how the Obama Administration has shortchanged organizations conducting criminal investigations and collecting, preserving and preparing evidence usable in criminal trials. Perpetrators will dodge punishment unless there is specific evidence linking them to specific atrocity crimes. My Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act legislation is a blueprint for how to assist Christians and other genocide survivors and hold perpetrators accountable. I will be working tirelessly to get this bill on the new President’s desk when we reconvene in January,” added Smith.
Responding to reports that the UN Office on the Prevention of Genocide is considering excluding Christians from its findings of ISIS genocide victims and recommendations for prosecution, Smith said, “Even the Obama Administration determined that ISIS has been committing genocide against Christians. It would be outrageous if the UN ignored the overwhelming evidence and turned its back on these people who have suffered so much.”
BACKGROUND
In 2002, there were as many as 1.4 million Christians in Iraq. After years of sectarian conflict, followed by the ISIS genocide that began in 2014, they have dropped to less than 250,000. Most of the Christians who survived ISIS fled to the Erbil area, which now hosts more than 70,000 internally displaced Christians, almost a third of all Christians in Iraq. Iraqis have been eight percent of the refugees and migrants who arrived by sea in the OSCE region in 2016.
The Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil has provided most of the assistance to these displaced Christians – and has also assisted Yezidis and Muslims – including food, shelter, medical care, trauma care, and preparations for the impending winter. Smith was invited to Erbil by Archbishop Bashar Warda, head of the Archdiocese. During their meeting, Archbishop Warda emphasized that unless the ancient Christian communities of Iraq received significant financial support very soon, they may not survive.
At a September hearing of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, chaired by Smith and entitled Atrocities in Iraq and Syria: Relief for Survivors and Accountability for Perpetrators, Steve Rasche, Legal Counsel and Director of IDP Resettlement Programs for the Archdiocese, testified and said, “Since August 2014, other than initial supplies of tents and tarps, the Christian community in Iraq has received nothing in aid from any US aid agencies or the UN.”
He added, “There’s a mistaken belief that it doesn’t get cold in Iraq. It snows in Erbil in the wintertime. Even the people that we’ve put in shelters, it gets incredibly cold for them at night, and so there are additional costs for heating oil and blankets. That is a concern for us. Our costs will go up.”
Since 2013, Smith has chaired nine congressional hearings on atrocities in Iraq and Syria, including one entitled The ISIS Genocide Declaration: What Next? and another entitled Fulfilling the Humanitarian Imperative: Assisting Victims of ISIS Violence. He is also the author of the bipartisan Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act (H.R. 5961), co-sponsored by Rep. Anna Eshoo (CA-18), which includes key provisions directing the U.S. Administration to:
· Support entities that are effectively serving genocide survivors in-country, including faith-based entities;
· Assess and address the humanitarian vulnerabilities, needs, and triggers that might force survivors to flee their homes;
· Identify warning signs of deadly violence against genocide survivors and other vulnerable religious and ethnic communities in Iraq or Syria;
· Support entities that are conducting criminal investigation into perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Iraq and Syria;
· Close gaps in U.S. law so that the American justice system can prosecute foreign perpetrators present in the U.S., as well as any Americans who commit such crimes;
· Encourage foreign countries to add identifying information about suspected perpetrators of such atrocity crimes in their security databases and security screening;
· Create a “Priority Two” (“P-2”) designation for persecuted religious and ethnic groups in Iraq or Syria;
This legislation is supported by many groups including the Knights of Columbus, 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, In Defense of Christians, Yazidi Human Rights Organization International, Commission for International Justice and Accountability, Center for Religious Freedom at the Hudson Institute, Religious Freedom Institute, Simon Wiesenthal Center, Open Doors and others.
The bill has also been endorsed by all of the former U.S. Ambassadors-at-Large for War Crimes: David Scheffer (1997-2001), Pierre-Richard Prosper (2001-2005), Clint Williamson (2006-2009) and Stephen Rapp (2009-2015).
Smith also authored the bipartisan H. Con. Res 121, which the House passed overwhelmingly and calls for the formation of an ad hoc tribunal for perpetrators of crimes against humanity and war crimes in the Syrian conflict.
Just last week, the President signed into law the bipartisan, historic Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act (H.R. 1150), which Smith authored and Eshoo co-sponsored. This law makes sweeping changes that will help ensure that the U.S. Administration and the State Department have the tools, training, and resources to anticipate, help prevent, and respond to genocide and other persecution against religious communities like Christians in Iraq and elsewhere.
Smith continues to encourage leaders in other OSCE countries to provide more humanitarian assistance to Christian genocide survivors and support criminal investigations into and prosecutions of perpetrators.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=400000,"Monitor Article on Passage, Enactment of Smith Law'Obama signs international religious freedom bill written by NJ lawmaker'",2016-12-20,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"CNS - A bill authored by Rep. Chris Smith, R-New Jersey, that will give the presidential administration and the U.S. State Department new tools, resources and training to help counter extremism and combat a worldwide escalation of persecution of religious minorities has been signed by President Barack Obama.
The Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act was approved Dec. 13 by the U.S. House of Representatives and signed into law Dec. 16.
“From China and Vietnam to Syria and Nigeria, we are witnessing a tragic, global crisis in religious persecution, violence and terrorism, with dire consequences for religious believers and for U.S. national security,” said Smith, chairman of the Global Human Rights Subcommittee. “Ancient Christian communities in Iraq and Syria are on the verge of extinction, and other religious minorities in the Middle East face a constant assault from the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
“The freedom to practice a religion without persecution is a precious right for everyone, of whatever race, sex, or location on earth,” he added. “This human right is enshrined in our own founding documents, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and has been a bedrock principle of open and democratic societies for centuries.”
The bill, known as H.R. 1150 and co-sponsored by Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-California, had more than 100 bipartisan co-sponsors. The Knights of Columbus is one of several religious organizations that has backed the measure, along with representatives of ethnic minority groups and nongovernmental organizations.
At A Glance
The bill signed Dec. 16, 2016, expands the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act by:
• Creating a “Designated Persons List” for individuals who commit egregious violations of religious freedom
•Creating a comprehensive religious prisoners list – persons who are detained, imprisoned, tortured and subject to forced remission of faith.
•Integrating religious freedom into every aspect of U.S. foreign policy
•Strengthening the Special Advisor for religious freedom at the National Security Council
•Requiring international religious freedom training for all Foreign Service Officers
•Requiring that the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom report directly to the Secretary of State
•Elevating the position of the ambassador within the federal government
•Creating an “Entity of Particular Concern” designation for non-state actors like terrorist groups
•Requiring more frequent presidential actions to counter severe religious freedom violations globally
•Setting congressional expectations for staffing of the International Religious Freedom office and expansion of Religious Freedom Program grants
Named for former Congressman Frank Wolf – a retired legislator who represented Virginia for 34 years known for being ""a tireless champion for the rights of the poor and the persecuted globally"" – the bill will expand the International Religious Freedom Act he sponsored in 1998. It will improve U.S. religious freedom diplomacy efforts globally; better train and equip diplomats to counter extremism; address anti-Semitism and religious persecution and mitigate sectarian conflict.
""The freedom to practice a religion without persecution is a precious right for everyone, of whatever race, sex, or location on earth,” Smith said. “This human right is enshrined in our own founding documents, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and has been a bedrock principle of open and democratic societies for centuries.""
Since Congress first passed the act in 1998, Smith has held more than 17 hearings on religious freedom, including “The Global Crisis of Religious Freedom” hearing held last year.
“Eighteen years ago, [Wolf] had the foresight to make advancing the right to religious freedom a high U.S. foreign policy priority,” Smith said. “It is largely because of his efforts that religious freedom is taken seriously as a foreign policy issue. I had the distinct honor and pleasure of working with him for over 30 years. This bill is a fitting tribute to his work and service to our great nation.”
The Monitor staff contributed to this Catholic News Service report.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/over-100-members-congress-urge-president-elect-trump-protect-american-jobs-and,"Over 100 Members of Congress Urge President-Elect Trump to Protect American Jobs and Security, Reject NAI",2016-12-20,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Today, Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Aviation Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA), and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee member John Katko (R-NY) led over 100 Members of Congress on a bipartisan letter to President-elect Donald J. Trump, urging him to reverse a decision by the U.S. Department of Transportation to allow Norwegian Air International (NAI) to operate routes between the U.S. and Europe.
NAI has established itself in Ireland, where labor laws permit the airline to hire its pilots and flight attendants on individual employment contracts under non-European law in order to cut costs. NAI’s overt practice of labor forum-shopping violates our Open Skies agreement with Norway and the European Union and gives it an unfair competitive advantage in the transatlantic market.
“On December 2, 2016, the Department of Transportation (DOT) made a grievously wrong decision to grant Norwegian Air International a foreign air carrier permit for U.S.-Europe air services. Given your commitment to protecting American jobs and our national security, we strongly urge you, on Day One of your presidency, to revoke or suspend the permit until Norwegian changes its business model to a model that does not rely on a flag of convenience and threaten America’s international aviation industry and our national security,” the members wrote.
A full copy of the letter can be found below.
December 20, 2016
The Honorable Donald J. Trump
The President-elect
1717 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
Dear Mr. President-elect:
On December 2, 2016, the Department of Transportation (DOT) made a grievously wrong decision to grant Norwegian Air International a foreign air carrier permit for U.S.-Europe air services. Given your commitment to protecting American jobs and our national security, we strongly urge you, on Day One of your presidency, to revoke or suspend the permit until Norwegian changes its business model to a model that does not rely on a flag of convenience and threaten America’s international aviation industry and our national security.
Norwegian is “Norwegian” in name only: Its crews work under short-term contracts, many governed under Singapore law; some crewmembers are based in Bangkok; and the company is organized and regulated in Ireland. It is, for all intents and purposes, a virtual airline. Norwegian is the first airline in the transatlantic market to fly under a flag of convenience, but the Department’s recent decision guarantees Norwegian will not be the last.
If the DOT’s decision stands, other airlines are likely to follow suit and organize subsidiaries in foreign countries with lax labor laws, tax loopholes, or weak safety and security oversight. Global civil aviation will devolve into a system that relies on flags of convenience. This race to the bottom will threaten the viability of U.S. airlines and their fleets of widebody aircraft that comprise the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF). Under the CRAF program, airlines volunteer parts of their fleets for military use during national emergencies and in times of war. More than 130 widebody aircraft in the United States’ three major long-haul carriers’ fleets were available for mobilization by the Department of Defense under the CRAF program as of January 2016. However, if U.S. carriers find themselves unable to compete with other airlines that copy Norwegian’s flag-of-convenience business model, U.S. airlines will downsize their widebody fleets, and our ability to move troops and materiel will suffer substantially. National security, as well as American jobs, is on the line.
The U.S.-E.U.-Iceland-Norway Open Skies agreement opened the transatlantic aviation market. Norwegian and every airline in the market benefit from the right under the agreement to fly from anywhere in the United States to anywhere in Europe. In creating this lucrative right, however, the agreement included protections to ensure fairness in the transatlantic aviation market.
The DOT ignored those protections, as well as well-established law prohibiting a decision inconsistent with those protections, in granting Norwegian’s permit, and our country will pay a price for that failure of responsibility. We will pay that price as we watch a race to the bottom among airlines that are forced to compete with Norwegian. Moreover, while Norwegian chose the safe harbor of a country whose labor laws permit forum-shopping for the cheapest labor, the next airline to fly under a flag of convenience may choose the safe harbor of an opportunistic country with weak safety and security regulations, with serious consequences for safety and national security.
We strongly urge you to correct the Department’s mistake. We urge you, on Day One of your presidency, to start the process necessary to revoke or suspend Norwegian’s permit.
Thank you for your consideration of our views.
Sincerely,",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399995,"NJ Papers Praise CURES Act, Smith's Work on Bill'EDITORIAL: Learn from Cures Act bipartisanship'",2016-12-19,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Now if lawmakers could only apply some of that same spirit to ease the bitterness surrounding Obamacare that threatens to undermine much of the good work that could come out of the Cures Act, we’d all be much better off.
The newly signed $6.3 billion legislation includes several initiatives long supported by President Obama and is more popularly known as the “moonshot” bill — part of Vice President Joe Biden’s “cancer moonshot” inspired by the death of his son, Beau, to a brain tumor. The measure devotes $4.8 billion to biomedical research, about $1.8 billion of which would go specifically to cancer research under the “Beau Biden Cancer Moonshot.”
A billion dollars will be dedicated to opioid abuse prevention, with another $1.5 billion going toward research on brain disease. The legislation also includes a federal overhaul of mental health treatment policies, among other elements.
Despite all of those positive developments that found receptive audiences across the spectrum, from conservatives and pharmaceutical companies to patient advocates, there remain some skeptics. In particular, some health experts warn that one of the underlying goals of the act is to speed development of cures, perhaps recklessly. While supporters promote the effort to streamline the regulatory process, critics suggest that such supposed streamlining will become, in effect, an easing of restrictions endangering patients on whom experimental drugs can and will be more readily tested.
There’s reason for concern; an effort to accelerate production of anything, no matter how responsible and efficient that effort may be, can increase the risk of error, and error in this case can cost lives. But there’s also a risk-reward balance to consider — and the potential reward for quickening the pace a little is saving millions of lives with important new drugs. There’s an argument to be made that it’s a worthy tradeoff, although where all the threshold lines should be drawn will always be a delicate question when dealing with medical research.
The cancer moonshot represents the 74-year-old Biden’s signature achievement as vice president and perhaps of his entire career. He has set the exceedingly ambitious goal of “ending cancer as we know it” and has pledged to champion the cause for the rest of his life. Biden’s hope is to transform cancer research across the board with new incentives, creation of so-called patient partnerships and expanded access to care.
New Jersey is well positioned to take particular advantage of the new federal investments, given its continued strength in the pharmaceutical industry. As evidence of the diversity of support for the measure, Democrat Rep. Frank Pallone and Republican Rep. Chris Smith within the New Jersey delegation were both outspoken backers of many of the provisions, including the focus on mental health treatment and expanding research efforts for a broad range of diseases.
MICHAEL REYNOLDS/EPAPresident Barack Obama signs the 21st Century Cures Act on Tuesday. The 21st Century Cures Act provides funding for initiatives such as opioid addiction treatment. US President Barack Obama signs the 21st Century Cures Act, Dec. 13, 2016. The 21st Century Cures Act, which was passed in Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support, provides funding for initiatives such as US Vice President Joe Biden's 'Cancer Moonshot' - an effort aimed at curing cancer. The law will also provide funds for the prevention and treatment of opioid addiction and changes to the delivery of mental health services, among other provisions.(Photo: MICHAEL REYNOLDS, EPA)
While both houses of Congress overwhelmingly approved the act, however, Republicans in those same houses are at the same time planning the dismantling of the Affordable Care Act, a process that would work directly against the intent of the Cures Act by potentially bouncing millions of people off the health insurance rolls. We understand the complexities and challenges of Obamacare extend far beyond the targeted provisions of the Cures Act and the cancer moonshot, but an emphasis on cooperation across the aisle instead of antagonism would go a long way toward generating a better solution for all.
As always that seems too much to ask. But we saw it work with the Cures Act, which itself went through an earlier version that wasn’t so widely embraced. So it can be done, even in this deeply polarized political climate. Obamacare needs the same healthy treatment.
This article originally ran in the Dec. 17 print edition of the Asbury Park Press.I t also ran in the Daily Record, NJ Central Record, Homes News Tribune, MyCentralNJ.com and Sunday Courier News.http://www.app.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/12/17/st-century-cures-act-obama/95567222/
http://www.dailyrecord.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/12/16/learn-cures-act-bipartisanship/95531386/
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/12/16/learn-cures-act-bipartisanship/95531456/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399989,Smith Religious Freedom Signed Into Law,2016-12-16,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today the President signed the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act (H.R. 1150) into law.
The bipartisan law, authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and co-sponsored by Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), gives the Administration and the State Department new tools, resources and training to help counter extremism and the growing persecution of religious minorities globally.
“From China and Vietnam to Syria and Nigeria, we are witnessing a tragic, global crisis in religious persecution, violence and terrorism, with dire consequences for religious believers and for U.S. national security,” said Smith, Chair of the Global Human Rights Subcommittee. “Ancient Christian communities in Iraq and Syria are on the verge of extinction and other religious minorities in the Middle East face a constant assault from the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
“The freedom to practice a religion without persecution is a precious right for everyone, of whatever race, sex, or location on earth,” said Smith. “This human right is enshrined in our own founding documents, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and has been a bedrock principle of open and democratic societies for centuries.”
The Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act expands the International Religious Freedom Act sponsored by former Rep. Frank Wolf in 1998 to better address escalating religious persecution globally and help the Administration and the State Department to more effectively respond to violent extremism worldwide.
The law will improve U.S. religious freedom diplomacy efforts globally; better train and equip diplomats to counter extremism; address anti-Semitism and religious persecution and mitigate sectarian conflict. The law:
Creates a “Designated Persons List” for individuals who commit egregious violations of religious freedom
Creates a comprehensive religious prisoners list—persons who are detained, imprisoned, tortured and subject to forced renunciation of faith.
Integrates religious freedom into every aspect of U.S. foreign policy
Strengthens the Special Advisor for religious freedom at the National Security Council
Requires international religious freedom training for all Foreign Service Officers
Requires that the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom report directly to the Secretary of State
Elevates the position of the ambassador within the federal government
Creates an “Entity of Particular Concern” designation for non-state actors like terrorist groups
Requires more frequent presidential actions to counter severe religious freedom violations globally
Creates a “Special Watch List”—two tier system at State (CPC countries/Special Watch List)
Sets congressional expectations for staffing of the IRF office and expansion of Religious Freedom Program grants
The law is supported publicly by an ecumenical and bipartisan group of religious organizations and representatives of ethnic minority groups and NGOs. Smith has long been a leader in the fight against anti-Semitism. He is the author of the 2004 legislative amendment that created the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, and the special envoy to lead it. In the early 2000s led the effort to place fighting anti-Semitism on the agenda of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which led to the adoption of new norms for the 57 countries that belong to the OSCE. He has also chaired 10 hearings on anti-Semitism, including Congress’s first-ever hearings on anti-Semitism. He is co-chairman of the Bi-Partisan Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism (an organization of Members of Congress) and a member of the steering committee of the Interparliamentary Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism.
“The bill is named after former Congressman Frank Wolf, a tireless champion for the rights of the poor and the persecuted globally,” said Smith. “18 years ago, he had the foresight to make advancing the right to religious freedom a high U.S. foreign policy priority. It is largely because of his efforts that religious freedom is taken seriously as a foreign policy issue. I had the distinct honor and pleasure of working with him for over thirty years. This bill is a fitting tribute to his work and service to our great nation.”
Congress first passed the International Religious Freedom Act in 1998. Since then Smith has held dozens of hearings on religious freedom, including the landmark hearing held last year entitled “The Global Crisis of Religious Freedom.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-announces-usda-funding-clayton,LoBiondo Announces USDA Funding for Clayton,2016-12-15,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"LoBiondo Announces USDA Funding for Clayton
Dec 15, 2016
MAYS LANDING, N.J. – U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) today announced a federal grant and a federal loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Rural Development office to the Borough of Clayton for Phase 1 of their water system improvement project.
“USDA has been a great partner with many communities in South Jersey throughout the years to upgrade public infrastructure and services. Today’s announcement is proof of the positive results that can be achieved,” said LoBiondo. “This federal funding will be very beneficial to Clayton and its residents.”
A $97,000 federal grant and a loan of $297,000 from USDA was awarded for the $5,208,570 project.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-leads-nj-congressional-delegation-letter-air-force-future-basing-f-35s-177th,LoBiondo Leads NJ Congressional Delegation in Letter to Air Force on Future Basing of F-35s at 177th Fighter Wing,2016-12-15,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"MAYS LANDING, N.J. – U.S. Representative Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) has led the full New Jersey Congressional delegation in a letter to Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James urging consideration of the Air National Guard 177th Fighter Wing for future basing decisions of the F-35 fighter jets. Last week the U.S. Air Force announced it had narrowed to five (5) the possible locations for initial F-35 basing. The 177th Fighter Wing was among the eighteen (18) locations considered, though excluded from the final list.
“We believe these qualities demonstrate strategic military value for the Air Force, and that the Atlantic City Air National Guard Base would be an ideal location for the F-35A looking forward. We also look forward to any comments regarding changes the Atlantic City Air National Guard Base can make to improve its candidacy for future F-35A basing decisions,” the letter stated.
The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-N.J.), and U.S. Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. (N.J.-06), Bill Pascrell (N.J.-09), Chris Smith (N.J.-04), Albio Sires (N.J.-08), Rodney Frelinghuysen (N.J.-11), Bonnie Watson Coleman (N.J.-12), Leonard Lance (N.J.-07), Donald Payne, Jr. (N.J.-10), Tom MacArthur (N.J.-03), Donald Norcross (N.J.-01), and Scott Garrett (N.J.-05).
The text of the letter is as follows:
December 14, 2016
The Honorable Deborah Lee James
Secretary
United States Air Force
Secretary James:
In light of the decision for the Operations 5 and 6 beddown of the F-35A Lightning II to be based at five candidate military installations around the country, we are writing to express our disappointment in the Air Force’s exclusion of the Atlantic City Air National Guard Base, home to the 177th Fighter Wing (FW).
In future basing decisions for next generation aircraft, including upcoming F-35A basing decisions, we hope the following qualities are considered for selecting the Atlantic City Air National Guard Base:
Low Cost/Ready Now/Sustainable: Base infrastructure and facilities postured
Newer facilities at the installation have already been designed to meet the needs of the F-35, and its older facilities require only limited modifications to become 5th generation capable. For example, there is covered parking for the entire fleet of F-35s, a state of the art maintenance facility integrated with 5th generation capability, and space readily available for simulator upgrades. The base also has a recently constructed air support operations squadron building ready for F-35 air-to-ground integration.
Strategic Location: Centrally positioned
Located in Egg Harbor Township, the Atlantic City Air National Guard Base is strategically situated halfway between Washington D.C. and New York City. The area surrounding the base is predominantly agricultural, low-density residential with more than 50 percent of Atlantic County located within the New Jersey Pineland National Reserve. The base is also a primary launching point for missions to Europe, located near Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst for active duty support functions, and has optimum weather conditions year round.
Combat Ready Track Record: Recent combat mission execution
The 177th FW has the distinction of having an operations group that is comprised of a fighter squadron, an air support operations squadron, and a bombing range all under a single command. The unit has more than 14 years of homeland defense experience; including three combat deployments: Operation Iraqi Freedom (2006, 2010) and Operation Enduring Freedom (2012). The 177th FW also plays a critical role in both the Air Combat Command’s Aerospace Expeditionary Force structure and NORAD’s Air Force Aerospace Control Alert mission.
We believe these qualities demonstrate strategic military value for the Air Force, and that the Atlantic City Air National Guard Base would be an ideal location for the F-35A looking forward.
We also look forward to any comments regarding changes the Atlantic City Air National Guard Base can make to improve its candidacy for future F-35A basing decisions. Thank you.
Sincerely,
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399982,Smith Religious Freedom Bill Heads to President's Desk,2016-12-13,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The U.S. House of Representatives passed and sent to the President’s desk the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act (H.R. 1150) today.
The bipartisan bill, authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and co-sponsored by Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), will give the Administration and the State Department new tools, resources and training to help counter extremism and the growing persecution of religious minorities globally.
“From China and Vietnam to Syria and Nigeria, we are witnessing a tragic, global crisis in religious persecution, violence and terrorism, with dire consequences for religious believers and for U.S. national security,” said Smith, Chair of the Global Human Rights Subcommittee. “Ancient Christian communities in Iraq and Syria are on the verge of extinction and other religious minorities in the Middle East face a constant assault from the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
“The freedom to practice a religion without persecution is a precious right for everyone, of whatever race, sex, or location on earth,” said Smith. “This human right is enshrined in our own founding documents, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and has been a bedrock principle of open and democratic societies for centuries.”
The Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom Act will expand the International Religious Freedom Act sponsored by former Rep. Frank Wolf in 1998 to better address escalating religious persecution globally and help the Administration and the State Department to more effectively respond to violent extremism worldwide.
The bill will improve U.S. religious freedom diplomacy efforts globally; better train and equip diplomats to counter extremism; address anti-Semitism and religious persecution and mitigate sectarian conflict. The bill:
Creates a “Designated Persons List” for individuals who commit egregious violations of religious freedom
Creates a comprehensive religious prisoners list—persons who are detained, imprisoned, tortured and subject to forced renunciation of faith.
Integrates religious freedom into every aspect of U.S. foreign policy
Strengthens the Special Advisor for religious freedom at the National Security Council
Requires international religious freedom training for all Foreign Service Officers
Requires that the Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom report directly to the Secretary of State
Elevates the position of the ambassador within the federal government
Creates an “Entity of Particular Concern” designation for non-state actors like terrorist groups
Requires more frequent presidential actions to counter severe religious freedom violations globally
Creates a “Special Watch List”—two tier system at State (CPC countries/Special Watch List)
Sets congressional expectations for staffing of the IRF office and expansion of Religious Freedom Program grants
The bill is supported publicly by an ecumenical and bipartisan group of religious organizations and representatives of ethnic minority groups and NGOs. Smith has long been a leader in the fight against anti-Semitism. He is the author of the 2004 legislative amendment that created the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, and the special envoy to lead it. In the early 2000s led the effort to place fighting anti-Semitism on the agenda of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), which led to the adoption of new norms for the 57 countries that belong to the OSCE. He has also chaired 10 hearings on anti-Semitism, including Congress’s first-ever hearings on anti-Semitism. He is co-chairman of the Bi-Partisan Coalition for Combating Anti-Semitism (an organization of Members of Congress) and a member of the steering committee of the Interparliamentary Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism.
“The bill is named after former Congressman Frank Wolf, a tireless champion for the rights of the poor and the persecuted globally,” said Smith. “18 years ago, he had the foresight to make advancing the right to religious freedom a high U.S. foreign policy priority. It is largely because of his efforts that religious freedom is taken seriously as a foreign policy issue. I had the distinct honor and pleasure of working with him for over thirty years. This bill is a fitting tribute to his work and service to our great nation.”
Congress first passed the International Religious Freedom Act in 1998. Since then Smith has held dozens of hearings on religious freedom, including the landmark hearing held last year entitled “The Global Crisis of Religious Freedom.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399996,"Rep. Smith Calls in to Bill Spadea on NJ 101.5'On Pearl Harbor day, we remember the meaning of valor and sacrifice",2016-12-13,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"BY BILL SPADEA, Radio Host at NJ101.5 - Today marks the 75th anniversary of the surprise attack by the Japanese on our Naval base in Pearl Harbor. It occurred to me that this particular anniversary has not received as much attention as prior anniversaries.
Perhaps it’s because there are fewer and fewer World War II survivors, maybe it’s that the schools spend more time on correcting kids speech instead of teaching the real history that helped forge our great nation. Either way, it was a pivotal event in American history. One that galvanized a nation and drove us into a war to defeat tyranny.
For NJ students taking part in Pearl Harbor memorial, it's not just about history
My grandfather served in the United States Marine Corp. in a special radar detachment. He was there at the Battle of Guadalcanal. Courage, sacrifice, honor, valor: these are the terms that come to mind when thinking about the wars our nation has fought and continues to fight. The brave men and women of our armed forces should be honored and remembered.
Read More: On Pearl Harbor day, we remember the meaning of 'valor' and 'sacrifice' | http://nj1015.com/on-pearl-harbor-day-we-remember-the-meaning-of-valor-and-sacrifice/?trackback=tsmclipToday marks the 75th anniversary of the surprise attack by the Japanese on our Naval base in Pearl Harbor. It occurred to me that this particular anniversary has not received as much attention as prior anniversaries.During this particular anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, I thought it was fitting to share a story about a brave hero who died on the U.S.S. Oklahoma during the attack, sacrificing his life for his fellow sailors. His name was Father Aloysius Schmitt. He was the first Roman Catholic priest to be killed in action during the war. The story prompted a call from my friend, Congressman Chris Smith who shares in my belief that we need to do more to promote the discussion of the heroes that help keep our nation safe and secure.
This article and audio, which contains a portion of the radio exchange between Rep. Smith and Mr. Spadea on Dec. 7, 2016, can be found at:http://nj1015.com/tags/congressman-chris-smith/ & at http://nj1015.com/on-pearl-harbor-day-we-remember-the-meaning-of-valor-and-sacrifice/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-applauds-team-cumberland-regional-high-school-winning-2016-congressional-app,LoBiondo Applauds Team from Cumberland Regional High School for Winning 2016 Congressional App Challenge,2016-12-13,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"MAYS LANDING, N.J. – U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02) today applauded the 3-person team from Cumberland Regional High School for winning the 2016 Congressional App Challenge. Their submission - “County College Class Conversion” - is a mobile application designed to instantly allow students to know which completed courses at one school receive credit at another university or college. This is the second year in a row that the winning team is from Cumberland Regional High School.
“Congratulations to Connor, Leslie and Logan for their innovative and practical app design. It is clear they were looking to their own academic future and seeking to simplify a common concern for students across the country in planning for higher education. I was impressed by the substantial thought and execution displayed in this app,” said LoBiondo. “I applaud all of the students who participated in this year’s Congressional App Challenge and encourage you and your classmates to continue creating forward-looking technology.”
The Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide competition aimed at encouraging high school students to learn how to code by creating their own applications for mobile devices. The Challenge seeks to highlight the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education while spurring friendly competition between competing teams.
Twelve (12) teams comprised of thirty-one (31) students across South Jersey competed in the third annual challenge. This is the third year of the Congressional App Challenge and the third year LoBiondo’s office has hosted the competition for South Jersey students. For the 2016 challenge, 193 Congressional districts held contests. Information about the Congressional App Challenge can be found at www.congressionalappchallenge.us
LoBiondo visited the winning team at Cumberland Regional High School today to congratulate them and present Congressional citations to each of the students. A photo of LoBiondo with Connor, Leslie and Logan is available on his Instagram.
For the 2nd Congressional district, the submitted apps were reviewed by the following judges:
Holly Cyrus - Project Manager at the FAA Technical Center
Adam Greco - Air Traffic Domain Director at the FAA Technical Center
Dr. Nancy Hudanich – Superintendent of Cape May County Technical School District
Dr. Dina Rossi Elliot – Superintendent of Cumberland County Tech
Peter D’Amico – Computer Engineer at the FAA Technical Center
Videos of the 12 apps designed by South Jersey students as well as members of each team are as follows:
Name of App
Students
School
A+ Org
Logan Thomas,
Abri Bostard
Middle Township High School
Annihilation
Francis Boehm,
Joseph Couts,
Michael Dillio
Cape May County Technical High School
Bullet Ball
Blake Hickman,
Mark Kallok,
Matthew Palko
Cape May County Technical High School
Child Wrangler
Daniel Dumadag,
Adam Groff,
Brendan Krucera
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
County College Class Conversion
Connor Bondi,
Leslie Baez,
Logan Willis
Cumberland Regional High School
EasyMotivation
Brian Hoy
Middle Township High School
Forble
Conor O'Neill,
Anastasia Green
Cape May County Technical High School
HandiApp
Paul Kuntz,
Ryan Morgan,
Carly Malestein
Cumberland Regional High School
LifePress
Peter Costantino,
Martin Colucci,
Jacob Rocco-Ramirez
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Study Buddy
Ana Gamarra,
Hajra Khan,
Brandon Shane
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
World Historical Flag Directory
Andrew Conforto,
Patrick Wood,
Jordan Taylor
Cape May County Technical High School
Worm Reflex Game
Austin Bartleson,
Justin Price
Middle Township High School
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399973,"Disability Scoop.com News Article on Smith Bill'Autism Tracking Device Bill Clears House'",2016-12-12,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2016/12/09/autism-tracking-device-bill-house/23109/BY MICHELLE DIAMENT - DEC. 9. 2016Legislation that would provide tracking devices and resources to help kids with autism and other developmental disabilities at risk of wandering is one step closer to becoming federal law.
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 346 to 66 Thursday to pass the measure known as Kevin and Avonte’s Law.
The bill would expand an existing program that helps people with Alzheimer’s disease who are prone to bolting to include children with developmental disabilities too.
Approval came one week after the legislation was nearly derailed. Privacy concerns from conservatives led the House Judiciary Committee to postpone a planned markup with little time remaining before the end of the current Congress.
In light of the concerns, language was added to the bill indicating that tracking devices would be “non-invasive and non-permanent” and that “the procedure to install the technology or device does not create an external or internal marker or implant a device or other trackable items.”
Research shows that about half of kids on the spectrum have wandered away from a safe place and advocates point to more than 100 deaths stemming from wandering incidents since 2011 involving children with autism or Down syndrome.
The legislation would provide the U.S. Department of Justice with $2 million annually to issue grants to law enforcement agencies across the country for tracking devices, training and other resources to address wandering.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399972,"Smith Announces $450K in Nat. Science Foundation Grants for Two Monmouth Co. Small BusinessesEach awarded $225K for feasibility work using avatars in education, training",2016-12-09,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced today that the National Science Foundation (NSF) recently announced two $225,000 awards to small businesses in his district, which promise to help improve the way American students learn.
Small Factory Innovations in Fair Haven and Mgenuity in Lincroft were awarded NSF Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 grants.
“The SBIR program aims to help turn scientific discoveries into benefits for society and the economy by kick-starting private sector companies and their technological innovations,” said Smith, a staunch supporter of the SBIR grant. “The SBIR program helps create incentive and opportunity for startups and small businesses pursuing scientific research and development.” Funded through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016 (Public Law 114-113), SBIR is authorized by the SBIR/STTR Reauthorization Act of 2011 (Public Law 112-81). Smith supported both laws. He praised both companies for their hard work and entrepreneurial initiative.
“Mgenuity certainly aspires for the aims of the SBIR program, and its prospects to foster a new approach to educating students in the math and sciences is bold and ambitious,“ Smith said. “Mgenuity’s lofty goals seem nothing less than to transform the scientific learning experience for students into an unforgettable experience using dazzling holographic imagery to bring about both greater interest and understanding in the sciences in America’s schools.”
“Small Factory Innovations is a very worthwhile project to advance social skills training software that can be of help to children and adults with autism by using browsers and virtual reality,” said Smith, founder and co-chairman of the House autism caucus. “I have worked with the autism community for many years, and have high hopes it will yield benefits for children and adults with autism, and their families.”
THE GRANT FOR SMALL FACTORY INNOVATIONS was awarded to develop groundbreaking computer software to improve educational techniques for students with autism and other special needs students across the county.
The project will explore integrating virtual reality into social skills training. The resulting software is expected to be commercially marketable, and sufficiently flexible for use in speech therapy, bullying awareness, foreign languages, life-skills training, job training and socially-conscious role playing. It aims to combine proven social skills training techniques and curriculum with animation and game-based learning. Software is currently limited to personal computer (PC) and has been tested with successful results. The project now seeks to develop a browser-based version in an effort to become device agnostic and more available.
In his application, Small Factory Innovations owner Chris Dudick noted the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder births, as reported by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has skyrocketed in recent years by 110 percent from 1 in 150 to 1 in 68 births in the past decade. “In New Jersey, the prevalence is the highest in the CDC study at 1 in 41 children,” Smith said.
“Our project will develop a software that teaches social skills to children and young adults on the autistic spectrum,” Dudick said. “We will have a browser-based and virtual reality component. Our prototype has been successful and is currently selling in school districts across New Jersey. This grant will enable us to scale the product and company and in turn help the lives of these students who are dealing with the struggles of autism.”
THE GRANT AWARDED TO MGENUITY CORPORATION will enable students to understand complex scientific concepts by viewing them in 3D, helping them to see them visually. The company says the grant will fund one of the first projects that will develop holographic applications specifically for science education. The final result of the project will be a set of mixed-reality holographic 3D applications that lets students explore and understand scientific concepts and phenomena. Intelligent avatars will guide students through thought-provoking scientific explorations and continuously assess their learning. Students can interact with the avatar in natural ways: by manipulating objects in the virtual environment or by clicking buttons and constructing sentences. In teacher-guided mode the avatar can be turned off and the teacher can lead the exploration.
""If you don't quite understand why ocean tides happen every six hours or so, you are not alone,” said Dr. Attila Medl, the CEO of Mgenuity, a small education technology company of about seven software and education experts, which hopes to grow with this grant. He said that many key concepts in science are dynamic by nature and simply cannot be understood from the static pages of a textbook. Mgenuity uses its ScienceBrainius technology to create holographic 3D to teach science concepts in ways they were never taught before. He foresees students wearing holographic headsets touching giant red blood cells that float around in the science classroom just like they do in the blood stream. Students can grab any one of the cells and examine how the cells pick up and release oxygen, and why breathing in carbon monoxide is so dangerous. A talking expert avatar assists them in their explorations. Or they can dive into the unimaginably hot core of a star and experience thermonuclear fusion in front of their eyes. Holographic 3D could potentially transform science education.
""Mgenuity hopes to bring these unparalleled experiences to science classrooms in New Jersey and across the nation,"" Dr. Medl added.
NSF’s SBIR grants dispersed high-risk technological innovations using research and development grants to small businesses and startups. Some well-known examples of NSF SBIR-funded companies include Symantec, which is now a global leader in cybersecurity, and Qualcomm, a world leader in wireless communications technology. For more information about the grant program click here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399966,"House OK's Kevin and Avonte's LawSmith Bill to Help Families with Autism and Alzheimer's Passes Overwhelmingly (346-66)",2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, the House of Representatives approved Kevin and Avonte’s Law (H.R. 4919), bipartisan legislation that will help protect children with developmental disabilities, such as autism, and seniors with Alzheimer’s who are prone to wandering. Authored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), H.R. 4919 provides targeted support to communities for locally-based, proactive programs to prevent wandering and locate missing children or seniors who have wandered from safe environments.
“This is an issue that hits home for me,” said Smith, founder and co-Chair of the Autism Caucus and the Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force. He referenced the successful use of the Project Lifesaver Program to safely bring home an 8-year-old boy with autism from Bergen County, New Jersey who wandered from his family in a public park on November 4th. “Sadly, just days later, a 4-year-old boy was pronounced dead after wandering from supervision and drowning in Salem County. Like the children for whom this legislation is named, these two New Jersey boys demonstrate how critical this legislation is to prevent such needless tragedy.”
Wandering is a safety concern for both seniors with Alzheimer’s and children with developmental disabilities. It is estimated that 60 percent of the 5.3 million individuals with Alzheimer’s, and 49 percent of the 1 in 68 children with autism have wandered. The results can be devastating: this legislation is named in honor of two boys with autism, Kevin Curtis Wills and Avonte Oquendo, who both wandered from safety and tragically drowned.
“The ‘Missing Americans Alert Program’ will fill a great unmet need, particularly in the autism community—since 2011, over 100 individuals with autism lost their lives after wandering from a safe environment,” said Smith. “Time and training are of the essence when individuals wander and Kevin and Avonte’s Law can help equip local law enforcement with the training and technology to bring these children home safely.”
Specifically, Smith’s legislation will reauthorize and expand a previously authorized program, the Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program, to include children with a developmental disability and rename it the “Missing Americans Alert Program.” Grants could be made to law enforcement agencies, public safety agencies, and nonprofit organizations to provide proactive educational programing to prevent wandering to families and caretakers of individuals who wander, as well as training to first responders and school personnel in order to recognize and respond to endangered missing individuals and facilitate their rescue and recovery. Additionally, this funding could also be used for voluntary, non-invasive technologies that facilitate the rescue and recovery of wanderers.
This much needed, bipartisan legislation is supported by a number of autism, Alzheimer’s and children’s groups, including Autism Speaks, Autism New Jersey, the Autism Society, the National Autism Association, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, SafeMinds, the National Down Syndrome Society, the Alzheimer's Association, and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America. The above video can also be watch by clicking here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-rahway-river-fix-soon-law,Lance: Rahway River Fix Soon Law,2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) secured authorization of the Rahway River Basin Flood Risk Management Feasibility Study in the final water infrastructure package that passed the U.S. House today on a 360 - 61 vote. Lance’s Rahway River provision instructs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to finish the study. The U.S. Senate is expected to pass the measure immediately.
“Residents and businesses in Cranford, Kenilworth, Maplewood, Millburn, Rahway, Springfield and Union have waited long enough. My provision tells the Army Corps to finish the study and finalize the flood mitigation plan. Congress will soon deliver this legislation to the President’s desk and I urge his signature so these communities can get the help they need,” Lance said after passage.
Lance has led the federal effort to secure authorization for completion of the study. Lance and his staff have met with the Mayors Council on Rahway River Watershed Flood Control and the Army Corps regularly to coordinate efforts. Lance recently joined Senator Bob Menendez (NJ) and Colonel David A. Caldwell, Commander of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (New York District), for a site visit of the proposed solution, known as Alternative 4A. That plan includes a modification to the Orange Reservoir and downstream channel improvements through Cranford as well as the acquisition of numerous properties in the City of Rahway. The fix was selected based on a cost benefit analysis.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/congress-set-approve-authorization-55-million-beach-replenishment-project-cape-may,"Congress Set to Approve Authorization of $55 Million Beach Replenishment Project for Cape May County, Sign Off on Delaware River Basin Restoration Legislation",2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Congressman Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02), a senior member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, announced today that Congress is set to approve several provisions he secured to benefit South Jersey. Included within the “Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act” is a $55 million authorization for the construction of the Hereford Inlet to Cape May Inlet replenishment project.
“There is no disputing the vital role our beaches and dune systems play in protecting people and property up and down the Jersey Shore. At my insistence, Congress will now authorize a critical storm protection program in Cape May County which will subsequently allow for federal funding to be applied to local projects,” said LoBiondo. “We have a strong track record in securing federal dollars for our projects - more than $172 million for Cape May County alone – and I will continue to fight for South Jersey’s waterways and coastal communities.”
The legislation was approved today by the House on a vote 360 to 61. It includes the following projects championed by LoBiondo:
A $55 million authorization for Hereford Inlet to Cape May Inlet - for enhanced storm protection through the creation of a new dune and periodic renourishment for the communities of North Wildwood, Wildwood, Wildwood Crest, and Lower Township. (Note: Federal funds cannot be appropriated without such projects first being authorized.)
Delaware River Basin Restoration Program - based on legislation cosponsored by LoBiondo, this provision would create a strategy to coordinate restoration and protection activities across the basin.
“Protecting and promoting the Delaware River Basin for future generations is an economic and environmental priority. This bipartisan legislation will help leverage assets on a strategy to achieve our shared goal. I am proud to work closely with advocates in South Jersey on this critical public-private partnership,” concluded LoBiondo.
The Senate is expected to consider the legislation later this week. Once approved, it will go to President Obama for his signature.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/op-ed-federal-banking-rules-hurt-njs-efforts-keep-grow-small-businesses,"Op-Ed: Federal banking rules hurt N.J.'s efforts to keep, grow small businesses",2016-12-08,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Like most of us in the Garden State, I'm proud to call New Jersey home. All of us who live here know New Jersey is actually in the sweet spot of the U.S., a best kept secret with beaches and mountains and easy access to two major U.S. cities. Couple our location with being the most densely populated state and the 11th most populous state overall and there is little explanation needed for why so many businesses set up shop in our state.
However, data continues to show more small businesses are exiting New Jersey than starting in the state -- a troubling trend that is happening nationwide as well. This is why it is important for us to examine the state's business environment, identify barriers to small business entry and success, and fight for changes that make sense for everyone.
As a former business owner, I have seen these challenges first-hand and have leveraged my experience to fight for small businesses during my time in Congress. I know how difficult it is to secure the necessary resources to open and expand companies, and because of this background I have been recognized by many business groups as an ally, mostly recently with the ""Guardian Award"" from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) for being a reliable small business advocate.
Supporting small business is not a partisan issue; it's a priority for both sides of the aisle. If our nation's small businesses are not thriving, it sets off a chain reaction, affecting our Main Streets, households, property values and more. Because of this, it is critical for Congress to continuously look at policies to determine the impact on small businesses and ensure they are not inhibiting growth.
This has unfortunately not been true of Dodd-Frank, a law with 22,000 pages of regulations on the banking industry, which actually has had adverse effects on small businesses instead. The way Dodd-Frank was written imposed rules based on an arbitrary $50 billion asset level with no justification or research, and this has been particularly difficult for regional banks. A bank should be evaluated by its individual business profile and its potential risk to the financial system as a whole, not an arbitrary number.
Not only do regional banks lack the large-scale resources, in terms of money and time, needed to comply with overly-restrictive regulations, but such regulations also reduce their ability to lend to consumers and business owners. Regional banks are collectively responsible for nearly $2 trillion in lending, but have seen their lending capital reduced by at least $2 billion each year. This means a reduction in small business, real estate, farming and other business lending - all of which are vital factors in a strong economy.
Is it any wonder the start-up rate in New Jersey has failed to recover from the recession?
One avenue for change -- which already has bipartisan support -- is examining bank risk from a multi-faceted approach, instead of just based on size alone. The nation's largest banks have very different models from community and regional banks, which typically focus on consumer and business deposits and lending, rather than complex financial products.
We can't afford for these trends to continue in our state nor our country as a whole. We need to find bipartisan solutions that allow these banks to serve their customers. New Jersey is home to several regional bank branches -- Capital One, M&T, PNC, and TD Bank to name a few -- and it is in our best interest to ensure these banks have the resources needed to foster business growth.
All banks are not the same and our regulations must reflect that. It's time for members of Congress to work toward relieving the pressure placed on smaller and regional banks by inappropriate one-size-fits-all policies. While I will work with my colleagues in the House, I call on my counterparts in the Senate to address this issue as well. We are a stronger state (and nation) when we can support entrepreneurs in their pursuit of the American Dream.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399959,China's Human Rights Activists Look Back to Move Forward,2016-12-07,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"As the world prepares to mark Human Rights Day, the brutal repression of human rights activists at the hands of the Chinese government was brought to light in their own words at a hearing today chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04). The unique perspectives of these activists highlight how U.S. foreign policy is critical in the advancement of the fundamental rights of the Chinese people, and activists around the world.
“It has been another dark and difficult year for human rights in China. China’s reformers, dissidents, and rights defenders face escalating repression. President Xi Jinping has run roughshod over human rights and the U.S. government has managed only tepid responses,” said Smith, Chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC). “U.S. diplomacy is stuck with policies that no longer match Chinese realities. Despite decades of remarkable economic growth, Beijing’s leaders are increasingly dismissive of ‘Western influence’ and hostile to both free societies and democratic capitalism. It is time to recognize that U.S. economic and political engagement strategies have failed to produce a freer China and remain cold comfort to China’s repressed human rights lawyers, religious and ethnic minority groups, journalists, and civil society leaders.” Click Here to Read Smith's Statement.
Smith referenced the 2016 Annual Report of the Congressional Executive Commission on China saying it is the “gold standard” of human rights reporting on China. He said the CECC’s Report and publications should be required reading for U.S. officials dealing with China, saying it makes a compelling case about the centrality of human rights to U.S. interests in Asia.
“It is increasingly clear that there is direct link between China’s domestic human rights problems and the security and prosperity of the United States,” said Smith, who has held 61 hearings on China. “Losing sight of these facts leads to bad policy, bad diplomacy and the needless juxtaposition of values and interests. It also sends the wrong message to those in China standing courageously for greater freedoms, human rights and the rule of law.”
“The next Administration faces major challenges in dealing with China. The U.S. must recognize that China’s internal repression drives its external aggression and develop new policy approaches that intertwine our principles and interests in the pivotal Asia-Pacific region,” said Smith.
Witnesses at the hearing included:
· Penpa Tsering, a representative of the Dalai Lama. Click Here to read Tsering’s Statement.
· Wei Jingsheng, The Chairman of the Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition. Click Here to read Jingsheng’s Statement.
· Rebiya Kadeer, President of the World Uygur Congress. Click Here to read Kadeer’s Statement.
· Chen Guangcheng, Chinese legal advocate and distinguished visiting fellow at Catholic University. Click Here to read Guangcheng’s Statement.
· Bob Fu, Founder and President of ChinaAid. Click Here to read Fu’s Statement.
· Yang Jianli, President of Initiatives for China/Citizen Power for China, Click Here to read Jianli’s Statement.
· Xiaoan Wang, the daughter of former political prisoner Zhiwen Wang. Click Here to read Wang’s Statement.
“The U.S. must learn the lessons of the past and listen to those who faced prison and persecution to advance human rights in China. All of our witnesses today have paid a great price for simply seeking to advance universally-recognized rights. They should be our guides in developing policy toward China,” concluded Smith.
The Congressional-Executive Commission on China was created by Congress in October 2000 to monitor human rights and the development of the rule of law in China, and to submit an annual report to the President and the Congress. Members of the Commission include up to nine Representatives and nine Senators from both parties, along with five senior officials in the Executive Branch, representing the Department of State, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Commerce.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399967,Smith: Pass the Lifesaving Kevin and Avonte's Law,2016-12-07,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Congressman Chris Smih (NJ-04) Co-Chairman of the Autism Caucus and the Alzhiemer's Task force spoke on the floor today in support of his legislation, Kevin and Avonte's Law:
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Mr. GOODLATTE, for his enormous efforts and those of his staff to, out of an abundance of caution, address some of the issues that were raised by my friend from Texas. I don’t think some of his concerns were included or at risk in the bill, but we clarified and made very clear about voluntary participation and the issue of noninvasiveness and nonpermanent, which is now clearly defined in the legislation. So it is an improvement. Mr. GOODLATTE was the one who came up with that language. The language that deals with the collection, use, and retention of data is solely for the purpose of preventing injury or death to the patient.
Mr. Speaker, in the year 2000, I cofounded two caucuses: the Autism Caucus and the Alzheimer’s Caucus. I wrote three laws on autism, including the most recent Autism CARES Act, which not only provides $1.3 billion for autism and research at NIH, CDC, and HRSA, but also looks at the aging out issue.
Law enforcement is not ready to deal with severely autistic children who, when you approach them, need a certain approach so that they don’t react violently, especially if they have a sense of threat.
As my good friend and colleague from Virginia, the distinguished chairman said, about 50 percent of autistic children wander. We know at least 100 children since 2011 have died. The bill is named after two of them who drowned.
A benign tracking device that is noninvasive, there is no collection or use other than for the prevention of injury or death, and, of course, there is no national storage. If you ask, I say to my colleagues, your local sheriffs, your law enforcement about the lifesaving program, some have it, some don’t. Within about one-half hour of an Alzheimer’s patient or an autistic patient being lost, wandering, they find them. Those who are not found in 24 hours, not only have got a 50 percent chance of getting hurt themselves, but can hurt other people. About 60 percent of the Alzheimer’s community wander at some point. This is a way of protecting and preventing injury.
I say to my colleague, my good friend from Texas, he is reading into the things that are not there. One of the groups put out an alert suggesting a vote against this and hadn’t even read the clarifications out of an abundance of caution, again, put in there by Mr. GOODLATTE.
So I would hope that Members would support this. This will save lives. And we are not reinventing the wheel. The Alzheimer’s program was in effect without any parade of horribles occurring as a result.
I check with Alzheimer’s patients all the time, Alzheimer’s Association and, of course, Autism Speaks, and others who are all for this. They want this desperately because wandering is a serious problem.
We want to get our loved ones, find our loved ones who have developmental disabilities or have Alzheimer’s, and make sure they get back to a safe and secure environment as quickly as possible. That is all this does.
So I urge my colleagues to support it. I, again, thank the chairman. I thank Mr. CONYERS and others. This is a bipartisan bill. Senators GRASSLEY and SCHUMER sponsored it on the Senate side, Ms. MAXINE WATERS—it is the left, right, middle, everybody in between. This is about helping people who are at grave risk when they wander.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399969,In Honor of Rep. Joe Pitts,2016-12-07,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Smith (NJ-04) spoke in appreciation of his long time colleague, Joseph R. Pitts, on the eve of Pitts' retirement from public service:
Madam Speaker, it is hard to imagine a Congress without the incomparable JOE PITTS—a remarkable and highly accomplished lawmaker, a distinguished statesman, a man of principle and bedrock moral conviction and a Christian, who faithfully seeks to do God’s will on Earth as it is in Heaven no matter the cost, no matter the sacrifice, no matter the hardship.
As I think some of my colleagues know—particularly those who know him well—JOE was born in Kentucky into a family of strong Christian faith, a faith that has been passed on to his own three children; Carol, Karen, and Daniel.
JOE’s father was an Army chaplain during World War II, serving in the South Pacific after the war. The elder Pitts returned to the Philippines with his wife and children to serve as a missionary in a war-ravaged country. It was there that JOE saw the after effects of war; and that so profoundly affected him, he developed a heart there for human rights and a commitment to a strong national defense.
After high school, JOE attended Asbury College in Kentucky, as my friend and colleague earlier pointed out. He met Virginia—Ginny, as we know her— a wonderful lady. My wife Marie and I and JOE and Ginny have traveled and have been together many times. She is just a wonderful wife of a half a century. Again, they not only have three children but a number of grandchildren as well.
JOE taught math, science, English, and physical education, as well as coached basketball. He served 5 ½ years in the United States Air Force, including three tours in Vietnam. He was the EW officer, electronic warfare officer, on a B–52 and completed 116 combat missions and earned the Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters.
Here in Washington, JOE has worked hard helping political prisoners, including people like Saeed Abedini and other Christian and non-Christian— Jewish and other religious and political prisoners around the world.
He has been tenacious in promoting prayer breakfasts all around the world so that members of parliaments and congresses from many countries would know the blessings of fellowship and prayer and being in touch with God.
He even traveled to Mongolia for the first prayer breakfast in the late 1990s. JOE leads an ambassadors’ prayer breakfast fellowship at the Cedars, right nearby in northern Virginia. I have had the privilege to join him for those breakfasts on occasions. It is a time for ambassadors to get together from all over the world—different regions meeting at different times, sometimes many from many regions—to break bread, to talk about the Scriptures with some emphasis on policy but mostly about how God does minister to us, how forgiving He is, and how all of us are in need of reconciliation. And JOE PITTS is there leading that fellowship and has been doing it for decades.
JOE has been a leader in the fight against ongoing human rights abuses in Western Sahara and elsewhere. He is co-chair of the Lantos Human Rights Commission. And in Congress, of course, we know he has served in a number of key leadership positions, including his current position as chairman of the Health Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee, obviously working on so many important issues on diseases and disabilities. Top officials from the healthcare system present themselves before his committee for his review and oversight. He has been a problem-solver—he and his staff, working across the aisle to try to find solutions to these often vexing issues of health care.
On the greatest human rights issue of our time—protecting unborn babies and their mothers from the violence of abortion—JOE PITTS has not only saved countless precious lives and fostered reconciliation and hope for post-abortive women, but he has also been an extraordinary inspiration to all of us in Congress.
The way he comports himself. He never gets angry. He deals with the issue in a way that reaches out to people who may have a different view in the hopes that they will see the wisdom of protecting the innocent and most vulnerable.
JOE has been a leader on every prolife congressional policy—bills, amendments, administrative actions—since he won his seat in Congress in 1996. We are grateful for his powerful voice and vote on ending the hideous method called partial birth abortion; enacting multiple annual abortion funding bans; proscribing sex selection abortion, which is the ultimate violation of women’s rights to say: you are susceptible to killing because you happen to be female; protecting pain-capable unborn children as well as born-alive infants; and enforcing the conscience rights of pro-life Americans has been remarkable. His leadership
Had the Senate adopted the Housepassed Pitts-Stupak amendment, ObamaCare, with all of its egregious flaws, would have at least been abortion-free.
JOE PITTS has been the greatest friend and ally of persons with disabilities, including his robust defense of Terri Schiavo.
His service in the Pennsylvania General Assembly from 1973–1997, including his chairmanship of the powerful Appropriations Committee, to which he was elected by his peers, was filled with accomplishments, including his bold leadership in enacting the Abortion Control Act.
Someday future generations will look back on America’s culture of death and wonder how and why a seemingly enlightened society, so blessed with civil rights protections, wealth, educational opportunities, information, medical breakthroughs, a free press, and a strong and diverse faith community could have allowed 60 million unborn children to be killed by abortion.
When the day comes and legal protections for the weak and the most vulnerable are restored, I believe future generations of Americans will remember and celebrate the tenacious heroes, the human rights heroes of today, people like Henry Hyde, compassionate women like Mother Teresa, and JOE PITTS, who persevered, prayed, and worked tenaciously on behalf of the least of these.
St. Francis once famously said: Always preach the gospel, and when necessary, use words.
By his example, by his perpetual radiating of Christ—just look at his eyes; there is kindness and compassion and empathy in JOE PITTS’ eyes—he has inspired all of us to strive to do His will on Earth, as it is in Heaven. And it is a distinct privilege and honor to be known as one of JOE PITTS’ friends.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-accepting-applications-spring-internships,MacArthur Accepting Applications for Spring Internships,2016-12-07,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman MacArthur today announced that his office is now accepting applications for spring internships in his Washington, D.C., Toms River and Marlton offices.
Student interns will work with staff on various constituent service and communications projects, as well as assist with legislative research. Both New Jersey and Washington, D.C. internships provide students with first-hand knowledge of the legislative process and the countless other functions of a congressional office.
“The best part of interning for Congressman MacArthur was learning about what issues are important to my hometown and how representatives work for their constituents. Interning in Congressman MacArthur’s office has given me not only a professional experience, but also the chance to see the government in action and the inner workings of the legislative branch” – Shelby Logan, Westampton Native, George Washington University Senior (International Affairs)
College students who are interested in interning in any of Congressman MacArthur’s offices should submit an application online at: https://macarthur.house.gov/services/internships by December 16, 2016.
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http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/ventnor-citys-first-twilight-holiday-parade,Ventnor City's First Twilight Holiday Parade,2016-12-06,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Ventnor City's First Twilight Holiday Parade
Start:
December 10, 2016 4:30 pm
End:
December 10, 2016 5:30 pm
Location:
Cornwall and Ventnor Avenues, Ventnor, New Jersey
Dec 6, 2016",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-named-co-chair-bipartisan-task-force-combat-heroin-epidemic,MacArthur Named Co-Chair of Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic,2016-12-06,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman MacArthur today announced that he will serve as the new co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic. Congressman MacArthur will replace outgoing Chair, Congressman Frank Guinta (R-NH) and join Congresswoman Annie Kuster (D-NH) as co-lead of the group.
Founded in 2015, the 85-member Task Force has been a driving force for action to address the opioid epidemic. Earlier this year, the Task Force successfully pushed for the passage of 18 bills in one week and helped influence the final content of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA)—the most sweeping drug-related legislation in many years. The Task Force has also held numerous hearings and briefings, both in Washington and communities impacted by addiction, to educate lawmakers about effective means to curb the crisis.
“The addiction crisis in America has touched so many families,” said Congressman MacArthur. “There is so much work to be done and the Task Force has made great strides to raise awareness and implement policies that will help families and individuals struggling with recovery and treatment. New Jersey’s heroin overdose rate is triple the soaring U.S. rate, and we have to do everything we can to fight this epidemic together in a meaningful, bipartisan way. Thank you to Congressman Guinta and Congresswoman Kuster for leading the charge on this national crisis – I know we will have a productive partnership as we look toward the New Year. We are all united behind the need to take strong, effective, immediate action on this crisis. Bottom line, these families deserve our support and we are here to help.”
“I’m excited to welcome Representative Tom MacArthur as co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “I also want to thank Congressman Guinta for his leadership on the Task Force and his commitment to working across the aisle to help New Hampshire address the opioid epidemic. I’m proud of what the Task Force was able to accomplish in our first year. We’ve helped pass legislation that will make a real difference for communities struggling to take on addiction. As we look to the next Congress, I’m ready to get to work with my colleagues –both Democratic and Republican – to support those on the frontlines of this crisis. I know that as our new co-chair, Congressman MacArthur is ready to join in this effort and will be a valuable member of our team.”
""Our Bipartisan Task Force has had enormous success passing critical legislation to help solve the country's heroin and opioid epidemic and will surely have more in the next Congress under the leadership of Representatives Kuster and MacArthur, whom I congratulate,” said Congressman Guinta. “I expect even greater successes in the future, as Republicans and Democrats, working together, improve prevention, treatment and recovery programs, as well as law enforcement, to save more lives.""
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399950,Protecting Foreign Service Officers and All Americans Overseas,2016-12-05,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House panel on Africa and International Organizations, took to the House floor to deliver following speech in support of S. 1635, the “Department of State Operations Authorization and Embassy Security Act, Fiscal Year 2016”:
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support for passage of S. 1635.
A highly skilled group of Foreign Service Officers—about fifteen thousand strong—are deployed worldwide to promote peace, human rights, support prosperity, and protect American citizens while advancing the interests of the U.S. abroad.
For most, posting overseas requires serious personal sacrifice.
For some, deployment entails serious danger—from disease, crime and terrorism.
After the American embassies in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi were attacked by terrorists in August of 1998, I chaired hearings on embassy security in my subcommittee and authored the Admiral James W. Nance and Meg Donovan Foreign Relations Act for 2000 and 2001— to significantly boost embassy security including reconfigured embassies, “setbacks” and additional diplomatic security personnel. The bill—dubbed the Embassy Security Act—passed the House in 1999, never even got a vote in the Senate, but after much lobbying my bill was included in its entirety in the FY 2000 appropriations omnibus.
In 2005 Congress enacted into law another bill I sponsored—the Department of State's Authorities (P.L. 109-140) that among other things boosted danger pay.
Today, Senator Corker’s and Mr. Royce’s bill authorizes $4.8 billion for embassy security. It continues the all-important work of ensuring the most effective security possible for our Foreign Service and Americans abroad by directing joint State/DOD contingency plans—including rapid deployment of armed forces—designation of high-risk, high-threat posts with adequate funding and training commensurate with the danger, and utilization of “best value” contracting.
S. 1635 provides numerous enhancements of personnel issues for our men and women in the Foreign Service—from promotion opportunities to updated cost-of-living adjustments to improved care for the children of Foreign Service officers with autism spectrum disorders.
During markup, I sponsored an amendment that was approved that recognizes applied behavioral analysis (ABA) as proven evidence-based intervention for autistic children and that the Secretary of State should ensure coverage of and access to ABA for dependents with ASD of overseas employees.
Mr. Speaker, our government contributes approximately 22% of the funding for UN operations – more than half a billion dollars annually. We have a duty to ensure that those funds are not only spent wisely, but also do not unwittingly support those peacekeepers who abuse the very people they are deployed to protect, which unfortunately happens all too often.
Since the 1990s, allegations of rape and sexual abuse and exploitation have been made against foreign troops in UN peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, East Timor, Haiti, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and South Sudan, as well as others. Such cases of abuse last year included the rape of a 12-year-old girl in the Central African Republic.
I’ve chaired numerous hearing on this abuse of women and young girls—pushing zero tolerance for this cruelty and exploitation.
S. 1635 strengthens oversight and accountability of UN peacekeeping personnel.
S. 1635 bars troop or police contributing countries with poor records from participating in future peacekeeping operations—resulting in a loss of funds and prestige.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-the-passing-of-the-honorable-leonard-connors,Lance Statement on the Passing of the Honorable Leonard Connors,2016-12-05,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today released the following statement on the passing of former New Jersey State Senator Leonard T. Connors, Jr.:
“For a half-century Leonard Connors served the public with great distinction. I was proud to have known him and worked with him in the State Legislature. I always trusted his insight and counsel and valued his tremendous experience in public service from three levels of government: municipal, county and state. His faced each decision with great compassion, respect for all points of view and the best interest of New Jersey at heart. Heidi and I will be thinking of the Connors Family in the coming days.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/op-ed-trumps-first-decision-president-will-benefit-american-workers,Op-ed: Trump's First Decision As President Will Benefit American Workers,2016-12-05,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"In November, President-Elect Donald Trump announced plans to withdraw from the world's largest trade deal on his first day in office. I wholeheartedly support him in this endeavor.
My position has been, and remains, that the terms of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as negotiated by the Obama Administration, do not achieve the best possible deal for American workers and businesses. President-elect Trump should be commended for displaying leadership and resolutely pulling the plug on this ill-negotiated agreement. Doing so on Day One will send a clear message to the rest of the world that President Trump intends on using his Administration to protect and create American jobs, and that this is his top priority in any international trade treaty.
If trade is good for business and good for the country, then why is the TPP so bad? TPP is the “free” trade deal that would unite the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim nations including Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia. In concept, negotiating a free trade deal with other nations should lower barriers on entry for American products being shipped abroad and help improve the competitiveness of American products sold overseas. However, that only holds true when we have negotiators demanding the best possible deal for American business and workers. This Administration has failed to negotiate a deal that achieves either goal. In fact, projections through 2025 demonstrate that of the 12 participants in TPP, the nation which would enjoy the least rate of growth to GDP as a result…is the United States of America.
TPP establishes trade agreements with a number of countries whose labor standards are disgracefully low, making it impossible for our American manufacturing and industrial businesses to compete. For example, the government of Brunei has a history of exploiting child labor and a legal system based on Sharia law; likewise, in Malaysia, workers are denied the right to strike and bargain for higher wages. While the TPP does have a labor chapter that seeks to correct some of these fundamental workforce differences, the chapter does not specify how exactly the new labor requirements should work. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that under the TPP we stand to lose more than 130,000 jobs to Vietnam and Japan alone. How are American manufacturing companies supposed to compete with companies in a country paying their workers pennies an hour? The temptation is too great for American companies to move factory production abroad and pay workers pennies while benefiting from the protections that come with a free trade agreement with the United States.
Another major concern with TPP is that it’s considered a “living deal.” What this means is that countries can later sign on and be added to the agreement after the fact. The Obama Administration was so eager for a deal at any cost that it ended up agreeing to one that would allow a country like China to come swooping in years later to further harm America’s economic standing in the world. The Obama Administration confused motion for progress.
In addition to American jobs, American sovereignty is also endangered by the proposed Investor State Dispute Settlement mechanism within the TPP. This provision would empower an international tribunal and give it jurisdiction over perceived economic losses claimed by the corporations of trade partners. In other words, it would allow an international body to subvert U.S. laws to our economic detriment.
The bottom line is that the TPP is a disastrous trade agreement that was poorly negotiated. But the question that remains is what should be next for American trade agreements?
Any deal the United States is involved in must be fair and mutually beneficial for all involved—and the TPP is neither. We must put American business and workers first and focus on equitable, bilateral trade deals to bring jobs back to our country.
Bilateral agreements can standardize regulations, labor standards, environmental protections and permitted governmental subsidies. They allow us to efficiently negotiate trade deals with our key economic partners in a way that is mutually beneficial to both sides. This is much more open and transparent, giving each country expanded access to one another's markets, and increasing each country's economic growth. These agreements go into effect faster, thus reaping the trade benefits more quickly. This option grows the American economy and maintains the 21st century standards we expect from trade partners.
A well-crafted agreement should be treated as domestic economic policy rather than an extension of foreign policy. In doing so, U.S negotiators will best represent American business and workers by constructing agreements that address currency manipulation, install robust mechanisms for rule enforcement, account for state and local control, protect against offshoring and outsourcing, and promote Buy American policies at all levels of American government. Moreover, this approach would recognize the importance of services trade on economic opportunity and the complexities of intellectual property rights—among other economic drivers such as migration, agriculture, public health, worker rights, the environment and national security. Trade deals are incredibly complex and when negotiating multilateral agreements with as many as a dozen countries or more, it is inevitable that compromises will be made that harm American job creation. Bilateral deals allow our negotiators to ensure with laser-focus, that a good deal is negotiated. Getting Americans back to work should be the heart and soul of any trade deal, and bilateral agreements optimize the president’s ability to achieve this.
President-Elect Donald Trump was elected by the American people to usher in much-needed reforms that restore economic prosperity and hope to working class communities. President Trump will have the opportunity to do something truly special and improve the economic fortunes of countless Americans by disposing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal and negotiating more effective and prosperous bilateral agreements in its place.
This op-ed ran in Forbes on December 2, 2016",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399946,"Dec. 3 Asbury Park Press letter to the editor on Smith autism bill***'Bill would protect children with autism'",2016-12-02,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The following is a letter to the editor by Dr. Suzanne Buchanan, the Executive Director of the advocacy group, Autism New Jersey based in Robbinsville, NJ:
As Congress reconvenes to finish the year, we urge our representatives in the House of Representatives and Senate to support the passage of Kevin and Avonte’s Law (H.R. 4919/S. 2614), which would allow Justice Department grants to help protect children with developmental disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and seniors with Alzheimer’s, who are prone to wandering.
This legislation would make grants available to law enforcement agencies and nonprofits to provide training to prevent wandering and implement lifesaving technology, such as law enforcement’s Project Lifesaver program, to find individuals who have wandered. Introduced by longtime autism community champion and founder/chair of the Congressional Autism Caucus, Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, this sensible legislation is of critical importance to the autism community in particular.
Wandering or elopement is one of the most concerning challenging behaviors for individuals with ASD. This behavior presents safety risks including drowning, getting struck by traffic, falling from a high place, dehydration, hypothermia, abduction and victimization. In recent years, accidental drowning after wandering or eloping accounted for 91 percent of total U.S. deaths reported in children with ASD ages 14 and younger. Due to the growing prevalence of autism in New Jersey and the potential dangers associated with elopement, training to prevent wandering and the widespread implementation of lifesaving technology is critical.
In November, there were two stories about how significant an issue this is for our community:
On Nov. 4, the Bergen County Sheriff's Office reported an 8-year-old boy with autism wandered off from his family in Overpeck County Park. Shortly after he was reported missing, he was found in the Overpeck Creek by law enforcement after a bystander called 911. He was, thankfully, revived and treated. The family had reported their son missing via Bergen County’s Project Lifesaver Program.
Just days later, a 4-year-old boy was pronounced dead after wandering from the family home and drowning in the family’s backyard swimming pool in Pennsville, Salem County.
Like the children for whom this legislation is named, these two New Jersey boys represent how important this legislation is to assist our community in preventing future tragedies – tragedies that are still all too common. Rep. Smith’s legislation is a step toward helping to ensure the safety of individuals with autism is protected, and we encourage our representative in Washington support its passage.
For more information about elopement, wandering and available resources, please contact Autism New Jersey’s Helpline at 800-4-AUTISM or download our free publication, “Elopement & Wandering: Your Guide to Safety Resources.”
Dr. Suzanne Buchanan
Executive Director
Autism New JerseyThis letter to the editor ran in the print edition of the Asbury Park Press on page A9, as well as other newspapers in New Jersey. It can be found online at:
http://www.courierpostonline.com/story/opinion/readers/2016/11/30/letter-bill-would-protect-children-autism/94689022/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399947,"Hearing on China set for December 7Dissidents Who Have Suffered for Human Rights in China: A Look Back and a Look Forward",2016-12-02,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Concrete improvements in human rights and the rule of law in China are directly linked to the security and prosperity of both the American and Chinese people. Advances in protecting human rights and curbing government violations of universal freedoms are essential components of economic development, mutual prosperity, domestic stability, and the type of trust and confidence necessary to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation on a range of issues that will define the 21st century.
As documented by the 2016 Annual Report of the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), a deteriorating human rights situation in China poses distinct and ongoing challenges to U.S. foreign policy.
Chinese, Tibetans, and Uyghurs offer unique perspectives on why robust U.S. human rights diplomacy is a critical foreign policy priority. In advance of Human Rights Day (December 10, 2016), and the sixth anniversary of famed dissident Liu Xiaobo receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, witnesses will offer advice for the next Administration on human rights priorities and lessons learned about how to approach the Chinese government on “sensitive” issues such as the treatment of human rights lawyers and the rule of law, religious and press freedoms, and the protection of ethnic minorities. They will also detail why principled U.S. leadership is important to advance both American interests and the fundamental rights of the Chinese people.
Who: Chairman Smith (NJ-04), Members of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China
Witness:
· Penpa Tsering
Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama
· Wei Jingsheng
Chairman, Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition
· Rebiya Kadeer:
President, the World Uyghur Congress
· Chen Guangcheng
Chinese legal advocate; Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Catholic University's Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies
· Bob Fu
Founder and President, ChinaAid
· Yang Jianli
President, Initiatives for China/Citizen Power for China
· Xiaodan Wang
Falun Gong practioner and daughter of former political prisoner Zhiwen Wang
What: House hearing on those who have suffered at the hands of the Chinese government
When: Wednesday, December 7, 2016 2:00 PM
Where: U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, Room HVC 210
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399948,"House Passes Defense Bill, Blocking TRICARE Cuts to Autism Therapy for Military Families",2016-12-02,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the $691 billion bill that directs critical U.S defense policy for 2017. Secured inside the bill is a targeted and critical amendment co-authored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) which will ensure military families with a child on the autism spectrum will continue to have access to a key intervention therapy. The Smith provision protects coverage of and access to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy—an evidence-based behavior intervention that is widely accepted among health care professionals as an effective therapy for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
“Military life is defined by frequent changes of residence and schools, and prolonged absences of a parent, which can be particularly difficult for children with autism,” said Smith, founder and co-Chair of the House Autism Caucus. “ABA therapy is a proven and effective intervention that brings about positive behavior change that can assist military children in coping with the unique challenges of military life, while also demonstrating positive long-term results.”
In July 2014, TRICARE began the Comprehensive Autism Care Demonstration, an initiative to cover ABA for TRICARE beneficiaries diagnosed with ASD. The demonstration, scheduled to end in December 2018, was initiated in order to expand access to coverage for beneficiaries.
Late last year, however, TRICARE proposed a reduction in reimbursement rates for ABA, which may reduce the access military dependents have to ABA practitioners. As a response, in March 2016 Smith led a bipartisan effort of 40 Members of Congress and endorsed by a coalition of autism and military families advocacy organizations—Including the National Military Family Association (NMFA), Military Special Needs Network, the TRICARE for Kids Stakeholders Coalition, and Autism Speaks—in urging the Department of Defense (DOD) to halt the proposed reimbursement rate reductions. Ultimately however, in April 2016, TRICARE enacted the first round of reduced reimbursement rates for coverage. Particularly concerning is the effect the proposed reductions—of as much as 15 percent annually in reimbursement rates for ABA services—will have on communities where access is already limited.
The amendment is included in the NDAA—which is expected to pass the Senate next week with the amendment intact—and will ensure that the reimbursement rates are not below their pre-April level through the remainder of the Demonstration project: “during the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on December 31, 2018, the Secretary of Defense shall ensure that the reimbursement rates for providers of applied behavior analysis are not less than the rates that were in effect on March 31, 2016.”
“ABA therapy improves a variety of skills by encouraging positive behaviors and discouraging negative behaviors and the NDAA will ensure the more than 26,000 military children with ASD do not lose access to these critical services,” Smith concluded.
Smith is the author of three laws designed to expand research into Autism, the most recent being the “Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act of 2014.” He has also chaired two hearings on Autism around the world, including “The Global Challenge of Autism” in 2014. The importance of Autism research was brought to his attention in 1997 when Bobbie and Billy Gallagher, parents of two autistic children, expressed their concerns to him about a possible autism cluster in Brick, N.J..
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/speaker-ryan-signs-lance-bill,Speaker Ryan Signs Lance Bill,2016-12-02,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07), Vice Chair of the Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee, today joined U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan as he signed off on Lance’s Consumer Review Fairness Act. Lance’s consumer protection legislation passed both the House and U.S. Senate and now heads to President Obama. The legislation will allow Americans to exercise their First Amendment rights regarding consumer experiences without fear of retribution.
“This law is about protecting consumers posting honest feedback online. Online reviews and ratings are critical in the 21st Century and consumers should be able to post, comment and tweet their honest and accurate feedback without fear of retribution. Too many companies are burying non-disparagement clauses in fine print and going after consumers when they post negative feedback online. This will now end,” said Lance.
In the 21st century economy it is easier than ever for consumers to make informed choices on which business or service to use by consulting websites and apps that publish crowdsourced reviews of local businesses and restaurants. Consumer reviews are a powerful informational tool because consumers place a high value on the truthful reviews of other consumers. Some businesses have become frustrated by online criticism and some have employed a questionable legal remedy known as a non-disparagement clause to retaliate against consumers. These are often buried in fine print. The Consumer Review Fairness Act would void any non-disparagement clauses in consumer contracts. It also would ensure companies are still able to remove false and defamatory reviews.
Lance also wants to maintain the integrity of the online crowdsourcing economy and prevent consumers from assuming online posts aren’t genuine. “A few months ago I visited Bovella’s Pastry Shoppe in Westfield, N.J. Bovella’s has the highest Yelp review of any bakery in that part of New Jersey. The good people at Bovella’s earned that review from their hard work and excellent customer service. They get a lot of business from people who turn to Yelp for insight on bakeries in town. This crowdsourcing system thrives because of its integrity. People trust it. Bad actors who bully consumers are ruining the system that helps Bovella’s prosper.”
Lance has championed a number of consumer protection measures in Congress. Earlier this month, his Anti-Spoofing Act was passed in the House. That bill prevents telemarketers from disguising their caller ID in an effort to evade law enforcement or trick consumers.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1321,"Statement of Rep. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (NJ-11), Chairman-Designate, House Committee on Appropriations",2016-12-02,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"“I want to offer my thanks to the House Leadership and the Republican Steering Committee for allowing me to Chair the House Committee on Appropriations.
“Next year, we have a unique opportunity to transform the size, scope and direction of government and the Appropriations Committee will be key to that effort!
“We will exercise rigorous oversight in order to make every dollar count.
“My commitment to every Member is to restore our role under the Constitution’s Article One, Section 9 – power of the purse – and to put Members back in charge of funding decisions.
“I am ready to get to work!”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-applauds-passage-nation-s-defense-bill,MacArthur Applauds Passage of Nations Defense Bill,2016-12-02,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman MacArthur today applauded the final passage of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017:
“Our nation’s defense bill will provide the tools our war-fighters need to protect the freedom of American citizens and defend our national interests, while also preserving the future of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and the tens of thousands of jobs in South Jersey that depend on it,” said Congressman MacArthur. “The NDAA boosts base funding to close the readiness gap, rebuild our military and ensure we honor the service of our troops and their families by giving them the full pay raise they have earned. This legislation is vitally important to our troops and their families, and both Democrats and Republicans were involved in negotiations to ensure passage in the House and Senate. This is the type of compromise we need more of in Washington and I urge the President to sign this immediately.”
Congressman MacArthur secured three provisions in the NDAA to study the feasibility of an East Coast missile defense system and prevent a base realignment and closure through 2017. Additionally, as an adoptive father to two of his three children, his focus on military families yielded an inclusion to allow couples serving in the military to take leave immediately following the adoption of a child, similar to the leave available after childbirth.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399941,"Asbury Park Press News Article on Smiths Lyme Disease Efforts; 'Big news for chronic Lyme disease sufferers''With the help of Rep. Chris Smith and a Wall advocate, the House passed breakthrough legislation on the hot-button is",2016-12-01,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Jerry Carino, APP Staff Writer -
For decades, Wall resident Pat Smith has implored the medical establishment to acknowledge the existence of chronic Lyme disease. On Wednesday, her quest took a big step forward.
The House of Representatives passed the 21st Century Cures Act, a comprehensive health care bill that would establish a national working group on Lyme disease. The 14-member panel would include physicians with experience in treating tick-borne diseases, Lyme patients and advocates for those suffering from the condition.
“This is really groundbreaking,” said Smith, president of national nonprofit Lyme Disease Association in Wall. “Prior to this we’ve never had anything at the federal level that permitted patients to be at the table with federal officials. It’s desperately needed.”
Lyme disease affects nearly 400,000 people per year in the U.S., most of whom live in the northeast. For many who are diagnosed promptly, the standard month-long course of antibiotics mitigates the illness. But detection is difficult, and for thousands of folks, the symptoms continue for months or years.
To date, the influential Infectious Diseases Society of America has declined to recognize chronic Lyme in its clinical practice guidelines. Chronic Lyme advocates say that omission has caused a domino effect of needless suffering.
RELATED: As Lyme controversy rages, 7 prevention tips
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J. (Photo: File photo)
Representative Chris Smith (R-4th) has been pushing for a federal panel to address the issue since the early 1990s. The Senate is expected to pass the Cures Act, which got through the House by a vote of 392-26, in the coming days.
“Many have suffered for decades with this debilitating disease, only to be told that their illness does not exist,” Chris Smith said in a statement. “Enactment of the Cures package will move us one step closer to acknowledging and addressing the root problems of chronic Lyme.”
RELATED: Chris Smith on Lyme disease 'culture of denial'
The issue was first brought to Rep. Smith’s attention by Pat Smith. In the late 1980s Lyme disease afflicted two of her daughters, one of whom missed four years of school. For years, she and Chris Smith (no relation) worked in vain to get federal recognition of chronic Lyme.
“The continued dissemination of outdated guidelines . . . has contributed to medical community’s denial of chronic Lyme disease and the denial of coverage by insurance companies of treatments for chronic Lyme disease,” Smith told the Asbury Park Press in a wide-ranging interview on the subject in May.
New Jersey ranks second among all states in Lyme cases, with 4,855 reported in 2015. Since the condition is known to be under-reported because it can be difficult to detect, the actual number of cases in the Garden State is believed to be closer to 50,000.
“Having knowledgeable people at the table will put the focus on the research, and there is a huge amount of brand-new research that shows there are (Lyme) cells that are left over after regular treatment,” said Pat Smith, who was involved in drafting the language establishing the working group. “This may be the root of the problem.”
In addition, she said, the Cures Act “will cause these federal agencies to have to talk about all of this in public.”
For both Pat and Chris Smith, it marks a victory after prior attempts to create a national task force were rejected.
“My original legislation ensured the individuals impacted by federal policies would have a seat at the table when the decisions are made,” Chris Smith said. “It has taken many years and several drafts, but thankfully today’s Cures package includes similar language that will begin the process of addressing the great unmet needs in the Lyme community in an open and transparent manner.”
For more information on the Wall-based Lyme Disease Association, visit www.lymediseaseassociation.org.
This article was originally published by the Asbury Park Press on Page A3 of the Dec. 5, 2016 print edition, and online on Dec. 1, 2016. It can be viewed online at:
http://www.app.com/story/news/health/2016/12/01/big-news-chronic-lyme-disease-sufferers/94713520/?hootPostID=2a89f1136079142e4068ff2a5c2885ff",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399942,"Associated Press News Article on Smith-MacArthur Efforts to Bring Fairness to JB-MDL workers'600 Joint Base employees to get raises'",2016-12-01,2016,2016-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Associated Press News Article on Smith-MacArthur Efforts to Bring Fairness to JB-MDL workers'600 Joint Base employees to get raises'
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Washington,
Dec 1, 2016
The Associated Press
Posted: Dec. 1, 2016 8:00 am
MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. (AP) — Lawmakers say some 600 civilian employees at New Jersey's Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst are getting pay raises next year.
U.S. Reps. Chris Smith and Tom MacArthur say the Office of Personnel Management on Wednesday issued rules to adjust the wages to reflect the higher cost of living in the New York metropolitan area instead of the Philadelphia metropolitan area.
Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst is in Ocean County, which is part of the New York metro area. McGuire Air Force Base and Fort Dix are in Burlington County, which is part of the Philadelphia metro area.
The federal government had adjusted the salaries of white-collar employees at the base but had not done the same for blue-collar and other non-exempt employees.The joint base in New Jersey's second-largest employer.This article can be found online at various locations, including:
http://www.njherald.com/article/20161201/AP/312019858#
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399935,"APP News Article on Smith-MacArthur Efforts for JB-MDL Workers'600 Joint Base employees to get raises'",2016-11-30,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Erik Larsen of the Asbury Park Press -
An estimated 600 civilian employees are getting a raise.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management issued final regulations Wednesday that will adjust the wages of Joint Base staff so their pay takes into account the higher cost of living in the New York metropolitan area rather than the Philadelphia metropolitan area, according to a joint statement from U.S. Reps. Chris Smith and Tom MacArthur, R-N.J., who both advocated for the change.
Previously, the federal government had adjusted the salaries of white-collar employees at the base but had not done the same for blue-collar and other non-exempt employees who receive hourly wages instead of a fixed annual salary, the statement read.
A disparity occurred after the Joint Base was established as a single entity in 2009 from three different military installations — McGuire Air Force Base and Fort Dix in Burlington County and Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst in Ocean County. Ocean County is considered part of the New York metro area while Burlington County is part of the Philadelphia metro area.
Today, the Joint Base is the second-largest single employer in New Jersey after the state government itself. The base pumps about $6.9 billion each year into the regional economy, according to the statement.
The scheduled pay increase is expected to take effect in the first pay period of 2017, starting on Jan. 8, the statement read.
“OPM’s announcement is a big win for Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and our local community,"" Smith said in the statement. ""The elimination of this outdated, pre-BRAC policy (Base Realignment and Closure) means the men and women of the Joint Base’s workforce will finally be paid equally and fairly.""
The congressman represents about half of the Joint Base. Smith is also the author of the the Joint Base Pay Parity Act, which was aimed at making such a change.
MacArthur, who represents the other half of the base, said in the statement: ""Over the last two years, I have seen first-hand the importance of ensuring pay parity for wage-grade workers at the base. I have actively advocated for this proposal along with my colleague Chris Smith, and it brings me great joy to know that hard working families in South Jersey will finally earn the pay they deserve.""
This article originally was published by the Asbury Park Press on Nov. 30, 20116 at:
http://www.app.com/story/news/military/2016/11/30/600-joint-base-employees-get-raises/94671208/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399938,"Courier Post Reports on Smith Efforts for Jt. Base Workers:'Pay hike for 600 at Joint Base'",2016-11-30,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Courier Post Reports on Smith Efforts for Jt. Base Workers:'Pay hike for 600 at Joint Base'
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Freehold, NJ,
Nov 30, 2016
By Carol Comegno, Courier-Post Staff Writer - Hundreds of civilian employees will be getting a holiday present—an automatic raise in their pay scales to bring them in line with the higher federal scale of the New York region.The shift to a higher compensation scale will benefit 600 federal Civil Service workers on the Army and Air Force sections of the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Burlington County on what used to be Fort Dix and McGuire Air Force Base. It will bring them to parity with employees at the naval air installation in the base's Lakehurst section in Ocean County, which is already on the New York locality pay scale as are all the white collar workers across the entire base.
In a joint statement, Reps. Chris Smith and Thomas MacArthur, both R-N.J., said the U.S. Office of Personnel Management will issue regulations Wednesday to effect the shift for wage grade (WG) system employees. The switch takes place Jan.1
“Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is one installation and the men and women who work there are part of one workforce,” said Smith, who represents half of the Joint Base and who authored the Joint Base Pay Parity Act that was never fully implemented. “It means the men and women of the Joint Base’s workforce will finally be paid equally and fairly.""The joint base is the largest employer in the state, second only to the state government, and contributes $6.9 billion annually to the regional economy.This article was orginal published on Nov. 30 by the Courier Post and can be found at;
http://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/local/south-jersey/2016/11/29/pay-hike-600-joint-base/94636958/
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399939,Winners of the 2016 NJ-04 Congressional App Challenge Announced,2016-11-30,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) today announced the winners of the Fourth Congressional District’s 2016 Congressional App Challenge (CAC), a competition for U.S. students across the nation.
“The App Challenge encourages school students to become active in STEM fields, computer science and programming by creating and exhibiting their software applications,” said Smith. “This challenge is an important step to inspire creativity, career skills and teamwork, which can help participating students to be poised for high-tech jobs of the future.”
The winning students are from Communications High School in Wall Township. Their app, called “RecoLecture” allows teachers to record and securely share lectures with students who have been invited and enrolled in the teacher’s class, retaining full copyright and ownership of the recordings. The winners’ prize is a $400 credit for Amazon Web Service to be be split between the four students. The winning students are: Connor Bruneau, of Spring Lake, Kevin Dixson, of Manasquan, Steven Topper, of Oakhurst (Ocean Township) and Armando LaMastra, of Holmdel.
Additionally, four students from Point Pleasant Borough High School in Point Pleasant Boro will receive Honorable Mentions for their app, “Point Pleasant School District Application.” The app is a way for students and parents to be updated on a multitude of information related to the school. This includes school announcements, lunch information, grades, safety and many other features. Students that received Honorable Mentions are all from Point Pleasant Borough: Jane DeRensis, Jake Ippolito, Haley Hanrahan and Devin Moeller. They will each receive congressional certificates.
The Challenge submission period closed Nov. 2, 2016. Students competed as individuals or in teams of up to four. A panel of local judges reviewed all entrants and select one winner from the Fourth District, plus honorable mentions. The winning apps from across the country will be featured on a display in the Capitol building. The national competition was launched in 2015, and this year was the first NJ-04 competition.
The CAC was created in part to highlight how Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) skills are essential for economic growth and innovation, and also because the U.S. has been falling behind on these fronts. STEM occupations are projected to grow by 17 percent between 2008 and 2018, compared to 9.8 percent growth for non-STEM occupations. According to some estimates, the U.S. may be short as many as three million high-skilled tech workers by 2018.
“Urging young men and women to enter the STEM fields is critical to the future of our nation and necessary for the development of a 21st century, high-skilled workforce that can compete in today’s global economy,” Smith continued. “I thank the students and judges for participating in the competition, and congratulate the winners.”
The Internet Education Foundation serves as the operational “sponsor” of the CAC. For more information, please visit: http://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/compete-2016/submission-process-and-rules/
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399944,Smith Support Statement for 21st Century Cures,2016-11-30,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Smith (NJ-04), an advocate for the prevention of Lyme disease for more than two decades, took to the House floor in support of 21st Century Cures Act today with the following statement:
I thank the gentleman for yielding and for his extraordinary leadership on this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, in 1992, 24 years ago, I met—along with a great advocate, Pat Smith—with top officials of NIH and CDC on Federal guidelines that precluded the existence of chronic Lyme disease. Subsequently, every Congress, I would introduce legislation trying to get a diversity of viewpoints so that clinicians, patients, and other advocates could be heard.
Today, CDC estimates there are about 380,000 cases of Lyme disease; and a provision in this bill, an important, game-changing provision, insisted upon by Majority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY and Chairman UPTON requires that a new working group on tickborne disease includes members with a diversity of viewpoints, including patients, clinicians, and researchers. This working group will make a difference. Those patients—and there are tens of thousands of them—have been told chronic Lyme disease doesn’t exist, what you are feeling can be attributable to some other disease, and they don’t get better.
I thank the chairman for doing this. Also, as cofounder and co-chairman of both the Alzheimer’s Caucus 16 years ago and the Autism Caucus 16 years ago, I am thankful for the great work that this will do for those patients as well",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cures-bill-passes-securing-lance-victories,"Cures Bill Passes, Securing Lance Victories",2016-11-30,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WATCH LANCE SPEAK
WASHINGTON, D.C. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today hailed passage of the 21st Century Cures Act in the U.S. House. Lance, the chair of the Congressional Rare Disease Caucus and a member of the Energy and Commerce Health Committee, praised the landmark bill which has been two years in the making:
“This legislation is for anyone who has lost a loved one from cancer, had a friend who struggled with a rare disease or chronic condition, seen the pain of those suffering from mental illness or seen a life cut short from addiction. These are national priorities and I am proud to see this legislation through to the finish line. Patients are waiting. I urge the U.S. Senate to pass this measure and send it to the President for his signature,” said Lance after passage.
Lance has worked for years to secure the following priorities, each was included in the final product:
Overhaul of the country’s biomedical innovation laws.
Reforms to mental health care that increase access and treatment.
Funding for drug addiction prevention and programming for local communities and law enforcement.
Measures strengthening New Jersey’s life science sector - critical to the State and local economies.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1320,Frelinghuysen Hails Passage of Cures Act,2016-11-30,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"Frelinghuysen Hails Passage of Cures Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Declaring it a potential opportunity to ‘turn the corner’ on cancer, pediatric disease and mental illness, U.S. Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) today praised bipartisan House passage of the 21st Century Cures Act.
“Diseases do not discriminate, and just about everyone knows somebody who has been stricken with a serious debilitating or deadly illness. Innovation and technological advances that increase productivity and our quality of life can also deliver more hope to patients and their families,” said Frelinghuysen. We can all agree that America must renew and update our health care research and maintain our global leadership in medical innovation. This bill is a strong step forward.”
The 21st Century Cures Act provides $4.8 billion in new, fully paid for funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to aid in cures development, including funding for the ""Cancer Moonshot."" The bill encourages personalized medicine to find best treatments, incentivizes the development of drugs for childhood diseases, removes barriers for research collaboration, puts patients at the heart of the regulatory review process, and improves and strengthens Medicare to increase access for seniors to quality, affordable health care.
In addition, this package of legislation encompasses sweeping mental health reforms to strengthen the nation's mental health workforce, improve mental health care for children or adults with serious mental illness. The measure establishes the National Mental Health and Substance Use Poly Lab to drive evidence-based grant making, which can lead to new, successful treatments and approaches to a range of mental illnesses.
“Today, it takes 15 years for a new drug to move from the laboratory to the local pharmacy,” said Frelinghuysen. ""That’s unacceptable and one of the reasons passage of the 21st Century Cures Act, is so important.""
“I was pleased to vote for the legislation when it passed the House today by a strong bipartisan vote of 392-26.” The bill now must be approved by the Senate before President Obama has the opportunity to sign it into law.
XXX",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-announces-district-wide-lottery-58th-presidential-inauguration,MacArthur Announces District Wide Lottery for 58TH Presidential Inauguration,2016-11-30,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. - Congressman Tom MacArthur today announced that his office will be conducting a district-wide lottery for tickets to attend the 58th Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 2017.“For more than 200 years, American citizens have witnessed the Inauguration ceremonies of the President and Vice President of the United States,” said Congressman MacArthur. “From the first Inauguration of George Washington to today, millions have gathered to witness the historical ceremony that demonstrates continuity of leadership and unity nationwide. My office has received dozens of requests for tickets and I am happy to share this historic event with as many constituents as possible through a ticket lottery.”
To enter, district residents should go to http://bit.ly/2gFUxio and fill out the entry form (due to volume, requests cannot be accepted by phone). The lottery will close on January 13, 2017.
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399931,"Fidel Castro is Gone, but What Comes Next?",2016-11-29,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"As the United States, and the world, review the brutal legacy of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) said that with honest negotiations the past need not be prologue with the Communist regime, now headed by Raúl Castro, so long as we all remain mindful of history when assessing future relations with the island nation.
Smith noted that there will no doubt be those counseling the incoming President to continue the Obama Administration’s policy of concessions to the Castro brothers’ dictatorship without the regime making any substantive progress on human rights, but the Congressional foreign affairs expert counseled that political expedience and legacy building when placed ahead of human rights is a recipe for failure. Smith cautioned that the history of the regime demonstrates that it will never change if left to its own devices.
“The passing of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro is a reminder that death comes to us all, and that history will judge us for the good and the ill that we have done,"" said Smith, who Chairs a House panel on global human rights. “Unfortunately, Castro's legacy is one of human rights abuse, torture and murder. He harbored terrorists, such as Joanne Chesimard, convicted of murdering a New Jersey state trooper.
“Castro’s legacy must not be whitewashed, as some no doubt will try to do. My prayer is for the Cuban people—that freed from the legacy of the Oppressor, they can now build a new free and democratic Cuba. The Cuba of tomorrow lies with the Women in White and so many other champions of democracy.
“President-Elect Trump’s clear statements about the nature of the Castro regime indicate that he understands the need for a U.S. policy that does not coddle dictators, but puts the human rights of the Cuban people front and center.”
Smith said that history can often provide a roadmap for the future, designed to prevent the problems of the past. “The history of Cuba under Castro has been the story of enslavement of a proud people, the story of a systematic and ruthless attempt to suppress most of what is noble and essential in the human spirit,” said Smith, who held his first hearing on Cuba in 1996. Smith noted that in the same year the State department described Cuba as ‘a totalitarian state controlled by President Fidel Castro,’ who ‘exercises control over all aspects of Cuban life.’ “As we look at the experiences of the Cuban people under Castro and his brother since my first hearing on Cuba, regrettably not much has changed.”
The 1996 hearing was held to analyze an agreement between the Clinton Administration and the Castro regime which would forcibly return Cubans fleeing to the United States to find freedom from oppression, overturning more than three decades of U.S. foreign policy. The suffering of those who returned to face harassment by the government, or worse, must not be forgotten as the Obama Administration attempts to cement its legacy.
In 2000, Smith chaired a hearing that looked into the case of Elian Gonzalez, a child residing with family in Florida after his mother perished while fleeing the oppression of Cuba. At the time the State Department reported that the Cuban government “…utilizes a wide range of social controls; the state has assumed the right to interfere in the lives of citizens, even those who do not actively oppose the Government and its practices.” Ultimately, Gonzalez was returned to a government that called him a ‘possession of the Cuban state.’
In total, Smith has held four standalone hearings on Cuba, the most recent being titled “Human Rights in Cuba: A Squandered Opportunity.” In addition, Cuba has been included in separate hearings focusing on human trafficking and other human rights violations.
Smith is the author of several bills and amendments to improve the human rights situation in Cuba. Two of the most recent pieces of legislation include the Cuban Human Rights Act of 2015 (H.R. 1782), which links any improvement in ties with Cuba to the Castro regime meeting basic human rights milestones, and the Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act (H.R. 2189), which calls upon the Administration to prioritize the return of fugitives from justice such as Joanne Chesimard, convicted of killing New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399933,"Its Official: Pay Parity Coming for McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst WorkersOPM to issue long-awaiting regulations boosting paychecks & enhancing joint basing Wednesday",2016-11-29,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) and Tom MacArthur (NJ-03) announced today that the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will issue final regulations tomorrow (Nov. 30) that will move all Federal Wage System (FWS) employees at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB-MDL) into the New York locality pay area. Roughly 600 employees located on the former McGuire Air Force Base and Fort Dix will see their pay increased as a result of tomorrow’s final decision.
“OPM’s announcement is a big win for Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and our local community: the elimination of this outdated, pre-BRAC policy means the men and women of the Joint Base’s workforce will finally be paid equally and fairly,” said Smith, who represents half of the Joint Base, which is located in Burlington and Ocean counties. As the author of legislation, the Joint Base Pay Parity Act (HR 2790) aimed at prodding OPM to act, Smith praised the decision, stating: “OPM’s decision will also further enhance effective and efficient installation management by allowing the JB-MDL’s commander to move civilian employees as necessary.”
""Over the last two years, I have seen first-hand the importance of ensuring pay parity for wage grade workers at the base.,” said MacArthur, who also represents half of the Joint Base. “I have actively advocated for this proposal along with my colleague Chris Smith, and it brings me great joy to know that hard working families in South Jersey will finally earn the pay they deserve. This is vital for morale and will ensure that military leaders have the flexibility they need in order to successfully run Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.""
Following an October 15, 2015 recommendation by the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC) to make this change, the proposed regulations were issued on July 20th of this year. Smith and MacArthur then sent a letter to OPM Acting Director Beth Cobert requesting that she take action to issue final regulation and implementation guidelines as expeditiously as possible.
The 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) created 12 joint bases, including what is now Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. After the Joint Base was formally established in 2009, Smith and the New Jersey Delegation lobbied OPM to include McGuire AFB and Fort Dix employees in the New York region (of which the Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Station had long been a part) to establish parity across the installation. OPM responded by designating the General Schedule employees for better locality pay, but that regulation applied to white collar workers did not include the wage grade employees. The New Jersey Delegation continued the fight and strongly pushed for a full correction to bring full pay parity to all employees at the base.
JB-MDL is the largest employer in the region, second only to the State of New Jersey as the largest employer in the Garden State, and contributes $6.9 billion annually to the regional economy. After a 30-day implementation period, the scheduled pay increase is expected to take effect the first pay period of the 2017, starting on Jan. 8.
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399934,"Family members of vets who made the ultimate sacrifice now allowed to participate in LoC projectThe Gold Star Families Voice Act Signed into Law",2016-11-29,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced today that the Gold Star Families Voices Act (HR 4511)—which expands the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project (VHP) to include family members of veterans who died as a result of their service or who are missing in action—has been signed into law.
Smith’s legislation was approved by a unanimous voice vote in the House on September 6, 2016 and by a unanimous 97-0 vote in the Senate on November 15th.
“The new law honors the men and women who gave ‘the last full measure of devotion’ in the service of our nation by allowing family members to tell their stories on their behalf,” said Smith, who served as chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and authored more than a dozen laws to expand the benefits and services provided to our nation’s veterans and surviving family members. “The Veterans History Project is designed to help preserve and catalog the memories of our nation’s veterans so that current and future generations may hear and better appreciate the realities of war and the sacrifices borne by those who served in uniform.
“With enactment of this legislation, we are adding new voices to this rich history project—and recording the sacrifices of all who have served. Family members will now have the opportunity to create a lasting record of their fallen loved ones.”
Congress created the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress in 2000 to collect and catalog the stories of American war veterans. The project has been a great success. Earlier this year, the Library announced that it reached a milestone: it has collected more than 100,000 testimonies of veterans who have served in military engagements since World War I in a permanent record.
Until today, the project accepted only first-hand accounts of living veterans, unintentionally leaving out the men and women who did not return from the battlefield. Under Smith’s law, immediate family members can now participate on a veteran’s behalf including parents, spouses, siblings and/or children.
“The Gold Star Families Voices Act would not be law today without the tireless advocacy of the Gold Star Mothers organization. They are an inspiration; having lost their children in service to our nation, they continue to successfully work to better meet the needs of veterans and their families. They have turned their grief into advocacy: working for veterans, for military families, and especially, for the memories of their children,” Smith continued. “Allowing them to share these memories ensures all Americans can hear, appreciate, remember, and honor these patriots.”
Smith’s bill is endorsed by the New Jersey Gold Star Mothers organization, whose President, Judi Tapper—the proud mother of Petty Officer First Class David Tapper, a Navy Seal who was killed in Afghanistan on August 20, 2003—stated: “Never in history has there been a forum to replace our heroes’ silenced voices. This legislation provides it. In their names, may their stories be told.”
The Second Vice President of the National American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., Becky Christmas, said: “Rep. Smith’s legislation gives our children a voice that they no longer have. The Gold Star Families Voices Act will ensure that the experiences and lives of all veterans, including our sons and daughters who fought and died for our country, are remembered, honored and preserved. As Gold Star Parents, we are encouraged to know that the bill is closer to becoming a reality. Our hearts are touched, that our children who gave so much, continue to be heard.”
TJ Fearon, former Vietnam-era Seabee, Gold Star Family Liaison, who brought the issue to Rep. Smith’s attention earlier this year said: “I am honored to have assisted in returning the Voices of my Brothers and Sisters in Arms that never returned. They now shall be properly remembered for their sacrifice.”
Senator Roy Blunt, who led the effort to pass this bill in the Senate, said: “We would not be the nation we are today if not for the profound acts of courage and selflessness of our fallen heroes. We, as Americans, owe it to these men and women to know their names, to honor their deeds, and to preserve their memories. The Gold Star Families Voices Act makes an invaluable project even better by giving the family members of our missing and fallen service members the opportunity to share their stories and ensure they become a part of our nation’s historical record. I thank American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. and Representative Chris Smith for championing this bill, and my Senate colleagues for getting it to the president’s desk.”
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399940,"Burlington Co. Times News Article on Smith/MacArthur Efforts for Jt. Base Workers'Equal pay on joint base to take effect on Jan. 8'",2016-11-29,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By DAVID LEVINSKY, BCT STAFF WRITER - Hundreds of civilian workers on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst can expect a boost in pay before the end of the year thanks to the impending correction of a long-standing pay disparity issue.
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management plans to publish a proposed rule in the Federal Register this week to designate the entire joint base in the higher-paying New York wage area, rather than split between New York and the lower-paying Philadelphia wage area, according to Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th of Hamilton.
About 600 civilian workers on the Fort Dix and McGuire sections of the base will be impacted by the change.
The change follows years of lobbying by Smith and other members of New Jersey's congressional delegation.
Smith, who is the longest-serving member of the state's delegation, cheered the administration's move, saying it was long overdue.
""Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is one installation and the men and women who work there are part of one workforce,"" Smith said in a statement Monday night. ""While long overdue, OPM's move to fix this outdated policy -- which pays some workers at a lower rate for the same jobs performed across the base -- is a welcomed step and should be implemented expeditiously.""
U.S Sen. Bob Menendez and Rep. Tom MacArthur also applauded the news.
""I am pleased that at the urging of myself and the rest of the New Jersey Congressional delegation, the Office of Personnel Management has agreed to bring long-overdue pay equity to all civilian workers at JBMDL,"" Menendez said Monday. ""This is an important step towards, not only recognizing the hard work and contributions of all civilian employees at the Joint Base, but providing important consistency in policy that further implements the concept of joint basing.""
""As a new member of Congress, I repeatedly heard about the importance of ensuring parity for wage grade workers at the base. I have actively and passionately supported this proposal, and it brings me great joy to know that hard working families in South Jersey will finally earn the pay they deserve,"" MacArthur, R-3rd of Toms River, said. ""This is vital for morale and will ensure that military leaders have the flexibility they need in order to successfully run Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.""
The 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 former installations are considered in the Philadelphia area.
The issue was first addressed in 2009 by Smith and other lawmakers, including Menendez; former Rep. Rob Andrews, of the 1st Congressional District; and late Rep. John Adler, of the 3rd District. The delegation pressured the OPM to agree to raise the salaries of civilians working on McGuire and Dix to the higher Lakehurst rate.
But the change was approved for salaried workers. The disparity for the ""wage scale"" employees remained, despite repeated requests for the administration to make the change for the remaining employees.
Last year, Smith and MacArthur sponsored legislation in the House to mandate that 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.
MacArthur also added language to the House version of this year's National Defense Authorization Act to fix the disparity, and the entire delegation continued to pressure the OPM.
A key move came in October, when the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee recommended the change. 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.
More recently, Smith sent a letter to the office's acting director requesting the change.
""These employees work on the same installation -- not only as the salaried employees in the higher-pay locality area, but as the wage-grade employees on the former Lakehurst Naval Air Engineering Station -- and they are unfairly paid 7 percent less than their counterparts for the same work,"" Smith said in the letter. ""Again, I urge you to accept FPRAC's recommendations and issue final regulations that fix this outdated policy that pays some employees at a lower rate for the same job performed across the base.""
Once the rule proposal is published in the registry this week, there will be a 30-day public comment period before final regulations can be adopted.
Smith's office estimated that the change should be implemented before the end of the year.Source: http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399533 This story was orginal published on Nov. 29 2016:http://www.burlingtoncountytimes.com/news/local/equal-pay-on-joint-base-to-take-effect-on-jan/article_1374aa6a-b67e-11e6-933a-ef97e61fb98d.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-applauds-movement-pay-parity-jbmdl,MacArthur Applauds Movement on Pay Parity at JBMDL,2016-11-29,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom MacArthur today announced that the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will issue final regulations to move all Federal Wage System (FWS) employees at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB-MDL) into the New York locality pay area. Roughly 600 employees located on the former McGuire Air Force Base and Fort Dix will see their pay increased as a result of this decision.
""Over the last two years, I have seen first-hand the importance of ensuring pay parity for wage grade workers at the base,” said Congressman MacArthur. “I have actively advocated for this proposal along with my colleague Chris Smith, and it brings me great joy to know that hard working families in South Jersey will finally earn the pay they deserve. This is vital for morale and will ensure that military leaders have the flexibility they need in order to successfully run Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.""
JB-MDL is the largest employer in the region, second only to the State of New Jersey as the largest employer in the Garden State, and contributes $6.9 billion annually to the regional economy. After a 30-day implementation period, the scheduled pay increases is expected to take effect the first pay period of the 2017, starting on Jan. 8.
Congressman MacArthur and Congressman Smith issued a joint release on the announcement here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/presidential-inauguration,Presidential Inauguration,2016-11-28,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Presidential Inauguration
Start:
January 20, 2017
End:
January 20, 2017
Location:
Washington, DC
Nov 28, 2016
The official website of the 58th Presidential Inauguration with complete details of the day's events as they become available can be viewed here: www.inaugural.senate.gov",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/swearing-115th-congress,Swearing In of 115th Congress,2016-11-28,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Swearing In of 115th Congress
Start:
January 3, 2017 12:00 pm
End:
January 3, 2017 1:00 pm
Location:
US Capitol, Washington, DC
Nov 28, 2016",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399936,"House Approves 21st Century Cures ActCongressman Smith supports once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring treatments to patients in need",2016-11-26,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The House of Representatives is expected today to pass the 21st Century Cures Act, bipartisan legislation negotiated with the Senate to reform and streamline the federal research and treatment approval process, incentivize the development of live-saving cures, and bring many other needed improvements to the delivery of health care in the US.
Among its many specific provisions, the bill includes significant reforms to our fractured mental health systems, and major provisions to help patients with Lyme disease by establishing a national, patient-centric working group championed by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) and others for many years.
“We have seen that despite the tremendous advances in research that are unlocking the mysteries behind some of the most debilitating diseases, cures and treatments remain stymied by institutional biases and outdated and bureaucratic procedures at NIH and FDA,” said Smith, co-chairman of numerous bipartisan health caucuses including those on Autism, Alzheimer's, Lyme disease, and Heart and Stroke. “With enactment of the 21st Century Cures Act we will provide the catalyst that puts more treatments—and more affordable treatments—in the hands of patients and families who now have limited, if any, options.”
Breakthrough Lyme Disease Working Group:
Speaking during the debate in the House of Representatives today, Smith reminded his colleagues that as far back as 1992 he brought together medical officials at NIH and CDC with Lyme Disease Association President Pat Smith and other advocates from New Jersey who highlighted the alarming increasing prevalence of Lyme. Smith later introduced the first bill to bring patients and their advocates into the process—as well as doctors, researchers and on-the-ground officials from state and county health organizations—by creating an interagency Task Force.
“My original legislation ensured the individuals impacted by federal policies would have a seat at the table when the decisions are made,” said Smith. “It has taken many years, and several drafts but thankfully today’s Cures package includes similar language that will begin the process of addressing the great unmet needs in the Lyme community in an open and transparent manner.
""I am thankful to Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Chairman Fred Upton and Lyme community leaders, like Pat Smith of LDA for their tenacity and commitment in getting this done”
Specifically, the Cures package will create a Working Group comprised of federal and non-federal members tasked with reporting to Congress on scientific advances, research questions, surveillance activities and emerging strains in species of pathogenic organisms.
The members must also represent a “diversity of views,” bringing hope to American’s suffering from chronic Lyme, Smith noted. “Many have suffered for decades with this debilitating disease, only to be told that their illness does not exist. Enactment of the Cures package will move us one step closer to acknowledging and addressing the root problems of chronic Lyme,” he said. The CDC estimates that there were over 380,000 cases of Lyme disease in the US last year, with more than 48,000 cases in New Jersey, which consistently ranks among the top five hardest hit states.
Mental Health Reform:
It is estimated that one in five Americans has experienced a mental health issue, but only 44 percent of adults with diagnosable mental health problems and less than 20 percent of children and adolescents receive needed treatment. Of the estimated 10 million Americans living with serious mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or major depression, almost 70 percent remain untreated.
“Currently, even though the federal government operates more than 100 programs intended to address mental illness and spends roughly $130 billion on research and services, there are rising rates of substance abuse and many families struggle to obtain help for their loved ones,” Smith said. “The Cures package includes a better plan—one that takes a holistic approach and helps address the deficiencies in our system.”
The overall Cures package, which now moves to the Senate for consideration, will boost funding for biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), promote interagency data collection and sharing, and reform the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to bring new therapies and treatments to market sooner. It is designed to accelerate the full cycle of discovery, development and delivery of new treatments and cures for patients in need.
Currently, of the estimated 10,000 known diseases, only 500 have effective treatments or cures and an estimated 95 percent of rare disease have no FDA approved treatment. NIH estimates it now takes 14 years and $2 billion dollars to develop a new drug. As a remedy, the Cures Act will:
Create ""Innovation Accounts"" to provide for dedicated funding for NIH and FDA Cures-related activities;
Require NIH to develop and issue a six-year strategic plan to ensure biomedical research investments match the needs of patients;
Provide $4.8 billion for NIH—the world's premier biomedical research organization—to boost our investment in life-enhancing research that not only mitigates the impact debilitating diseases have on individuals, families and caregivers, but saves money in the long run, as care and services become less expensive and more accessible;
Incentivize the development of drugs for pediatric diseases and reform the FDA approval process for new and innovative medical devices;
Modernize clinical trials to better facilitate the sharing of information and increase representation of underrepresented communities;
Create a National Neurological Diseases Surveillance System to build the infrastructure necessary to advance data collection regarding neurological diseases, such as Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases; and
Provide $1 billion to fund the recently-enacted Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act and improve our opioid abuse response.
For the most up-to-date version of this release, please click here:
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399936
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-the-death-of-fidel-castro,Lance Statement on the Death of Fidel Castro,2016-11-26,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"FLEMINGTON, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) released the following statement on the death of Fidel Castro:
""Fidel Castro's tyranny oppressed the lives of many, separated families for a lifetime and subjugated Cuba to a half century of poverty and despair. Tens of thousands of brave men and women lost their lives in an effort to escape his rule or in the fight for freedom and liberty. For many of them this day has come too late, but for their families and loved ones, including many in New Jersey, let this day be filled with hope that the island will soon become democratic and free.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399930,"Nov. 27 Star Ledger Article; Smith Speaks at Spring Lake Event'Shore pond gets a new lease on life'",2016-11-23,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Alex Napoliello of the Star Ledger/NJ.com Nov. 27, 2016 -
When the 73-acre Wreck Pond overflows, a decades-long problem, its surge prompts frequent beach closures and carries devastating impacts to the coastal environment and nearby homes.
With the completion of a concrete culvert that is part of Gov. Chris Christie administration's $7.4 million lake restoration project, officials are a step closer to improving the health of the pond and the surrounding community.
Nearly 16 months after the launch of the project, federal, local and state officials gathered in Spring Lake on Monday, with Wreck Pond as the backdrop, to announce the culvert's completion.
""It's hard to overstate how important this is to the residents of Spring Lake and to the overall health of the pond,"" Spring Lake Mayor Jennifer Naughton told the small crowd gathered in the blustery cold.
The Wreck Pond project also includes dredging 37,000 cubic feet of material from the pond, a process that is almost finished, Naughton said.
The 600-foot-long culvert will essentially act as an inlet that can be managed by the opening and closing of a gate during severe weather events.
It will help restore tidal flows between the ocean and the pond, making it easier for fish to flow back and forth and improving water quality. It will also allow water to release from the pond quickly and to control ocean water from coming in.
Beach closures, a frequent occurrence after heavy rains brought bacteria into the ocean, will now be a thing of the past, officials said.
Congressman Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.) said he remembers meeting the residents whose homes were left with a hazardous ooze following flooding events in Wreck Pond.
""This will not only mean there is no more beach closings here, which was almost an epidemic for a long time, but also the hazards posed to the residents,"" Smith said.
The funding for the $7.4 million Wreck Pond project came from the federal, state and local level. The project includes $4 million dedicated to the concrete culvert.
The brunt of the cost was footed by the Department of Environmental Protection's Flood Hazard Risk Reduction and Resiliency grant program. The United States Department of the Interior kicked in $2 million, while Spring Lake covered $915,000 of the cost.
The American Littoral Society provided the studies and surveys to support the financial need for the work and is managing the restoration project. As the project progresses, students from Monmouth University are monitoring water quality and aquatic life in the pond.
""This (project) represents a demonstration that we can both restore and protect the coastal environment in New Jersey as well as reduce the exposure and vulnerability of the towns along the coast to future storms,"" Tim Dillingham, executive director of the Littoral Society, said. ""We did it on time; we did it on a budget.""
DEP Deputy Commissioner David Glass said the Wreck Pond project is just one example of how the $50 million Flood Hazard Risk Reduction and Resiliency grant program is achieving ""positive environmental results"" along the coast.
""We're safeguarding local communities, working to improve infrastructure and preserving a $42 billion tourism industry,"" Glass said.
The grant program has also dished out $6.2 million for the construction of a discharge pumping station in nearby Lake Como, along with other projects in flood-prone areas of Atlantic, Cape May and Bergen counties.
This article ran in the Nov. 27 2016 print edition of the Star Ledger, and the original story can be found online at:
http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2016/11/wreck_pond_press_conference.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-westfield-office-hosting-va-claims-staff-1,Lance Westfield Office Hosting V.A. Claims Staff,2016-11-22,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WESTFIELD, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today announced that his Westfield District Office will host office hours for the Veterans Administration, bringing the expertise of V.A. agents specializing in assisting veterans directly to constituents.
Veterans, their families and advocates are encouraged to schedule a time to meet with Lance’s caseworker managers and the V.A. official to tackle inquires regarding V.A. benefits, compensation, pension, insurance, loan guaranty, vocational rehabilitation and employment and education benefit programs. All inquires are welcome.
WHAT: V.A. casework office hours in Westfield
WHEN: Thursday, December 8 from 9:30am to 4:00 pm
WHERE: Lance’s Westfield District Office, 425 North Ave. East, Westfield, 07090
Appointments are encouraged. For more information, please call Lance’s district office at 908-518-7733.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399927,"Smith, State & Local Officials Mark Completion of Key Wreck Pond Component",2016-11-21,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who has worked for years securing federal support through multiple initiatives aimed at mitigating the flood and pollution problems associated with Wreck Pond, today joined N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Bob Martin and other state, county and local officials to mark completion of a key component in the restoration of the pond, a state-of-the-art flood-control culvert.
“Beginning in 2003, when Wreck Pond became part of the fourth congressional district, I have worked with many local, state and federal officials to help bring us to this day,” said Smith, who brought Rep. Jim Obestar (D-MN), then Chairman of the Congressional Committee that oversees flood projects, to Spring Lake. “A site visit in 2005 helped focus and galvanize support from the federal government which then allocated support at every level. Today is a culmination and celebration of an effective partnership—a coordinated effort of federal, state, county, local and community agencies, and I am pleased to have been a part of this state-of-the-art solution.”
The culvert is made up of a series of 5 by 8 foot interconnected concrete boxes, an inlet that can open or close to manage flooding during severe weather events.
In 2015, $3.58 million provided by the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (PL 113-2), legislation Congress enacted after Superstorm Sandy ravaged New Jersey’s coastline, was added to a $2 million grant awarded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the project in 2013. DEP earmarked another $608,000 for the project, and the Borough of Spring Lake contributed another $915,000.
Phase 1 of the project—the dredging of Wreck Pond—was completed in January of this year.
Smith, who represents some of the coastal areas hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy in Monmouth and Ocean counties, including Spring Lake, worked in 2005 to have the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approve a resolution authorizing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a study of Wreck Pond. Since then, Smith worked tirelessly to secure funding, including the initial federal funding for Wreck Pond in the 2010 Energy and Water Appropriations bill.
In June 2013, Smith announced funding for a federally-led study to identify the best way to combat the significant hazards associated with drainage problems at the pond. He said this new $3.5 million in added federal funding will be directed to alleviate the flood risk around Wreck Pond—which has long besieged residents and beach-goers in southern Monmouth County. It will also be used to enhance water quality to make the pond pure and pristine once again.
“Having worked for many years to alleviate the flooding and environmental issues at Wreck Pond, we all know today represents a major turning point in our efforts to strengthen flood control,” said Smith, who has worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NJDEP, Monmouth County and Spring Lake officials to provide ongoing assistance to mitigate the flood damage done by storms.
Wreck Pond, located primarily in Spring Lake, and sections of Sea Girt, Spring Lake Heights and Wall Township N.J., is a 48-acre body of water in a residential area that has filled in with silt and pollutants and causes beach closures and home damage when it overflows.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399923,"***NJ.com Article on Passage of Smith Vets Bill in Senate***'Senate clears bill to let Gold Star families tell their stories'",2016-11-18,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Jonathan Salant of the Star Ledger/NJ.com The U.S. Senate has cleared legislation to add Gold Star families to the Library of Congress veterans history project, enabling them to tell stories of their loved ones killed while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
The measure, sponsored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), would have the Library of Congress, which now collects interviews with veterans, also seek stories from family members of those killed or missing in action.
The bill passed the Senate Monday after gaining approval in the House in September before Congress recessed for the election. It now goes to President Barack Obama.
""I urge the president to sign the bill as soon as possible so current and future generations of Americans can better understand and appreciate the experiences of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in their service of our country,"" Smith said.
The Library of Congress now has more than 100,000 stories from veterans from World War I to the prevent day under a program created in 2000.""Exclusion from the Veterans History Project of service members who never made it home from deployment was a substantial oversight that will be fixed with implementation of this bill,"" he said.This story can be can be found online at:http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/11/post_88.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399924,"Hope for Religious Freedom in Vietnam is Dashed by Increased State ControlSmith: Revisions to Religion Law now what the Vietnamese People Need",2016-11-18,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus on Vietnam, denounced the passage today of a revised Law on Religion and Belief, saying the law was fundamentally flawed, violating Vietnam’s international obligations to protect human rights and increasing the government’s control over religious life in Vietnam.
“This law is not a step forward. People of faith will continue to suffer under a Communist Party that wants to restrict religious liberty rather than protect a fundamental human right,” said Smith, Chairman of the Subcommittee that monitors international human rights. “State control remains the first priority of the Vietnamese government, vague national security provisions provide the government an excuse to harass, torture and imprison peaceful religious believers and those advocating for greater religious freedom. Despite repression, religious communities continue to grow, the new law is not the change the Vietnamese people want or need.”
Vietnam’s National Assembly, dominated by the Vietnamese Communist Party, has been considering revisions to the Law on Religion and Belief for over a year. The previous law did not comply with international human rights commitments the Vietnamese Government has made and in revising it, the government had the opportunity to make positive changes to address existing deficiencies.
The revisions continue the trend of promoting and benefiting state-sanctioned religious organizations over independent religious groups. In addition, the revised law expands government interference in the activities of religious communities and makes it more likely for religious advocates to be charged with national security offenses which carry lengthy sentences.
“It has been ten years since Country of Particular Concern (CPC) designation was removed by the State Department. That designation led to some positive developments and removing it was a mistake. This new law demonstrates that Vietnam will continue to prioritize repression over freedom.”
“We are optimistic that the incoming administration will take this opportunity to promote American values and interests by firmly opposing continued religious freedom violations and pressing for legal reforms that allow the Vietnamese people to practice their religion freely and without restrictions.” concluded Smith.
Smith has chaired 8 hearings on human rights in Vietnam. The most recent, “The President’s Visit to Vietnam: A Missed Opportunity to Advance Human Rights,” was in June of this year.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1317,"Statement of Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense",2016-11-18,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"“President-elect Trump chose well when he selected Mike Pompeo as the next Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. As a colleague on the House Intelligence Committee, I know that Mike enjoys well-deserved respect as an influential voice on intelligence and security matters. I look forward to his confirmation by the Senate and to working closely with him in the years ahead to ensure that this key intelligence agency has the resources it needs to accomplish its important missions.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399922,"Smith requested report details challenges for aging out generationGAO Report: More Must be Done for Transitioning Youth with Autism",2016-11-17,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released the first in a series of reports examining actions that can be taken to address the needs of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as they transition to adulthood. Smith along with leaders from the House Energy and Commerce Committee, commissioned the reports to supplement requirements in Smith’s law, the Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act (Public Law 113-157).
“Every year, 50,000 young people on the autism spectrum transition into adulthood and many lose access to vital educational, therapeutic and other services which enable them to live full, independent and successful lives,” said Smith, co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Autism Research and Education Coalition and author of three major laws to provide funding for autism supports and research. “Individuals with autism in this transitional stage find themselves entering into a system unprepared to meet their needs, and as a result face shrinking opportunities—and in many cases even regression due to loss of resources and supports.”
“The purpose of this report is to help identify areas that need to be addressed to empower individuals with ASD as they make the transition from a school-based support system to adulthood. We hope to use insights and information from the GAO reports to develop better services and legislation that responds more effectively to these needs of adults with autism and encourages independent living, equal opportunity, full participation and economic self-sufficiency,” Smith added.
The report, entitled “Youth with Autism: Roundtable Views of Services Needed During the Transition into Adulthood,” is based on roundtable discussions that GAO meticulously facilitated among experts such as educators, self-advocates, medical professionals, representatives from the business community and non-profits, service providers and other members of the advocacy community, to examine the needs of transitioning youth. During the roundtable discussion and in the report, the GAO explored what services transitioning youth need in order to achieve success in five key areas of adulthood: postsecondary education, employment, maximizing independent living, health and safety and maximizing community integration.
As the report notes, the National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2), funded by the U.S. Department of Education, found that in 2009 only “36 percent of young adults with ASD had attended some type of postsecondary education.” Additionally, only 58 percent had ever held a job outside of their home and “19 percent of autistic adults in their early 20’s had lived independently at some point, either with or without supports.”
“We are in the midst of a huge yet largely invisible crisis that begs for serious focus and remedies. Young adults with autism deserve better and we must work to provide the resources and supports to bridge this gap,” Smith continued.
In the report, GAO identified 14 services that support the five goals for successful transition into adulthood. Among those are behavioral services, case management, family education and supports, medical, including mental health care, residential, vocational and transportation supports.
This first in a series of reports is available here.
The GAO’s next report will take measure of the services currently provided and their accessibility. It is expected by April 2017.
###",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-0,Lance Offices Drop-Off Locations for Service Member Holiday Greetings,2016-11-17,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"FLEMINGTON, 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 Lance’s New Jersey offices until Wednesday, December 14th with cards of holiday well wishes to be delivered to members of the Armed Services serving overseas.
“Receiving a note during the holiday season will brighten a service member’s day. It will only take a moment but mean a lot those who are away from friends and family during the holidays. Last year we received over 500 cards. I hope we have as great participation this year,” said Lance.
To ensure cards reach their destination, the following program guidelines apply:
Address cards to “service member” or “veteran.”
Write a note! Keep your message positive and upbeat.
Avoid cards containing glitter.
Do not enclose any items with your holiday cards. Any items enclosed will be removed.
Include your name and where you’re from, but do not include additional personal information such as email, phone number or address.
Do not put cards in envelopes. Individual cards in envelopes cannot be accepted.
Lance’s 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://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399913,President of DRC Must Stop Unconstitutional Power Grab or Face Sanctions,2016-11-16,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday approved legislation (H. Res. 780), authored by Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, which urges Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila to respect the people’s constitution and allow a peaceful, democratic transition of power—or face targeted sanctions.
“The constitution, which prevents Kabila from running for a third term, will be completely discredited if he manages to extend his rule,” said Smith, who chaired his first of four hearings on DRC in 2005. “Even in his gross misinterpretation of the constitution, which in his mind allows him to stay in office, there is no provision for Parliament to continue to operate. When the current term expires on December 19th, President Kabila will rule his country with no oversight from a legislative body.”
The election for President and Parliament in DRC was originally intended for November 19th; however the Kabila government canceled the election, exploiting an apparent constitutional loophole that allows a president to stay in power for another term if elections are not completed by the end of the calendar year.
H. Res. 780 catalogs the various efforts by Kabila and his administration to frustrate DRC’s constitution and democratic process and calls for the Obama Administration to levy targeted sanctions on government officials who have acted to prevent free and fair elections from taking place.
Led by Smith, the chairs of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Africa Subcommittee also sent a letter to President Obama two weeks ago urging him to widen the targets of what were recommended as broader, more effective sanctions.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399925,No U.S. Financing for Iran,2016-11-16,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Rep. Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on International Organizations and Human Rights, delivered the following speech denouncing funding to Iran to the U.S. House of Representatives:
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5711, the No U.S. Financing for Iran Act, introduced by my good friend BILL HUIZENGA. This bill also includes the outstanding work of my good friend PETER ROSKAM, who introduced H.R. 5715, the No Ex-Im Assistance for Terrorism Act.
Mr. Speaker, President Obama has made an endless stream of concessions to the Iranian government. Most recently, in September, the administration announced that it would issue special export licenses for Boeing and Airbus to sell dozens of commercial aircraft to Iran—a deal that together is valued at upwards of $50 billion. Yet the deal is not finalized because Iran is having difficulty financing it.
The No U.S. Financing for Iran Act will guarantee that the U.S. plays no part in facilitating this financing: it blocks the Treasury Department from authorizing U.S. financial institutions from supporting such transactions and prevents the U.S. Export-Import Bank from extending direct or indirect credit to the Government of Iran.
Although the Ex-Im Bank is prohibited from providing direct financing to Iran, it could do so through a third-party. For instance, Reuters last week reported that after months of negotiations, Iran secured financing possibly through an Emirati leasing company for the first 17 planes it plans to buy from Airbus. If the U.S. Ex-Im Bank were to provide financing to such a third-party company, it would in effect be facilitating Iran’s purchase of the aircraft.
It is important to recall why Iran should not be receiving these planes in the first place: until President Obama implemented his nuclear deal, Iran Air had for over four years been subject to U.S. sanctions due to the company’s notorious working relationship with Iran’s military and Revolutionary Guards Corps. For years, Iran Air has smuggled rockets, missiles, and other sensitive materiel aboard its passenger and cargo planes bound for regional hotspots, such as Syria, home to Iranian terrorist proxies and murderous regimes.
The Obama Administration was absolutely wrong to drop these sanctions in connection with the nuclear deal because this support has little or nothing to do with Iran’s nuclear program. On the contrary, much of this activity is related to Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism—for which the United States still imposes sanctions on Iran.
It is long past time for the Administration to stop accommodating this genocidal regime and rather hold it to account. Just last week the IAEA reported that Iran had for the second time this year exceeded its quota for heavy water as stipulated in the nuclear deal. But instead of calling this violation what it is, the Obama Administration chose to sweep it under the rug. Such passivity in the face of Iranian violations only emboldens the regime to see what more it can get away with. This is a dangerous game to play when the consequences are so grave for our national security and that of our close ally Israel.
The Administration’s nuclear deal with Iran itself contained far too many major concessions: it recognized Iran’s right to enrichment, despite longstanding United States policy against such recognition, and settled for a weak inspections regime that is anything but ‘‘anytime, anywhere.’’
We must act again today to put a stop to the concessions. For that reason, I urge my colleagues to pass this urgent measure.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/commissioning-coast-guard-fast-response-cutter-rollin-fritch,Commissioning of Coast Guard Fast Response Cutter Rollin Fritch,2016-11-16,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Commissioning of Coast Guard Fast Response Cutter Rollin Fritch
Start:
November 19, 2016 10:00 am
End:
November 19, 2016 1:00 pm
Location:
U.S. Coast Guard Training Center, Cape May, New Jersey
Nov 16, 2016",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399912,"Smith bill will allow veterans' families to participate in Library of Congress projectSenate Sends Gold Star Families Voices Act to the President",2016-11-15,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"After unanimous House passage in September, the Senate voted today to send the Gold Star Families Voices Act (HR 4511) to the President for his signature. The legislation, authored by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), will allow immediate family members of servicemembers who are killed or missing in action or have died as a result of their service to participate in the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project.
“Today’s vote honors the men and women who gave ‘the last full measure of devotion’ in the service of our Nation by allowing their family members to tell their stories, so that all Americans can hear, appreciate, remember, and honor these patriots,” said Smith, former chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. “Preserving their memories will allow current and future generations of Americans to better understand and appreciate the sacrifices borne by those who served in uniform, the realities of war, and the narrative that helps define who we are as a nation.”
“Senate passage today—which was secured by the hard work of my good friend and colleague Chairman Roy Blunt—will build on this collection and ensure we record and remember the lives and sacrifices of all who have served and provide the very deserving family members with the opportunity to create a lasting record of their fallen loved ones,” Smith continued.
Congress created the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress in 2000 to collect and catalog the stories of American war veterans. The project has been a great success. Earlier this year, the Library announced that it reached a milestone: it has collected more than 100,000 testimonies of veterans who have served in military engagements since World War I in our permanent record.
Currently the project accepts only first-hand accounts of living veterans, unintentionally leaving out the men and women who did not return from the battlefield. Under Smith’s bill, immediate family members can participate on a veteran’s behalf including parents, spouses, siblings and/or children.
After passage in the Senate, Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) added: “We would not be the nation we are today if not for the profound acts of courage and selflessness of our fallen heroes. We, as Americans, owe it to these men and women to know their names, to honor their deeds, and to preserve their memories. The Gold Star Families Voices Act makes an invaluable project even better by giving the family members of our missing and fallen service members the opportunity to share their stories and ensure they become a part of our nation’s historical record. I thank American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. and Representative Chris Smith for championing this bill, and my Senate colleagues for getting it to the President’s desk.”
“Congress created the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project to turn the memories of our warfighters into our history and memorialize the lives of heroes. Yet, conspicuously missing from the rich project’s history are the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Smith.
Smith’s bill is endorsed by the New Jersey Gold Star Mothers organization, whose President, Judi Tapper—the proud mother of Petty Officer First Class David Tapper, a Navy Seal who was killed in Afghanistan on August 20, 2003—stated: “Never in history has there been a forum to replace our heroes’ silenced voices. This legislation provides it. In their names, may their stories be told.”
The Second Vice President of the National American Gold Star Mothers, Inc., Becky Christmas, said: “Rep. Smith’s legislation gives our children a voice that they no longer have. The Gold Star Families Voices Act will ensure that the experiences and lives of all veterans, including our sons and daughters who fought and died for our country, are remembered, honored and preserved. As Gold Star Parents, we are encouraged to know that the bill is closer to becoming a reality. Our hearts are touched, that our children who gave so much, continue to be heard.”
Smith praised the Gold Star Mothers and highlighted their continued advocacy: “The Gold Star Mothers are an incredibly inspiring, committed and dedicated group of women who have worked tirelessly and successfully to bring about meaningful change to better the lives of servicemembers, veterans and their families.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399916,Supporting the Iran Sanctions Extension Act,2016-11-15,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations spoke on the floor in support of H.R. 6297, the Iran Sanctions Extension Act:Mr. Speaker, I thank the distinguished chair for his sponsorship of the Iran Sanctions Extension Act, H.R. 6297. This is a must-pass measure that would extend for 10 years the Iran Sanctions Act, a critical set of sanctions targeting Iran’s energy sector that would otherwise expire on December 31st.
As we all know, the administration lifted the vast majority of the act’s sanctions following the purported implementation of the egregiously flawed Iran nuclear deal in January, but these restrictions on investment in Iran’s energysector would form the backbone of the so-called snapback sanctions that the U.S. could impose in response to Iranian violations of the agreement.
Mr. Speaker, let’s not kid ourselves, the Iran nuclear agreement is a mess. There is no anytime/anywhere inspections protocol. Today Iran is massively expanding both the number and the capability of its ballistic missile arsenal. Iran remains the leading state sponsor of terrorism. Now flush with billions of new funding, they are on a weapons procurement frenzy and are acquiring weapons of many kinds, including SAM missiles.
There is cheating on a number of fronts. Under the Iranian deal, it is a matter of when, not if, but when will Iran become a nuclear state.
This is a minimal policy that will at least snap back and say: when you violate the terms and conditions of the agreement—which I find flawed and many others do as well—that, at least, there is a snapback, and those sanctions will be kicked into place. If they don’t exist, it is not going to happen.
So for 20 years, we all know sanctions have played a critical role in mitigating Iran’s destabilizing weapons program and state sponsorship of terrorism. By imposing sanctions on entities anywhere in the world that invested in Iran’s nuclear sector, the Iran Sanctions Act for years targeted a key source of revenue that the Iranian Government used to finance its activities.
So again, I think this is an important bill, and I hope that the Senate will take it up quickly after House passage.
Again, I thank Chairman ROYCE and ELIOT ENGEL for their leadership. This is a bipartisan piece of legislation. It is the barest minimum that we can do in the face of such a flawed agreement.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399918,Smith Statement on Kabila Regime,2016-11-15,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), took to the floor today to speak in support of H. Res. 780:Mr. SMITH of New Jersey… Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my good friend and colleague, the distinguished chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. ROYCE; Ranking Member ELIOT ENGEL; and Ms. BASS, who is the ranking member on the Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee, for their strong support for this legislation, H. Res. 780, which seeks to avoid a looming crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, or DRC, by urging respect for the constitution of that country in a peaceful, democratic transition of power.
Mr. Speaker, on November 19—just days from now—the DRC was supposed to hold elections for President and the Parliament. However, after stalling on election preparations for more than a year, the government of President Kabila has used a constitutional loophole to extend his rule despite the opposition of not only political opponents but also his country’s citizens.
In a recent poll done in partnership with the Congo Research Group at New York University, President Kabila had less than 8 percent support among his people. U.S. officials believe that he has lost even more support in the months since that poll was taken.
Mr. Speaker, from 1996 to 2006, more than 3 million people died in the DRC, more than 4 million were internally displaced as a result of internal and regional wars, and significant violence persists in eastern Congo today—a place that I have visited. There are now widespread fears that opposition to the extension of Kabila’s rule will spark demonstrations that will be met by violence by a government determined to maintain its hold on power. We are facing the real danger that the DRC—a nation that borders on nine of its neighbors and which makes vital contributions to the global economy— could be thrown into a level of chaos that will have an adverse impact not just within its borders but far beyond its borders as well.
President Kabila continues to make every effort to maintain power, even sending delegations abroad to mislead foreign governments on his intention to hold elections at the earliest possible date. His emissaries assured us in September that the scheduled 2016 elections could be held in the summer of 2017 as a result of national dialogue.
However, Kabila manipulated this dialogue, which was boycotted by the genuine political opposition, civil society, and DRC’s churches. The eventual conclusion, if this can be believed, was that the elections would be held in late 2018, about 2 years from now. However, the constitution, which prevents Kabila from running for a third term or changing the constitution to achieve that goal, will be broken if he manages to extend his rule. Even as he interprets the constitution to allow him to continue in office, the constitution makes no provision for parliament to continue to operate. So when the current DRC Government mandate expires on December 19, President Kabila will rule his country with no restraint and no checks or balances from a legislative body.
H. Res. 780 acknowledges the various efforts to frustrate DRC’s constitution and democratic process and calls for the Obama administration to levy targeted sanctions on government officials who have acted to prevent free and fair elections from taking place.
The administration has placed some sanctions on some officials, but the pace and scope of sanctions need to match the urgency of the approaching electoral crisis.
The leadership of the Foreign Relations Committee, the Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee, and the full Foreign Affairs Committee have sent a letter to President Obama urging him to widen the targets, and we recommended that a couple of weeks ago.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, time is running out for our government to make the strongest possible statements to the Kabila government to achieve a peaceful, democratic resolution to the crisis that they face. I urge my colleagues to support the resolution.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/every-breath-counts-walk-run-survive-1,Every Breath Counts' Walk Run Survive,2016-11-10,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Every Breath Counts' Walk Run Survive
Start:
November 12, 2016 8:00 am
End:
November 12, 2016 10:00 am
Location:
St James Church - Newport Avenue and the Boardwalk, Ventnor
Nov 10, 2016",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399906,Smith Helps NJ National Guard Break Ground on Six Post-Superstorm Construction Projects,2016-11-09,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) and the New Jersey Adjutant General, Brigadier General Michael L. Cunniff, broke ground on six Superstorm Sandy-related projects at the National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt, Monmouth County.
The projects, totaling over $20 million, are replacing damaged facilities and utilities on the installation and were funded through the Superstorm Sandy Supplemental package Smith and the New Jersey Delegation successfully enacted in the aftermath of the storm: the Disaster Appropriations Act (now Public Law 113-2).
“This groundbreaking is an important step in the ongoing recovery process our state faced in the wake of one of the most damaging storms in our, and the nation’s, history,” said Smith, who represents Sea Girt. “Many members of the New Jersey Guard, like our first responders, were called to assist others in need—and did so heroically and without hesitation—while concurrently dealing with damage to their own homes.”
Brig. Gen. Cunniff thanked Smith for his strong support for the projects in the wake of Sandy.
“Congressman Smith represents Seagirt, and as always has been a staunch supporter of the Guard,” Cunniff said. “On behalf of the 8,400 soldiers and airmen of the New Jersey National Guard, this is a pretty big deal.”
The new facilities include:\
a $4.842 million medical clinic;
a $2.05 million data and communications duct bank;
two maintenance shops worth over $6.4 million;
a $1.984 million back-up power generation Station, and;
a $4.639 million general instruction building.
“These projects also highlight the continued military value of Sea Girt to our national defense and to National Guard readiness: roughly 5,000 soldiers from throughout the Northeast train at Sea Girt annually,” Smith concluded.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399905,"Smith to Help Launch Six Superstorm Sandy ProjectsGroundbreaking for Post Superstorm Construction Projects Set for Wednesday",2016-11-08,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"On Wednesday, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) and New Jersey Adjutant General, Brigadier General Michael L. Cunniff, will break ground on six Superstorm Sandy-related projects at the National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt.
The projects, totaling over $20 million, are replacing damaged facilities and utilities on the installation and were funded through the Superstorm Sandy Supplemental package Smith and the New Jersey Delegation successfully enacted in the aftermath of the storm: the Disaster Appropriations Act (now Public Law 113-2).
“This groundbreaking is an important step in the ongoing recovery process our state faced in the wake of the one of the most damaging storms in our, and the nation’s, history,” said Smith, who represents Sea Girt. “Many members of the New Jersey Guard, like our first responders, were called to assist others in need—and did so heroically and without hesitation—while concurrently dealing with damage to their own homes.”
“These projects also highlight the continued military value of Sea Girt to our national defense and to National Guard readiness: roughly 5,000 soldiers from throughout the Northeast train at Sea Girt annually,” Smith continued.
The new facilities include: a Medical Clinic; a Data and Communications Duct bank; Two Maintenance Shops; a Back-Up Power Generation Station; and a General Instruction Building.
Who: Rep. Chris Smith and New Jersey Adjutant General, Brigadier General Michael L. Cunniff
What: Combined Superstorm Sandy Disaster Response Project Ground Breaking Ceremony
When: November 9, 2016, 1pm
Where: National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt, Building 37.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399897,"November NJ League of Municipalities Magazine Op-Ed by Smith'Kevin and Avontes Law Fills a Need to Help People with Autism, Alzheimers'",2016-11-07,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By U.S. Rep. Chris Smith-
During the 1980s, when a child went missing, the nation knew by the photos on the side of a milk carton. As a young father myself, like all parents at the time, the images of these missing children resonated with me: I deeply empathized with the parents and prayed for the safe return of their son or daughter.
When a child goes missing today, we get an Amber Alert message on our phones and see the Facebook posts and tweets from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, child welfare organizations and local law enforcement offices.
Increasingly, though, law enforcement officers are not only searching for children and young adults who are taken by bad actors seeking to do them harm, but also for children and young adults with developmental disabilities, such as autism, or Alzheimer’s patients, who wander from a safe area or caretaker.
It's estimated that 40 percent of children with autism have wandered from their homes, their schools or their local parks. Much like the children on the milk cartons, we know that their safe return is dependent on time and training.
That's why I have introduced Kevin and Avonte's law in the House of Representatives, to help equip local law enforcement with the technology and training to find these children and return them safely to their parents or guardians.
My bill will make grants available to law enforcement agencies such as municipal police and non-profits to provide training to prevent wandering and implement lifesaving technology programs to find individuals who have wandered.
This legislation will reauthorize and expand an existing program, the Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program, to include children with a developmental disability—such as autism—and rename it the “Missing Americans Alert Program.” The Missing Americans Alert Program will be used to provide grants to law enforcement agencies, public safety agencies and non-profit organizations to promote initiatives that will reduce the risk of injury and death relating to the wandering characteristics of some children with autism, as well as individuals with Alzheimer's. Kevin and Avonte’s Law will amend and reauthorize the program at $10 million over 5 years.
Funding can be used to provide proactive educational programing to prevent wandering such as providing prevention and response information, including online training resources, to families or caretakers of individuals who wander. Additionally, funding can be used to provide education and training to first responders, school personnel, clinicians, and the public in order to recognize and respond to endangered missing individuals and facilitate their rescue and recovery. Funding can also be used for innovative locative technology to facilitate rescue and recovery.
As the co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Autism Caucus, I understand the devastating consequences from which wandering can result: the legislation is named in honor of two boys with autism, Kevin Curtis and Avonte Oquendo, who both wandered from safety and tragically drowned.
According to a 2016 report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New Jersey has the highest prevalence rate of autism in any state in the CDC study, with 1 in 41 children on the spectrum—a 12 percent increase in the last two years. While wandering safety and prevention programs for children with autism are currently in place and making a positive impact through law enforcement agencies, I’ve heard from constituents that there aren’t enough resources to support these critical programs and that families who need them often don’t have access.
Enactment of Kevin and Avonte's law will help change that.
The Senate passed its version of Kevin and Avonte's law in July 2016. This is a step forward in the effort to keep children with autism and seniors with Alzheimer’s safe. I’ll continue to fight for passage of this legislation in the House to ensure this bill is enacted and helps to keep children and adults with autism and Alzheimer’s, respectively, safe in New Jersey, and in all communities across the country.
This much needed, bipartisan legislation is supported by a number of autism, Alzheimer’s and children’s groups, including Autism Speaks, Autism New Jersey, the Autism Society, the National Autism Association, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, The ARC, the Alzheimer's Association, and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.
Elected in 1980, Rep. Smith (NJ-04) serves as the Dean of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation in the current 114th Congress. Mr. Smith represents the Fourth Congressional District, which includes large portions of Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean counties.
This op-ed was originally published on page 18 of the November 2016 print edition of NJ Municipalities Magazine.
It can be found in its original printed version online at: http://www.njslom.org/ and http://www.njmmagazine.org/issues/2016/2016-11/index.html.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399892,Lakewood Company Awarded Federal Contract for NYC FBI Construction Project,2016-11-04,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced today that a federal contract worth nearly $9 million for renovations at FBI offices in New York City was awarded by the General Services Administration (GSA).
“This is good news for a local company and I was pleased that GSA awarded it to Benchmark,” said Smith of the award. “It means job security for a small business.”
Benchmark Construction Services Inc. of Cross Street, Lakewood, N.J., was awarded a contract worth $8,916,783 to do conduct major renovations to FBI space at 26 Federal Square, N.Y., N.Y. The funding covers both the design and construction of the renovations.
The funding comes from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (H.R.2029/Public Law 114-113) which provided FY2016 funding for approved GSA projects. The GSA described the project as a repair and alteration project for space in the Jacob K. Javits Federal Office Building in NYC. The work will involve demolition, hazardous material (asbestos) abatement and interior construction that includes electrical, lighting, mechanical (HVAC) and fire protections upgrades. The overall site consists of three buildings totaling about 2.9 million square feet. The project space includes areas by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS). In 2015, GSA vacated space in the building, moving to One World Trade Center. The project is expected to complete the build out of more than 500,000 square feet for the FBI, and consolidate space for the HHS and USACE.
“GSA estimates that the renovations and consolidations will result in savings by eliminating leased space at other locations,” said Smith of the award. “It projects that the savings could be as high as $13 million annually.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399893,"Medicare adopts amended version of benefit proposed by Smith's HOPE ActCare Planning for Alzheimer's Patients Included in Physician Fee Schedule",2016-11-04,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"After leading a multi-year, multi-faceted effort to provide Medicare coverage for a care planning session for patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced today that Medicare has now agreed to cover the costs of planning sessions for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease. The confirmation of the new benefit was included in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule for Calendar Year 2017 Physician Fee Schedule. The new care planning benefit included in the Fee Schedule is an amended version of the benefit outlined in Smith’s legislation, the “Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer’s Act” (HR 1559).
“The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services decision to provide Alzheimer’s patients with care planning is a necessary step to address the needs of the over 5 million Americans suffering from this devastating, progressive disease. As we work to find a cure for Alzheimer’s, we must never forget the people who are suffering now and we cannot fail to provide them with the best care possible,” said Smith, co-founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force. “I am encouraged by CMS’ action and will closely monitor the implementation of this code to ensure that this new benefit meets the needs of patients and caregivers permanently.”
In July, CMS released its proposed regulations which included a code for the Assessment and Care Planning for Patients with Cognitive Impairment. In response, Smith and Rep. Maxine Waters led a bipartisan letter signed by over 70 Members of Congress to Andy Slavitt, the Acting Administrator of CMS, urging CMS to adopt this code in its final rule. In the letter, Smith urged CMS to make this a permanent benefit and to ensure that caregivers are included in the care planning process.
The new coverage mirrors provisions in Smith’s HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act, legislation he introduced to create a permanent care planning benefit for Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers. HR 1559, which gained wide bipartisan support and 307 co-sponsors, is the legislative blueprint which CMS essentially adopted in its Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule for 2017.
In their letter to CMS, Smith and his colleagues stressed the importance of including caregiver needs and supports in the final benefit. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, in 2015, more than 15 million Americans provided over 18 billion hours of unpaid care for Alzheimer’s patients.
“I am extremely pleased that addressing caregiver needs and social supports will be included in this benefit. These remarkable caregivers shoulder a tremendous responsibility and assume financial and emotional hardship in order to care for their loved ones.
“Identifying the best care through a care planning session not only helps patients but also gives guidance and support to caregivers – who are often family members. Not only is this the right thing to do, but supporting caregivers has been proven to delay institutionalization of Alzheimer’s patients by over a year, saving CMS money and allowing individuals to live in the comfort of home,” Smith continued.
“I commend the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for its decision to make care planning sessions available to Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers,” said Rep. Maxine Waters (CA-43), Co-Chair of the Congressional Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force. “Facing an Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be daunting. Care planning sessions provide patients and caregivers critical information on the progression of the disease, treatment options, and caregiving strategies. As we continue to seek a cure for this devastating disease, we must do everything we can to support caregivers and enable Alzheimer’s patients to live with dignity.”
Robert Egge, the Chief Public Policy Officer of Alzheimer's Association, added that “Care planning is crucial to improving outcomes and maintaining quality of life, for the diagnosed and their caregivers, as well as controlling costs and planning appropriately for the future. Understanding this, Congressman Smith has worked closely with the Alzheimer's Association and our advocates to advance the HOPE for Alzheimer's Act. We thank him for his support and work to increase access to critical support services.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399895,"Smith, Howell HS Students Discuss Congress' Role",2016-11-04,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) met with the promising young students of Miss Stacy Gregorakis’ AP Government Class yesterday during a visit to Howell High School. Among the wide variety of topics discussed were policy making, oversight, constituent casework and important legislation.
“Members of Congress have three main responsibilities,” said Smith, who has been a leader in the House of Representatives for 36 years. “The first, which everyone knows, is drafting and voting on laws. Second is oversight—making sure that the laws we have written are implemented properly. The third is constituent casework. Whenever a citizen in New Jersey’s 4th has a problem they can call, write or email our office and we try to help them out immediately. The calls often help us understand the weaknesses in current laws so that we can go back fix them.”
One example Smith provided to show the importance that citizens play in the creation of legislation was that of Bobby and Billy Gallagher from Brick, NJ. After contacting Smith about an abnormal number of autism cases around their township, including their two children, Alana and Austin, Smith and the Gallaghers were able to encourage the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to investigate the local area. A report found that Brick as well as communities around the country were seeing an above average rate of Autism, a trend that led to legislation to better research and understand the disorder. Smith later co-founded and currently co-Chairs the bipartisan Autism Caucus in the House of Representatives.
Another example was that of Monmouth County resident David Goldman and his son Sean. Sean’s mother took him on what was supposed to be a two week vacation to Brazil in 2004, but soon their mother announced that she was never returning to the U.S., thereby kidnapping Sean and illegally separating him from his dad. After a five year battle and support from many, including Smith, Sean was brought back to NJ. David and Sean’s ordeal was the impetus for the creation of Smith’s Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act, a law that orders the State Department to create an annual report on abducted children abroad and gives State a series of responses and actions to take in the fight to bring them back.
“I encourage everyone in the 4th Congressional District who is in need of federal assistance to reach out to any of my constituent service centers,” said Smith. “Together we can continue to build a strong future for our country.”
Residents can reach Smith’s Monmouth County Constituent Service Center in Freehold at (732) 780-3035 and his Hamilton Constituent Service Center at (609) 585-7878. Please call for hours of operation or to make an appointment.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399890,"U.S. Reps. Smith, Waters Mark National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month and Memory Screening Month",2016-11-03,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Maxine Waters (D-CA), House Co-Chairs of the Bipartisan, Bicameral Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease, thanked the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) for hosting free, confidential memory screenings and praised them for increasing the duration to throughout National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month in November.
“The screenings offered by the AFA are incredibly important in helping our seniors make healthcare decisions,” said Smith. “We will continue our effective collaboration between the Alzheimer’s Task Force and the AFA as this working relationship has been key in raising awareness about Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, helping to eliminate the stigma with which they are all too often associated and providing needed resources to hundreds of thousands annually.”
“National Memory Screening Month is an excellent opportunity for individuals with memory concerns to get free and confidential screenings for Alzheimer’s disease and other problems affecting memory,” said Waters. “It is also an opportunity to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and promote the benefits of memory screening and early detection.”
AFA has hosted its National Memory Screening initiative during National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month for the past 13 years. This year, the program has expanded to the entire month of November, during which sites across the country, including the entire Kmart Pharmacy chain, will offer free, confidential memory screenings to the public, as well as patient education about brain health and successful aging.
To find the screening site closest to you enter your zip code here: http://www.afascreenings.org/.
Alzheimer’s disease, a degenerative condition caused by a disease of the brain, is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. While Alzheimer’s currently has no cure, early detection can help patients and caregivers plan for more positive health outcomes.
“Memory screenings are a significant first step toward detection of memory problems,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. “Some memory problems can be readily treated, such as those caused by vitamin deficiencies or thyroid problems. Other memory problems may result from causes that are not currently reversible, such as Alzheimer’s disease. There are many benefits to early detection of memory problems. If a memory problem turns out to be Alzheimer’s disease, an individual living with the disease can have an opportunity to participate in long-term care, legal and financial planning discussions with their families, and obtain social services support.”
Memory screenings are not used to diagnose illness, but are an indicator to 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.
“Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease expands options for care and treatment and helps individuals and families plan for their future,” said Waters. “I congratulate the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America for organizing National Memory Screening Month.”
“I highly encourage everyone to take advantage of the opportunity for a free, confidential memory screening this month,” said Smith. “Knowledge is power, and in addition to providing earlier and more accurate diagnoses, memory screenings offer insight into brain health which improves quality of life for all.”
For additional information on Alzheimer’s disease and memory screenings, visit: www.nationalmemoryscreening.org.
Smith and Waters teamed up in the 114th Congress to introduce Alzheimer’s Action Now, a package of four bills that together aim to help Alzheimer’s patients and their families; promote public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease; and encourage voluntary contributions to research efforts. The Alzheimer’s Action Now legislative package includes three bills introduced by Rep. Waters: The Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Act (H.R. 3090), The Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3091), and the Alzheimer’s Disease Semipostal Stamp Act (H.R. 3092). The package also includes the Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer’s Act (H.R. 1559) introduced by Rep. Smith.
The Task Force co-chairs also requested an increase in funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), specifically targeted for Alzheimer’s disease in fiscal year 2017. Their efforts were recognized by the Appropriations Committee in the House, which approved a budget that included a $350 million boost at NIH for Alzheimer’s research, for a total of $1.34 billion to continue the search for an Alzheimer’s treatment and cure.
Smith co-authored the bipartisan National Alzheimer’s Project Act or NAPA, which passed the House in 2010 and was enacted in 2011. NAPA set a goal of preventing and successfully treating Alzheimer’s 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=399888,"Marketplace rates face double digit price increase; deductibles average $5,500Obamacare Again Fails New Jersey Residents",2016-11-01,2016,2016-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC—Double digit price increases in Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean Counties once again show that Obamacare has failed to live up to the promises made by President Obama and Democratic party leadership, said Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04).
“The massive cost increases for New Jersey residents adds another item to the ever growing list of Obamacare flops,” said Smith. “These increases clearly show that it is time for President Obama to give up his ‘politics first’ attitude and start to work with Congress to find a plan that helps everyday Americans.”
The release of the marketplace rates for 2017 shows an average of 17.4 percent increase for existing plans in Mercer County, with even higher average increases in Monmouth and Ocean Counties—increases that could be devastating to those most in need. New Jerseyans hoping to find another plan to help lower their costs will be in for more bad news. Both Monmouth and Ocean Counties have lost more than half of their plan options on the marketplace, dropping from 65 to only 24—and Mercer County residents have only 21 to choose from.
Reports from CNN have indicated that the total number of carriers will drop by 21 percent nationally as insurers flee the Obamacare system; however New Jersey is particularly feeling the pain with the 4th district seeing their choices drop by 50 percent or more, having just two choices of insurers for 2017.
The increases are exacerbated by deductibles that average close to $5,500 per family, with some plans having a deductible of more than $14,000 per year.
“In the 2009 debate over Obamacare, Nancy Pelosi famously said ‘we have to pass the bill so you can find out what’s in it,’” said Smith. “Seven years later, we know that ‘what’s in it’ is page after page of regulations that have done more harm than good to the citizens of New Jersey’s 4th District.”
Smith has been a vocal critic of Obamacare, noting the holes in the legislation before it was passed in the House. His statement before the House floor in March of 2010 can be read here.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399885,"***Smith Helps Kick Off Monmouth County Event ***Alzheimer's Association Holds Walk to End Alzheimers",2016-10-29,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) helped launch the “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” event at Bradley Beach, thanking the hundreds of walkers and volunteers for turning out to support the event.
Smith, co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Alzheimer’s Caucus, was invited by the host Alzheimer’s Association to welcome walkers and speak about the fight to stop a disease that in New Jersey claims an estimated 170,000 victims who suffer from this form of dementia, and impacts more than 400,000 family members who are caregivers. More than 5.4 million suffer across the country from Alzheimer’s Disease.
“All the volunteers who came out today are playing a critical role in the war against a disease which ravages people and their families,” said Smith. “We all have loved ones or friends or families who have Alzheimer’s themselves. We must pursue a full court press in the battles for research, awareness and funding. We want to see a path to prevention, treatment, and someday, hopefully, a cure.”
Smith’s bill, the “Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer’s Act,” has earned the bipartisan support of a monumental 300-plus members of Congress. The co-founder and co-chairman of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, Smith introduced HOPE to provide Medicare coverage for a care planning session for patients newly-diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, family caregivers or legal representatives. He also spoke about his bill Kevin and Avonte’s Law, HR 4919, which he hopes will move in the House this fall.
The HOPE Act would provide coverage of a care planning session for Medicare beneficiaries where the individual, their caregiver or legal representative will receive information about medical and non-medical treatments to plan for their future care. A similar proposal was recently proposed by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for a temporary one-year trial.
Mary Gerard, of Ocean Township in Smith’s district, was the primary caregiver for her mother who suffered from Alzheimer’s for more than eight years before succumbing. Gerard said, “We’re happy that Chris Smith could come and talk to our walkers about the HOPE Act and the Kevin and Avonte’s Law. He’s the leader in the House.”
Katie Macklin, Executive Director of the Delaware Valley Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, which ran the event, said the turnout from volunteer walkers was impressive.
“It was huge to hear from Chris Smith about HOPE and Kevin and Avonte’s Law,” Macklin said. “It’s a lovely fall day for our incredible supporters who walked today.”
Not only would the care planning benefit authorized in the HOPE Act improve health outcomes for Alzheimer’s patients, it is also expected to mitigate huge, unnecessary costs associated with preventable trips to hospitals and emergency rooms. This is especially important given the state of Medicare and Alzheimer’s place as the most expensive disease in America.
Smith said the Kevin and Avonte’s bill will reauthorize and expand an existing program, the Missing Alzheimer’s Disease Patient Alert Program, to include children with a developmental disability—such as autism—and rename it the “Missing Americans Alert Program.”
Wandering, which is also referred to as elopement, occurs when an individual leaves a safe area or a caretaker. Wandering is a safety concern for both seniors with Alzheimer’s and children with autism. It is estimated that 60 percent of individuals with Alzheimer’s and 49 percent of children with autism have wandered and we know that the results can be devastating: The legislation is named in honor of two boys with autism, Kevin Curtis and Avonte Oquendo, who both wandered from safety and tragically drowned.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, in 2016 alone, direct costs to American society of caring for those with Alzheimer’s will total an estimated $236 billion, with just under half of the costs borne by Medicare. A cost estimate commissioned by the Alzheimer’s Association and conducted by Healthsperien, a Washington, D.C.-based health care consulting firm, indicated that as a result of Smith’s legislation, net federal health spending would decrease by $692 million over the 10-year period.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-fbi-investigation-of-hillary-clinton,Lance Statement on FBI Investigation of Hillary Clinton,2016-10-28,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WESTFIELD, NJ – U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance issued the following statement on the F.B.I. reopening its investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s e-mail arrangement:
“Today’s news of the F.B.I.’s decision to reopen its investigation into Secretary Clinton’s use of a private e-mail server is serious and overdue. I hope F.B.I. Director Comey will conduct this investigation expeditiously and in a completely transparent manner to determine if Hillary Clinton and her aides carelessly mishandled highly classified information.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399884,"Trenton Times article: Smith supported federal Title III funding for GCU initiative'Georgian Court focused on growing graduation rates, student retention and more'",2016-10-27,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"At Georgian Court University in Lakewood, a new $1.9 million federal grant is helping students stay on track to timely graduation while improving overall retention rates.
The U.S. Department of Education's Title III grant, payable over five years, is for GCU's Chart the Course program, which is designed to expand academic support services and bolster college completion.
""We established Chart the Course to help students needing non-credit skills development courses get back on track to graduating, and we know from experience that it makes a difference in their success,"" said Joseph R. Marbach, Ph.D., president of Georgian Court University. ""Additional grant funding will allow us to have even greater impact.""'GCU's commitment to its students is
commendable and with this federal funding
and partnership, more students will benefit
from the program and graduate on time,'
- U.S. Rep. Chris Smith
GCU’s Chart the Course program is designed to expand academic support services and bolster college completion.
The program offers free, three-credit courses to qualified students and professional math and writing tutoring services. In addition, students receive intense faculty advising and additional peer mentoring.
""GCU's commitment to its students is commendable and with this federal funding and partnership, more students will benefit from the program and graduate on time,"" said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.). ""As federal student loan borrowing has skyrocketed, programs such as Chart the Course support graduating on time, and play a role in addressing this critical problem.""
The new funding comes on the heels of GCU's 2015 TRIO-Student Support Services award, a five-year, $1.4 million grant to help students succeed. With Chart the Course, the university will be able to provide more services to ensure students earn a degree. The university also drew recent accolades from Washington Monthly, which named GCU No. 42 on its ""Best Bang for the Buck"" ranking of 386 Northeast colleges and universities.
""We are proud of our success, but this new grant will help us become a national exemplar, so that an greater number of students who attend college will complete college,"" said William J. Behre, Ph.D., GCU Provost.
""College affordability is huge,"" said Behre, who noted GCU was the only institution in the state to freeze tuition costs this year. ""Helping students graduate helps them avoid the expense of being in college any longer than necessary. Starting college, but not finishing, takes the greatest financial toll.""This article ran in the October 2016 edition of the Trenton Times education section ""Learning Curve,"" on page 37 and can be read online by clicking here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-named-hero-of-main-street,Lance Named Hero of Main Street,2016-10-26,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"FLEMINGTON, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) has been named a ‘Hero of Main Street’ by the National Retail Federation (NRF) for his pro-business record in Congress. The organization praised Lance for his proactive outreach to the large and small business communities and his votes in Congress help workers and consumers.
“Over-regulation, high taxes and mandates from Washington hurt retailers and the ability of consumers to buy affordable goods. That’s why I vote in Washington for policies that enable retailers to expand and hire, to obtain capital and pursue big ideas and for American workers to keep and spend more of what they earn,” said Lance.
National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay praised Lance’s record. “Congressman Lance has shown through his support that he cares about retailers big and small, and values the role these businesses play in communities across the country. Congressman Lance is an advocate for a thriving Main Street and the long-term growth of the retail industry -- our nation’s largest job creators and the catalyst for continued growth and opportunity for our nation’s economy.”
Lance was specifically cited for voting for lower taxes, energy policies that drives prices down on businesses and consumers, bringing transparency to trade deals and infrastructure investment. NRF is the world’s largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and Internet retailers. Retail is the Nation’s largest private sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans and contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-reacts-dod-decision-suspend-collection-bonuses,MacArthur Reacts to DOD Decision to Suspend Collection of Bonuses,2016-10-26,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman MacArthur released the following statement on the Department of Defense’s decision to suspend the collection of bonuses awarded to our veterans:
The scandal involving some 9,700 California National Guard soldiers who received the bonuses in 2006 and 2007, when the Bush Administration was struggling to find soldiers to fight the two wars, stoked nationwide outrage after The Los Angeles Times broke the story over the weekend.
“I’m glad to hear the Department of Defense has reversed their decision to clawback funds awarded to the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines that risked their lives to serve our country in a time of need,” said Congressman MacArthur. “This should never have gotten as far as it did – we must never betray the contract our brave men and women sign by throwing their families into debt and compromising their financial stability through no fault of their own.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-on-veteran-bonuses,Lance Statement on Veteran Bonuses,2016-10-25,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"FLEMINGTON, NJ – Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) issued the following statement on the Department of Defense's demand for our veterans to repay their bonuses:
“These reports are outrageous. Our military heroes should not be forced to pay back enlistment bonuses and student loan payments a decade later due to military recruiters’ accounting errors. The Department of Defense should immediately suspend efforts to recover these overpayments so Congress has time to complete the work we began in May to protect service members from the Pentagon’s bureaucratic mistakes.”
Background:
Section 642 of the FY 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the House on May 18, would establish a statute of limitations on the military's ability to recover future overpayments and would scrutinize the Defense Finance and Accounting Service’s management of existing cases of service member debt. Section 642 is an important first step toward establishing a common standard for correcting accounting errors that applies equally to both the Department of Defense and the individual service member.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-s-bipartisan-legislation-helps-families-pay-drug-treatment,MacArthurs Bipartisan Legislation Helps Families Pay for Drug Treatment,2016-10-20,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman MacArthur recently introduced two pieces of bipartisan legislation to help families pay for the overwhelming costs associated with drug treatment.New Jersey’s heroin overdose rate is triple the soaring U.S. rate with Burlington and Ocean Counties making up nearly 13% of the heroin related deaths in the state of New Jersey since 2004. With treatment and recovery efforts remaining a top concern, over 184,000 individuals have been admitted to substance abuse treatment facilities in New Jersey since 2010.
MacArthur, who is a member of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic, teamed up with Congresswoman Ann Kuster (D-NH), the Democratic co-chair of the task force, to promote the Addiction Recovery Addiction Recovery through Family Health Accounts Act. This legislation would give family members the option of using funds in their Health Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts, or similar accounts to pay for addiction treatment for any relative, even if they aren’t a dependent. Currently, you are not permitted to use funds in your tax advantaged accounts to pay for a family member’s rehab unless they are your spouse, dependent, or a dependent relative. This legislation will make sure any family member struggling with addiction can be helped by a relative with these tax advantaged funds.
“Across New Hampshire and the country, the opioid epidemic is devastating communities and families,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “Yet, only one in ten Americans seeks the treatment they need to overcome substance use disorder. While I’m thankful that treatment options are becoming more readily available, many families still struggle to access those options because of rising health care costs. That’s why I am proud to cosponsor the Addiction Recovery through Health Accounts Act (H.R. 6262). We must ensure families have the flexibility and choice to use all available resources to protect their families from this deadly epidemic.”MacArthur teamed up with Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA) to introduce the Addiction Recovery Through Family Deductions Act to allow individuals to deduct the cost of drug treatment for their family members as a qualified medical expense on their tax return. This legislation will ensure family members have the chance to help their loved ones by allowing the taxpayer to deduct the cost of paying for their non-dependent family member’s drug treatment.“Too many Americans face the realities of addiction and their family members struggle with how to help them,” said Congressman Seth Moulton. “Our bipartisan bill would make it easier for families to provide drug treatment and recovery care for their loved ones. Access to addiction recovery resources shouldn’t be financially burdensome, and that’s why Congress should pass our Addiction Recovery Through Family Deductions Act.” “The heroin epidemic in South Jersey is damaging our communities and changing families forever,” said Congressman MacArthur. “We have to fight this epidemic together, and the first step in this process is making sure individuals seeking treatment have the resources available to do so. A focus on treatment and recovery is incredibly important as we tackle this challenge together. Thank you to my colleagues Congresswoman Ann Kuster and Congressman Seth Moulton for partnering with me on this important fix. We are all united behind the need to take strong, effective, immediate action on this crisis. Bottom line, these families deserve our support and we are here to help.”
Background: MacArthur is a member of the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic, has released a resource guide for families impacted by the opioid epidemic in South Jersey and has led the charge in supporting robust funding for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG), which supports the state programs to combat and treat addiction.###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399877,"Smith: Goldman Act must be implementedAdministration's Meetings and Letters Still Not Bringing Back American Children",2016-10-19,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The State Department 2016 Actions Report, detailing the Obama Administration’s efforts on behalf of abducted American children, was released today showing a continuation of the Administration's failed “words-only” strategy to return kids who have been abducted by a parent to another country—often in clear violation of valid U.S. court orders.
“Congress unanimously adopted the Goldman Act to push a reluctant Administration to turn words into action—action that will bring home abducted American children,” said Rep. Chris Smith, who authored the Sean and David Goldman Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-150) to provide government support and assistance to kidnapped children and their left behind parents. “Inexplicably, the report released this week shows that the State Department has again refused to use the Goldman Act tools of limited sanctions.”
Between 2008 and 2015, nearly 10,000 children have been abducted overseas by a parent and almost always cut off from contact with the left behind American parent. Studies have shown these children are at grave risk of serious emotional and psychological problems, and may experience a number of symptoms including anxiety, eating problems, nightmares, mood swings, sleep disturbances, aggressive behavior, resentment, guilt, and fearfulness. Far from simply a custody dispute, international child abduction is a violation of both the left behind parent’s and child’s basic human rights.
“Heart-broken parents have begged the State Department to put real pressure on countries refusing to return American children,” said Smith. “Many of these parents have won in foreign court only to have the foreign government refuse to enforce the rulings year after year after year—and still the State Department responds with nothing but more meetings and more letters.”
“The Goldman Act delineates specific actions the Administration should use to help bring our children home. The indifference is mind-boggling,” said the senior human rights lawmaker who has chaired nine hearings on the topic of international child abduction.
More than 13 long-term cases have been pending in Brazil, which has not returned a single child since Sean Goldman was returned to New Jersey in 2009. Devon Davenport has won all 24 appeals of the last seven years to bring his daughter home from Brazil—Brazil will not return his daughter.
More than 100 abducted American children are currently being held in India, including those abducted by parents convicted of domestic violence in the United States. Bindu Philips has been fighting for 8 years for India to return her sons, Albert and Alfred, to no avail. Although Prime Minister Modi indicated he would assist her, no assistance has yet been forthcoming. One child, a little girl, died this year in India before she could be returned to her father in the United States.
James Cook, who testified before Smith’s Human Rights panel in July, won his case in Japanese courts to have his children returned, and yet Japan has allowed continued parental alienation of his children, utterly failing to enforce the return order. More than 42 cases of abduction in Japan totaling more than 50 American children have been dragging on without any progress for more than 5 years.
Édeanna Barbirou was forced to leave Tunisia again this year without her son, Eslam, whose custody has been granted to her by 5 different Tunisian courts over the last 5 years, but Tunisia refuses to enforce the return order, finding excuse after excuse not to return her son.
“The countries holding American children in these cases must be held accountable in fact, not just in word,” said Smith, who modeled the sanctions in the Goldman Act after those in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000. “We sanction countries for trafficking their own people; it is truly unbelievable that the State Department will not use the same tools to save American children.”
The State Department chose in 2015 to continue only with talk and not to take any of the escalating steps prescribed by the Goldman Act, including:
· delay or cancellation of one or more bilateral working, official, or state visits with any country;
· withdrawal, limitation, or suspension of U.S. development assistance, security assistance or foreign assistance to the central government of a country relating to economic support; or
· formal extradition of an individual who is engaged in abduction and who has been formally accused of, charged with, or convicted of an extraditable offense.
“Less than one-third of abducted American children come home every year,” said Smith. “It is time for the State Department to employ the Goldman Act strategy and make a positive difference in the lives of these children.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-named-a-guardian-of-small-business-0,Lance Named a Guardian of Small Business,2016-10-19,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"FLEMINGTON, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) has been named a Guardian of Small Business by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading advocate for small businesses. Lance was selected for his outstanding support of America’s small business owners in the U.S. House of Representatives. Nearly 7,000 NFIB members are in New Jersey. One of those members, Glen Gardner resident Mike Yates, presented Lance with the award.
“Thousands of new jobs in New Jersey every year come from small businesses that start from the ground up or expand to take on a new challenge. In Washington, I vote for policies that let people keep more of what they earn, get regulators off the backs of innovators and a tax system that is fairer and flatter. And here in New Jersey, I regularly meet with and talk with people like Mike who face these challenges every day. I support policies to put more consumers in stores and restaurants and to boost economic growth across the country,” Lance said after the presentation.
The National Federation of Independent Business, is one of the top national organizations representing the interests of small businesses in New Jersey and across the U.S. The Guardian of Small Business is NFIB’s most prestigious award. It is reserved for lawmakers who vote consistently with NFIB on the key issues identified by small business owners. Lance received a 100 voting record during the 114th Congress.
Michael Yates runs his own human resources business, Michael F. Yates & Company, Inc., in Washington, N.J. He said, “Congressman Lance has worked hard for small businesses, has fought for small businesses in all forms of federal legislation, and has supported us by the votes he has cast. I am proud to recognize Congressman Lance for his devotion and efforts and present him with the Guardian of Small Business Award.”
“Many elected officials claim that they are champions of small business, but our Guardian Award shows our members and other small business owners who is really fighting for them,” said NFIB President and CEO Juanita Duggan. “Based on his voting record, Rep. Lance is one of the most reliable advocates for small business in Washington.”
Lance was specifically cited for his votes:
Save American Workers Act, legislation to boost earning hours for employees who want to work.
Regulatory Accountability Act, legislation to improve how federal agencies write regulations.
Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act, legislation to provide protections for small businesses from executive actions.
Lawsuit Abuse Reduction Act, legislation to crack down on frivolous lawsuits.
Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes, legislation that would extend tax code protections for small business exemptions.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399876,Smith: Its Deja Vu All Over Again with Navy Earle Housing,2016-10-18,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) has asked the Navy to reconsider its recent controversial housing proposal for Naval Weapons Station Earle in Monmouth County that would expand the rental of public private venture (PPV) housing at the base to non-Department of Defense-affiliated civilians.
“The proposal is fraught with security concerns, as well serious challenges to local systems, and it is in fact deja vu all over again—despite the fact that security at our bases has proven to be even more challenging in the last several years,” said Smith in a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Navy Dennis McGinn. “Given that our nation has been exposed to numerous national security threats in the homeland since the original signing of the PPV lease—including the planned attack by the Fort Dix Five—it is evident that this type of housing venture is no longer practical and in fact a security risk here at Earle. Furthermore, recent terrorist activity and bombings just miles from NWS Earle demonstrate that security is indeed of paramount concern in this suburban and rural area.”
Click here to read Smith’s letter to the Navy.
Smith, who represents Earle and the surrounding communities, helped lead the fight to successfully persuade the Navy to abandon an earlier proposal to open 300 units at Laurelwood Housing to unscreened and unaffiliated civilians. After a four year confrontation with the local community that was deeply divisive, the Navy reached a settlement with the developer to purchase and demolish the surplus housing in 2010.
In requesting a meeting with the Navy, Smith said the current agreement, which seeks to opens dozens of housing units to non-affiliated renters, raises nearly identical questions of how rental applicants will be—or even can be—properly vetted so that the munitions station—as well as its neighboring communities—are protected and secure. Only 81 percent of these homes have been occupied in the last six years. As a result, housing partner Northeast Housing LLC, a wholly-owned corporation of Balfour Beatty Communities (BBC), has recently ramped up efforts to attract non-affiliated civilians to occupy the remaining approximately 20 housing units.
“I urge you and your team to revisit the plan to open the housing on the base and work with me and other local officials with the hope of finding an alternative solution that enables the Navy to meet its obligation to BBC without threatening the safety of the base, our military personnel and the surrounding area,” Smith wrote to McGinn. “Additionally, I hope you will partner with me to determine why more affiliated personnel are not taking advantage of the vacant homes on the installation, and work to make the base housing and installation environment more competitive.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399882,"Smith Speaks Out on News12 Segment'JCP&L power line project draws ire in Monmouth County'",2016-10-18,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Smith Speaks Out on News12 Segment'JCP&L power line project draws ire in Monmouth County'
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Oct 18, 2016
Nearly 100 people filled a NJ Transit boardroom this morning, to protest a proposed power line project in Monmouth County.
JCP&L is asking NJ transit to grant it an easement along their right-of-way that borders the North Jersey Coast Line. On that small stretch of land, the utility company wants to put up more than 100 massive power poles, reaching up to 200-feet high, carrying high voltage transmission lines that would run alongside NJ Transit tracks from Matawan to Red Bank.Click here or on image below to watch Congressman Smith speak at the event.
There are nearly 5,000 homes within 1,500 feet of the proposed lines. The poles would also be directly overhead highly traveled NJ Transit trains.
Residents and lawmakers say there are numerous adverse safety health and economic consequences for nearby families. A petition against the project has garnered 6,000 signatures.
NJ Transit board members say they were not satisfied with the lack of information provided by a representative from JCP&L and would need to know more about the $110 million project before it moves forward.
This segment aired on News 12 NJ from Oct. 14-17 and can be read and video watched at:
http://newjersey.news12.com/news/jcp-l-power-line-project-draws-ire-in-monmouth-county-1.12451358
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http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-in-mountainside-recognized-as-leader-on-senior-citizen-issues,Lance in Mountainside Recognized As Leader On Senior Citizen Issues,2016-10-17,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"MOUNTAINSIDE, N.J. – Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) has been awarded the ""Guardian of Seniors’ Rights Award"" for his steadfast commitment to our Nation’s senior citizens. Lance was selected by the non-partisan 60 Plus Association and honored by a group of Mountainside senior citizens. The senior citizen honored Lance for his voting record that includes fighting to protect the health care plans senior citizens know and like, preserving Medicare and Social Security for current retirees, ensuring entitlements for future seniors, voting to cut wasteful spending and enacting policies that allow seniors to keep more of what they have saved.
Mountainside resident Eve Vitale introduced Lance to the group. “Congressman Lance is a friend of senior citizens. He votes on the issues important to us – keeping Medicare and Social Security strong, protecting families who want to stay in their homes and keeping our homeland secure so our grandchildren are safe at school and at work.”
“Senior citizens across this country and in New Jersey have earned and were promised benefits in their retirement. I will always vote to ensure Congress keeps up its end of the bargain when it comes to caring for our retirees, veterans and those on a fixed income. Too many senior citizens are rightfully concerned over the future of their health care. Administration plans to change Medicare Advantage and raid Medicare to fund ObamaCare is not a pro-seniors’ agenda and I have fought those proposals in Congress. I support empowering senior citizens through stability and peace of mind,” said Lance after the presentation.
Jim Martin, the founder and chairman of 60 Plus which selected Lance for the award, issued a statement praising Lance. “Dedicated lawmakers like Congressman Lance show compassion toward seniors and the issues they face. We thank him for always protecting Medicare and Social Security since seniors have paid into both all our working lives. We want our lawmakers to vote against wasteful spending of our tax dollars. Excessive spending now has our government borrowing over 40 cents of every dollar it needs to pay our debts. Seniors have to balance their budgets and so should our government. We thank Congressman Lance for his record, he has earned our respect and our appreciation.”
While in Congress, Lance has worked toward successfully halting Medicare Part D changes and working on making prescription drugs more affordable. Lance has also voted for the repeal of the federal estate tax, preserving Social Security for those in the program and championing American-made energy that will lower costs and voting for lower taxes – issues especially important to senior citizens on fixed incomes. Lance was also previously honored by the Association of Mature American Citizens for his record on senior citizen issues.
“I am proud to be a pro-senior lawmaker,” Lance concluded.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-northwest-new-jersey-community-action-partnership-gets-federal-grant,Lance: Northwest New Jersey Community Action Partnership Gets Federal Grant,2016-10-17,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"Phillipsburg, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) recently visited the Northwest New Jersey Community Action Partnership, Inc (NORWESCAP) in Phillipsburg to announce the organization was awarded a $425,000 federal grant. The Congressman was joined at the presentation by Phillipsburg Mayor Stephen Ellis and trustees of NORWESCAP.
“This grant will help the Northwest New Jersey Community Action Partnership advance its mission of community building, education and child care and economic development. The programming and services administered by have helped many local families manage difficult times, keep children safe and in school and helped connect employers to potential hires. They do good work and this merit based grant recognizes that,” Lance said during a visit to NORWESCAP headquarters.
NORWESCAP’s mission is to improve the lives of individuals and families in need in Northwest New Jersey primarily by offering, referring or collaborating with others to provide programs and education which help foster self-sufficiency in economic and employment, nutrition and health, childcare and housing. The organization will receive a Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program Implementation Grant to pursue its goals.
The Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program supports local communities in developing new strategies to change neighborhoods and create new opportunities for residents. The grant is to provide federal support for major undertakings where local resources may not be sufficient. Lance has supported the Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Program in Congress, and believes that projects should be able to earn federal support on a merit system, especially those with strong state, local and private sector backing. NORWESCAP has an accomplished record and support system that was noticed by federal officials.
Lance is also a champion of federal COPS and Byrne grants programs to help address staffing, equipment, training and health and safety needs for New Jersey's police officers and assist organizations like NORWESCAP in community relations matters.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399870,"APP News Article; Smith speaks at public hearing'Critics: NJ Transit must kill JCP&L power line'",2016-10-14,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"BY DAVID P. WILLIS, APP STAFF WRITER -
For more than two hours Thursday, a large group of Monmouth County residents and elected officials opposed to Jersey Central Power & Light’s controversial $111 million transmission line took their fight to NJ Transit.
“Please don’t sell us out,” said Middletown resident Bernice Curto, breaking into tears. “I am pleading with you to say 'no' to hosting this project on your narrow right-of-way and say 'no' soon in order to alleviate any more anguish and suffering in your commuter towns.”
JCP&L needs an OK from NJ Transit to proceed. The Morristown-based utility wants to use the agency’s right of way along a 10-mile stretch of the North Jersey Coast Line between Aberdeen and Red Bank for a 230,000-volt transmission line. Called the Monmouth County Reliability Project, it would connect a substation in Aberdeen with one in Red Bank, going through Hazlet, Holmdel and Middletown.
MORE: Towns team up to fight JCP&L power line
MORE: NJ Transit decision key to JCP&L power line fight
“This project poses many, many risks for NJ Transit, but only one benefit – whatever number is written on the check that JCP&L is holding out,” said Rachael Kanapka, president of Residents Against Giant Electric, a residents' group fighting the project. “Please don’t put a price tag on the safety of your customers and employees, your reputation and your mission.”
Kanapka said NJ Transit’s board of directors has plenty to worry about, such as the potential negative effect on train schedules by the line's construction and the possibility of service delays when the transmission line needs maintenance. How will the power line and monopoles impact NJ Transit’s plans to extend platforms at train stations, she asked. What happens if a power line or monopole falls on the railway's electric lines, she said.
At the same time, the project will run through a densely populated area with 4,390 homes within 1,500 feet of the railroad tracks, Kanapka said. It also will run next to the backyards of many homes. Opponents worry about a decline in property values and the potential for health risks caused by electromagnetic fields from the high voltage line.
""In our research, we did not find any other example of a new transmission line being constructed in an area as densely populated as ours, on so narrow a corridor, for so long a distance, running directly above an active major metropolitan commuter rail line,"" Kanapka said. ""Your right of way was not designed for this. It was designed in 1875 for a railway. It was not designed to host a railway plus a high voltage transmission line.""
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Critics of a proposed JCP&L transmission line attend an NJ Transit board meeting Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, to discourage the board from granting the utility the right to build the line along its tracks from Aberdeen to Red Bank. (Photo: DAVID P. WILLIS/STAFF PHOTO)
MORE: Legislators fighting JCP&L Monmouth power line
MORE: Residents zap JCP&L transmission line transfer
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said NJ Transit prides itself on being a ""good neighbor.""
""Most importantly, and out of an abundance of caution, I ask you to reject the JCP&L project because of potential health hazards to children due to daily exposure to low-frequency magnetic fields,"" Smith said. ""Some may argue that there is little or no adverse health link to exposure and may produce select studies that suggest that. But there is statistically relevant evidence including studies that suggests otherwise.""
Mark Jones, JCP&L's vice president of external affairs, told the NJ Transit directors that the Monmouth County Reliability Project ""will strengthen and modernize the electric grid for 214,000 Monmouth County customers.""
PJM Interconnection, the regional grid operator, identified the need for a third transmission line into Red Bank substation to continue to ""provide dependable electric service,"" Jones said. ""More specifically, the project will address a violation of national electric reliability standards.""
The line is safe, as proposed levels of magnetic fields from the line are similar to those associated with wood pole distribution lines and electric wiring and appliances in homes, he said. The utility considered 17 potential routes, including highways, local roads and other rights of way. ""The proposed route was chosen because it uses lands already designated for public use and minimizes social, environmental and financial impacts compared to alternative routes,"" Jones said.
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Critics of a proposed JCP&L transmission line attend an NJ Transit board meeting Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, to discourage the board from granting the utility the right to build the line along its tracks from Aberdeen to Red Bank. (Photo: DAVID P. WILLIS/STAFF PHOTO)
Bruce Meisel, the board's vice chairman, told the 75 or so RAGE members who attended the meeting that he will take a tour of the right-of-way to see their concerns. ""There is no substitute to actually seeing it and eyeballing it,"" he said.
He chastised JCP&L for not having specific details, for instance about outages caused by transmission line failures to the Red Bank substation, at the ready.
In December 2008, JCP&L experienced a problem with those lines, impacting power to 173,000 customers. In August 2010, both lines were knocked out as a result of an equipment issue, causing an outage to 181,000 customers.
""You can't just stand here and talk about generalities,"" Meisel told Jones. ""If you want us to consider your point of view, you really need to give us more facts to go on.""
This article ran in the Friday, Oct. 14 print edition Asbury Park Press and can be found online at:
http://www.app.com/story/money/business/consumer/2016/10/13/nj-transit-jcpl/91985398/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399871,"Persistence and Determination Needed for Autism UnderstandingSmith Pushes Global Autism Agenda at Washington Summit",2016-10-14,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"At a meeting of Autism leaders from around the world, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), founder and co-chair of the bipartisan Autism Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives, emphasized that perseverance is needed for legislators and advocates from all countries to address this prevalent disorder and galvanize change.
“The House committee of jurisdiction emphatically told me that ‘no disease specific’ legislation would be voted on,” said Smith, speaking on his struggle to provide resources and research for autism in the year 2000. “We persisted—grassroots autism advocates, Moms and Dads—and ultimately succeeded in making my autism bill, the ASSURE Act, title one of the Children’s Health Act of 2000, which became law.”
In 2005, Smith and autism activists again faced opposition: “as the autism law was about to expire, we faced the same argument—but Autism Speaks waged an incredible battle to save, and expand, the law.”
Autism Spectrum Disorder affects a person’s social communication and interactions. Autism is seen in 1 of every 68 American children, with an even higher prevalence seen in New Jersey, where it is found in 1 of every 41 children. While current reports show a much smaller percentage globally, a Harvard study indicated that as better diagnosis procedures are put in place around the developing world the diagnosis rate will rise rapidly.
Smith also noted the extreme importance of nutrition in the first 1000 days of a child’s life, from conception until around the 2nd birthday. One item of particular note is the introduction of folic acid supplements in the three months before or during the first month of pregnancy. In a study sponsored by the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee, or IACC, mothers who took the supplement saw a massive—40 percent—reduction in the risk of autism.
Smith is the author of three laws designed to expand research into Autism, the most recent being the “Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education, and Support Act of 2014.” He has also chaired two hearings on Autism around the world, including “The Global Challenge of Autism” in 2014. The importance of Autism research was brought to his attention in 1997 when Bobbie and Billy Gallagher, parents of two autistic children, expressed their concerns to him about a possible autism cluster in Brick, N.J..
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399872,Smith Announces New SBA Loan Program for Central Jersey,2016-10-14,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) today announced a new U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan program designed to assist small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, aquaculture businesses and most private nonprofit organizations located throughout the 4th Congressional District. SBA introduced this loan as a result of the severe freeze, excessive heat and drought that impacted central New Jersey from April 1st through September 19th of this year.
“For small business owners who have suffered through extreme conditions these past several months the SBA loan could be a lifeline,” said Smith, who represents parts of Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean Counties, which are included in this program. “I encourage each and every business that would qualify for this loan to apply before the deadline, June 5, 2017.”
According to the SBA, loans of up to $2 million will be available, with interest rates as low as 2.625 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 4 percent for small businesses. Terms will be up to 30 years. The SBA determines eligibility based on the size of the applicant, type of activity and its financial resources. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.
These working capital loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills that could have been paid had the disaster not occurred.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.
Congressman Smith, who represents New Jersey’s Fourth Congressional District in the House of Representatives, has offices in Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties. Inquiries regarding the SBA loan program should be directed to the Monmouth County office located at 112 Village Center Drive, Raintree Town Center, 2nd floor, (732) 780-3035, or the Hamilton Office, 4573 South Broad Street, Hamilton, (609) 585-7878.
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https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-honors-wwii-veterans-medford,MacArthur Honors WWII Veterans in Medford,2016-10-14,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom MacArthur today honored WWII veterans of South Jersey at a ceremony with family and friends in Medford, New Jersey. MacArthur introduced local WWII veteran, Col. James Roughgarden and Holocaust survivor and Army Major Ernest Kaufman of Lumberton.
“The veterans who fought for our country in World War II risked their lives so that we could live free,” said Congressman MacArthur. “Today I had the honor of recognizing the service of South Jersey’s WWII veterans in a ceremony with family and friends. Their service and triumphs are worthy of our admiration and gratitude. They fought evil —brute force, bad faith, injustice and oppression. Decades later, we still marvel at how they saved the world and honored our nation.”
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=399859,Smith to NJ Transit: Don't Allow JCP&L Power Lines,2016-10-13,2016,2016-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) testified today before the New Jersey Transit Corporation Board of Directors in an effort to convince the agency to reject the Jersey Central Power & Light Co (JCP&L) application to utilize the transit agency’s right-of-way for the proposed “Monmouth County Reliability Project.” JCP&L has proposed the 10-mile-long transmission line be placed through residential neighborhoods along NJT’s North Jersey Coast line, creating an undue burden for large numbers of people in five Monmouth County municipalities.
""Some may argue that there is little or no adverse health link to exposure to the electromagnetic fields created by these high-voltage lines, and may produce select studies that suggest that,"" said Smith, Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives’ subcommittee on global health in his expert testimony. ""But there is statistically relevant evidence--including studies--that suggest otherwise.""
Smith cited statistics from one of the several studies: “A massive French study that included all 2,779 cases of childhood acute leukemia in France over 2002-2007 and 30,000 contemporaneous population controls concluded that there were increased odds for childhood acute leukemia occurrence living within 50 meters of high voltage power lines.”
""Over my 36 years as a member of congress, I’ve been the prime author of several major Public Laws including research and services for persons with autism, assisting veterans with the Persian Gulf mystery illness, and a major amendment to help atomic veterans and their surviving widows and children,” Smith continued. “Each of those legislative initiatives had or has one thing in common—overcoming a culture of denial of the science."" Click Here to read Smith’s full testimony.
Smith explains that the so-called Monmouth County Reliability Project would create an unnecessary, lifestyle-shattering and dangerous 230-kilovolt transmission line near homes, parks, schools and places of worship in Aberdeen, Hazlet, Holmdel, Middletown and Red Bank. Reports have indicated that the transmission lines, which could be built on poles as tall as 210 feet at some points, would emit powerful electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Findings do not prove but indicate that EMFs may create an increased rate of cancer, including childhood leukemia, with the World Health Organization classifying it as ""possibly carcinogenic,"" and indicating that it is ""sufficiently strong enough"" to cause a concern.
""If NJ Transit accepts JCP&L's proposal, home values will decline significantly, causing serious economic hardship for communities that are still reeling from Superstorm Sandy,"" said Smith. ""Testimony at a 2012 congressional hearing found that in Chino Hills California, property values plummeted overnight by 17%--or more--when a project nearly identical to JCP&L's became a reality. Anyone who desires to sell or must sell due to a myriad of factors--including change of job or retirement--may not only suffer a steep loss but may have difficulty even finding a buyer.""
Smith has been helping to lead the charge to stop these harmful lines since June of this year. Over the summer, Smith walked the proposed route and met with those who lived there, including a citizen’s advocacy group dedicated to stopping the line known as RAGE (Residents Against Giant Electric), to hear firsthand how the powerline would disrupt their lives, safety and property. He believes that, given the possible health risks and strong opposition of the community, an abundance of caution must be exercised before any similar plan is put into place.
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