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://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401638,On the Ruling in the Case of Igor Bitkov,2018-12-30,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), chair of the House Subcommittee on Global Human Rights, issued the following statement on the court order for the release of Igor Bitkov: ""I welcome the news that a court in Guatemala on Friday ordered Igor Bitkov released, sentencing him to time served. I fully expect that the release of his wife and daughter, Irina and Anastasia, will likewise be forthcoming.
""That said, the original prosecution and jailing of the Bitkovs orchestrated by the Russian government in collusion with an out-of-control UN 'anti-corruption' entity, CICIG was a farce.
""There needs to be accountability. While it is up to the Guatemalans to address the flaws in the Guatemalan justice system that this case laid bare such as the extensive use of pretrial detention there are individuals in our State Department who turned a blind eye to the abuses of CICIG, an entity which we fund. This is especially egregious given the role played by Russian government actors. I renew my call for the State Department's Inspector General, as well as independent investigative journalists, to examine this thoroughly.
""The role of the Putin government in the prosecution underscores the stakes for the Bitkov family, whose plight was the subject of a hearing I chaired in April. While Friday's decision is good news, they remain in peril.Under no circumstances can they be returned to Russia. Theymust be given asylum, if not in Guatemala, then in a third country.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401633,"Washington Post op-ed by U.S. Congressman Chris Smith'The World Must Stand Against China's War on Religion'",2018-12-28,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Chris Smith, a Republican, represents New Jersey in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Mihrigul Tursunsaid she pleaded with God to end her life as her Chinese jailers increased the electrical currents coursing through her body. Tursun, aMuslim Uighurwhose escape led her to the United States in September, broke down weeping at a Nov. 28congressional hearing as sherecounted her experiencein one of China's infamouspoliticalre-educationcenters.
It is an appalling story but one that is all too familiar as existential threats to religious freedom rise in President Xi Jinping's China. The world can't ignore what's happening there. We must all stand up and oppose these human rights violations.
The ruling Chinese Communist Party has undertaken the most comprehensive attempt to manipulate and control or destroy religious communities since Chairman Mao Zedong made the eradication of religion a goal of his disastrousCultural Revolutionhalf a century ago. Now Xi, apparently fearing the power of independent religious belief as a challenge to the Communist Party's legitimacy, is trying to radically transform religion into the party's servant, employing a draconian policy known assinicization.
Under sinicization, all religions and believers must comport with and aggressively promote communist ideology or else.
To drive home the point, religious believers of every persuasion areharassed, arrested, jailed or tortured. Only the compliant are left relatively unscathed.
Bibles are burned,churches destroyed,crosses set ablaze atop church steeplesand now, under Xi, religious leaders are required to installfacial-recognition camerasin their places of worship. New regulations expand restrictions on religious expressiononlineandprohibit those under age 18 from attending services.
Government officials are also reportedlyrewritingreligious texts including the Bible that remove content unwanted by the atheist Communist Party, and have launched afive-year sinicization planfor Chinese Protestant Christians.
These efforts have taken a staggering human toll. In recent months, more than 1 million Uighurs and other Muslims in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region have been detained, tortured and forced to renounce their faith. The U.S. government is investigating recentreportsthat ethnic minorities in internment camps are being forced to produce goods bound for the United States.
Yet, despite this anti-religion campaign, the Vatican has shown a disturbing lack of alarm concerning these threats and, instead, appears to be seeking a form of accommodation. In September, Vatican officials signed a provisional agreement that essentially ceded to the Chinese government the power to choose subject to papal review every candidate for bishop in China, which has an estimated 10 million to 12 million Catholics.
Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, a retired bishop of Hong Kong, in Septembercalled the deala complete surrender by the Vatican and an incredible betrayal of the faith.
At a congressional hearing I chaired in September, Tom Farr, president of the Religious Freedom Institute,testifiedthat the government-controlled body charged with carrying out the policy, the Catholic Patriotic Association, had drafted an implementation document containing the following passage: The Church will regard promotion and education on core values of socialism as a basic requirement for adhering to the Sinicization of Catholicism. It will guide clerics and Catholics to foster and maintain correct views on history and the nation.
One can hope that Beijing has made concessions to the church that have yet to be revealed.Initial reports are less than promising. Since the agreement was reached, underground priests have been detained,Marian shrines destroyed, pilgrimage sites closed, youth programs shuttered, and priests required to attend reeducation sessions in at least one province.
The Vatican should reconsider its arrangement with the Chinese government. But what can be done more generally in response to Xi's war on religion? The United States and several European countries have condemned it, but any nation that values freedom of religion should unite in denouncing China's treatment of Muslim Uighurs, Christians, Tibetan Buddhists and Falun Gong practitioners. In particular, Muslim-majority countries, strangely muted regarding the persecution of Muslim Uighurs, must protest these abuses even at the risk of endangering the benefits from China's Belt and Roadinfrastructure projects.
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and I have urged the Trump administration to use Global Magnitsky Act sanctions to target Chinese officials responsible for egregious human rights abuses. We have sought expanded export controls for police surveillance products and sanctions against businesses profiting from the forced labor or detention of Uighurs. We have also introduced the bipartisanUyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2018to provide the administration with new tools to comprehensively address the abuse.
The United States must lead the way in letting the Chinese Communist Party know that taking a hammer and sickle to the cross and enslaving more than 1 million Uighurs in an effort to erase their religion and culture are destructive, shameful acts that will not be tolerated by the community of nations.
This op-ed was originally published in the Washington Post in print on December 28, 2018 and online on December 27, 2018, and can be found online here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-world-must-stand-against-chinas-war-on-religion/2018/12/27/115685aa-0a0f-11e9-85b6-41c0fe0c5b8f_story.html?utm_term=.1db8061bbc3c",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401632,Protecting Taxpayers and Encouraging Charitable Giving: the Charitable Giving Tax Deduction Act,2018-12-27,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Amid fresh reports that charitable giving could drop precipitously for 2018 because of the changes to the tax law, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) is calling attention to a bipartisan remedy he proposed this year and will reintroduce at the beginning of the 116th Congress.
Smith's Charitable Giving Tax Deduction Act would allow taxpayers to write off charitable donations to organizations that volunteer and assist those in need, whether or not they choose to itemize on their taxes.
Charitable organizationsincluding homeless shelters, soup kitchens, after-school programs, churches and synagoguesdepend upon the generosity of many American taxpayers to continue serving those most in need. Yet with last year's changes to the tax law many charities are facing the unintended consequences of the new policywhat could be a steep drop in donations. Just yesterday, USA Today reported concerns of organizations that say charitable giving in this year alone could decline by as much as $20 billion, Smith said.
My legislation would help remedy this problem, allowing all those who wish to donate to charity to do so whether or not they itemize, thus protecting taxpayers while encouraging continued support for groups assisting the vulnerable among us, Smith said. I plan to reintroduce this legislation in the coming Congress and look forward to its bipartisan support and swift passage.
Studies including the American Enterprise Institute's Charitable Giving and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act report predicted that charitable giving would significantly decline in 2018, due to an increase in the standard deduction in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which would result in many taxpayers no longer choosing to itemize on their taxes, which would include being able to write off charitable donations.
In May of 2018, Rep. Smith introduced HR 5771, the bipartisan Charitable Giving Tax Deduction Actwhich he plans to reintroduce in the 116th Congress. The legislation would make charitable tax deductions universal and above-the-line, providing maximum relief for those looking to donate to tax-exempt charitable organizations. The amount of charitable contributions would not be capped under the legislation.
Smith's 2018 bill has cosponsors from both parties as well as support from a consortium of charitable and faith-based organizations and philanthropic networks.
The AEI report estimated that provisions like those in Smith's bill, HR 5771which allowed taxpayers who took the standard deduction to also be able to deduct their charitable contributionscould boost charitable giving by $21.5 billion, offsetting the estimated charitable giving shortfall by several billion dollars.
Charitable organizations that supported Smith's legislation included Agudath Israel of America, the Orthodox Union, the New Jersey Catholic Conference, United Way Worldwide, the Animal Welfare Institute, the Council on Foundations, the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners, the Faith & Giving Coalition, the American Littoral Society, the New Jersey YMCA State Alliance, the Alliance for Charitable Reform, Independent Sector, and the Humane Society Legislative Fund.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401636,"NJ.com article on 3 Smith bills signed into law'These N.J. lawmakers saw their bills become law before Congress adjourned'",2018-12-25,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Johathan Salant of the Star Ledger/NJ.comIn the closing days of the 115th Congress, as lawmakers prepared to go home for Christmas, they passed dozens of bills as final deals were cut and language was tweaked to ensure passage.
Even as he negotiated with congressional leaders over legislation to keep parts of the federal government open past Friday, PresidentDonald Trumpaffixed pen to paper and signed several measures into law.
Whiletalks broke downand the parts of the governmentclosed for the third timeunder Trump's watch, Congress and the president did see other measures become law.
Dozens of lawmakers who did not seek re-election or were defeated in November skipped those votes, but not the four New Jersey Republicans who willno longer be in officecome January.
Outgoing Reps. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd Dist., Tom MacArthur, R-3rd Dist., Leonard Lance, R-7th Dist., and Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-11th Dist,, were there for every vote.
Here are some bills sponsored by N.J. lawmakers that became law in the closing days of the congressional session.
Fighting human trafficking
Rep. Chris Smith, who in January will be the only Republican among New Jersey's 12 House members, ended his tenure in the majority by seeing three bills signed into law by Trump this month.
The first, the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act, wouldrenew and strengthen effortsto stop human trafficking. The bill earmarked $430 million over four years for programs such as teaching airline employees and federal officials how to detect trafficking and coordinating international efforts to address the problem.
The bill was named for Frederick Douglass, the former slave who became an abolitionist. Douglass' great-great-great grandson, Kenneth Morris Jr., was at the press conference when Smith announced the legislation. There also was money set aside in the trafficking legislation to fundInternational Megan's Law, which President Barack Obama signed in February 2016.
The law requires the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice to inform foreign governmentswhen registered sex offenders are visitingtheir countries,andto receive information when sex offenders travel to the U.S.
Smith sponsored that bill, too. It was named for Megan Kanka,7, of Hamilton in Smith's district. She wassexually assaulted and killedin 1994 by a convicted sex offender who lived across the street.The original Megan's Law passed by the New Jersey legislature required the residents to be told when a sex offender moved into their neighborhood.
Extending federal flood insurance
Unable to make changes to the expiringfederal flood insurance program, Congress simply voted to extend the current program until May 31. The president signed the bill on Friday.
U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., was the lead Democratic sponsor of the extension,
Before passing a simple extension, the House defeated legislation sponsored by MacArthur to allow private companies who already write federal policies to also offer their own insurance to customers. While that policy had been put in place by the Trump administration, congressional Democrats didn't want to write it into law. The vote was 148 in favor and 226 against.
Reps. Frank Pallone Jr., D-6th Dist., and Bill Pascrell Jr., D-9th Dist., called the bill ""a last-minute attempt by Republicans to give an early Christmas gift to private insurance companies, including those who have taken advantage of our constituents.""
As was the case with the Republican farm bill that imposednew rules on food stamp recipientsandthe GOP tax billthat curbed the federal deduction for state and local taxes, MacArthur was the only one of the state's 12 House members to vote yes on his flood insurance measure.
He then moved that the House take up the simple extension, which passed, 315-48, with all 12 New Jersey representatives voting yes. Funding the 9/11 memorials
The U.S. House cleared legislation providing federal funding to maintain the memorials erected at the sites of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. The bill awaits Trump's signature.
MacArthur's9/11 Memorial Actwouldauthorizeup to $25 million a year in federal grants for the memorialsat Ground Zero in New York, the Pentagon, and the Pennsylvania site whereUnited Airlines Flight 93 was forced down by its passengers.
""This law will providestable funding for the security and operation of this vital memorial so that future generations may safely visit the site and never forgetthe 3,000 Americans we lost,"" MacArthur said. ""It is our solemn duty to honor the fallen and protect the living.""
It had originally passed the House by voice vote shortly after the the 17th anniversaryof 9/11.Senators made some minor changes and passed its version without opposition.
Then the House gave final approval by 371-3 on Friday,the 30th anniversaryof another terrorist attack, the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103.
Researching sickle cell disease
Trump signed legislation that would allow the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide funding to state and local agencies to collect information on sickle cell disease and develop ways to better screen for and treat it.
The Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act was sponsored by U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Tim Scott, R-S.C.
Sickle cell disease consists of rare red blood cell disorders that can cause pain, infections, organ damage and stroke. An estimated 100,000 Americans are afflicted with the disease, 90 percent of them African-American.
""Research and treatment efforts for sickle cell disease lags behind that of other chronic illnesses, even though it is the most common inherited blood disorder in our country,"" Booker said.
Researching traumatic brain injury
The measure was sponsored by Pascrell, chair and co-founder of theCongressional Brain Injury Task Force.
""This critical funding will help federal agencies, states, and local providers continue to conduct breakthrough research, while providing support to service members on and off the battlefield, athletes on the ball field, and patients and families across the country who are living with brain injuries,"" Pascrell said.
Tacking AIDS worldwide
Congress approved a five year $30 billion extension of a federally funded program designed to fight AIDS worldwide was signed into law by Trump.
Smith sponsored the extension of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.
""Each year we are closer and closer to achieving an AIDS-free world and an AIDS-free generation,"" Smith said.
The program has saved an estimated 16 million lives, Smith said.
Paying tribute
Congresspaid tributeto one of its own by naming its bill that funds and makes changes toCoast Guard operations the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act
The measure authorized fundingfor Coast Guard operations and construction for this year and next. Trump signed it into law Dec. 4.
Protecting victims of genocide
Smith had a third bill signed into law, theIraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act,which he introducedin response to mass killings of minorities, including Christians and Yazidis,by the Islamic State terrorist group, also known as ISIS.
The new law allows the federal government to fund religious and other groups that provide humanitarian assistance to survivors, identify threats of violence against members of minority groups, and support investigations of war crimes against them.
""When genocide or other atrocity crimes are perpetrated, the United States should direct some of its humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery aid to enable these groups to survive -- especially when they are minorities whose existence as a people is at-risk,"" Smith said.
This story in its original form was posted Dec. 25, 2018 and can be read online at:https://www.nj.com/expo/news/erry-2018/12/49fec061901454/these-nj-lawmakers-saw-their-b.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401626,"Bill will be Smiths fifth comprehensive law to fight human traffickingSmiths Frederick Douglass Anti-Human Trafficking Legislation Passes Congress",2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith's (R-NJ) bill authorizing $430 million over four years for a comprehensive whole-of-government effort to fight sex and labor trafficking at home and abroad cleared Congress today, marking his fifth comprehensive anti-human trafficking bill to become law.
Smith is the author of America's first human trafficking bill, the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), which he has reauthorized and/or enhanced through his subsequent legislation. The original TVPA, enacted in 2000, created a bold new strategy both domestically and internationally that included sheltering, asylum and other protections for the victims, long jail sentences and asset confiscation for the traffickers, and tough sanctions for governments that failed to meet minimum standards. Smith's legislation has served as a model for new laws in countries throughout the world.
As prime author of the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), it is an honor to present the new Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act, Smith stated during the Floor debate.
My bipartisan bill recommits the United States to fight the pure evil of human trafficking and aid trafficking victims at home and abroad for another four years, said Smith. Alongside faith communities, non-governmental organizations, and private businesses, we are fighting harder and smarter than ever before.
Smith's new legislation, co-sponsored by Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA), the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act (HR 2200), originally passed the House with full reauthorization for all agencies that were originally funded through the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 and its subsequent reauthorizations.
Named for the abolitionist Frederick Douglass on his 200th birthday, Smith's HR 2200 would reauthorize $430 million in current appropriated funds to bolster an integrated, whole-of-government response to fight human trafficking.
In the fight to end modern day slavery, the new bill honors the extraordinary legacy of one of the greatest Americans who ever lived, Smith said. Born a slave in 1818we celebrated the 200th anniversary of his birth this yearFrederick Douglass escaped slavery when he was 20 and dedicated his entire life to abolishing slavery and, after emancipation, to ending Jim Crow laws and lynching, all while struggling for full equality. A gifted orator, author, editor, statesman (and Republican), he died in 1895.
This whole-of-government effort to fight trafficking in Smith's bill includes:
Age-appropriate prevention education for children;
Shelter, therapy, and reintegration for trafficking victims;
Facilitation of trafficking-free supply chains in U.S. commerce;
Training of U.S. government officials and airline industry employees to better identify and prevent possible cases of trafficking, and;
Oversight to ensure that U.S. government purchases are not employing traffickers.
The Frederick Douglass legislation authorizes funding for the following:
$18 million over three years to DHS and DOJ and State to fund the International Megan's Law
$78 million over four years to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to:
o Ensure that children in the U.S. are educated in an age appropriate manner on how to avoid becoming victims of sex and labor trafficking; and
o Provide U.S. Citizen and Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) and foreign victims with 24/7 access to rescue and assistance through the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
$20 million over four years to the Department of Labor (DOL) to:
o Facilitate trafficking-free supply chains in private businesses and U.S. government purchases; and
o Inform DHS of imports that may contain trafficked products, to prevent their entry into the United States.
$315 million over four years to the Department of State (DOS) for their work to:
o Support the training of U.S. and foreign law enforcement officials to better combat human trafficking;
o Write the annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report and encourage credible and effective use of the Report to hold countries accountable in the fight against human trafficking;
o Engage diplomatically with countries to help them improve their trafficking laws and implementation;
o Help countries develop better referral and assistance programs for rescued sex and labor trafficking victims;
o Improve coordination of government and civil society efforts abroad to fight child trafficking;
o Convene the President's Interagency Task Force and coordinate the efforts of various U.S. government agencies to fight human trafficking at home and abroad;
o Create a special complaint mechanism in embassies whereby the U.S. is warned of traffickers exploiting the U.S. entry system;
o Prevent abuse of domestic servants in embassies and diplomatic homes in the U.S.;
o Encourage USAID to integrate human trafficking prevention into disaster relief;
o Assist foreign countries in meeting the minimum standards to eliminate human trafficking; and
o Assist foreign victims of human trafficking.
$1 million over four years to train airport personnel, flight attendants, and pilots to recognize and report to law enforcement potential trafficking victims in transit
The legislation has been endorsed by a consortium of faith-based and non-profit groups including the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives, Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST), Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), Coalition to Abolish Slavery & Trafficking (CAST), End Child Prostitution and Trafficking (ECPAT-USA), Free the Slaves, Futures Without Violence, International Justice Mission (IJM), National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA), National Network for Youth (NN4Y), Polaris, Safe Horizon, Solidarity Center, Verit, Vital Voices Global Partnership, Rights4Girls, Shared Hope International, Amb. Swanee Hunt, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW), National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Equality Now, and U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
The bipartisan legislation has been cosponsored by Members from both parties, including original cosponsors Reps. Karen Bass (D-CA), Ed Royce (R-CA), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Susan Brooks (R-IN), Lois Frankel (D-FL), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Tony Cardenas (D-CA), Ted Poe (R-TX), and Ryan Costello (R-PA).
Smith has previously authored four landmark anti-trafficking laws:
Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA-Public Law 106-386)
Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-193)
Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-164)
International Megan's Law of 2016 (Public Law 114-119)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401629,On the Upcoming Elections in Nigeria,2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"On the Upcoming Elections in Nigeria
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Rep. Christopher Smith, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, issued the following statement with regard to presidential and national assembly elections to be held in Nigeria on February 16, 2019, and ongoing violence largely attributable to Fulani extremists:
I am very concerned by the current trajectory in Nigeria, Africa's largest democracy and economy, and President Muhamadu Buhari's apparent crackdown on non-violent protests and harassment of opposition leaders, such as freezing the assets of opposition vice presidential candidate Peter Obi and the raiding of the home of two sons of opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar. I call upon the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that elections will be free and fair, and for the Commission to remain impartial. I further call upon President Buhari to use his authority to end the violence perpetrated by Fulani extremists, particularly in the Middle Belt region, and question why he has failed to do so. I also urge the Trump Administration to monitor the evolving situation closely, and not to hesitate to use its sanctioning authority to hold accountable any officials who subvert the electoral process or foment violence against citizens.
Smith chaired a hearing on Nigeria on December 13, 2018, entitled Nigeria at a Crossroads: The Upcoming Election. He has repeatedly called attention to extremist violence and has called upon President Buhari to use his authority to put a stop to it.
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401630,On the Delay of Elections in the DRC,2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Christopher Smith, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, issued the following statement with regard to a delay in elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo that had been scheduled for Sunday, December 23:
I find the postponement of electionsattributed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo's electoral commission, or CENI, to technical' difficultiesto be utterly disingenuous. Responsibility rests with Joseph Kabila and his government, which have already delayed elections by two years, to be prepared for free and fair elections followed by a constitutionally-mandated transfer of power. Delay is denial, and the Congolese people have long been denied their most vital civil and political rightthe free ballot. I call upon Joseph Kabila to proceed with elections and order his forces not to engage in violence. I also call upon President Trump to utilize his existing authority to sanction President Kabila, and any other members of his government who use violence against the Congolese people or otherwise deny them their fundamental civil and political right to vote.
Smith also noted with concern the partial evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Kinshasa, and a security alert that strongly urged US Citizens to leave the DRC. He further called upon the Senate to pass HR 6207, the Democratic Republic of the Congo Democracy and Accountability Act of 2018, which he authored. The DRC Democracy and Accountability Act underscores the seriousness with which Congress and the Administration view the actions of Kabila and his cronies. There is added urgency in addressing Congo now, given the outbreak of Ebola and the specter of renewed civil war. It is important for us in Congress to speak with a loud, clear and distinct voice on the suffering the people of the DRC are enduring.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-statement-secretary-mattis,Congressman MacArthur Statement on Secretary Mattis,2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Congressman Tom MacArthur released the following statement on Secretary Mattis: Secretary Mattis is a true patriot. His lifetime of service reflects his love of country and commitment to the men and women of our Armed Forces.He has made our nation stronger and safer and he will always have our gratitude. The Secretary is right that to protect our own interests, we must strengthen our alliances with other nations. We also cannot ignore the real threat from adversaries like China, Iran and Russia. I hope in this new year and in the years to come, we continue to prioritize and build up our alliances, while staying focused on deterring all forms of aggression from bad actors.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthurs-911-memorial-act-become-law,Congressman MacArthur's 9/11 Memorial Act to Become Law,2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.After four years of championing this cause, Congressman Tom MacArthur's bipartisan bill,the 9/11 Memorial Act,will become law. Yesterday the Senate passed the9/11 Memorial Actwitha minoramendment and this afternoon, the House passed the final bill with overwhelming bipartisan support. It is now heading to the President to be signed into law. In both the 114th and115th Congress, MacArthurintroduced and ledthis legislationto providefunding for thesecurity, operation,and maintenance of the 9/11 and 1993 World Trade Center bombing memorial site in New York City. Until now, the memorial has been funded through private donations,creating concern that funding shortfalls could leave the site with inadequate security and expose visitors to danger. ""On what could be my last day oflegislating in this Congress, I am glad to see Congress fulfill our commitment to the victims, survivors, families, and heroes of September 11, 2001. I was working in New York City on 9/11 and like so many South Jerseyans and Americans across the country, Isharedin the devastation and pain of thatterribleday,""said Congressman MacArthur.""This law will providestable funding for the security and operation of this vital memorial so that future generations may safely visit the site and never forgetthe 3,000 Americans we lost. It is our solemn duty to honor the fallen and protect the living, and it is humbling to see my House and Senate colleagues come together for a cause so near and dear to the lives of millions.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-fights-south-jerseyans-extends-nfip,"MacArthur Fights for South Jerseyans, Extends NFIP",2018-12-21,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Congressman Tom MacArthur brought legislation to the House floor that extends the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) through May 31, 2019. Without his efforts, the NFIP would lapse at midnight tonight. The Senate previously passed this legislation and it now heads to the President's desk for signature into law.
My time in Congress is coming to an end, but I will continue fighting for South Jerseyans through the finish line. The NFIP, which is slated to lapse tonight at midnight, provides flood insurance coverage for my constituents in Ocean and Burlington Counties, as well as the 140 million Americans living in coastal counties across the nation, said Congressman MacArthur. Through all of the chaos in Washington, I am grateful to get this done for those I've represented in Congress for the past four years. While this chapter in my life closes, it is my hope that the attention we've brought to this issue will soon result in a new chapter for the NFIP with increased stability, greater accountability, and affordable coverage for South Jerseyans.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401627,Statement of Smith and Rubio on Impending Verdict in Trial of Igor Bitkov,2018-12-20,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations, and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security, Democracy, Human Rights, and Global Women's Issues, released the following statement on the impending verdict in the trial of Igor Bitkov in Guatemala:
In April of this year, we learned about the plight of the Bitkov family in Guatemala and their highly unjust imprisonment that was orchestrated by CICIG.
This case exemplifies Russia's interference in international organizations and internal Guatemalan affairs. Our concerns were so great that a decision was taken to suspend US Government funding to CICIG.
The Bitkov family was subsequently released from prison and apparently vindicated after the Constitutional Court ruled in their favor. US Government funding to CICIG was restored in September.
It is now alarming to learn that CICIG and the Guatemalan prosecutors are re-trying Igor Bitkov on the same questionable charges. We understand that the presiding judge is due to deliver her verdict tomorrow. CICIG and the prosecutors have recommended that Igor Bitkov serve another 14 years in jail followed by expulsion to Russia.
If this sentence materializes, we will look at all available tools to rectify such a grave injustice.
In May 2018, Rubio placed a hold on U.S. funds to International Commission on Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG).",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401611,'Nigeria at a Crossroads: The Upcoming Election',2018-12-13,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, delivered excerpts of the following remarks at a Subcommittee hearing he chaired on ""Nigeria At a Crossroads: The Upcoming Election"" on Thursday, Dec. 13:
Today's hearing will come to order.
I would like to thank both of our very distinguished witnesses, Ambassador Tibor Nagy and Ramsay Day, for doing double duty two days straight. You were here just yesterday, doing what I thought was a tremendous job for our Africa-wide Committee hearing, and today with a very specific focus on Nigeria. So thank you, above all for your leadership, but also for spending a considerable amount of time with the full committee and now the subcommittee.
The reason why we have called you back is to focus on Nigeria, and let me say how we do believe that the upcoming election is an inflection point, February 19, 2019. It could be a great day, and we're hoping it will be, but there are still some unanswered questions. Perhaps you can provide some insights into those questions.
Nigeria is so large and robustas often has been said, as Nigeria goes, so goes Africa. Having been there so many times, I believe that's true. And wonderful, wonderful people, there's a great deal of faith there, Muslim and Christian. But there are also some besetting problems brought by a minority number of people, that continues to plague the large masses of people who suffer from those problems. It's economic and political leadership in sub-Saharan Africa is extremely important. A stable and prosperous Nigeria contributes to stable and prosperous neighbors. Conversely, an unstable Nigeria wracked by poverty and violence does not contribute to well-being of its own citizens or its neighbors, but rather can lead to their destabilization.
Nigeria today is clearly at a crossroads. We see continuing violence along ethnic and religious lines, exacerbated by economic, social and political tensions, coinciding with this upcoming major election.
The incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari, is seeking a second consecutive term but in a way it's his third overall, if you count the fact that he served as head of state from 1983 to 1985 following a military coup which installed him.
President Buhari won election in 2015 in part because he promised to end Nigeria's endemic corruption and defeat the terror group Boko Haram. Since then, however, he has frankly disappointed. While Boko Haram has been somewhat contained, it still remains a threat, though in terms of actual violence, the death toll attributable to Boko Haram now surpassed by clashes instigated in large part by well-armed Fulani extremists, which are often labeled herder-farmer violence. In the first half of 2018, per the International Crisis Group, over 1,300 Nigerians have been killed in this conflict in Nigeria's Middle Belta horrible loss of life.
Though the greatest number of victims in this particular conflict are Christian farmers, other groups in the country have suffered, including Nigeria's Shia Muslims in the State of Kaduna, who were targeted by government forces in 2015 in what is known as the Zaria Massacre. Igbo who predominantly come from the South and who still remember the brutal war for Biafran independence nearly half a century ago, also feel alienation, particularly after a call in 2017 by a radical group for Igbo to be cleansed from northern Nigeria and forced to return to their traditional homeland in the South.
I and many others are very concerned about the apparent inability or perhaps even reluctance of the Nigerian federal government under President Buhari to stop the violence or even, at times, to unequivocally condemn the attacks. This concern is exacerbated by the fact that in any election politicians seek to maximize the support of their base, and in this particular case, it is President Buhari's ethnic and religious base which is contributing to much of the tension.
Thus it is critically important that political leaders such as President Buhari, religious leaders such as the Sultan of Sokoto, and institutions such as the cattleman's association Miyetti Allah all of whom have influence among the Fulani unequivocally condemn attacks and use their power and influence to promote peace and reconciliation.
In that regard, there have been a number of proposals aimed at promoting peace which should be commended. As President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Saraki, who is in the audience todayand we welcome and thank him for being hereis himself a Muslim leader, one who sought to create the Religious Equity Commission, which aims at promoting peace among different religious groups.
In one of the many trips I made to Nigeria, I met Archbishop Kaigama, the Archbishop of Jos, which was the center of much of the conflict in where many of the churches were firebombed. We met with survivors from those churches. Archbishop Kaigama worked closely with the imam who was his counterpart in humanitarian and peace-building projectsI can tell you the respect and admiration for each other was actually awe-inspiring, they both said nothing but superlatives in how they wanted to work together for peace in the Jos area.
Thus there are a number of hopeful initiatives in Nigeria which can be built upon. I am looking forward to hearing from our two very distinguished witnesses today about what our government is doing to promote peace and stability in Nigeria, and what we are doing to help ensure a free and fair election, followed by depending on the outcome a peaceful transition of power. And let me also say how we're all looking forward to insight you can provide to the Subcommittee, fresh on the heels of the framework that was announced this morning, which I hope you will spend some time conveying your impressions of it, and where it will lead in terms of U.S. policy.
I'd like to now yield to my good friend and colleague Karen Bass.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-statement-farm-bill,Congressman MacArthur Statement on Farm Bill,2018-12-13,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Congressman Tom MacArthur released the following statement regarding the final passage of the 2018 Farm Bill: ""I once again voiced my support for America's farmers and ranchers and voted to pass the 2018 Farm Bill. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation not only makes necessary reforms and provides stability to our nation's agriculture industry, it also expands trade opportunities, provides affordable crop insurance that is critical to protect New Jersey farms, and improves conservation programsall vital pieces that support our state's farming industry.Also,this Farm Bill provides a safety net for those in our community who would not otherwise have access to nutritious food sources. I was the only member of the New Jersey delegation to back this bill from the beginning, and I am proud to once again stand with our state's farmers and agriculture community.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401600,"Law will ensure relief for ISIS genocide survivors, accountability for perpetratorsSmiths Bill to Help Genocide Victims Will Become Law Today",2018-12-11,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith's (R-NJ) legislation to ensure ISIS genocide victims in Iraq and Syria receive humanitarian relief and hold the perpetrators accountable for their crimes will be signed into law by the President today.
When genocide or other atrocity crimes are perpetrated, the United States should direct some of its humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery aid to enable these groups to surviveespecially when they are minorities whose existence as a people is at-risk, Smith stated. My law would codify this commitment and help ensure our actions match our words. The future of endangered religious and ethnic minorities targeted by ISIS for genocide, and pluralism in the Middle East, will depend on help from the United States.
Among other key provisions, Smith's lawthe Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Actauthorizes and directs the Administration to:
Fund entities, including faith-based ones, that are providing humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery aid on-the-ground to genocide survivors from religious and ethnic minorities;
Assess and address the humanitarian vulnerabilities, needs, and triggers that might force these survivors to flee;
Identify warning signs of deadly violence against religious and ethnic minority communities in Iraq or Syria that have been victims of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes;
Support entities conducting criminal investigation into ISIS perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Iraq including collecting and preserving evidence that links specific perpetrators to specific atrocity crimes and is usable in a range of courts; and
Encourage foreign governments to add identifying information about suspected ISIS perpetrators to their security databases and security screening and to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators.
Smith introduced the legislation, HR 390, in the House after he led a human rights mission to Iraq in December of 2016 at the invitation of Archbishop Bashar Warda of the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil. There the U.S. delegation met with genocide survivors, religious leaders, aid workers from the Archdiocese, and officials from the U.S., other governments and the United Nations, and non-governmental organizations.
They needed our help. They were not getting enough food. They were not getting enough medicine, and their shelter was very meager, to say the least, Smith said. It was clear then, as it is now, that local overstretched, underfunded groups on the ground were being forced to fill a huge gap, like the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, supported by the Knights of Columbus under the extraordinary leadership of Carl Anderson and by Aid to the Church in Need.
Less than 200,000 Christians remain in Iraq, down from 1.4 million in 2002 and 500,000 in 2013, before ISIS swept through the region on its genocidal campaign. Many of the remaining Christians in Iraq are displaced, mostly in Erbil in the Kurdistan region, and need assistance to return to their homes and stay in Iraq. After the ISIS invasion, 60,000 Yazidis fled to Europe, and of the 550,000 Yazidis still in Iraq, 280,000 remain displaced and only 20 percent have been able to return to their historic homeland of Sinjar, according to the Yazdi organization Yazda. Those displaced will also need assistance to return to their homes.
HR 390 was co-sponsored by members from both parties in the House, and leading faith-based groups and religious and human rights leaders support the legislation, including Nadia Murad, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Yezidi survivor of ISIS slavery, and all four of the former Ambassadors-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, who span Republican and Democratic administrations. (Click hereto see the full list of cosponsors and supportive groups.)
Beginning in September of 2013, Smith has chaired 10 congressional hearings focused in whole or in part on Christians, Yazidis, and other religious and ethnic minorities targeted by ISIS for genocide and other atrocity crimes. After these genocide survivors had not received direct aid from the U.S., Smith introduced HR 5961 on September 8, 2016 to ensure they would receive U.S. aid and to support criminal investigations into the ISIS perpetrators.
In January of 2017, Smith introduced a strengthened version of the legislation, HR 390. It passed the House unanimously in June of 2017, and more than a year later, passed the Senate on October 11, 2018. The House passed the amended version of the legislation on November 27, and the President will sign it into law next week at the White House.
We must move quickly to implement this, Smith said. Archbishop Warda, the head of Chaldean Catholic Church there, told me that Christians in Iraq are still at the brink of extinction. HR 390 is vital to our survivalimplementation must be full and fast. Otherwise, the help it provides will be too late for us.'",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401601,"Law will ensure relief for ISIS genocide survivors, accountability for perpetratorsSmiths Bill to Help Genocide Victims Becomes Law",2018-12-11,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith's (R-NJ) legislation to ensure ISIS genocide victims in Iraq and Syria receive humanitarian relief and hold the perpetrators accountable for their crimes will be signed into law by the President today.
When genocide or other atrocity crimes are perpetrated, the United States should direct humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery aid to enable these groups to surviveespecially when they are minorities whose existence as a people is at-risk, Smith stated. My law would codify this commitment and help ensure our actions match our words. The future of endangered religious and ethnic minorities targeted by ISIS for genocide, and pluralism in the Middle East, will depend on help from the United States.
Among other key provisions, Smith's lawthe Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Actauthorizes and directs the Administration to:
Fund entities, including faith-based ones, that are providing humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery aid on-the-ground to genocide survivors from religious and ethnic minorities;
Assess and address the humanitarian vulnerabilities, needs, and triggers that might force these survivors to flee;
Identify warning signs of deadly violence against religious and ethnic minority communities in Iraq or Syria that have been victims of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes;
Support entities conducting criminal investigation into ISIS perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Iraq including collecting and preserving evidence that links specific perpetrators to specific atrocity crimes and is usable in a range of courts; and
Encourage foreign governments to add identifying information about suspected ISIS perpetrators to their security databases and security screening and to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators.
Smith introduced the legislation, HR 390, in the House after he led a human rights mission to Iraq in December of 2016 at the invitation of Archbishop Bashar Warda of the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil. There the U.S. delegation met with genocide survivors, religious leaders, aid workers from the Archdiocese, and officials from the U.S., other governments and the United Nations, and non-governmental organizations.
They needed our help. They were not getting enough food. They were not getting enough medicine, and their shelter was very meager, to say the least, Smith said. It was clear then, as it is now, that local overstretched, underfunded groups on the ground were being forced to fill a huge gap, like the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, supported by the Knights of Columbus under the extraordinary leadership of Carl Anderson and by Aid to the Church in Need.
Less than 200,000 Christians remain in Iraq, down from 1.4 million in 2002 and 500,000 in 2013, before ISIS swept through the region on its genocidal campaign. Many of the remaining Christians in Iraq are displaced, mostly in Erbil in the Kurdistan region, and need assistance to return to their homes and stay in Iraq. After the ISIS invasion, 60,000 Yazidis fled to Europe, and of the 550,000 Yazidis still in Iraq, 280,000 remain displaced and only 20 percent have been able to return to their historic homeland of Sinjar, according to the Yazdi organization Yazda. Those displaced will also need assistance to return to their homes.
HR 390 was co-sponsored by members from both parties in the House, and leading faith-based groups and religious and human rights leaders support the legislation, including Nadia Murad, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Yezidi survivor of ISIS slavery, and all four of the former Ambassadors-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, who span Republican and Democratic administrations. (Click hereto see the full list of cosponsors and supportive groups.)
Beginning in September of 2013, Smith has chaired 10 congressional hearings focused in whole or in part on Christians, Yazidis, and other religious and ethnic minorities targeted by ISIS for genocide and other atrocity crimes. After these genocide survivors had not received direct aid from the U.S., Smith introduced HR 5961 on September 8, 2016 to ensure they would receive U.S. aid and to support criminal investigations into the ISIS perpetrators.
In January of 2017, Smith introduced a strengthened version of the legislation, HR 390. It passed the House unanimously in June of 2017, and more than a year later, passed the Senate on October 11, 2018. The House passed the amended version of the legislation on November 27, and the President will sign it into law next week at the White House.
We must move quickly to implement this, Smith said. Archbishop Warda, the head of Chaldean Catholic Church there, told me that Christians in Iraq are still at the brink of extinction. HR 390 is vital to our survivalimplementation must be full and fast. Otherwise, the help it provides will be too late for us.'",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401602,Smiths Extension of Life-Saving HIV/AIDS Program Becomes Law,2018-12-11,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith's (R-NJ) five-year, $30 billion extension of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was signed into law by President Donald Trump today at the White House, continuing a successful program that has saved tens of millions of lives.
Each year we are closer and closer to achieving an AIDS-free world, and an AIDS-free generation, and my law will bring us one giant step closer to achieving this goal, Smith stated. So much has been accomplished since the beginning of PEPFAR 15 years agomore than 16 million lives have been saved because of the program.
And yet much more remains to be doneevery week, according to UNAIDS approximately 19,000 people die of AIDS-related illnesses. Roughly 37 million people around the world are infected with HIV, Smith said. This law continues the fight against HIV/AIDS with the hope of one day eradicating this epidemic.
Smith's PEPFAR Extension Act of 2018 extends for five years and $30 billion a successful international AIDS relief program that has saved an estimated 16 million lives.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of PEPFAR, the U.S. government's effort to fight global HIV/AIDS which began under President Bush and has continued under the Obama Administration and into the Trump Administration. The program is a bipartisan success story:
Under PEPFAR, the U.S. has invested more than $80 billion in bilateral HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis programs and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria;
PEPFAR has emphasized a long-term approach to treating HIV/AIDS, funding specific training of health care workers in partner countries. In 2017, PEPFAR invested nearly $600 million in health care systems;
To learn from the best in innovation and expertise in fighting HIV/AIDS, PEPFAR leverages public-private partnerships by working with many organizations from international to local levels: foreign governments, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, multilateral institutions, international organizations, civil society and faith-based organizations, and people living with HIV;
PEPFAR uses data to more effectively determine the populations at the highest risk of HIV/AIDS, and target those populations for treatment and prevention;
Since 2003, PEPFAR has saved an estimated 16 million lives, and global AIDS-related deaths have fallen in half since 2005;
13 countries today are on track to control their HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2020;
Before PEPFAR, only some 50,000 people in Africa had access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment. Now, approximately 14 million receive treatment for HIV/AIDS;
Thanks to antiretrovirals, some 2.2 million babies have been born HIV-free to HIV positive mothers;
Since the start of PEPFAR new HIV infections have declined between 41-76%.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401603,"President signs Smiths legislation extending PEPFAR, helping genocide victimsTwo Smith Bills Become Law",2018-12-11,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"President Donald Trump signed two bills authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) into law on Tuesday: a five-year, $30 billion extension of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act, legislation to ensure ISIS genocide victims in Iraq and Syria receive humanitarian relief and hold the perpetrators accountable for their crimes.
Smith's Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act was introduced in the House over two years ago, after he chaired 10 congressional hearings focused in whole or in part on Christians, Yazidis, and other religious and ethnic minorities targeted by ISIS in Iraq and Syria for genocide and other atrocity crimes. These genocide survivors had not received direct aid from the U.S., and Smith introduced his legislation first in 2016, and again in 2017 (after he led a human rights mission to Erbil, Iraq) to ensure they would receive U.S. aid and to support criminal investigations into the ISIS perpetrators.
Among other key provisions, the law authorizes and directs the Administration to:
Fund entities, including faith-based ones, that are providing humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery aid on-the-ground to genocide survivors from religious and ethnic minorities;
Assess and address the humanitarian vulnerabilities, needs, and triggers that might force these survivors to flee;
Identify warning signs of deadly violence against religious and ethnic minority communities in Iraq or Syria that have been victims of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes;
Support entities conducting criminal investigation into ISIS perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Iraq including collecting and preserving evidence that links specific perpetrators to specific atrocity crimes and is usable in a range of courts; and
Encourage foreign governments to add identifying information about suspected ISIS perpetrators to their security databases and security screening and to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators.
Smith's PEPFAR Extension Act of 2018a five-year, $30 billion extension of PEPFARwas also signed into law by the President today, continuing a successful program that has saved over 16 million lives.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of PEPFAR, the U.S. government's effort to fight global HIV/AIDS which began under President Bush and has continued under the Obama Administration and into the Trump Administration. The program is a bipartisan success story:
Under PEPFAR, the U.S. has invested more than $80 billion in bilateral HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis programs and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria;
PEPFAR has emphasized a long-term approach to treating HIV/AIDS, funding specific training of health care workers in partner countries. In 2017, PEPFAR invested nearly $600 million in health care systems;
To learn from the best in innovation and expertise in fighting HIV/AIDS, PEPFAR leverages public-private partnerships by working with many organizations from international to local levels: foreign governments, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, multilateral institutions, international organizations, civil society and faith-based organizations, and people living with HIV;
PEPFAR uses data to more effectively determine the populations at the highest risk of HIV/AIDS, and target those populations for treatment and prevention;
Since 2003, PEPFAR has saved an estimated 16 million lives, and global AIDS-related deaths have fallen in half since 2005;
13 countries today are on track to control their HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2020;
Before PEPFAR, only some 50,000 people in Africa had access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment. Now, approximately 14 million receive treatment for HIV/AIDS;
Thanks to antiretrovirals, some 2.2 million babies have been born HIV-free to HIV positive mothers;
Since the start of PEPFAR new HIV infections have declined between 41-76%.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401604,"State Dept releases CPC designationsSmith Welcomes Designation of Russia on State Depts Religious Freedom Special Watch List",2018-12-11,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House global human rights subcommittee, on Tuesday welcomed the State Department's inclusion of Russia on its religious freedom Special Watch List for governments that engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom.
The violations of religious freedom in Russia are real, thoroughly documented, and at times brutal, Smith stated at a hearing he chaired of the Helsinki Commission on Religious Freedom in Eurasia Tuesday. The Russian government deserves thisand next year we should consider carefully whether it belongs on the list of Countries of Particular Concernthe CPC' list for the worst of the worst.
The Secretary of State designates governments that have engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom as Countries of Particular Concern, (CPC) and the State Department issued its annual CPC designations on Tuesday.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo re-designated Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as CPCs, and added Pakistan to the CPC list.
This Administration has had the courage to hold Pakistan accountable for Pakistan's persistent and systemic failures to protect the civil and human rights of religious minorities, said Smith. This designation gives hope and voice to suffering Shia, Christian, Hindu, Ahmadi, and other minority citizens whose very presence counters religious extremism in Pakistan.
Secretary Pompeo also designated Russia, Comoros and Uzbekistan on the Special Watch List, a category created by an act authored by Smith, the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, signed into law in 2016, for governments that have engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom. The Secretary also designated al-Nusra Front, al-Qa'ida in the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qa'ida, al-Shabab, Boko Haram, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan, and the Taliban as Entities of Particular Concern (EPC), another category created by Smith's law for non-state entities which are among the worst offenders of religious freedom.
The CPC and EPC (Entities of Particular Concern) designations carry with them legal tools, such as sanctions, for the U.S. to use to hold the worst offenders of religious freedom accountable for their violations. Smith's international religious freedom law also provides the President and the State Department with more resources to promote religious freedom abroad.
Also absent from the CPC list was Vietnam, despite repeated recommendations from the bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom that it be designated as a CPC. Vietnam was on the CPC list from 2004 until 2006, when it was removed.
Vietnam was not designated as a country of particular concerna significant omission,'Smith said. The Administration should condition assistance on improvements in religious freedom and related human rights in Vietnam.
Smith said that Turkey should also be designated as a country of particular concernthe bad actor list, and therefore subject to sanctionsfor its unjust detention of American pastor Andrew Brunson for more than two years before his release in October; the government's refusal to renew visas or other permits to over 100 pastors; the repression of Orthodox Christians including the desecration, vandalizing, or demolishing of hundreds of Greek Orthodox and Christian churches, chapels and monasteries in Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus; and the government's meddling in the affairs of Christian and Jewish authorities.
Taken together, this litany of longstanding and flagrant religious freedom violations strikes me as abundant justification for the Administration to designate Turkey as a Country of Particular Concern, orat a minimumas a Special Watch List country, Smith stated.
Uzbekistan, which was designated as a CPC in 2017, was moved to the Special Watch List, one tier below the CPC designation on the scale of gravity of religious freedom violations.
Smith noted that the governments of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan all three use sweeping counter-extremism authorities to target broad categories of individuals engaging in unsanctioned religious practice. Uzbekistan holds thousands of individuals in custody for such infractions. Meanwhile, Turkmenistan continues its heinous practice of holding untold scores of prisoners incommunicado in abject conditions after trials in secret courts.
Smith is also the author of theIraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act whichwas signed into law by the President on Tuesday. Smith's law would ensure that U.S. assistance reaches religious minorities like Christians and Yazidis targeted for genocide in Iraq and Syria, and that the ISIS perpetrators are held accountable.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401592,"CSPAN Provides National Coverage of Smith Hearing on Int'l Child Abductions'Reviewing International Parental Child Abduction'",2018-12-10,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"I want to thank all of you for joining us this afternoon to discuss the continuing crisis of international parental child abduction and how the Trump Administration can and must use current law more aggressively to bring American children home to their families.
I especially want to thank the brave left-behind parents in this room and hundreds of others who are here in spirit for tenaciously struggling to recover their child or children from an abduction. The deleterious physical and psychological impact on abducted children including parental alienation coupled with the pain and agony endured by a left-behind parent from a forced, illegal and inhumane abduction demands more effective U. S. government action.
Today we will here from three extraordinary parents who have left no stone unturned in the noble quest of bringing their kids home. Out of deep love and concern for the safety and well-being of their children, all three parentsJeffrey Morehouse, Juan Garaioca and Michelle Littletoncontinue to strive and hope and believe.
All three parentsand far too many others like themdaily endure the absolute nightmare of having had their beloved children kidnapped and taken to a foreign land.
We can and must do better.
Child abduction is child abuse, and it continues to plague thousands of families across the United States. Each year, more than 450 new children are abducted, adding to the 11,000 children who were abducted internationally between 2008 and 2017. Watch video of the hearing below:
**CSPAN also covered Chairman Smith's hearing live. Clickhereto watch** The good news. Since Congress adopted legislation I wrote in 2014, the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act (Public Law 113-150), we have seen a reduction in the number of new abductions each year. In fact, 450 is half of the number 10 years ago.
According to the State Department's Annual Report on International Child Abduction for 2018, the State Department's Prevention Team has been working with the Department of Homeland Security as directed by the Goldman Act to protect vulnerable children from abduction. Last year, 210 very high-risk children were enrolled in the DHS prevention program, an increase of 60 percent over 2016.
We have also seen some high-profile federal criminal prosecutions of taking parents and their accomplices, such as the prosecution and conviction of Carlos and Jemima Guimaraes for assisting in the kidnapping of their grandson, Nico Brann, to Brazil five years ago. These prosecution efforts of the DOJ and FBI are incredibly important not only for holding perpetrators accountable and for driving home the seriousness of international child abductionbut also for deterring future abductions.
Ask anyone who works in this field or any left behind parent and they will tell you that international child abductions are very difficult to resolve, even with the 77 countries that have partnered with the United States in the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Two hundred and fifteen children came home last year; every return is a hard-won celebration and should not be minimized.
But every case resolved without return must be scrutinized. One hundred ninety-seven cases were closed without return. Did the parent agree to let the child stay abroad because they could not afford the financial and emotional cost of fighting in a foreign court for years on end? Did the foreign court expansively read the Hague Convention exceptions to return so that living in an apartment counted as a grave risk of harm, such as Japan's courts held in the Cook family case?
The Hague Convention was intended to minimize trauma to children and left behind parents, returning children to their home country for custody determinations quicklybut it is regularly flouted without consequence to the violating country.
Tragically, the State Department has persistently refused to use the return tools in the Goldman Act as envisioned by Congress to enforce the Hague Convention, and to move non-Hague countries to bilateral resolution agreements with the United States.
A 42% return rate of American children within two years of abduction cries out for improvement. We can and must do better!
The Goldman Act empowers the Secretary of State with significant sanctions that must utilized including the authority to: withdraw, limit, or suspend U.S. development, security, or economic support assistance; delay or cancel one or more bilateral working, official, or state visits; extradite the taking parent, which puts pressure on the parent to return the child; or to come up with their own action that would have positive effect.
To my knowledge, extradition has been used once and the other options not at all. That's got to change.
At a Senate hearing on April 24, 2018, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Consular Affairs testified Carl Risch testified that the State Department consider[s] all the tools the (Goldman) Act provides for the most effective way to make progress with particular countries. However, more than 2,000 cases after the Goldman Act was signed, the State Department has apparently never found a case where the tools would be helpfulnot even the cases where the foreign courts have decided on return, but just failed to enforce.
Devon Davenport has won all 24 appeals over the last 9 years for the return of his daughter Nadia from Brazilshe is still not home. Dr. Brann has been waiting 5 years for the return of his son, Nico from Brazil.
We have 100 American children abducted to India, with almost no hope of return home without the United States choosing to take real action, such as lowering the number of visas available to Indian citizens until abducted American children are returned.
While Japan was finally named non-compliant by the Trump Administration in this year's annual report, Japan is still not held accountable for the dozens of cases that were pending before it signed the Hague Convention in 2014.
I believe the Trump Administration can and must do better with backing of the Hague Convention, bilateral agreements, and requests for cooperation in return of abduction children with the actions described in the Goldman Act. Goldman Act actions were intended to get resultsuse the sanctions, Mr. Presidentbecause we can and must do better.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-co-leads-bipartisan-letter-opposing-trump-administration%E2%80%99s-renewed-efforts,LoBiondo Co-Leads Bipartisan Letter Opposing Trump Administrations Renewed Efforts to Permit Seismic Airgun Testing Off South Jersey,2018-12-07,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"MAYS LANDING, N.J. A staunch defender of South Jersey's pristine environment, U.S. Congressman Frank LoBiondo (NJ-02) this week joined with his colleagues Congressmen John Rutherford (FL-04), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), and Don Beyer (VA-08) in leading a bipartisan letter of 93 members of the House of Representatives opposing the Trump Administration's recent announcement to allow five companies to bid for the rights to conduct seismic airgun blasting in the Atlantic Ocean.
Seismic airgun pulses are loud, repetitive, explosive sounds used to identify oil and gas reservoirs deep in the ocean floor. Sound travels so efficiently under water that seismic blasts can cause hearing damage, stress, and other harm to numerous aquatic species, including the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.
The text of the lawmakers' letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is as follows:
Dear Secretaries Ross and Zinke:
We strongly oppose the Administration's recent decision to issue five Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) permits for companies planning to conduct seismic geological and geophysical surveys along the Atlantic coasta major step toward offshore oil and gas drilling. We urge the Department of the Interior to deny the final seismic survey permits for Atlantic geological and geophysical exploration.
These permits authorize five companies to use seismic airguns that can disturb, harm, and potentially kill not only marine mammals but also a wide range of marine life that support coastal economies from Florida to Maine. Offshore oil and gas exploration and development, the first step of which is seismic airgun testing, puts at risk coastal economies based on fishing, tourism, and recreation. Numerous studies show the detrimental impacts seismic airgun blasting has on fisheries and marine mammals, thereby affecting the catch anglers bring dockside and the revenue generated by related businesses.
A 2014 study conducted off North Carolina's coast by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Duke University and NOAA found that, during seismic surveying, the abundance of reef-fish declined by 78 percent during evening hours, a time of day when fish use of that same habitat was highest on the previous three days when seismic surveys were not being conducted. The tertiary effects of this trickle down to fishing businesses, restaurants and the visitors that flock to our coastal communities.
Some proponents of opening drilling in the Atlantic make the argument that seismic airgun surveys for oil and gas deposits would allow local communities to learn more about what resources might be available. The reality is that, by law, the data obtained from seismic surveys are proprietary and only available to the oil and gas industry. The public, local government officials and even Members of Congress would not have access to the survey data. This inability to access information leaves coastal communities without the opportunity to perform substantive cost-benefit analyses for extracting oil and gas reserves off their coasts. Our constituents would be left taking on significant risk without being involved in future development decisions.
We hear from countless business owners, elected officials and residents along our coasts who recognize and reject the risks of offshore oil and gas development. More than 220 local municipalities have passed formal resolutions opposing oil and gas exploration and/or drilling in the Atlantic or Eastern Gulf. These include numerous local chambers of commerce, tourism and restaurant associations, commercial and recreational fishing associations, and the Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils. Nearly 2,000 local, state and federal officials, including all but two Governors of states bordering the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, have formally opposed or expressed substantial concerns about expanded offshore oil and gas development. Local chambers of commerce, tourism and restaurant associations, and an alliance representing over 43,000 businesses and 500,000 commercial fishing families strongly oppose offshore oil and gas exploration and drilling. Further, NASA, the Department of Defense, and the Florida Defense Support Task Force have also expressed concern with offshore oil and gas development threatening their ability to perform critical activities.
Opening the Atlantic to seismic testing and drilling jeopardizes our coastal businesses, fishing communities, tourism, and our national security. It harms our coastal economies in the near term and opens the door to even greater risks from offshore oil and gas production down the road. Given the significant environmental and economic risks, we strongly oppose the issuance of IHA permits for companies seeking to conduct seismic testing in the Atlantic. We therefore urge the Administration not to issue final seismic airgun blasting permits for the Atlantic Ocean.
Sincerely,
In April 2017 Congressmen Beyer and LoBiondo (NJ-02) introduced legislation to halt permits for seismic airgun blasting on the Atlantic seaboard. Petroleum companies use seismic blasting in their surveying process, but the practice has significant, adverse effects on marine species. The Atlantic Seismic Airgun Protection Act would halt the practice. The legislation is currently within the House Natural Resources Committee.
LoBiondo also joined a letter led by New Jersey Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker on this same issue earlier this week.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401582,Smith Announces Winners in NJ-04 2018 Congressional App Challenge,2018-12-04,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) announced the winner of the New Jersey Fourth Congressional District's 2018 Congressional App Challenge on Tuesday, a nationwide competition for high school students to showcase their software app skills and teamwork.
Congratulations to the winning students from Communications High School for their exceptional app BrainHack,' Rep. Smith stated, announcing the winner of the NJ-04 2018 Congressional App Challenge during Computer Science Education Week, the week of December 3, 2018. This year, 46 participants from four high schools and one middle school submitted 13 apps.
Once again, we received quite an impressive slate of entries, underscoring the sharp talent and skills of our students, Smith said.
The Congressional App Challenge was created in 2014 to afford students across the country an opportunity to showcase their computer coding and software application skills on the national stage, and learn teamwork and creativity in the process. It is intended to foster STEM skills (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and emphasize their importance for the future especially in areas of the economy like cybersecurity, intellectual property, and the app economy.
BrainHack utilizes games and exercises to foster mental creativity and strengthen memory-related functions. It offers an easy-to-understand way for seniors to get comfortable with new tech while helping elderly adults struggling with memory loss-related conditions like Alzheimer's. The app was inspired by the grandmother of one of the winning team members, who is currently battling Alzheimer's.
The winning students from Communications High School in Wallwho created BrainHackare:
Liam Marshall of Sea Girt
Erica Sammarco of Colts Neck
Anthony Sasso of Colts Neck.
Communications High School is a career academy high school that is overseen by Monmouth County Vocational School District (MCVSD).
An Honorable Mention was given to the student creators of the app DrowSee, which alerts drivers who are dosing off when their eyes close by sounding an alarm to wake them up. The students from High Technology High School, another high school within the MCVSD, created the app:
Selena Liu of Holmdel
Helena Zhang of Morganville
Annie Zhou of Marlboro.
All apps submitted were judged by a three-member panel who have extensive experience in STEM fields. Roy LaManna of Freehold, the President and CEO of Vydia, Christopher Kelly of Hamilton, the UE/UI Designer at Vonage, and Debrah Smith (no relation to Rep. Smith) of Jackson, the Director of Administration/ Director of Information Technology for a large law office.
I want to extend my special thanks to the expert panel of judges for their work and contributions to this competition, Smith said.
For middle school or high school students wishing to participate in the challenge, they are notified by their schools or congressional offices and can submit an app through the Congressional App Challenge website; the 2018 deadline to submit apps was October 15.
After the deadline, Congressional Members and judges have approximately two weeks to review the apps; the winning app for NJ-04 was submitted October 31.
Clickhereto read about the 2017 winners from Smith's competition last year.
Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) is an annual program dedicated to inspiring K-12 students to take interest in computer science. The Internet Education Foundationserves as the operational sponsor of the CAC. For more information, please visit:http://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401583,Smith Opposes Administrations Approval of Seismic Testing in the Atlantic,2018-12-04,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"I am unalterably opposed to oil and gas drilling and exploration off New Jersey's coastline, the first step of which is seismic airgun blasting, Rep. Smith said today in response to the Administration's announcement that it would approve requests for seismic airgun blasting off the Atlantic Coast.
Not here, not now, not ever, said Smith who is working with a multi-state bipartisan group of Members to halt oil and gas exploration off the Atlantic Coast. Smith has signed on to a letterwith 53 signers so farcurrently being circulated by Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL) and Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), to ask the Department of the Interior to deny final permits for companies to conduct seismic airgun blasting in the Atlantic.
Offshore drilling and exploration poses numerous risks to marine life and, by extension, our fishing industries and the health of our coastal ecosystems, Smith said. Seismic airgun blasting in particular can deafen or seriously maim local marine wildlife which rely upon sonar power for movement and can significantly affect local fish populations, which in turn harms our NJ fishing industries.
Our bipartisan, multi-state group, which is petitioning the Interior Department to prohibit geological and geophysical exploration in the Atlantic as a prelude to oil and gas drilling, is working together to protect our marine ecosystems, fishing industries, and coastal communities, Smith said. We recognize the opposition from businesses, state and local officials, and residents from all along the East Coast to offshore oil and gas exploration and drilling in the Atlantic.
Numerous studies show that seismic airgun blastingfiring blasts of compressed air on the ocean floor 100,000 times more intense than a jet engine to discover potential oil and gas reservescould pose serious harm to marine life in the area and fish populations. Fishing industries, and the local coastal economies which rely upon them, could also suffer from this disruption.
Rep. Smith, dean of the New Jersey congressional delegation, has led the fight against opening up New Jersey's coastal waters to offshore drilling:
He led an NJ delegation letter to Secretary Zinke making clear the opposition to the Administration's proposal to open up over 90 percent of the U.S. outer continental shelf to drilling and exploration.
He is a cosponsor of HR 728, a bill to prohibit issuance of leases for oil and gas drilling and exploration within 125 miles of the New Jersey coast
He is a cosponsor of HR 2158, the Atlantic Seismic Airgun Protection Act, to prohibit oil and gas exploration and development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf
On April 20, Smith joined Governor Murphy when he signed NJ's STOP Offshore Oil and Gas Act in Point Pleasant Beach, in the Fourth District.
Secretary Zinke has told the NJ delegation that the Administration probably would not be opening exploration off the coast of NJa step in the right direction, Smith said. But I remain concerned aboutand opposed toopening any waters off the East Coast for exploration, including seismic airgun blasting. Not here, not ever.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401584,House Hearing to Review Int'l Child Abduction,2018-12-04,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Global Human Rights Subcommittee, will hold a hearing on reviewing international child abduction on Monday, December 10. Parents of internationally abducted children will testify, as well as the executive director of a non-profit dedicated to returning children wrongfully abducted by a parent to Japan.
Left-behind parents, whose children have been abducted to a foreign country by an estranged spouse, were heartened when the Sean and David Goldman Act was signed into law, Smith stated. Five years later, the most recent State Department report on international child abductionthe best to dateshows that progress has been made, yet more work still needs to be done to fully implement the Goldman Act.
Gaps and inconsistencies in enforcement of the policy not only put children at risk of abduction, but fail to pressure countries that are failing to resolve abduction cases for years on end, Smith said. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses on what more can be done in the coming months to implement fully the Congressional intent behind the Goldman Act.
Who: Chairman Smith (NJ-04), Senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of the the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations; other members of the Committee
Witness: Mr. Jeffery Morehouse
Executive Director
Bring Abducted Children Home
Mr. Juan Garaioca
Father of Two Children Abducted to Ecuador
Ms. Michelle Littleton
Mother of Three Children Abducted to Lebanon
What: House hearing on reviewing international child abduction
When: Monday, December 10, 2018 2:00 PM
Where: Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2172 (first floor)",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401579,"Smith helps break ground for first phase of massive $146.5M construction projectNew Mission-Critical Joint Base Hangar a Local Victory",2018-12-03,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who has fought long and hard to protect and expand critical missions at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, appeared with military leaders, federal, state, and local officials, and others on Monday at the groundbreaking of a major construction project that will begin a significant new chapter in the history of the Joint Base.
Today we celebrate and break ground on the first construction project for the newest mission at the Joint Base that is critical to our national security: the KC-46A refueling tankers, Smith stated. I have watched the Joint Base and its mission evolve over the years and have never been more proud of the people who work here.
Thank you, Major General Gordy, Colonel Richardson, Colonel Breeden, Colonel Pemberton, Captain Khan and Colonel Durr for having me and for the work you all do for this base and for the nation, Smith stated.
Monday's groundbreaking kicks off the construction of a new hangar and other projects to prepare the base for the arrival of 24 new KC-46A Pegasus refueling tankers in 2021.
As Dean of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation, Smith worked with Congressional colleagues and NJ officials to prime the base and successfully compete to receive the new fleet of KC-46A tankers. He petitioned the Air Force to designate JB-MDL as a home for the tankers, and hosted meetings with top military personnel to advocate for the base's selection given its status as the nation's only tri-service joint installation, with over 80 mission partners, and its strategic location.
In January of 2017, JB-MDL was selected by the Air Force as one of two locations to receive the fleet of new tankers, and in July of 2017 the Air Force decided that the Joint Base would receive its portion of the tankers first. In the FY 2018 appropriations, the Joint Base received $146.5 million in construction projects related to the arrival of the KC-46As, and $10.2 million in FY 2019 appropriations for the replacement of the hot cargo hydrant system at the base.
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst base has successfully supported KC-10 and KC-135 tankers for many years, as well as C-17 airlifters, and today we officially prepare for the 24 new, state-of-the-art, environmentally cleaner and quieter American made Boeing KC-46Aswhich will burn 40 percent less fuel than a KC-10 and produce less emissions than similarly-sized jetliners, Smith stated. This installation is the ideal location for the new tankers, as it is the nation's only Army-Air Force- Navy joint installation, and is home to over 80 mission partners that include active duty, Reserve and Guard units.
Rep. Smith also fought numerous times over the years to ensure that Navy Lakehurst base would not be closedincluding forming the Save Navy Lakehurst Committee in 1995and helped to secure the establishment of the joint base command with McGuire and Fort Dix to fortify support for each facility. The arrival of the new KC-46A tankers, along with the new construction projects at the base, will improve the base's critical value even more and protect it against any future efforts to realign or close military bases.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401578,On the Passing of President George H. W. Bush,2018-12-01,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"On the Passing of President George H. W. Bush
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Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) issued the following statement on the passing of President George H.W. Bush:
President Bush was not only a hero of World War IIbrave, tenacious, fearless and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism under firebut he was also an extraordinary family man who deeply loved his wife Barbara and family, and spent his entire public life pursuing peace and an end to the Cold War. He inspired selfless public servicea thousand points of lightand generosity and compassion for others, especially those in need. As both President and Vice President, he visited my district and the biggest takeaway from those experiences, as well as working with him in Washington, was how gracious and kind and humble he was. Despite being the most powerful political leader on earth, he regarded the issues and solutions to problems as far more important than himselftruly amazing.
""At this time of sorrow and loss, my wife Marie and I offer our deepest condolences to the Bush family and join the nation is expressing our gratitude and respect for an exceptional man who served our country with great honor and distinction.""
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https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1696,Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen's Statement on the Passing of President George H.W. Bush,2018-12-01,2018,2018-12,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"President Bush will be missed, for his leadership, good humor and his many years of public and military service. The last time he visited Morris County was to visit my ailing predecessor, Congressman Dean Gallo, see my late father, Peter, and to headline a Republican lunch. #####",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401577,Smith HIV/AIDS Bill Goes to White House,2018-11-29,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"At the White House World AIDS Day event on Thursday, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) praised the life-saving success of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) after his five-year, $30 billion extension of PEPFAR passed the Senate on Wednesday.
The Trump Administration's 2018 PEPFAR Report to Congress highlights the urgency of the HIV/AIDS crisis and affirms that we must continue to be proactive in addressing this epidemic, Smith said. I am happy to be able to say that Congress is acting.
Just before Thanksgiving, a bill I introduced along with my Democratic cosponsor Congresswoman Barbara Lee, H.R. 6651, the PEPFAR Extension Act of 2018, passed out of the House with strong bipartisan support. HR 6651 extends authorization of PEPFAR for the next five years. With funding that currently stands at $6 billion per year, that means $30 billion over the life of the extension period dedicated to saving lives around the world, Smith said.
The White House event highlighted the role of faith-based organizations and partners in HIV/AIDS response, on the 15th Year Anniversary of PEPFAR. Begun under President George W. Bush, PEPFAR has continued under both Republican and Democratic administrations, saving an estimated 16 million lives with 13 countries on track to control their HIV-AIDS epidemic by 2020. Approximately 14 million people in Africa have received treatment for HIV and AIDS under the program, and around 2.2 million babies have been born HIV-free to HIV-positive mothers.
As we observe World AIDS Day on Saturday, we must be reminded of the great achievements that PEPFAR has accomplished, Smith stated. Substantial growth has been measured in communities that once struggled with the plaguing death that HIV/AIDS causes. Well-founded feelings of safety and hope and optimism have been brought back to families thanks to PEPFAR's investments in sustainable and effective health care systems. PEPFAR has greatly enhanced the global health security of some of the most vulnerable communities.
Smith's bipartisan PEPFAR Extension Act of 2018 would extend the life-saving program for five years and $30 billion. It passed the House on November 13 and passed through the Senate on Wednesday evening.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-fights-south-jerseyans-through-finish-line-extends-nfip,"MacArthur Fights for South Jerseyans Through the Finish Line, Extends the NFIP",2018-11-29,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C.Today, Congressman Tom MacArthur released a statement following the passage of his bill to extend the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)through Friday, December 7,giving Congress additional time to find a long-term solution. Without MacArthur's bill, the NFIP would otherwise lapse tomorrow,November 30 at midnight. ""Since day one, I've said I will do whatever is necessary to ensure that the National Flood Insurance Program does not lapse and that South Jersey residents are protected from another Superstorm Sandy. Today is no different. Against the wishes of my own chairman and leaders in our party, Ifinalized thisbill three minutes before we officially closed our Washington, D.C. office; a lame duck Congress will not stop me from fighting for what's best for Burlington and Ocean Counties,""said Congressman MacArthur.I've been in Congress for four years, and while one-week extensions demonstrate our broken legislative process, this was a necessary action for the millions of NFIP policyholders. If we allowed a lapse, South Jerseyans would be left unprotected from another storm and coastal home-buyers would not be able to obtain a mortgage. I'm committed to seeing this through and will work with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make needed reforms to the NFIP140 million Americans living in coastal counties depend on it.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401573,'Communist Partys Crackdown on Religion in China',2018-11-28,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith, co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, delivered excerpts of the following remarks at a hearing he chaired on ""The Communist Party's Crackdown on Religion in China"" on November 28:
The current assault on religion in China is the most comprehensive attempt to manipulate and control religious communities since the Cultural Revolution. What is happening under Xi Jinping's leadership is a systematic effort to transform the very nature of some religious communities.
Regulations on religious affairs issued in February tightened existing restrictions and new draft regulations will clamp down on religious expression online. Churches, mosques, and temples have been demolished, crosses destroyed, children under the age of 18 are prohibited from attending services, and the Communist Party is now commissioning new religious texts that remove content unwanted by the atheistic Communist Party.
Xi Jinping talks about realizing the China Dreambut when Bibles are burned, when a simple prayer over a meal in public is an illegal religious gathering, and when over a million Uyghur and Kazakh Muslims are interned in political re-education camps and forced to renounce their faiththat dream is a nightmare.
Xi Jinping's war on religion is also a distinct challenge to U.S. religious freedom diplomacy and to international standards on the freedom of religion.
There is a dire need to continue shining a light on the stunning and outrageous detention of nearly a million Uyghurs and other Muslim ethnic minorities. The Senator and I have tried to be a voice for those repressed. Ms. Tursun's powerful testimony today reminds us that we cannot be silent when the Chinese government is constructing a high-tech police state in Xinjiang province whose goal is the forced assimilation of an entire ethnic minority population and the sinicization of their religious beliefs and practices.
I commend the AdministrationSecretary Pompeo and Vice President Pencefor speaking out forcefully. I would urge the Administration to support the bipartisan Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act that Senator Rubio and I introduced and to sanction Chinese officials and businesses complicit in likely crimes against humanity.
In the past year, pressure has mounted on independent Protestant and Catholic churches. Clergy are in prison, churches have been forcibly closed, and the human rights lawyers who defend religious believers have been jailed, disappeared, or tortured into silence. Gao Zhisheng, Jiang Tianyoug and so many others have been disappeared, detained, and tortured for standing up against persecution.
For anyone who wants to be inspired, I would recommend reading the open letter signed by over 500 Protestant leaders. In the midst of an intense campaign of repression, they have boldly stated:
For the sake of the gospel, we are willing to suffer all external losses brought about by unfair law enforcement. Out of a love for our fellow citizens, we are willing to give up all of our earthly rights For the sake of the gospel, we are prepared to bear all losseseven the loss of our freedom and our lives.
Now this is the type of courageous conviction that requires not only our admiration but our action.
Let me turn now to the issue of Catholicism in China where a deal has been struck that will reportedly give the Pope veto power over Chinese government-approved candidates for bishops.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin admits it is not a good deal but believes it was important to unify the underground Catholic Church and the state-sanctioned Catholic Patriotic Association. Cardinal Joseph Zen, bishop emeritus of Hong Kong, has questioned whether Vatican officials making these decisions know what true suffering is.
The reports are that this deal is provisional and full details are secret. The devil will be in the detailsincluding the fate of underground churches, the 30 underground bishops appointed previously over Beijing's objections, and Vatican relations with Taiwan. But with all the efforts underway to forcibly sinicize religion, it certainly seems an odd time to strike a deal with Xi Jinping's China.
I hope and pray this agreement will bring true religious freedom for Catholics in Chinawho have suffered so much to maintain their faithbut I'm starting to doubt the wisdom of making this this deal, at this time. Since the agreement was reached, underground priests are detained, pilgrimage sites closed, crosses toppled from churches, formerly excommunicated bishops welcomed in Rome, and United Front Work Department officials, in October, convened a re-education session for priests.
The President and Xi Jinping will meet in Argentina this week, seeking ways to diffuse U.S.-China tensions. It should be convened to Xi Jinping that his war on religion is a highly counterproductive strategytaking a hammer and sickle to the cross or jailing a million Muslims will only ensure that a tougher China policy will have widespread, bipartisan and even global support.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401575,"WOBM article on HR 390'Congressman Chris Smith's Bill to Help Genocide Victims Passes the House'",2018-11-28,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"BY VIN EBENAU - Jersey Shore Congressman ChrisSmith's (NJ-4th District-R) legislation to provide humanitarian relief to genocide victims in Iraqand Syriaand hold ISISperpetrators accountable passed the house on Tuesdaynight and now heads to President Donald Trump's desk to be signed into law.
The Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018 (HR-390)will authorize and direct the administration to...
Fund entities, including faith-based ones, that are providing humanitarian, stabilization,and recovery aid on-the-ground to genocide survivors from religious and ethnic minorities.
Assess and address the humanitarian vulnerabilities, needs, and triggers that might force these survivors to flee.
Identify warning signs of deadly violence against religious and ethnic minority communities in Iraq or Syria that have been victims of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes.
Support entities conducting criminal investigation into ISIS perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Iraq - including collecting and preserving evidence that links specific perpetrators to specific atrocity crimes and is usable in a range of courts.
Encourage foreign governments to add identifying information about suspected ISIS perpetrators to their security databases and security screening and to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators.
Smith introduced the legislation following a human rights mission he led to Erbil, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, in December of 2016 at the invitation of Archbishop Bashar Warda of the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil.
The U.S. delegation then met with genocide survivors, religious leaders, aid workers from the Archdiocese, and officials from the U.S., other governments and the United Nations and non-governmental organizations.
""When genocide or other atrocity crimes are perpetrated, the United States should direct humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery aid to enable these people to survive-especially when they are minorities whose existence as a people is at-risk,"" Smith stated on the House Floor before the vote Tuesday night. ""HR 390 would ensure our actions match our words.""
Less than 200,000 Christians remain in Iraq, down from 1,400,000 in 2002 and 500,000 in 2013, before ISIS swept through the region on its genocidal campaign.
Many of the remaining Christians in Iraq are displaced, mostly in Erbil in the Kurdistan region and need assistance to return to their homes and stay in Iraq.
After the ISIS invasion, 60,000 Yazidis fled to Europe, and of the 550,000 Yazidis still in Iraq, 280,000 remain displaced and only 20 percent have been able to return to their historic homeland of Sinjar, according to the Yazdi organization Yazda.
Those displaced will also need assistance to return to their homes.
Smith introduced the legislation in 2016 and again in 2017, with lead Democratic co-sponsor Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA).
""Tens of thousands of religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria were targeted for genocide by ISIS between 2014 and 2017,"" Eshoo said. ""As survivors return to their homes and begin rebuilding their communities, the United States government must make it a priority to help families in need of assistance now, while ensuring the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity are held accountable. H.R. 390 will aid in these efforts and send a powerful message to these communities that we haven't forgotten them. I thank Chairman Smith for his passionate leadership on this issue and I look forward to the President swiftly signing this legislation into law.""
Many Christian survivors of the ISIS genocide in Iraq and Syria had reported receiving no aid from the U.S. or the UN Smith said and they had been relying completely upon aid from donations of non-governmental organizations like the Knights of Columbus and Aid to the Church in Need.
Smith creditsthe Trump Administration with focusing on targeted religious and ethnic minorities whose survival is at risk, including Yezidis and Christians, under the leadership of Vice PresidentMike Pence.
H.R. 390 was co-sponsored by members from both parties in the House and leading faith-based groups and religious and human rights leaders support the bill, including Nadia Murad, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Yezidi survivor of ISIS slavery, and all four of the former Ambassadors-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, who span Republican and Democratic administrations.
As chairman of the House global human rights subcommittee, Smith has held 10 hearings in whole or in part on the persecution of ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria.
Smith has called attention to the atrocities committed by ISIS there, the lack of access that genocide victims there have to vital aid, and what the U.S. could be doing to ensure the safe return home of genocide survivors who wish to remain in their homeland. This article originally ran on WOBM.com on Nov. 28, 2018, and can be read online at: http://wobm.com/congressman-chris-smiths-bill-to-help-genocide-victims-passes-the-house/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401565,"Trentonian article on Smith Visit to Trenton Water Works'Congressman Chris Smith tours TWW'",2018-11-27,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"BY ISAAC AVILUCEA- U.S. Rep. Chris Smith toured Trenton Water Works' digs Monday, as part of his renewed pledge to help the troubled water utility secure federal funding to offset millions in improvement projects and system upgrades.
Smith stopped by The Trentonian to chat about the two-hour-long guided tour, led by a convoy from the mayor's office, that started out at TWW headquarters and wound to the water filtration plant on the Delaware River.
The longtime Republican congressman, elected this month to a 20th term after defeating Democratic challenger Josh Welle, called for an all-hands-on-deck full-court press to help TWW, which was hammered with a record-setting number of violations this year, eroding customers' confidence in the struggling water utility.
My job is to make sure that we do everything we can to make sure the resources are there, Smith said. That means state resources, too. The governor needs to be fully engaged in this. The EPA needs to be, on the federal level, fully engaged in this. It may need a state fix, a federal fix or a combination of even a county fix. Freeholders could appropriate a portion [of funds].
Smith hopes to meet with Peter Lopez, the administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency for Region 2, overseeing New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Mayor Reed Gusciora and U.S. Rep Chris Smith, right, toured Trenton Water Works facilities on Monday, Nov. 26, 2018. The Republican congressman has vowed to do everything in his power to help TWW. [Photo courtestyCongressman Smith Office] The congressman also plans to get in touch with the Congressional Research Service to determine where federal dollars might come from for TWW as Mayor Reed Gusciora's administration touts $11 million in system upgrades.
Democratic congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman also attended the TWW powwow, coming a week after the mayor, a former Democratic assemblyman, penned a letter to the Republican congressman reaching across the aisle to welcome his support.
I think we're doing pretty good, Gusciora said about the city's efforts to address TWW's follies. You can easily Google American Water and see how many violations [they have]. We're no different than any public or private utility. I will say in the last eight years there was benign neglect. We're not talking 10 years [to restore TWW]. I estimate within the next five years. I don't think we're talking 20 years down the line.
The city is under an Administrative Consent Order with the state Department of Environmental Protection, which has also required the city to cover the Pennington Avenue reservoir by 2023, a project anticipated to cost $27 million.
In addition, the ACO requires the city to replace 7 percent of leaded pipes within the distribution system each year, in an attempt to control recurring elevated lead levels officials say are caused by the leaching of the toxic substance into the water from old pipes.
We're doing the responsible thing, Gusciora said of the attention being paid to TWW, which has included millions spent to hire outside engineering firms to stabilize the notoriously understaffed department.
New TWW leader Dr. Shing-Fu Hsueh told City Council earlier this year more than two dozen hires were awaiting approval from the Department of Community Affairs.
Officials meet to discuss Trenton Water Works as Congressman Chris Smith toured the facility. [Photo by Michael Walker, Trenton Water Works] City officials have complained for years about the state's stranglehold over Trenton, believing it has impeded the capital city from standing on its own.
But the mayor has touted a partnership with the Gov. Phil Murphy administration as part of the equation to help restore the capital city to glory.
Smith also called on the governor to do his part to help the city and TWW.
I think it's a new day. I think the page needs to be turned, Smith said. I'm very hopeful we can get this right.
But not everyone was so keen on Smith's and Watson's trek to Trenton to talk TWW, seeing it as the canary in the filtration plant.
Trentonians, the scheme to privatize TWW is in full effect. Our own Mayor Gusciora (D) and Congresswoman Watson-Coleman (D) are giving Republican congressional representative Hon. Chris Smith (R) from Hamilton Township, a tour of our water utility. #Collusion #TrojanHorses, West Ward councilwoman Robin Vaughn tweeted, alluding to the Greeks' sneaky capture of Troy.
The Fourth Congressional District leader represents Hamilton and Robbinsville in Mercer County, which fueled Vaughn's belief that Smith is sowing seeds of subterfuge.
The mayor, who vowed when he ran that the city would remain in control of TWW, knocked down claims that Smith's friend-of-Trenton posture is a politically calculated setup.
Motherf---er caught in the act, Gusciora said dismissively when asked about a takeover plot. We're selling it to the Russians. I guess we have to give it up. Robin Vaughn's statements are attributable to the First Amendment. Doesn't mean her statements have to be correct. I don't know who is the Trojan horse. I guess Bonnie is the Trojan horse.
Smith, who lives in Hamilton, says he's been committed to helping TWW from the get-go but was initially told by the state that the situation was under control.
In March, he wrote a letter to DEP chief Catherine McCabe asking for a briefing on the unfortunate situation on Trenton Water Works after Hamiltonians reached out to him with concerns.
There's a real emotional commitment [to Trenton], Smith said, rattling off family ties to the capital city. I think now if we can be part of the solution, I can't guarantee a magic wand, but I will do everything I can to leave no stone un-turned in finding grant money for rate payers.
When asked to weigh in on Hamilton Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo's so-called TWW takeover bill, establishing a regional committee over TWW, the congressman intimated that water utility needs a makeover, not a takeover.
I think if we get a solution, those kind of concerns, they don't evaporate, but they dissipate, he said. Maybe that's a good idea. Maybe that's not. I think the Trenton assembly representation are dead-set against it, so it's probably not going to move. Rather than having a board decide, you need to do a better job,' [how about] come up with the money. This article originally ran in the Tues., Nov. 27, 2018 print edition of the Trentonian and the original was published online at: https://www.trentonian.com/news/congressman-chris-smith-tours-tww-says-he-will-do-everything/article_85df76b0-f1e2-11e8-8049-37373dd641ff.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401566,"Legislation over two years in the making now heads to Presidents deskCongress Passes Smith Bill to Help Genocide Victims",2018-11-27,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith's (R-NJ) legislation to provide humanitarian relief to genocide victims in Iraq and Syria, and hold ISIS perpetrators accountableHR 390, the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act of 2018passed the House on Tuesday night and now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law, after over two years in the making.
When genocide or other atrocity crimes are perpetrated, the United States should direct humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery aid to enable these people to surviveespecially when they are minorities whose existence as a people is at-risk, Smith stated on the House Floor before the vote. HR 390 would ensure our actions match our words. (Click here to read excerpts of Rep. Smith's Floor remarks.)
Less than 200,000 Christians remain in Iraq, down from 1.4 million in 2002 and 500,000 in 2013, before ISIS swept through the region on its genocidal campaign. Many of the remaining Christians in Iraq are displaced, mostly in Erbil in the Kurdistan region, and need assistance to return to their homes and stay in Iraq. After the ISIS invasion, 60,000 Yazidis fled to Europe, and of the 550,000 Yazidis still in Iraq, 280,000 remain displaced and only 20 percent have been able to return to their historic homeland of Sinjar, according to the Yazdi organization Yazda. Those displaced will also need assistance to return to their homes.
Smith introduced the legislation in 2016 and again in 2017, with lead Democratic cosponsor Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA). Tens of thousands of religious and ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria were targeted for genocide by ISIS between 2014 and 2017, Rep. Eshoo said. As survivors return to their homes and begin rebuilding their communities, the United States government must make it a priority to help families in need of assistance now, while ensuring the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity are held accountable. H.R. 390 will aid in these efforts and send a powerful message to these communities that we haven't forgotten them. I thank Chairman Smith for his passionate leadership on this issue and I look forward to the President swiftly signing this legislation into law.
Among other key provisions, H.R. 390 authorizes and directs the Administration to:
Fund entities, including faith-based ones, that are providing humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery aid on-the-ground to genocide survivors from religious and ethnic minorities;
Assess and address the humanitarian vulnerabilities, needs, and triggers that might force these survivors to flee;
Identify warning signs of deadly violence against religious and ethnic minority communities in Iraq or Syria that have been victims of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes;
Support entities conducting criminal investigation into ISIS perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Iraq including collecting and preserving evidence that links specific perpetrators to specific atrocity crimes and is usable in a range of courts; and
Encourage foreign governments to add identifying information about suspected ISIS perpetrators to their security databases and security screening and to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators.
Smith introduced the legislation following a human rights mission he led to Erbil, in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, in December of 2016 at the invitation of Archbishop Bashar Warda of the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil. There the U.S. delegation met with genocide survivors, religious leaders, aid workers from the Archdiocese, and officials from the U.S., other governments and the United Nations, and non-governmental organizations.
Many Christian survivors of the ISIS genocide in Iraq and Syria had reported receiving no aid from the U.S. or the UN, relying completely upon aid from donations of non-governmental organizations like the Knights of Columbus and Aid to the Church in Need. The Trump Administration has focused on targeted religious and ethnic minorities whose survival is at risk, including Yezidis and Christians, under the leadership of Vice President Pence. This legislation provides the foundation for future appropriations and clear, detailed authority for the Executive Branch.
H.R. 390 was co-sponsored by members from both parties in the House, and leading faith-based groups and religious and human rights leaders support the bill, including Nadia Murad, Nobel Peace Prize winner and Yezidi survivor of ISIS slavery, and all four of the former Ambassadors-at-Large for War Crimes Issues, who span Republican and Democratic administrations.
As chairman of the House global human rights subcommittee, Smith has held 10 hearings in whole or in part on the persecution of ethnic and religious minorities in Iraq and Syria. He has called attention to the atrocities committed by ISIS there, the lack of access that genocide victims there have to vital aid, and what the U.S. could be doing to ensure the safe return home of genocide survivors who wish to remain in their homeland.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401569,House Passes Smith Legislation to Promote Free and Fair Elections in DRC,2018-11-27,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"On Tuesday evening, the House passed Rep. Chris Smith's (R-NJ) legislation, HR 6207, the Democratic Republic of the Congo Democracy and Accountability Act of 2018, which would promote free and fair elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
This bill could not be more timely, Rep. Smith, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs' Subcommittee on Africa, stated on the House Floor before the legislation was voted on. Next month, just before Christmas, the country is scheduled to vote to replace Joseph Kabila, who has retained power in defiance of constitutional term limits for some two years beyond his mandate. (To read Rep. Smith's Floor statement, click here)
Right now there is talk of further postponement of the election, which would accord with Kabila's desire to postpone a transfer of power for as long as possible, Smith said. This bill shows Congressional resolve that there be accountability in such case.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo Democracy and Accountability Act of 2018 (HR 6207) would promote free and fair elections in the DRC through the following actions:
Calling on the DRC government to release all political prisoners, lift restrictions on freedoms of speech, the press, assembly, and association, honor the right to peacefully protest, and establish accountability for abuses committed by security forces
Codifying Executive Order sanctions authority, and requiring the Administration to utilize other existing authorities, including those provided by the Global Magnitsky Act, to sanction individual officials who are guilty of grave human rights abuses.
Supporting civil society groups which are seeking to quell civil strife and prevent political repression by upholding the need for rule of law and respect for constitutional principles
Calling for close cooperation with faith-based entities that have a unique capacity to address local humanitarian needs
Calling for an evaluation of U.S. partnerships with aid groups to better determine the right partners
Rep. Smith introduced the legislation along with lead Democratic cosponsor Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA). Smith is the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, and Rep. Bass is the Subcommittee's Ranking Member.
In 2016, the Catholic Church in the DRC negotiated the2016 Saint Sylvestre Agreement to establish a pathway to a peaceful democratic transition of power, an agreement which President Joseph Kabila subsequently reneged on. Kabila currently wields executive power in the country although his term of office has lapsed and he is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.Elections have been scheduled for December, although there have been reports of another postponement.
Reps Smith and Bass were also joined by the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) and Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) in support of the bill.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/congress-sends-%E2%80%9Cfrank-lobiondo-coast-guard-authorization-act%E2%80%9D-president,Congress Sends Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act to President,2018-11-27,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02), a senior member of the House Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation Subcommittee, today applauded Congress' approval of S.140, the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2018, sending the legislation to the President for his signature. The House passed the bill by voice vote. The Senate approved the bill 94-6 prior to the Thanksgiving holiday.
So few issues have been bipartisan across the board during my time in Congress but supporting the Coast Guard was always one of them. The men and women in the Coast Guard are always asked to do more with less finally my colleagues have come around to giving our Coasties more so they can continue their outstanding job, said LoBiondo. It is one of the truest honors of my life to have represented the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May and Air Station Atlantic City for 24 years in Congress.
A two-year authorization of the Coast Guard's budget, the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act authorizes $7.9 billion for operating expenses and $2.6 billion for construction, renovation and facilities improvement. It authorizes active duty of 43,009 personnel for Fiscal Year 2018 and 44,500 personnel for Fiscal Year 2019.
Additionally, the legislation:
Authorizes up to $167 million for three new Fast Response Cutters;
Authorizes Department of Homeland Security to enter into a multi-year contract to procure three National Security Cutters; and,
Requires the Coast Guard to establish its own land-based unmanned aircraft system (UAS) program.
Furthermore, the legislation preserves jobs by providing important regulatory relief for New Jersey fishermen. It eliminates the duplicative requirement that both the Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintain discharge requirements for commercial fishing vessels. Previously, senseless and costly EPA regulations left fishermen on the hook for over $36,000 in daily fines if they fail to get a permit from the EPA to discharge such things as rain water runoff and air conditioner condensate from their vessels. Under this compromise, the EPA would set the vessel discharge standards while giving the Coast Guard the authority to prescribe and enforce regulations based on those standards. LoBiondo ensured a moratorium on imposing such fines on South Jersey commercial fishing operations remained intact for more than a decade as he worked on this compromise.
Throughout my time on the Coast Guard subcommittee I have focused on strengthening our nation's maritime sector, a critical source of jobs and economic output. In South Jersey, commercial fishing operations have long been one of the leading employers, making Cape May the second-largest port by commercial value on the East Coast. This compromise ensures that the livelihoods of thousands of South Jersey fishermen are no longer threated by duplicative federal bureaucracy and conflicting arbitrary standards, concluded LoBiondo.
A member of the House Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation Subcommittee for the past twenty-two of his twenty-four years in Congress, LoBiondo served as the Chairman, Vice Chair or Ranking Member for fourteen years.
Naming this legislation for our retiring colleague, Frank LoBiondo, is an acknowledgement of his championship of the Coast Guard throughout his congressional career, including during his leadership of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee in five previous congresses, said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (PA-9).
On Wednesday LoBiondo will receive the Coast Guard Distinguished Public Service Award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. He will be presented the honors by Admiral Karl L. Schultz, the 26th Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, at the Service's headquarters.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lobiondo.house.gov/press-release/lobiondo-applauds-team-egg-harbor-township-high-school-winning-2018-congressional-app,LoBiondo Applauds Team from Egg Harbor Township High School for Winning 2018 Congressional App Challenge,2018-11-26,2018,2018-11,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 Egg Harbor Township High School for winning the 2018 Congressional App Challenge. Their submission - Flashcards with Friends - is a mobile application designed to help students quiz themselves in preparation for school exams. Video of the winning app is available here. Congratulations to Leo, Vicky and Alex for their innovative and educational app. It is clear they were looking to assist their fellow students in preparing for exams now and in the future. I was impressed by the substantial thought and execution displayed in this app, said LoBiondo. I applaud all of the students who participated in this year's Congressional App Challenge and encourage you and your classmates to continue creating forward-looking technology. The Congressional App Challenge is a nationwide competition aimed at encouraging middle and high school students to learn how to code by creating their own applications for mobile devices. The Challenge seeks to highlight the value of computer science and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education while spurring friendly competition between competing teams. Thirty-six (36) teams comprised of 106 students across South Jersey competed in the fifth annual challenge. This is the fifth year of the Congressional App Challenge and the fifth year LoBiondo's office has hosted the competition for South Jersey students. Information about the Congressional App Challenge can be found at www.congressionalappchallenge.us For the 2nd Congressional district, the submitted apps were reviewed by the following judges:
App Title
Students
School
Economy Chat Bot
Peter Spates
Egg Harbor Township High School
PlayMaker
Kobe Bouqrue
Cumberland Regional High School
The Digital Brain
Ariana Beckford
Cumberland County Technical Education Center
Dead-ication
Sydney Repp
Cumberland County Technical Education Center
Tuitive
Zach Zajack
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
MUSIC of the WORLD
Samaad Sartor
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Flashcards with Friends
Leo Shao, Vicky Zheng and Alex Cohen
Egg Harbor Township High School
Giovanni's Gimmick
Joy Asselta and Macy Lambart
Cumberland County Technical Education Center
Survive the Potato Famine Two
Gino Costanzo and Steven McCaslin
Cumberland County Technical Education Center
CCTEC School Store Website
Daisy Siedlecki and Jessenia Rivera
Cumberland County Technical Education Center
Open Book
Hannah and Katherine Rasmussen
Johnstone School Academy Applied Mathematics and Science Academy
Get Up: Motivational App
Brandon Kang and Starlyn Grullon
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
MyJournal
Adrian Ruiz and Connor Senn
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Restaurant Rater
Milania Ashmen, Eoghan Edgar and Juliana Jones
Johnstone School Academy Applied Mathematics and Science Academy
Safe Streetz
Gavin Henry, Matthew Araujo and David Cortes
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Atlantic County Watch
Jeraldy Reyes, Tashirah Burgess and Jaymira Ware
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Flyera
Ryan Razukas, Albert Chevalier and John Knowles
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Lively
Tatiana Robinson, Jeffrey Caffrey and Kylie Pillsbury
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Junior Jobs
Kyle Bronco, Alexander Vega and Cheyenne Rolls
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Road Trip History
Peyton Davidson, Grace Marino, Hanna Sharkey and Melanie Ridgway
Cumberland Regional High School
One Place
Vraj Patel, Matthew Currey, Alexis Pierce and Parker Burgmann
Cumberland Regional High School
sMiLe
Sofia Amato, Melino Ciro, Betzalis Delacruz and Moesharlynn Torto
Johnstone School Academy Applied Mathematics and Science Academy
My25
Sarah Hullihen, Joseph Nonemacher, Elijah Sarnoff and Sebastian Mercado
Johnstone School Academy Applied Mathematics and Science Academy
Event of the Day
Pragyan Alemagarthapa, Justin Barahona, David Lilienfeld and John Amis
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Animal Identifier
Jeffrey Bengis, Jethro Ramos, I'lijah Jones and Dominick Uccellini
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Sports Wave
Manolo Franco, Alivia Klosek, Javier Vega and Chloe Beasley
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Food Focus
Tabitha Taylor, Erin Wolf, Annie Paxson and Keagen Summerville
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Travel Tourist
Alden Mendonca, Divya Patel, Ericson Guisande and Sean Parker
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Dialecta
Joseph Mancuso, Kay'ah Bishop, Yani McNell and Jaeden White
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Your Emergencies, Advice and Planner (YEAP)
Ethan Cuthbertson, Cameron Main, Nicholas Ingegneri and Gershom Gbadebo
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Formula Finder
Devon Fitzpatrick, Wayne Lipko, Vincent Holloway and Jamiee Guzman
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
EzCalc
Oliver Filauro, Alexis Francisco, Matthew Myles and William Edson
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
goFitness
Hamed Faruqui, Peace Magomero, Brandon Orengo and Timoth Bouchouar
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
SafeStamp
Joshua Sessions, Erik Angulo, James Kinsey and Dishon Boyer
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Pocket Helper
Nicholas Hartranft, Amadeous Co, Rebecca Normand and Nur Bekirogullari
Atlantic County Institute of Technology
Track Map
Brandon McHenry, Amir Stephens, Elijah Gonzalez and Xaiver Keenan
Atlantic County Institute of Technology",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401559,"Bill would help coordinate federal efforts on outdoor rec therapy, medical treatmentSmith Introduces Legislation to Boost Therapy, Treatments for Veterans",2018-11-15,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith today introduced legislation that could supplement the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) major medical care programs with outdoor recreational therapy for military veterans.
Studies have shown that outdoor recreation can also produce holistic, therapeutic benefits for veterans, and this is yet another treatment option that we should consider for veterans who want it, said Smith. Our military service men and women deserve support in every way, and we should explore all avenues, great and small, of providing care and treatment for them.
My legislation would help expand access to federal lands for outdoor recreation and should be part of our comprehensive responsea small part, but an important one neverthelessin veteran care.
Smith noted that in FY2019, the VA will provide 7 million patients with $72.3 billion in critical medical care that he continues to support for the purposes of improving veteran healthcare access, suicide prevention outreach, claims processing, opioid addiction prevention, and medical research. As the former chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, Smith has been a long-time supporter of providing veterans with the full range quality healthcare they deserve. Smith's new bill builds upon broad medical care, and recognizes the added benefits of outdoor recreation therapy for providing veterans with a holistic recovery process.
Smith introduced the legislation along with lead cosponsor Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA).
Access to the outdoors is proven to have a positive impact on mental health and physical wellbeing. For our veterans, the healing effects of nature can be especially powerful, said Rep. Adam Smith. In Washington state, we know the incredible benefits that come from spending time in nature, and we owe it to our servicemen and women to open the door to all avenues of recovery when they return home. I am honored to be joining with Rep. Chris Smith in the introduction of this bi-partisan legislation to help connect our nation's veterans with the great outdoors. By bringing together stakeholders from the VA and Land Management, we are building a foundation that will ensure that our veterans and their families can experience the restorative power of the public lands their service to our country has protected.
A 2013 report by the Sierra Club said that of a sample study of veterans who took part in month-long group wilderness recreation programs, participants exhibited significant improvements in psychological well-being, social functioning, and life outlook.
Smith's bill, the Outdoor Recreation Therapy for Veterans Act, would direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish, within 180 days of enactment, an inter-agency task force to be co-chaired by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Secretary of the Interior and including the Secretary of HHS, Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Defense as members. The task force would seek to increase the availability of federal lands for use for medical therapy for veterans.
The task force would also help increase coordination between the Department of Veterans Affairs and public land agencies on using public lands for therapy and medical treatment.
The bill is supported by a number of outdoor recreation and veterans advocacy groups, including Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), Blue Star Families, Vet Voice Foundation, Minority Veterans of America, PeopleForBikes, Outdoor Alliance, and Outdoor Industry Association.
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Outdoor recreations such as hunting and fishing provide camaraderie and healing for veterans who struggle with the wounds of war. The VFW supports expanding such opportunities for veterans and thanks Congressman Chris Smith for introducing the Accelerating Veterans Recovery Outdoors Act, said VFW National Legislative Service Director Carlos Fuentes. This bill would ensure barriers to accessing outdoor activities that assist veterans are evaluated and removed if needed.
Disabled American Veterans (DAV)
Year after year, events like the DAV and VA co-sponsored National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic and National Disabled Veterans TEE Tournament, prove the life-changing, therapeutic power of outdoor recreation, said Disabled American Veterans (DAV) National Commander, Dennis Nixon. DAV is pleased to support The Outdoor Recreation Therapy for Veterans Act as it could provide even more places and opportunities for injured and ill veterans to thrive and rebuild their lives through this invaluable form of alternative therapy.
Blue Star Families
The outdoors provide military families a much-needed place of recreation, rejuvenation, and healing. At Blue Star Families, programs such as Blue Star Parks connect the military community to nature,because the parks make a difference, stated Kathy Roth-Douquet, Founder and CEO of Blue Star Families. An overwhelming majority of military families report that visiting parks provides a much-needed outlet from the stress of their daily lives. We commend this bi-partisan bill from Congressmen Chris Smith and Adam Smith because it will make our nation's backyard more accessible for our veteran community and their families. Protecting and preserving these beautiful lands is one of the reasons we serve and sacrifice, so it means so much to us to enjoy them with our families.
The Vet Voice Foundation
The Vet Voice Foundation said in a statement: The Vet Voice Foundation strongly endorses the bi-partisan bill co-sponsored by Representatives Chris Smith and Adam Smith, to establish a task force on the use of Federal Lands for treatment and therapy through outdoor recreation for Veterans. The health benefits of the outdoors to help our Veteran men and women to walk off the war have long been recognized. We 500,000 members of the VVF applaud this initiative.
REI Co-op
At REI Co-op, we believe a life outdoors is a life well-lived. It can even be healing, especially for our veterans who have sacrificed much of their lives to protect our nation, said Jerry Stritzke, REI's President and CEO. We owe them our gratitude not just today, but every day. So, we applaud congressmen Chris Smith and Adam Smith for taking this basic step, instructing the VA and the nation's land managers to determine how our lands can be used to help our veterans heal. We know the outdoors is good for you. It's only right that we make it as easy as possible for our veterans to rejuvenate among the country's natural wonders.
National Parks Conservation Association
This study is needed to recognize the healing power of the outdoors for all users, especially our military veterans. The benefits are real to anyone who has enjoyed our parks and public lands, said Ani Kame'enui, Legislative Director of the National Parks Conservation Association.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401560,"APP story on Federal Tick-Borne Disease Panel, the 'Brainchild' of SmithLyme disease: Federal panel recommends testing overhaul, more changes to Congress'",2018-11-15,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"It's time to develop a better test for Lyme disease.
That was the most pressing recommendation of a report to Congress by a federal working group convened to address tick-borne diseases. The 100-page report, the first of three over a four-year period, is crucial because it represents consensus on how to deal with Lyme after decades of disagreement among government officials and medical experts.
The discord, advocates for Lyme patients say, caused anexplosion ofcases throughout the country.
RELATED:Colts Neck mom fights for child with Lyme
RELATED:Rep. Chris Smith on Lyme disease 'culture of denial'
It's a good first step, Wall resident Pat Smith, a member of the 14-person working group, told the Asbury Park Press. Hopefully we will break this gridlock that we have on Lyme disease. Patients are still having difficulties and doctors are having problems trying to treat them. I hope this will be an eye-opener for Congress.
Smith is a leading advocate for Lyme disease patients. In the1980sLyme afflicted two of her daughters, one of whom missed four years of school. She founded the nonprofit Lyme Disease Association and has traveled the country to raise awareness.
It's pretty exciting that this report has been issued, she said. Now the big question is,what is Congress going to do in light of these recommendations?
The report contendsthat, because of poor diagnostics, the number of actual cases is 10 times greater than the number of reported cases. So in 2017 there were 420,000 new cases of Lyme disease nationally and 36,000 in New Jersey, which ranks third among all states.
Monmouth County is one of the Garden State's epicenters of Lyme. The federal working group was the brainchild of Rep. Chris Smith, whose district includes most of the county.
Lyme disease is having a direct, devastating impact on my constituents, and through countless meetings, advocacy, and pieces of legislation, I have been working to address the needs of the Lyme disease community, Rep.Smith said in a statement on the working group's report.
Pat Smith, left, with U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, whose legislation helped create the Lyme disease working group.(Photo: J.Lynagh, Lyme Disease Association Inc.)
Rep. Smithalso called for for a coordinated, comprehensive federal response, including more funding of research, in response to the report.
Atop the list is testing. The report outlines the shortcomings of the standard practice of testing for Lyme through serological assays, or blood tests that look for antibodies. This form of testing is notoriously unreliable in detecting Lyme, especially in the crucial early stages of infection.
The report recommends federal investment into the development of new testing techniques. It also suggests exploring specific ways to better test children, whom are believed to comprise as much as half of the infected population.
The most significant thing, one everyone agrees with, is we need new kinds of testing for Lyme disease, Pat Smith said. We also need new kinds of therapeutic options for both acute Lyme and those with persistent illness.
Another focus of the report: The national surveillance system for tracking cases of tick-borne illnesses needs to be strengthened.
Right now, quite frankly, it's a mess, Pat Smith said,even (in terms of recording) what kind of ticks we're looking at in different states.
The report also includes stories of people who suffer fromtick-borne illnesses. After years of helping desperate patients cope with the horror stories of a widely misunderstood illness, Pat Smith wanted the report to reflect some of Lyme's human toll.
That talks about what patients are experiencing in trying to get diagnoses and treatment, she said. All kinds of issues are being brought to the forefront for a change.
This story was originally posted on Nov. 15, 2018 on APP.com and was posted on this website on Nov. 15, 2018.
https://www.app.com/story/news/health/2018/11/15/lyme-disease-congress/2010815002/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401556,"Smith Introduces Legislation Condemning Abuses Against Uyghurs in China, Calling for Accountability",2018-11-14,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, today introduced bipartisan legislation condemning the internment of over a million Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslim ethnic minorities in China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and calling for an end to arbitrary detention, torture, and forced renunciation of faith occurring in the region.Smith was joined on the legislation by lead Democratic cosponsor Rep. Thomas Suozzi (D-NY) and eight other Members of Congress.
Theinternment of over a million Uyghurs and other Muslims in China is a staggering evil and should be treated by the international community as a crime against humanity, said Smith. The Chinese government's creation of a vast system of what can only be called concentration camps cannot be tolerated in the 21st century. This legislation gives the Administration the tools to take a firm stand against Beijing's plans to erase the religious identity, culture, and language of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities in China's western province. As a start, Chinese government officials should be held accountable for their complicity in gross violations of human rights and U.S. businesses should be barred from helping China create a high-tech police state in Xinjiang province.
The brutal, religious based persecution of the Uyghurs in China is alarming. Xinjiang province has become nothing short of a police state, said Congressman Suozzi. We must take a stand against the violation of human rights and show the Chinese government that this is unacceptable. This bicameral, bipartisan bill is an important step in shedding light on the plight of the Uyghurs, and provides concrete policy options to address this abhorrent situation.
Among other actions, the legislation:
Condemns human rights violations in the region, including the arbitrary detention of up to one million Uyghurs
Calls for the immediate closure of internment camps in Xinjiang
Calls on the Secretary of State to consider a special position at the State Departmentthe United States Special Coordinator for Xinjiangto coordinate the U.S. response to abuses in the region, and to consider applicable targeted sanctions for individual human rights abusers in the Chinese government, Chinese Communist Party, and state security apparatus
Calls for a regional security assessment by the Director of National intelligence, in coordination with the Secretary of State, on the effect of the crackdown
Calls for an FBI report to provide information on the harassment and intimidation experienced by ethnic Uyghurs and Chinese nationals studying or working temporarily in the U.S. by Chinese officials;
Calls on the Secretary of State to submit an interagency report assessing the number of persons detained in re-education camps, the conditions in those camps, the number of those arbitrarily detained, the situation of press freedom and the gross violations of other universally recognized rights, and repressive surveillance methods used by authorities in the region.
Additional original cosponsors of the legislation include Reps. Michael McCaul (R-TX), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH), Steve Chabot (R-OH), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Barbara Comstock (R-VA), Gerry Connolly (D-VA), Randy Hultgren (R-IL), and Jim McGovern (D-MA). The bill is the House analogue to a Senate bill introduced by Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bob Menendez (D-NJ).",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401557,"First biennial report to Congress gives blueprint for federal response2018 Tick-Borne Disease Working Group Report Confirms Lyme is Spreading, Time for Action is Now",2018-11-14,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The 2018 Tick-Borne Disease Working Group Report to Congressthe very first report by the new HHS Working Groupconfirms what Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and other advocates have long warned of, that incidents of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases are increasing and that more federal attention to the problem is needed, Smith said on Wednesday.
As this report clearly shows, Lyme disease is spreadingin the overall number of cases, in the geographic area of occurrences, and in the number of disease agents. We have been working for yearsthe Lyme Disease Caucus and other advocatesto enhance awareness of Lyme disease and push for a coordinated, comprehensive federal response, including more funding of research, said Rep. Smith, who is founder and co-chair of the Congressional Lyme Disease Caucus. Smith and the caucus have successfully pushed for more federal funding of Lyme research, and Smith recently authored legislation to create a new national strategy on Lyme disease.
This report is a first step, the beginning of our response. The spread of tick-borne diseases should concern all states, not just high-incidence states, Smith said.
Released on Wednesday, the report is the first biennial report to Congress of the new HHS Tick-Borne Disease Working Group, created to serve as a Federal Advisory Committee by the 21st Century Cures Act, which Smith helped shepherd through Congress in 2016. The Working Group is tasked with reviewing federal research of tick-borne diseases, any advances in detection and treatment of tick-borne diseases, and identifying any research gaps, along with submitting a report to Congress every two years on its findings.
Nationally-known expert and advisor Pat Smith, a Wall resident and President of the Ocean County, NJ-based Lyme Disease Association (LDA), is on the HHS Tick-Borne Disease Working Group.
Lyme disease is having a direct, devasting impact on my constituents, and through countless meetings, advocacy, and pieces of legislation, I have been working to address the needs of the Lyme disease community, Smith said.
We cannot underestimate the significance of the release of this Working Group report, considering the CDC just announced the latest case numbers for Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. The numbers show over 42,000 reported casesdue to underreporting, that means over 420,000 cases probably occurred in the US in 2017 alone, Pat Smith said of the report.
The Working Group report was produced to inform Congress, using expert input from scientists, physicians, federal officials, advocates, patients and their family members, who each provided a perspective to paint the picture of this devastating disease. The report is a first step to unlocking the political gridlock surrounding tick-borne diseases, particularly Lyme. Now it is the job of Congress to provide the necessary resources to stop the spread of Lyme and tick-borne diseases so that patients can get properly diagnosed and treated.
Wednesday's report says that Lyme disease has steadily increased over the last 25 years in the number of estimated cases and in the geographic areas, but as the accuracy of diagnoses is still a challenge for many physicians, the current state of treatment is insufficient.
New Jersey is a high-incidence state for Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. According to 2017 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there were 3,629 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in New Jersey. The state ranks seventh overall among high-incidence states for Lyme and third overall in the number of reported Lyme cases for 2017, according to the Lyme Disease Association.
The idea for a working group on Lyme disease originated in Smith's comprehensive Lyme Disease Initiative of 1998. Smith has continued to repeatedly call for the creation of a Lyme disease task force that includes patients and patient advocates, doctors, researchers and on-the-ground officials from state and county health organizations, to ensure everyone had a part in the conversation about a federal response to tick-borne diseases.
The Congressional Lyme Disease Caucus, which Smith co-chairs, successfully pushed for the inclusion of $5 million in FY 2016 funding of tick-borne disease research in the DOD's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP).
Smith also introduced legislation earlier this yearthe National Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Control and Accountability Act of 2018 (HR 5900)that would call for a new national strategy on Lyme disease and help coordinate federal efforts across departments and agencies into one comprehensive federal response to tick-borne diseases.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401562,Smith Congratulates Monmouth County Academy of Allied Health & Science in Neptune for National Blue Ribbon School Honor,2018-11-14,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) congratulated Monmouth County Academy of Allied Health & Science in Neptune on Wednesday, on being recognized as one of the top-performing schools in the country with a National Blue Ribbon School honor by the U.S. Department of Education.
There are few greater priorities we should have as a country than the education of our children, and I am thrilled that Monmouth County Academy of Allied Health & Science is being honored as a national Blue Ribbon School for its exemplary record in this regard, Rep. Smith stated. The academy earned this honor for not only its outstanding test results among all students, but its high graduation rateexemplifying both excellence in education and in ensuring that all students are well-served by its teachers and staff.
This is Allied's third designation as a National Blue Ribbon School. This designation reflects the sustained hard work and dedication of Allied's staff and students, as well as the support provided by the school's families and our community and health care industry partners, said Paul F. Mucciarone, Principal of the Monmouth County Academy of Allied Health and Science. Since we draw students from throughout the county, it is also important to acknowledge that this award reflects how well the local Monmouth County school districts have prepared our students for the rigors of our career-focused high school curriculum.
Across the country, 349 public and private schools have been honored as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2018including 49 New Jersey schoolsrepresenting 47 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and military bases. Since 1982, more than 8,500 schools around the country have received the award.
The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master a challenging curriculum. The National Blue Ribbon School flag gracing an entry or flying overhead is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.
Monmouth County Academy of Allied Health & Science was honored as an Exemplary High Performing School, meeting the criteria of its students performing in the top 15 percent of testing for English language arts and mathematics for state and/or national tests, the disaggregated results for student groups being similar to the results of all students, and a graduation rate of 95 percent or higher.
Congratulations to the staff, students, and parents for their collective effort to earn this greatly-desired award, Smith said. Hard work pays off. It's certainly something to brag about.
Monmouth County Academy of Allied Health & Science was one of four schools in Smith's Fourth Congressional District to be recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools. The three other schools were: St. Leo School in Lincroft; St. Catharine School in Spring Lake; and St. James Elementary School in Red Bank.
The list of all 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools is available on the U. S. Department of Education's website athttps://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2018/national.pdf.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401554,"5-year extension of PEPFAR moves to SenateSmiths Legislation to Extend Life-Saving PEPFAR Program Passes the House",2018-11-13,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The House on Tuesday overwhelmingly voted to pass Rep. Smith's legislation, HR 6651, to extend the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for another five years, continuing a successful international AIDS relief program that has saved tens of millions of lives.
[S]ince 2003 the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR,' has saved an estimated 16 million lives, and 13 countries today are on track to control their HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2020, Smith said on the House Floor on Tuesday before the vote. Current PEPFAR funding is approximately $6 billion per year.
Before PEPFAR, only some 50,000 people in Africa had access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment. That number has since increased to approximately 14 million people receiving treatment for HIV and AIDS, Smith said. Thanks to antiretrovirals, some 2.2 million babies have been born HIV-free to HIV positive mothers. Since the start of PEPFAR new HIV infections have declined between 41-76%. And again, more than 16 million lives have been saved.
PEPFAR began under President Bush and has continued under the Obama Administration and into the Trump Administration. Smith was joined by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), lead cosponsor of the bill, along with original cosponsors Reps Ed Royce (R-CA), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Karen Bass (D-CA).
Below are excerpts of Smith's remarks on the House Floor, delivered on Tuesday:
Mr. Speaker, I rise to urge House passage of my billH.R. 6651the PEPFAR Extension Act of 2018, which authorizes funding for each of the next five years for comprehensive programs designed to prevent or provide treatment for people suffering from HIV/AIDS, malaria and/or TB throughout the world. (Current funding is approximately $6 billion per year)
Because of the vision of President George W. Bush and here, in the House, the leadership of the Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Henry Hyde, joined by Ranking Member Tom Lantos, since 2003 the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR,' has saved an estimated 16 million lives, and 13 countries today are on track to control their HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2020.
When President Bush signed the U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act into law in 2003Barbara Lee and I were actually sitting together at the ceremonyPresident Bush said:
HIV/AIDS is one of the great medical challenges of our time...Across Africa, this disease is filling graveyards and creating orphans and leaving millions in a desperate fight for their own lives. They will not fight alone... The legislation I sign today launches an emergency effort that will provide $15 billion over the next five years to fight AIDS abroad... In the face of preventable death and suffering, we have a moral duty to act, and we are acting
Today, according to the U.S. Department of State, PEPFAR is the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history. Through PEPFAR, the U.S. government has invested over $80 billion dollars in bilateral HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis programs.
Before PEPFAR, only some 50,000 people in Africa had access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment. That number has since increased to approximately 14 million people receiving treatment for HIV and AIDS. Thanks to antiretrovirals, some 2.2 million babies have been born HIV-free to HIV positive mothers. Since the start of PEPFAR new HIV infections have declined between 41-76%. And again, more than 16 million lives have been saved.
Yet, the need for this legislation is absolutely compelling, because there is much more to be done. The Trump Administration's 2018 PEPFAR Report to Congress sounds the alarm noting that:
according to UNAIDS, nearly 37 million people are living with HIV globally; however, the number of those on treatment is currently 20.9 million. While treatment access has increased by more than 160 percent since 2010, there is still much more to do to ensure everyone is virally suppressed, especially children and individuals under age 35. Constant evaluation of program implementation, epidemic data, and partner performance is essential to continue to accelerate our impact. We must continue to act decisively and strategically with our resources and to bring other donors and high-HIV-burden countries to the table; otherwise, we all risk an epidemic that rebounds beyond the global community's capacity to respond. The time to act is now. Every week, 32,000 people are infected with HIV globally, including 6,900 young women and 3,000 children, and 19,000 people die of AIDS-related illnesses. In sub-Saharan Africa, adolescent girls and young women are especially affected. Of all the new HIV infections in adolescents in the region, nearly 75 percent are among females; they are up to 14 times more likely to contract HIV/AIDS than young men.
I introduced HR 6651 joined by a group of bipartisan original cosponsors to ensure the continuation of this extraordinarily effective lifesaving initiativeand the time to act is now.
This PEPFAR extension includes an amendment to extend programs aimed at supporting Orphans and Vulnerable Childrenan initiave that assists over six million individuals with support from multiple organizations, including Catholic Relief Services and World Vision. I would like to thank my Democratic colleague, and original cosponsor, Barbara Lee for her outstanding commitment to this issue.
I also wish to commend the leadership shown by Chairman Ed Royce, Ranking Member Engel, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Ileana, we will miss you and my colleague on the Africa subcommittee, Ranking Member Karen Bass.
I also want to thank the many advocacy groups who weighed in with support and work tirelessly day-in-and-out to bring relief to those afflicted by HIV/AIDS and their family members.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401561,Smith Congratulates St. Catharine School in Spring Lake for Achieving National Blue Ribbon School Honor,2018-11-13,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) congratulated St. Catharine School in Spring Lake on Tuesday on being recognized as one of the top-performing schools in the country with a National Blue Ribbon School honor by the U.S. Department of Education.
There are few greater priorities we should have as a country than the education of our children, and I am thrilled that St. Catharine is being honored as a national Blue Ribbon School for its exemplary record in this regard, Rep. Smith stated. St. Catharine earned this honor for not only its outstanding test results among all students, but its high graduation rateexemplifying both excellence in education and in ensuring that all students are well-served by its teachers and staff.
The Blue Ribbon award is reflective of our students' outstanding achievements, as well as our hard working team of faculty and staff at Saint Catharine School, said Mr. Robert J. Dougherty, Principal of St. Catharine School in Spring Lake. Reaching this goal would not be possible without the collective efforts of the dedicated families, alumni, parishioners, the Diocese of Trenton Department of Catholic Schools, and the amazing PTA of St. Catharine School. It's truly incredible how much we are able to accomplish with the support of our school community.
Across the country, 349 public and private schools have been honored as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2018including 49 New Jersey schoolsrepresenting 47 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and military bases. Since 1982, more than 8,500 schools around the country have received the award.
The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master a challenging curriculum. The National Blue Ribbon School flag gracing an entry or flying overhead is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.
St. Catharine was honored as an Exemplary High Performing School, meeting the criteria of its students performing in the top 15 percent of testing for English language arts and mathematics for state and/or national tests, the disaggregated results for student groups similar to the results of all students, and the graduation rate of 95 percent or higher.
Congratulations to the staff, students, and parents at St. Catharine for their collective effort to earn this greatly-desired award, Smith said. Hard work pays off. It's certainly something to brag about.
St. Catharine was one of four schools in Smith's Fourth Congressional District to be recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools. The three other schools were: St. Leo School in Lincroft; St. James Elementary School in Red Bank; and Monmouth County Academy of Allied Health & Science in Neptune.
The list of all 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools is available on the U. S. Department of Education's website athttps://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2018/national.pdf.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/congressional-app-challenge-reception,Congressional App Challenge Reception,2018-11-13,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Start:
November 17, 2018 10:00 am
End:
November 17, 2018 12:00 pm
Location:
Atlantic County Institute of Technology - 5080 Atlantic Ave, Mays Landing, New Jersey",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/ventnor-city-holiday-parade-0,Ventnor City Holiday Parade,2018-11-13,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Start:
December 1, 2018 5:00 pm
End:
December 1, 2018 8:00 pm
Location:
Ventnor City, New Jersey",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401553,On the Commemoration of Veterans Day,2018-11-12,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"On the Commemoration of Veterans Day
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Nov 12, 2018
I extend my heartfelt and sincere gratitude to all the men and women who have served our country in the Armed Forces. We all owe a tremendous debt to service members and their families, and today we pay tribute to them for their service.
On this, the 100-year commemoration of Armistice Day, we remember especially the sacrifices of American soldiers who fought for our country in World War I.
Rep. Chris Smith is the former chairman of the Veterans Committee and author of 14 laws helping veterans.
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401550,"Smith helped expedite and increase reimbursement for crucial flood resiliency projectsEPA Recognizes South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority for Excellence",2018-11-09,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) announced on Friday that the South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority (SMRSA) was honored by the EPA for excellence and innovation within the Clean Water State Revolving Fund program.
I am pleased to announce that South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority has been recognized for its innovation in making its wastewater pump stations more resilient to large floods like in Hurricane Sandy, Smith, who in 2013 helped SMRSA obtain a much-needed increase in its reimbursement from FEMA for its project works after Superstorm Sandy. For instance, one of the pump stations in Lake Como had been submerged in five to six feet of water in Sandy, subjecting it to damaging corrosion.
By constructing three flood-resilient pumping stationsincluding two stations in large trailers that could be removed from flooded areas in natural disasters to avoid damageSMRSA achieved a victory of innovation, Smith said. The third station replaced an older station that was located in a 100-year flood zone.
The South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority (SMRSA) is honored to be amongthe Exceptional Projects' listed by the US EPA's Performance and Innovation in the SRF Creating Environmental Success (PISCES) program, stated Ryan R. Krause, P.E., C.M.E., Executive Director of the South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority. The SMRSA staff is driven by principles set by its' forward-thinking board of commissioners. As part of the SMRSA's asset management goals and objectives, it is hoped that these resiliency projects continue to mitigate future storm related damages and allow the SMRSA to invest monies in other critical assets while maintaining stable use rates.
The South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority's pump stations were one of only 30 clean water infrastructure projects nationwide to be recognized by the EPA for excellence, as part of the agency's Clean Water State Revolving Fund which provides low-cost financing to communities for water quality infrastructure projects. Smith cosponsored the amendments to the Clean Water Act which created the fund.
Infrastructure projects of state or local governments, public utilities, and private entities were recognized by the EPA's 2018 Performance and Innovation in the SRF Creating Environmental Success (PISCES) program.
In 2013, Smith personally appealed to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to approve a 90 percent federal share for FEMA funding going to Jersey towns to pay for cleanup costsinstead of the initially planned 75 percent. Fugate approved the 90 percent ratio several weeks later.
In November of 2013, the authority received a FEMA grant of over $2 million, a 90 percent share in the replacement of the Lake Como Water Pump Station destroyed by Superstorm Sandy; they had already received a FEMA grant of over $1 million to replace the Pitney Avenue Pump Station in Sea Girt.
The South Monmouth Regional Sewerage Authority (SMRSA) provides sanitary sewer conveyance and treatment for Monmouth County's coastal towns of Belmar, Lake Como, Spring Lake, Spring Lake Heights, Sea Girt, Manasquan, Brielle, and Wall Township, all of which are in Congressman Smith's 4th Congressional District.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401551,Smith Congratulates St. James Elementary in Red Bank for Achieving National Blue Ribbon School Honor,2018-11-09,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) congratulated St. James Elementary School in Red Bank on Friday on being recognized as one of the top-performing schools in the country with a National Blue Ribbon School honor by the U.S. Department of Education.
There are few greater priorities we should have as a country than the education of our children, and I am thrilled that St. James is being honored as a national Blue Ribbon School for its exemplary record in this regard, Rep. Smith stated. St. James earned this honor for not only its outstanding test results among all students, but its high graduation rateexemplifying both excellence in education and in ensuring that all students are well-served by its teachers and staff.
So many individuals have poured their hearts and souls into this school, and we can't thank them enough. I have always known that great things were taking place here at SJES- now our practices have been recognized and validated, said Mrs. JoAnn Giordano, principal of Saint James School.
Across the country, 349 public and private schools have been honored as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2018including 49 New Jersey schoolsrepresenting 47 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and military bases. Since 1982, more than 8,500 schools around the country have received the award.
The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master a challenging curriculum. The National Blue Ribbon School flag gracing an entry or flying overhead is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.
St. James was honored as an Exemplary High Performing School, meeting the criteria of it students performing in the top 15 percent of testing for English language arts and mathematics for state and/or national tests, the disaggregated results for student groups similar to the results of all students, and the graduation rate of 95 percent or higher. The school enrolls 355 students in grade levels Pre-K through 8 in challenging curricula.
Congratulations to the staff, students, and parents at St. James for their collective effort to earn this greatly-desired award, Smith said. Hard work pays off. It's certainly something to brag about.
St. James was one of four schools in Smith's Fourth Congressional District to be recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools. The three other schools were: St. Leo School in Lincroft; St. Catharine School in Spring Lake; and Monmouth County Academy of Allied Health & Science in Neptune.
The list of all 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools is available on the U. S. Department of Education's website athttps://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2018/national.pdf.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401552,Smith Congratulates St. Leo School in Lincroft for Achieving National Blue Ribbon School Honor,2018-11-09,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) congratulated St. Leo the Great School in Lincroft on Friday on being recognized as one of the top-performing schools in the country with a National Blue Ribbon School honor by the U.S. Department of Education.
There are few greater priorities we should have as a country than the education of our children, and I am thrilled that St. Leo is being honored as a Blue Ribbon School for its exemplary record in this regard, Rep. Smith stated. St. Leo earned this honor for not only its outstanding test results among all students, but its high graduation rateexemplifying both excellence in education and in ensuring that all students are well-served by its teachers and staff.
This is an exciting time for all of us at Saint Leo the Great School! To have received the National Blue Ribbon Award for Excellence twice is a notable accomplishment and it makes me proud to be a part of this great community, said Mr. Cornelius Begley, Principal of Saint Leo the Great School. I am blessed to work with a remarkable team of educators whose dedication and tireless efforts in providing a quality education and strong faith formation have made this recognition possible. Above all, I am thankful to our students and parents, whose faith and trust in Saint Leo the Great School has added to this success.
Across the country, 349 public and private schools have been honored as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2018, representing 47 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and military bases. Since 1982, more than 8,500 schools around the country have received the award. St. Leo was one of 49 schools in New Jersey to receive the award.
The National Blue Ribbon School award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master a challenging curriculum. The National Blue Ribbon School flag gracing an entry or flying overhead is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.
St. Leo was honored as an Exemplary High Performing School, meeting the criteria of it students performing in the top 15 percent of testing for English language arts and mathematics for state and/or national tests, the disaggregated results for student groups similar to the results of all students, and the graduation rate of 95 percent or higher. Located in Lincroft, the school features a challenging curriculum and robust mathematics, science, and technology programs for students.
Congratulations to the staff, students, and parents at St. Leo for their collective effort to earn this greatly-desired award, Smith said. Hard work pays off. It's certainly something to brag about.
St. Leo was one of four schools in Smith's Fourth Congressional District to be recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools. The three other schools were: St. James Elementary School in Red Bank; St. Catharine School in Spring Lake; and Monmouth County Academy of Allied Health & Science in Neptune.
The list of all 2018 National Blue Ribbon Schools is available on the U. S. Department of Education's website athttps://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs/2018/national.pdf.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401549,"AASKI Technology, Inc. honored with the HIRE Vets MedallionSmith Announces: Tinton Falls Tech Company Gets National Recognition for Hiring Vets",2018-11-08,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith announced on Thursday that AASKI Technology, Inc. in Tinton Falls has been honored by the Department of Labor with the HIRE Vets Medallion for its work in hiring military veterans.
Congratulations to AASKI Technology for the exemplary work they have done supporting the service men and women who have served our country, helping them transition into civilian life, said Rep. Smith, who voted for the legislationthe 2017 Consolidated Appropriations Actthat created the Honoring Investments in Recruiting and Employing American Military Veterans (HIRE Vets) program.
Many of our veterans face unique challenges when they transition into a civilian career, and we need businesses which will not only hire them, but guide them along their career path and help them advance in the civilian workforce, Smith said. AASKI has done this, and I am glad that they are being recognized for their work.
The HIRE Vets Medallion Program Demonstration award is given to employers which demonstrate a commitment to hiring military veterans and helping them with career development. AASKI was one of only six employers in New Jersey in 2018 to receive a medallion under the program.
According to the Department of Labor, the award was given based on a range of criteria including veteran hiring and retention, availability of veteran-specific resources, leadership programming for veterans, dedicated human resources, and compensation and tuition assistance programs for veterans.
AASKI Technology, Inc. was founded in 1997, and provides tech-based solutions for clients including the U.S. Department of Defense.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401532,On the Killing of 7 Coptic Christians in Egypt,2018-11-03,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"On the Killing of 7 Coptic Christians in Egypt
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Monmouth County, NJ,
Nov 3, 2018
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, issued the following statement on the attack that killed seven Coptic Christian pilgrims in Egypt on Friday:
""Our prayers go out for the seven Coptic Christiansmen, women and childrenkilled in the horrific bombing of their bus as they were on their way as pilgrims to the St. Samuel the Confessor monastery in Egypt.
""This bombing, 17 months after another bus of Coptic pilgrims was brutally attacked on its way to the same monastery, is one more direct attack on innocent Coptic Christians who face persecution and marginaliztion at the hands of their neighbors on a daily basis, and are subject to regular terror attacks by ISIS, who has made clear its goal of driving Christians out of the region. This violence must stop.
""The U.S. has a critical role to play in ensuring that Christians and other religious minorities, in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East, are protected from all violence, enjoy equal rights with fellow citizens, and are able to remain in their homes and thrive without having to resort to leaving their homelands for good. We must advocate on the international level for the rights of all persecuted religious minorities, and push for investigations into all senseless acts of violence and to hold the perpetrators accountable.""
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401548,"NJ Biz Article'Rep.Chris Smith recognized for stem cell legislation'",2018-11-03,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Anthony Vecchione The National Marrow Donor Program will honor U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th District, in November
for two stem cell laws that he authored. Smith authored the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005,Public Law 109-129, and the
Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2015,Public Law 114-104. Smith's two laws created the first National Cord Blood Stem Cell Inventory; reauthorized and
expanded the National Bone Marrow Registry; connected cord blood banks around the country into
one search system for matching donors; directed federal agencies to study adult stem cells and
birthing tissues to develop new therapies for patients; significantly increased the inventory of usable
umbilical cord blood units available for stem cell transplantation; and authorized $530 million for
umbilical cord blood and bone marrow stem cell research and treatment over ten years. ""I am grateful to receive this awarda ""the Lives Awarda ""from a group that has done unparalleled
work in facilitating more than 80,000 transplants to date in its administration of the C.W. Bill Young
Cell Transplantation Program,"" Smith said in a statement. ""Since my bill first authorized this
program, so much progress has been made in increasing patient access to crucial therapies."" According to the NMDP, there are currently more than 19 million volunteers and more than 249,000
cord blood units on the registry, including 109,000 units collected through the NCBI. In New Jersey, Smith said that there are nearly 200,000 volunteer potential donors on the registry.
Both umbilical cord blood and bone marrow stem cells are today used for medical treatments for
more than 70 diseases and conditions such as leukemia and sickle cell disease.
A(c) 2018 BridgeTower Media. All information on this site is copyrighted by BridgeTower Media. All This article was originally posted on Oct. 31, 2018 and can be found at:
http://www.njbiz.com/article/20181031/NJBIZ01/181039962/smith-recognized-for-stem-cell-legislation",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401503,'Silence is Not an Option',2018-11-02,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) issued the following statement in light of the recent deadly shooting at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life Congregation, and as part of AJC's #ShowUpForShabbat:
Words are inadequate to convey myouroutrage and profound sorrow over the loss of 11 precious lives and the wounding of six others, including four courageous police officers, at the Tree of Life Congregation in Pittsburgh.
On Thursday, the suspect Robert Bowers entered a plea of not guilty to 44 counts. Even when held to account for this atrocity in a court of law however the numbing loss of life and the anguish will never abate.
Attacked simply because they were Jewish, this barbaric manifestation of anti-Semitism underscores a dangerous and escalating trend both here in the United States and throughout the world.
Americans must unite as never before against anti-Semitism in all of its ugly forms.
AJC's #ShowUpforShabaat is a global initiative for people of all faiths to show solidarity with Pittsburgh's Jewish community while sending a resounding message that love triumphs over hate.
Americans must leave no stone unturned in calling out and condemning the purveyors of anti-Semitism on the internet including social media.
Working with local police and homeland security at both the state and federal level, we must employ all best practices and the means to achieve maximum security regardless of cost, to protect Jewish persons, synagogues, places of learning and cemeteries.
At one of the many congressional hearings I've chaired on combating anti-Semitism, Dr. Shimon Samuels of the Wiesenthal Center in Paris testified in 2002 and said: The Holocaust for 30 years after the war acted as a protective Teflon against blatant anti-Semitic expressionThat Teflon has erodedand may end as Molotov cocktails against synagogues.
Abraham Lincoln once said that to sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.
In the face of escalating anti-Semitism, silence is not an option.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401531,"Smith Honors Safe Drivers @ UPS Site**Watch photo slide show** :Smith Visits Workers at UPS Distribution Center",2018-11-02,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) was a guest at the United Parcel Service (UPS) Customer Center on Vassar Avenue in Lakewood, N.J. on Nov. 2.
Smith was welcomed on-by site Staff Manager Steve Culley, and Teamsters Local 177 President Bob Cherney, and spoke to nearly a 100drivers and various USP staff. Smith presented congressional certificates for six drivers who achieved safety milestones, including driver Mike Piazza, who achieved a milestone of 25 years without an accident. Smith also presented him with a special UPS leather jacket only given to drivers who hit that milestone.
In the past, Smith has visited similar Customer Centers in Mercer and Monmouth counties.
He also met with Sean Pender, of Hamilton, USP Enterprise Account Manager; Sue DeJong, of Freehold, Director of Enterprise Accounts- International Sales, and; UPS management official Chris Lutick, of Manasquan.
UPS is one of the largest employers in Smith's district, and is the third largest private employer in New Jersey with nearly 20,000 workers.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401522,"APP News Article on US Rep Smith Helping Vet Who Lost His Monmouth Co. Home & Medals during Sandy; 'Six years after Sandy swept away his war medals, Navy veteran gets them back'",2018-11-01,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Six years after losing everything in superstorm Sandy, a former Union Beach resident Bernard Ebner got something precious back.
The 69-year-old Navy veteran, who served two tours in Vietnam, was presented with replacements for five U.S. military medals the storm swept away in October of 2012. Rep. Chris Smith handed Ebner the awards in a ceremony Tuesday.
It was pretty emotional for me, Ebner told the Asbury Park Press. I was very proud of those medals.
RELATED:Sandy images ofheartbreak and hope
Ebner and his wife Linda lived in Union Beach for 44 years before Sandy flooded their Bay Avenue Cape Cod with 11 feet of water. He originally had displayed the medals in a case in the family room.
Rep. Chris Smith (right) presents replacement medals to Bernard Ebner.(Photo: Linda Ebner)
When we had kids, that room got used for the kids and a lot of stuff got put away, he said.
The medals went into a cabinet in the boiler room, and after Sandy they were never recovered after many months of sifting through the wreckage.
Superstorm Sandy: Images of heartbreak and hope
Star Jet roller coaster that was swept off the Casino Pier by Hurricane Sandy sits off shore embedded in the sands of the Atlantic Ocean.Asbury Park Press File Photo
Going through what we went through with Sandy, you had thousands of boxes, he said. It took us almost a year-and-a-half to realize they were one of the things missing.
The home eventually was torn down and the Ebners relocated to Manchester Township in 2013. Bernardreached out about the missing medals to Smith, who requested replacements from National Personal Record Center and the Navy. Medals lost due to natural disaster or fire may be eligible to be replaced free of charge.
The Ebners' Union Beach home getting torn down after Sandy.(Photo: Bernard Ebner)
Six years ago today Sandy took away these medals, Smith, who was the chairman of the Veterans Committee in the House of Representatives for four years, told Ebner during Tuesday's ceremony in his Plumsted office. What an honor it is and a privilege to be here with you today to help restore something Sandy took away.
Bernard Ebner's five replacement U.S. military awards(Photo: Bernard Ebner)
The medals Ebner earned:
The National Defense Service Medal
The Vietnam Service Medal
The Vietnam Campaign Medal
The Navy E Button
The Meritorious Unit Commendation
To have full peace of mind over what happened (with Sandy), I don't think that will ever happen, but I'm extremely thankful to get those back, Ebner said.
Rep. Chris Smith (left) with Bernard and Linda Ebner(Photo: Courtesy of Bernard Ebner)
They will be going in a place of honor in his home.
I plan on getting another display type of case, and I'll put them in our dining room or living room, he said.
It was awesome to see that my dad got his medals back, daughter Kelly Maher said. His time in the military meant so much to him.
For the latest on Sandy recovery, check out the video atop this story.
This story originally ran in the Oct. 31 , 2018 edition of the Asbury Park Press and was posted on this website on Nov. 1, 2018.
https://www.app.com/story/news/local/how-we-live/2018/10/31/superstorm-sandy-union-beach/1829995002/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401523,"NBC 10 features Rep. Smith Case Helping Vet Regain His Medals'War Veteran Who Lost Medals During Sandy Gets a New Set'",2018-11-01,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"NBC 10 features Rep. Smith Case Helping Vet Regain His Medals'War Veteran Who Lost Medals During Sandy Gets a New Set'
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NEW EGYPT, NJ ,
Nov 1, 2018
(Published Tuesday, Oct 30, 2018 | Credit: Ted Greenberg )
This story aired Oct. 30, 2018 on WCAU and was posted Nov. 1, 2018.
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401529,"New facility offers service members, families one-stop shopping for comprehensive services Smith Attends Ribbon-Cutting for Flight Deck Community Center at JB-MDL",2018-11-01,2018,2018-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) helped cut the ribbon to open a comprehensive new Flight Deck Community Center at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on Wednesday, which will serve civilians and service members of all military branches.
This impressive new facility is a much-needed upgrade from the old center which was decades-old, and will serve as a useful hub at the base for the service men and women, and their families, who have made sacrifices for our nation, said Smith, who voted for legislation that appropriated the funding for the construction of the new center. I remain committed to ensuring that the Joint Base receives the funding and upgrades it requires to retain its premier status as our nation's only tri-service joint installation.
Wednesday's ribbon-cutting marked the first of two important milestones for construction at the Joint Base, the second of which will be the groundbreaking ceremony of a new facility for the anticipated KC-46A refueling tankers. Smith worked with Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-NJ) and other members of the New Jersey delegation to bring the tankers to the base, and over $156 million in projects related to the arrival of the KC-46As have already been authorized in FY 2018 and 2019 Defense appropriations.
Tom and I were happy to work together to support the base. This is what teamwork can produce, Smith said.
The brand-new community center will consolidate many services at the base into one-stop shopping, offering information tickets and travel, outdoor recreation, food service, and other facilities like meeting rooms, a training room theater with stadium seating and a game room Cyber Lounge, all at one central location, said Captain Muhammad Khan, the Joint Base Deputy CommanderNavy and the Commander of Naval Support Activity Lakehurst, in his remarks at the ribbon-cutting.
Efforts to modernize the facility began 15 years ago but were delayed due to the joint basing process. Finally, the project moved forward and was awarded to American Corporation of Brick, NJ, for a $4.5 million contract in September of 2016; construction began in January of 2017.
Funding for the construction of the Flight Deck Community Center$4.8 millioncame from additional funding of the Facilities Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization (SRM) Fund, provided for in the FY2016 Omnibus which Rep. Smith voted for.
Smith was welcomed at the ribbon-cutting, along with Rep. MacArthur, by Captain Khan: I'd also like to welcome Congressmen MacArthur and Congressman Smith who have been vocal advocates for the base to ensure we are equipped with the equipment, facilities and personnel we need to operate this installation.
Service members, civilians, and families will now have a great place to gather on Lakehurst and will truly improve the services we are able to offer to our joint base community, Captain Khan stated.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401514,"ABC News Segment on Whiting Vet Smith Helped *Watch the Video*'Veteran's symbols of service replaced after medals lost in Superstorm Sandy'",2018-10-31,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"ABC News Segment on Whiting Vet Smith Helped *Watch the Video*'Veteran's symbols of service replaced after medals lost in Superstorm Sandy'
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OCEAN COUNTY, NJ ,
Oct 31, 2018
Tuesday, October 30, 2018 04:59PM
PLUMSTED, N.J. (WPVI) --
A South Jersey man who lost nearly everything when Superstorm Sandy crashed ashore six years ago now has back some of his most prized possessions.In Plumsted, Ocean County on Tuesday, Congressman Chris Smith presented Bernard Ebner with the medals he earned over years of military service. The medals were stashed for safe keeping in a cabinet in Ebner's Union Beach home. But they were lost when the storm destroyed the house. Ebner, who served with distinction in Vietnam, has been trying ever since to get them replaced.
""It means a lot to get this back. I've been searching for a long time,"" Ebner said. ""I'm just overwhelmed with this as it is, and I want to thank everyone."" Ebner told us he knows that much of what was lost can never be gotten back, but he's deeply moved to now have these symbols of his service.
This segment originally ran Tues. Oct. 30 2018 in the 5 o'clock news and was posted on this site Oct. Oct. 31. It can be found online at:https://6abc.com/society/veterans-symbols-of-service-replaced-after-medals-lost-in-sandy/4583436/
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401515,On the Killing of American Missionary Charles Trumann Wesco in Cameroon,2018-10-31,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"On the Killing of American Missionary Charles Trumann Wesco in Cameroon
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Washington,
Oct 31, 2018
Rep Chris Smith, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Africa subcommittee, released the following statement about the slaying of an American missionary in the Republic of Cameroon:
Our hearts go out to the family of the American missionary, Charles Trumann Wesco, who was murdered in the Southern Cameroons region. I call upon the government of Cameroon to hold accountable those who perpetrated this callous murder. I am concerned with the deteriorating human rights situation in the English-speaking portion of the Republic of Cameroon which the Africa Subcommittee addressed in a June hearing and call upon President Paul Biya to implement reforms that protect the rights of all Cameroonian citizens, including those from the Anglophone minority.
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401516,"CBS Channel 2 NY News Segment on Smith's helping Vietnam Vet ***Watch the Video***'Lost In Superstorm Sandy, Vietnam Veteran Gets His Medals Back'",2018-10-31,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"October 30, 2018 at 6:29 pm OCEAN COUNTY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) This week marks the 6th anniversary of Superstorm Sandy.
A Vietnam veteran in New Jersey is now being reunited with some of his awards that were lost during the storm.
Veteran Bernard Ebner was honored with five military medals for the second time. The new medals are replacements of his originals that were lost when his house was destroyed during the hurricane.
Vietnam veteran Bernard Ebner presented with new medals. (Credit: CBS2)
I had four years of service When I found out they were lost it really hurt, the U.S. Navy veteran told CBS2's Natalie Duddridge.
Ebner's family home in Union Beach, Monmouth County was flooded by nearly 12 feet of water that reached the second floor of the house.
Everything inside was washed away. It was deemed unlivable and had to be demolished.
You live in the home 45 years and you have thousands of possessions you just don't know how many until you're put in this situation. Took about a year and a half to realize they were gone, Ebner explained.
When he did realize they were gone, Ebner reached out to Rep. Chris Smith for help. Smith took the request to the Pentagon.
We did a lot of case work during Hurricane Sandy. We had thousands of people that lost much. This was the first time someone came forward and said my medals are gone.
On Tuesday, Ebner was re-presented with the awards including the National Defense Service Medal and the Battle E Ribbon which is awarded to Navy crew members who show the highest level of battle preparedness.
Bernard Ebner's replacement medals. (Credit: CBS2)
Ebner says for now he'll proudly display the medals in his new home, but eventually he'll pass them down to his daughters and grandchildren.
Feels very good, makes me very happy, the grateful veteran said.
While Ebner says his family was lucky enough to be able to move into a new house on more elevated ground, he's thinking about all of the people who are still rebuilding and struggling with losses six years later.
This news segment was aired by CBS Channel 2, as well asWLNY Channell 10/55, on its 6 p.m. new broadcast.https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2018/10/30/superstorm-sandy-veteran-medals/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-named-champion-of-fighting-eating-disorders,Lance Named Champion of Fighting Eating Disorders,2018-10-31,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WESTFIELD, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07), a member of the Health Subcommittee, has been named a Champion of Fighting Eating Disorders by the Eating Disorders Coalition, an organization comprised of treatment providers, advocacy organizations, academics, parents of children with eating disorders and people experiencing eating disorders nationwide. Lance was instrumental in passing the Anna Westin Act into law, a bipartisan measure that increased access to care for eating disorders, provided trainings for early identification and intervention from both health professionals and school personnel and provided new resources through the Office on Women's Health to help increase public awareness of eating disorders.
Eating disorders are a public health challenge too many families have faced. The problem is more widespread than some may know 30 million Americans suffer from the serious effects of eating disorders and related health issues. Through passage of the Anna Westin Act and other efforts we are starting to turn the tide. Those is pain now have the greatest support network ever and are receiving treatment at higher rates, said Lance, a member of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee.
The 21st Century Cures Act was a major legislative package signed into law under President Obama reforming the public medical research entities and committing more funding to the National Institutes of Health. The package came out of Lance's Energy and Commerce Committee where Lance added the Anna Westin Act as an amendment to the bill.
Congressman Lance has been an incredible champion for the 30 million Americans and 300,000 people in New Jersey affected by the serious and life-threatening mental illness of eating disorders, stated Dr. S. Bryn Austin, President of the Eating Disorders Coalition for Policy, Research and Action. The eating disorders community is proud to have such a strong champion that works across the aisle, and particularly the Eating Disorders Coalition is grateful for his leadership in passing and implementing the Anna Westin Act within 21st Century Cures.
The Eating Disorders Coalitions noted at least 30 million Americans suffer from an eating disorder their lifetime and eating disorders are the third most common chronic illness among adolescent females. The organization is also educating the public on the rising rates of eating disorders affecting large numbers of U.S. military personnel.
We are going to continuing working in a completely bipartisan fashion to address this problem, for young women, service members and all people afflicted, concluded Lance.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401504,"Smith Honors Navy Vietnam VetNJ Veteran Who Lost His Medals to Superstorm Sandy Presented New Medals",2018-10-30,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Six years to the day after Bernard Ebner, a Vietnam War Navy veteran, lost his home of 46 years in Union Beach, (Monmouth County) and most of his possessions to the fury of Superstorm Sandy which ravaged the Jersey Shore on Oct. 29-30, he received five important items back.
U.S. Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) presented replacement medals to an emotional Ebner, 69, and his wife Linda, who shared in her husband's presentation today. They restarted their lives about six years ago by moving to Whiting, Ocean County, NJ.\
Four television stations attended the event. Asked by one reporter how it felt to get his replacement medals, Mr. Ebner said, It feels good. It makes me very happy. Gesturing at the medals pinned to a plaque and hoarse with emotion,, he continued, This was my life for four years. To lose them was devastating.
Mr. Ebner reached out to Congressman Smith, who made the case that the medals be replaced to the National Personal Record Center and the Navy. Replacements of medals lost due to natural disaster or fire may be eligible to be replaced free of charge.
At his Ocean County office in New Egypt, Smith presented Mr. Ebner with:
The National Defense Service Medal
the Vietnam Service Medal
the Vietnam Campaign Medal
The Navy E Button
The Meritorious Unit Commendation
Six years ago today Sandy took away these medals, said Smith, who was the chairman of the Veterans Committee in the House of Representatives for four years. What an honor it is and a privilege to be here with you today to help restore something Sandy took away.
The former two-term chairman of the House Veteran's Committee, Smith has written 14 bills that have been enacted into law to assist veterans.
Medal description and eligibility:
National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) is a decoration presented to recognize military members who have served in active duty during a declared ""national emergency"".
To be eligible, members must have served honorably during one of the following time periods:
The Korean War from June 27, 1950 - July 27, 1954;
The Vietnam War from January 1, 1961 - August 14, 1974;
The Gulf War from August 2, 1990 - November 30, 1995; The War on Terrorism from September 11, 2001 - a yet to be determined date.
There is no requirement on the amount of time served within the time frames.
Vietnam Service Medal was awarded to all members of the United States Armed Forces serving in Vietnam and its contiguous waters or airspace thereover, after 3 July 1965 through 28 March 1973. Members of the United States Armed Forces inThailand,Laos,Cambodia, or airspace thereover, during the same period and serving in direct support of operations in Vietnam are also eligible for the award
Vietnam Campaign Medal was a decoration presented by South Vietnam to recognize members of allied forces who served in the Vietnam War for a period of at least six months or who were wounded, captured or killed in action were automatically awarded the medal regardless of time served.
Meritorious Unit Commendation is a unit award of the United States Navy presented to U.S. Navy and Marine Corps units. The award is presented to any unit of the Navy or Marine Corps that has distinguished itself, under combat or non-combat conditions, by either valorous or meritorious achievement, which renders the unit outstanding compared to other units performing similar service.
Navy E Ribbon (NAVE) or the Battle ""E"" ribbon is presented to crew members of any United States Navy vessel that has won a battle efficiency competition. This ribbon is awarded annually to the small number ofUnited States Navy ships, submarines, aviation, and other units that win their battle effectiveness competition. The criterion for the Battle Effectiveness Award is the overall readiness of the command to carry out its assigned wartime tasks, and is based on a year-long evaluation. The competition for the award is, and has always been, extremely keen. To win, a ship or unit must demonstrate the highest state of battle readiness.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/closure-mays-landing-office,Closure of Mays Landing Office,2018-10-30,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Start:
December 21, 2018
End:
December 21, 2018",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/somers-point-veterans-day-ceremony-0,Somers Point Veterans Day Ceremony,2018-10-30,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Somers Point Veterans Day Ceremony
Start:
November 11, 2018 11:00 am
End:
November 11, 2018 12:00 pm
Location:
Patriots Park - Bethel Road, Somers Point
Oct 30, 2018",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lobiondo.house.gov/event/usps-and-harrison-townships-post-office-renaming-ceremony,USPS and Harrison Township's Post Office Renaming Ceremony,2018-10-30,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"USPS and Harrison Township's Post Office Renaming Ceremony
Start:
November 8, 2018 11:00 am
End:
November 8, 2018 12:00 pm
Location:
Mullica Hill Post Office - 123 Bridgeton Pike, Mullica Hill, New Jersey
Oct 30, 2018",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-statement-birthright-citizenship,Congressman MacArthur Statement on Birthright Citizenship,2018-10-30,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Toms River, New JerseyTodayCongressman Tom MacArthur released a statement following President Trump's comments regarding birthright citizenship: I didn't agree with President Obama when he tried tochange immigration law by Executive Order and I don't agree with President Trump for the same reason. I do agree with President Trump that our immigration system is broken and Congress must come together to pass comprehensive immigration reform. We must find a compassionate solution to fix the DACA program,without letting anyone jump the line, and I urgedSpeaker Ryan to do just that by bringing a bill to the House floor. Earlier this year, I voted for legislation that enhances border security measures, creates a merit-based immigration system, protects DACA youth from being deported, and ends the practice of family separation at the border.Congress - both Republicans and Democrats - must address these issues immediately. It is our Constitutional duty.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401502,Bipartisan Anti-Semitism Taskforce Statement on Tree of Life Synagogue Attack,2018-10-29,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ), Nita Lowey (D-NY), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ted Deutch (D-FL), Kay Granger (R-TX), Marc Veasey (D-TX), and Peter Roskam (R-IL), the Co-Chairs of the House of Representatives Bipartisan Taskforce for Combating Anti-Semitism, issued the following statement in reaction to the Saturday attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh:
Saturday's attack, the deadliest assault on the Jewish community in US history, took the lives of 11 innocent individuals, who were murdered simply for being Jewish. We have watched in horror for years as anti-Semitic rhetoric and actions have proliferated, both here at home and abroad, and this painful incident confirms our worst fears. We, members of Congress across the US political spectrum, stand united in our opposition to anti-Semitism and to stamping out this corrosive scourge. May the memory of those lost be a blessing. We will carry these individuals, the wounded, and their families in our hearts as we continue this work.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401500,Smith Addresses American Legion Dept. of NJ at Centennial Gala,2018-10-27,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) addressed the American Legion Department of New Jersey at its Centennial Gala in Point Pleasant on Saturday.
On the eve of American Legion's founding a century agoin September of 1919it behooves every American to take note and acknowledge a century of extraordinary accomplishments, Smith said. The Legion has played an absolutely essential role in ensuring that veterans and their families are honored in both word and deed and that America's military capabilities are second to none.
Every earned veterans benefit we know today was first pushedand often conceived ofby the American Legion.
The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization. With more than 13,000 local posts in all 50 states along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippinesincluding 300 Legion posts in New Jerseythe organization's membership totals over two million and it is the largest wartime veterans service organization.
Below are excerpts of Smith's remarks, The Legion's Extraordinary Century of Accomplishments:
Congratulations to State Commander Ray Miller for his lifetime of honorable, dedicated and effective service to our country both in uniform and outand to all veterans and service members and their families.
Absent the Legion, The United States would be a far different place and nowhere near as vet-friendly nor as strong.
Absent the Legion, respect for fundamental American values, the primacy of our Constitution and the Bill of Rights, respect for the rule of law and of our flag, would be diminished.
On the eve of American Legion's founding a century agoin September of 1919it behooves every American to take note and acknowledge a century of extraordinary accomplishments.
The Legion has played an absolutely essential role in ensuring that veterans and their families are honored in both word and deed and that America's military capabilities are second to none.
A sufficiently strong military often deters conflict and war.
However if that fails, America's well-trained and best equipped have always been counted on to secure the peace.
American Legion-led efforts in 1921 created the US Veterans Bureau, now the VA. A few weeks ago, Congress passed and President Trump signed the largest VA budget everover $89.5 billion.
Every earned veterans benefit we know today was first pushedand often conceived ofby the American Legion.
In December of 1943, the Legion's National Commander Harry Colmery drafted on Hotel Mayflower stationary in Washington, DC the first draft of the greatest veterans law everthe GI Bill:
The GI bill transformed America.
Among its provisions, the means to pay for post-secondary education coupled with the no-down payment low interest home loan, incentivized the creation of the middle class.
The American Legion inspired GI Billunleashed unprecedented sustainable prosperitythe likes of which the world has never seena building boom and has significantly enabled veterans and their families to achieve their dreams.
The first 100 years are almost in the book.
But like Ronald Reagan used to say, our best days are still ahead.
We are that shinning city on the hill.
And it will continue to be the American Legionwithits 2 million members and leaders like Commander Miller who will continue to guide and inspire and challenge this amazing country of ours bequeathed to us by the sacrifice of our veterans to greatness.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401501,On the Shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh,2018-10-27,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"On the Shooting at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh
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Monmouth County, NJ,
Oct 27, 2018
""With many details yet unknown, our hearts are broken for the victims of the mass shooting of a Jewish congregation during Saturday morning worship at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Americans need to unite against all acts of violence, including barbaric manifestations of anti-Semitic hate as seen in today's shooting.
""Our thanks to the brave and swift response by first responders who prevented additional causalities. We hope and pray that the injured, including police officers, will recover and we mourn the loss of those killed in this cowardly act of hatred.""
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https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-macarthur-statement-pittsburgh-shooting,Congressman MacArthur Statement on Pittsburgh Shooting,2018-10-27,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Toms River, New JerseyCongressman Tom MacArthur released the following statement on this morning's shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh: The reports out of Pittsburgh this morning are devastating. Yet again, we have seen our fellow Americans murdered in their place of worship. Words are not sufficient to express the sorrow and outrage that Debbie and I feel at this act of hatred. We are praying for the entire Pittsburgh community and the Jewish community worldwide, which continues to face antisemitic violence and vitriol. We are especially praying for all our neighbors in the Jewish community in South Jersey as they observe the Sabbath today. We stand with you against this evil.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401498,"Rep. Chris Smith, Author of 2 Historic Stem Cell Laws, to Be Honored by National Marrow Donor Program",2018-10-26,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the prime author of two historic stem cell lawsthe Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-129) and the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-104)will be honored in November in Minnesota by the National Marrow Donor Program.
Both umbilical cord blood and bone marrow stem cells are today used for medical treatments for more than 70 diseases and conditions such as leukemia and sickle cell disease.
Smith's two laws:
Created the first National Cord Blood Stem Cell Inventory (NCBI);
Reauthorized and expanded the National Bone Marrow Registry;
Connected cord blood banks around the country into one search system for matching donors;
Directed federal agencies to study adult stem cells and birthing tissues to develop new therapies for patients;
Significantly increased the inventory of usable umbilical cord blood units available for stem cell transplantation; and
Authorized $530 million for umbilical cord blood and bone marrow stem cell research and treatment over ten years
I am grateful to receive this awardthe Lives Awardfrom a group that has done unparalleled work in facilitating more than 80,000 transplants to date in its administration of the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program. Since my bill first authorized this program, so much progress has been made in increasing patient access to crucial therapies, Smith stated.
According to the NMDP, there are currently more than 19 million volunteers and more than 249,000 cord blood units on the registry, including 109,000 units collected through the NCBI.
I am working to ensure that this program receives continued federal support for its work improving patient outcomes and survival rates, meeting the needs of underserved patients and empowering patients and doctors to make optimal treatment decisions, Smith said.
The national registry of adult donors for bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells allows for successful matches for patients who need a life-saving stem cell transplant when a matching family donor is not available.
Today we all should applaud the heroes that comprise the NMDP Be The Match Registrythe generous volunteers who step up to donate their bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells to a neighbor in need, as well as mothers who donate their child's cord bloodturning medical waste into medical miracles and giving hope to patients who would have otherwise had none, said Smith.
In New Jersey, there are nearly 200,000 volunteer potential donors on the registryan astounding witness to the generosity of Americans, Smith said.
Smith applauded the amazing work of the late Congressman Bill Young, who worked for decades supporting bone marrow transplantation and who helped start the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
The National Marrow Donor Program will give Smith the award in Minneapolis on Nov. 9. In a statement, the NMDP noted that Representative Smith was nominated and honored with the 2018 Lives Award because of his continued support of the National Marrow Donor Program, and for his efforts in protecting patients' access to transplant.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401499,"Calls on U.S. to hold China accountable, including through sanctionsSmith Bill Aims to Combat Deadly Threat of Chinese Fentanyl",2018-10-26,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who chairs the congressional panel that oversees global health issues, today introduced legislation, HR 7091, to help stop illicit fentanyl trafficking to the U.S. from China, and hold both government officials in China and Chinese private citizens accountable. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY) is the lead Democrat on the bipartisan bill.
Synthetic fentanyl produced in China and exported to the U.S. is ravaging our communities, said Smith, who recently chaired a Subcommittee hearing on potent, deadly Chinese-produced fentanyl entering the U.S. Although China would like to shirk responsibility and call this a purely a demand-driven phenomenon, the fact is Beijing is not doing enough to stop the supply.
The recent proliferation of synthetic opioids like fentanyl has driven a sharp increase in overdose deaths, impacting Americans of all walks of life. In New Jersey, we have the highest opioid overdose death rate among all states for individuals 35 or younger. And fentanyl produced in China is helping drive the epidemic, Smith stated.
To help stop the production of fentanyl and its trafficking into the United States from the People's Republic of China, the Smith-Souza bill mandates the creation of a joint effort by the Secretaries of State and of the Treasury to identify each person and government official in China involved in fentanyl production and trafficking into the U.S. Once identified, those persons can be sanctioned by the U.S. under such policies as the Global Magnitsky Actwhich Smith helped shepherd into law last Congress.
The idea for the new Smith-Souza bill came from expert testimony offered at a hearing Smith chaired on September 6th, entitled Tackling Fentanyl: The China Connection. Officials from the State Department and Drug Enforcement Administration along with the prosecutor from Ocean County, NJ, in Smith's congressional district, all provided information highlighting the deadly effects of fentanyl on U.S. communities, and new strategies the U.S. can and must employ to counter this illicit drug trade.
Whereas China has gone to war with other drugs that have a demand in Chinasuch as methamphetamineit has conspicuously failed to launch a similar crackdown on fentanyl, which has no demand in China, Smith said.
I applaud the efforts of our law enforcement agencies to counter the spread of fentanyl, but China must do more. This bill will hold China accountable for its bad behavior and sanction those responsible for this global health crisis.
In order to effectively combat this epidemic, we need Congress and the Administration working together to hold accountable those who promote and profit off of drug addiction. With this bill, we will do just that, Smith said",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-sba-announce-disaster-assistance-brick-flood-victims,"MacArthur, SBA Announce Disaster Assistance for Brick Flood Victims",2018-10-26,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Toms River, New JerseyThe Small Business Administration (SBA) announced it will offer low-interest SBA disaster loans to Brick residents affected by the August floods. This disaster assistance will be available to businesses, private nonprofit organizations, and individuals who suffered damaged or destroyed property, equipment, or real estate. Many lives were turned upside down following this summer's devastating floods in Brick. Most of the victims were seniors, making the need for local, state, and federal resources even more critical. I saw the damage firsthand as I visited the community multiple times during the recovery process and in the immediate aftermath of the flooding. Just this month, I joined the local Brick community and welcomed back home the first resident displaced by the floods. We've made progress, but there is still work needed to be done, said Congressman MacArthur. That's why this SBA disaster assistance loan is such an important federal resource for families and business owners trying to rebuild. I'm grateful for the ongoing work of local volunteers and support from federal agencies, like SBA, to help our seniors during these tough times. I will continue doing all I can at the federal level to ensure the Brick community gets back on its feet. SBA's Customer Service Representatives are opening a Disaster Loan Outreach Center at the Greenbriar Homeowners Association on Saturday, October 27, 2018 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Operating hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. The Outreach Center will close on Friday, November 2, 2018 at 4 p.m. More details can be found below.
Press release from SBA Administrator Linda McMahon:
SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to New Jersey Businesses and Residents Affected by August Severe Storms and Flooding
WASHINGTONNew Jersey businesses and residents affected by severe storms and flooding on Aug. 11-13, 2018, can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, Administrator Linda McMahon announced today.
Administrator McMahon made the loans available in response to a letter from Gov. Phil Murphy on Oct. 18, requesting a disaster declaration by the SBA. The declaration covers Ocean and Passaic counties, and the adjacent counties of Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Essex, Monmouth, Morris, and Sussex in New Jersey; Orange and Rockland in New York.
The SBA is strongly committed to providing the people of New Jersey with the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist businesses of all sizes, homeowners and renters with federal disaster loans, said McMahon. Getting businesses and communities up and running after a disaster is our highest priority at SBA.
SBA's Customer Service Representatives will be available at the Disaster Loan Outreach Center to answer questions about the disaster loan program and help individuals complete their applications.
The Centers are located in the following community and is open as indicated:
Ocean County
Greenbriar Homeowners Association
1 Derby Circle
Brick, NJ 08753
Opens: Saturday, Oct. 27, 10 a.m. 2 p.m.
Hours: Monday Friday, 9 a.m. 6 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 28, Closed
Closing: Friday, Nov. 2 at 4 p.m.
Passaic County
Township of Little Falls
225 Main Street
Little Falls, NJ 07424
Opens: Saturday, Oct. 27, 10 a.m. 2 p.m.
Hours: Monday Friday, 9 a.m. 6 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 28, Closed
Closing: Friday, Nov. 2 at 4 p.m.
Businesses and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2million to repair or replace disaster damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets, said SBA's New Jersey District Director Alfred Titone.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.
Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for loans up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property, said Kem Fleming, center director of SBA's Field Operations Center East in Atlanta.
Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm shelter to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.
Interest rates are as low as 3.675 percent for businesses, 2.5 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 2 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amount and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant's financial condition.
Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA's secure website at DisasterLoan.sba.gov.
Businesses and individuals may also obtain information and loan applications by calling the SBA's Customer Service Center at 1-800-659-2955 (1-800-877-8339 for the deaf and hard-of-hearing), or by emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov. Loan applications can also be downloaded at www.sba.gov. Completed applications should be returned to the centers or mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.
The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Dec. 24, 2018. The deadline to return economic injury applications is July 24, 2019.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-statement-arrest-made-connection-suspicious-packages,MacArthur Statement on Arrest Made in Connection to Suspicious Packages,2018-10-26,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Toms River, New JerseyCongressman Tom MacArthur released the following statement on the arrest of a suspect linked to the suspicious packages sent to public officials:
I'm so grateful for our nation's law enforcement. I'd imagine many on this investigation have different political views. However, they put differences aside and worked together for a greater good. In this case, they worked together to arrest a suspect who sent threatening packages to public officials around the nation.
This threat has no place in our society and it must end. This had no place in our society when a man was arrested for threatening my family. This had no place in our society when my good friend, Steve Scalise, was shot during a baseball practice. This had no place in our society when Nancy Pelosi was harassed and threatened during a recent event in Florida or when Ted Cruz and his wife were intimidated during a private dinner. This is beyond partisanship. There are too many, on both sides of the political divide, who attack and even resort to violence when there is the slightest policy disagreement. We can disagree without being disagreeable and focus on improving the lives of Americans across the country. After all, isn't that why we are all so interested in politics and government? We all want to make a difference. Now, I know that there are substantial policy differences we must discuss and debate vigorously and honestly. But, these threats, these attacks, the rhetoric on both sides, have just gone too far.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1691,Top Army Civilian Visits Picatinny Arsenal with Congressman Frelinghuysen,2018-10-25,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"PICATINNY, NEW JERSEY Today, U.S. Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11), the Chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, welcomed the Secretary of the Army, Mark Esper, to Picatinny Arsenal. In a letter earlier this year, Rep. Frelinghuysen invited Secretary Esper to visit to gain a better understanding of how this vital installation contributes to the strategic readiness of the Army as well as the Navy, Marines, and our Special Forces. I have been privileged to represent the men and women of Picatinny Arsenal and this great installation itself for almost 24 years in Congress, Rep. Frelinghuysen said. Every time I pass through the Cannon Gates I learn about another technological marvel the scientists, engineers and technicians here discovered and fielded to our warfighters to ensure we maintain our advantage against our adversaries on the battlefield. I am pleased Secretary Esper was able to see, firsthand, this tremendous institution and its critically important work. During the visit, Secretary Esper was escorted by Rep. Frelinghuysen, Brigadier General Alfred Abramson, Commander Picatinny Arsenal and PEO Ammunition and Mr. John Hedderich, Director US Army Armament Research and Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC). They received presentations on a sampling of technologies, including several lethality efforts that Picatinny develops and manages for the Department of Defense. The visit was highlighted by Secretary Esper and Rep. Frelinghuysen addressing the entire Picatinny workforce. Picatinny is designated the Joint Center of Excellence for Guns and Ammunition, providing products and services to all branches of the U.S. military. The Arsenal provides 90 percent of the Army's lethality and also works closely with the Navy, Marines, Air Force, our special operations community and the armed forces of partner nations. The Secretary of the Army has ultimate responsibility for all matters relating to the United States Army and is responsible for recruiting, training and equipping soldiers to provide forces to support America's national defense strategy. Pictured: Brigadier General Alfred Abramson, Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen, Secretary of the Army Mark Esper ####",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=1690,"Congressman Frelinghuysen statement on viral outbreak in Haskell, NJ",2018-10-24,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"""I was horrified to hear the reports of a viral outbreak affecting children at the pediatric nursing home in Haskell. I have talked to Wanaque Mayor Daniel Mahler and assured him of my commitment to making sure federal resources needed by the New Jersey State Health Department to address this situation are made available.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-statement-condemning-attempted-terrorist-attacks,Lance Statement Condemning Attempted Terrorist Attacks,2018-10-24,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WESTFIELD, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) released the following statement:
I strongly condemn the attempted terrorist attacks against political figures and the media. Violence directed against political opponents has no place in a free society. I commend the work and investigation of the United States Secret Service, the FBI and local law enforcement who protect Americans every day and know they will bring those responsible to justice.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-s-actions-protect-south-jersey-jobs-prevent-harmful-tariff,"MacArthurs Actions Protect South Jersey Jobs, Prevent Harmful Tariff",2018-10-24,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"More than 50 Mt. Laurel Jobs, Hundreds More Throughout the Country Protected Due to MacArthur's Advocacy
Mount Laurel, New JerseyYesterday afternoon, Congressman Tom MacArthur joined PMC Group leadership and Councilman Irwin Edelson to discuss their successful advocacy to prevent a tariff that would severely impact this local company.
PMC Group, headquartered in Mount Laurel, employs hundreds of Americans across the country and more than 50 South Jerseyans. The company contacted Congressman MacArthur following the Trump Administration's decision to slap tariffs on certain Chinese products. Included on this tariffs list was a chemical that is unavailable in the United States and one that PMC Group depends on to manufacture many of its products.
After MacArthur contacted U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, the Administration removed the chemical from the targeted tariffs list. Now, PMC Group and its hundreds of employees have the certainty that their operations will not be endangered due to the threat of a tariff.
This is an important day for the Mount Laurel community and the men and women of PMC Group. When the company brought this issue to my attention, I immediately intervened and urged the Trump Administration to change their flawed decision to push a tariff on a product that is not available in the United States. A tariff, in this case, would hinder this local company's ability to compete on the world stage and put American jobs at risk, said Congressman MacArthur. I work with the President when I can and I stand up to him when his policies are not in the best interest of South Jersey. I'm in Congress to achieve real results for Burlington and Ocean Counties and will continue to do what's right for our community.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-s-statement-opioid-legislation-becoming-law,MacArthurs Statement on Opioid Legislation Becoming Law,2018-10-24,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"The mostsignificant congressional action against a single drug crisis in history
Toms River, New JerseyToday President Trump signed the final bipartisan, bicameral opioid legislation into law. This comprehensive legislation is the most significant congressional action against a single drug crisis in history. Included in the final bill is the SENIOR Communities Protection Act authored by Congressman Tom MacArthur, co-chair of the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force. Numerous provisions included in the opioid legislation were endorsed by the Task Force or authored by Task Force members, including the STOP Fentanyl Deaths Act, co-led by MacArthur, which improves the nation's response to the growing threat of synthetic opioids like fentanyl and help public health laboratories better detect fentanyl and alert public health and law enforcement officials.
For nearly four years, I've worked with elected officials, local advocates, health care specialists, and law enforcement officials in Burlington and Ocean Counties to understand the specific needs of our community. Today, we've kept our promise to those suffering from addiction and delivered real solutions to towns across America, said Congressman MacArthur. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to lead the Bipartisan Heroin Task Force as we've provided law enforcement with more resources to go after criminals who peddle poison, and communities with resources to support comprehensive opioid recovery centers. Because of the cooperative work of both Democrats and Republicans on the Task Force, health care professionals will have access to improved data to identify and help at-risk patients. This was an overwhelming bipartisan effort and I am grateful for the work of the 100 Task Force members that spearheaded many of the policies included in this final bill. Our work is not done and I will continue working for solutions that fill the needs of our community. Today is proof that this crisis may be bigger than any one of us, but it is not bigger than all of us together.
In addition to this legislation, MacArthur led bipartisan efforts to support other critical programs and legislation that assist local communities. MacArthur successfully saved the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) from Trump's proposed budget cuts. Through a program within the ONDCP, two local NJ-03 organizations were each awarded $125,000 to support their efforts to prevent drug abuse. Furthermore, ONDCP designated Ocean County as a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). MacArthur worked with Senator Cory Booker andled the appeal to the White House urging the addition of Ocean County to the HIDTA program and met with local, county, state and federal law enforcement officials to discuss the importance of the designation. This designation helps coordinate joint efforts among federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, and provides funds for resources needed to combat drug trafficking in problem areas. The HIDTA designation and the federal resources which followed, have been credited as being vital to the massive drug bust earlier this year, which removed over 90,000 doses of heroin from South Jersey streets.
MacArthur co-introduced CARA 2.0, legislation that authorizes an additional $1 billion to combat the opioid crisis; this was in addition to the $6 billion in new funding agreed to earlier this year. Finally, thanks to MacArthur and the Task Force's advocacy for full funding of the 21st Century Cures Act, New Jersey was awarded nearly $13 million in new funding to fight substance abuse.
Background on Bipartisan Heroin Task Force policies included in the final bill:
The SENIOR Communities Protection ActLegislation that gives Medicare a new tool to crack down on bad actors who fraudulently use Medicare to flood our communities with narcotics.
STOP Fentanyl Deaths ActLegislation that improves the nation's response to the growing threat of synthetic opioids like fentanyl. This grant program would help public health laboratories better detect fentanyl and thereby alert public health officials and law enforcement.
Jessie's LawLegislation that is intended to help doctors access a consenting patient's prior history of addiction to make better clinical decisions when providing treatment and other health care.
Synthetic Drug Awareness ActLegislation that requires a landmark study on the public health effects of the rise in synthetic drug use, like fentanyl, among adolescents.
Every Prescription Conveyed Securely ActLegislation that requires all Medicare Part D prescriptions to be transmitted electronically. This better helps address doctor shopping, forged prescriptions, and theft.
Caring Recovery for Infants and Babies (CRIB) ActLegislation that creates pediatric care centers within Medicaid to treat babies with neonatal abstinence syndrome.
Addiction Treatment Access and Improvement ActLegislation that improves availability of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) by allowing physicians to treat up to 275 patients, permanently authorize physician assistants and nurse practitioners to provide buprenorphine and allow all Advanced Practice Registered Nurses to provide MAT.
Medicaid IMD ExclusionAllows states to use Medicaid to pay for short-term treatment in facilities containing more than 16 beds.
Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMP)Improves policies and resources for state PDMPs to ensure more responsible and safe opioid prescribing.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401497,On the Killing of Jamal Khashoggi,2018-10-23,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Global Human Rights, issued the following statement on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi:
The extrajudicial killing of Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi government officials while on the grounds of the Saudi embassy in Istanbul, where he went to obtain a marriage license, shocks the conscience. It is for cases such as this that Congress passed the Global Magnitsky Acta bill for which I was the House author. Those who perpetratedor orderedthis heinous act can and should be specifically targeted and sanctioned.
Saudi Arabia for decades has exported radical Islamist ideology around the world. Indeed, the complicity of certain Saudi royal family members and institutions in the 9/11 attacks led Congress to override President Barack Obama's ill-considered veto of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism, or JASTA, Act in order to allow families of the 9/11 victims to sue complicit Saudis.
While many had hoped that with the ascendency of Crown Prince Muhammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia had turned toward a reformist path, the killing of Jamal Khashoggi casts that narrative into doubt. This in turn jeopardizes the constructive role Saudi Arabia has played in checking Iranian ambitionsand the neo-Ottoman ambitions of Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdoganin the Persian Gulf and beyond.
Thus I call on the President to use the selective, surgical sanctioning power Congress provided him in the Magnitsky Act to hold accountable those complicit in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-clean-water-bill-now-law,Lance: Clean Water Bill Now Law,2018-10-23,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"FLEMINGTON, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) released the following statement after the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 was signed into law by the President. The measure included the Safe Drinking Water Act to improve drinking water infrastructure as well as Lance-authored provisions to 1) speed up the removal of the hazardous Warren Glen Dam from the Musconetcong River and 2) expedite the feasibility study for Rahway River Basin flood mitigation.
We have to make sure water is safe for all that means from homes to schools residents need to trust the water coming out of the tap. A major water safety bill is now law including provisions that will make a positive difference in New Jersey communities, including significant funds for critical water infrastructure upgrades. Doubling the funding for safe drinking water is another strong bipartisan accomplishment coming out of our Committee this Congress. And major plans for the Musconetcong River and the Rahway River are the types of projects our neighbors are counting on, said Lance, a member of the Committee and a yes' vote on the House Floor.
Lance personally authored two provisions important to New Jersey. One measure would instruct the Army Corps of Engineers to expedite a study of the feasibility of removing the Warren Glen Dam in the Musconetcong River between Warren and Hunterdon counties. The dam is often cited as an environmental hazard and is decades out of commission. In addition to making the Musconetcong Watershed area safer, removal of this dam would also foster a larger habitat for fish like the American shad which have been declining.
Lance successfully inserted legislative language concerning the Rahway River and expediting completion of the Army Corps' study for better flood risk management. That project has been stalled for years but is facing renewed interested following Lance's instructions.
Lance also previously announced the Environmental Protection Agency is awarding Raritan Borough $360,245 to repair or replace sewer pipes which are decaying and contributing to raw sewage overflows in the community and adversely impacting the Raritan River. The EPA included the Raritan project as part of nearly $85 million in new funds for New Jersey safe water projects funds appropriated in the government funding measure Lance backed earlier this year.
Lance's Energy and Commerce Committee contributed key portions of the America's Water Infrastructure Act of 2018 dedicated to safe drinking water including:
Authorization of more than $4.4 billion over three years for the Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Fund program.
Improving accountability by aiding states and utilities with compliance and asset management.
Protecting communities by updating antiterrorism and resilience measures at public water systems.
Enhancing transparency for consumers about the quality of their drinking water.
Authorization of $100 million over the next two fiscal years for areas affected by natural disasters that need help repairing their drinking water systems or hooking up to other ones to obtain potable drinking water.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/more-fire-funding-lance-in-raritan-township-brings-news-of-300k-federal,More Fire Funding: Lance in Raritan Township Brings News of $300K Federal Grant,2018-10-23,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"More Fire Funding: Lance in Raritan Township Brings News of $300K Federal Grant
HUNTERDON COUNTY, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) visited the Raritan Township Fire Company today to announce the department has earned a $310,455 federal grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Today's news comes after last week's announcement of $292,169 in federal grants for the Quakertown, Clinton and High Bridge fire departments. Lance has now secured over $2 million dollars in federal grants to help local departments fill staffing or procure equipment.
These federal funds are designed to grant resources for critical need. The volunteer team in Raritan Township does an outstanding job every single day. Firefighters need new gear and upgrades to personal protective equipment and FEMA has resources dedicated to help fund it. The fire company, under the direction of Chief Day, earned this merit-based grant by demonstrating a smart plan to use the funding to help this all-volunteer crew. I trust the team here and I know the volunteers will continue to keep Raritan Township safe, said Lance.
The Raritan Township Fire Company (RTFC) was founded in 1958 and is all-volunteer. It currently operates out of three firehouses and is responsible for the 38 square miles surrounding the borough of Flemington, including the life and property of over 25,000 residents. On average, the fire company responds to 600 yearly calls and participates in many community events. RTFC also hosts the Annual 9/11 Stairclimb at the Hunterdon Medical Center parking deck. It is a highly trained fire company, approximately 40 members strong, which provides mutual aid and responds to emergencies with multiple organizations throughout the county, including the fire departments of Flemington, Three Bridges, Readington, Annandale, Sergeantsville, Amwell Valley, West Amwell, and Quakertown and the rescue squads of Flemington-Raritan and Amwell Valley. It also operates one of seven county-wide FAST/RITs and participates in the Hunterdon County Technical Rescue Task Force.
Lieutenant James Kraus said of the award, On behalf of the Raritan Township Fire Company I would like to thank Congressman Leonard Lance for coming down to the station to meet with the members. This is the largest grant we have received for the fire company. The FEMA grant money will be used to replace the outdated and soon to be out of service equipment. Our equipment is worn everyday on every call by our state certified firefighters. We need the best equipment when we are inside a burning building searching for victims and extinguishing fire.
RTFC manages 15 pieces of apparatus: 2 ladder trucks (a 100' tower ladder and a 75' aerial), 3 engines, 1 squad, 1 brush truck, 1 rescue service vehicle, 1 SUV command vehicle, 3 all-terrain ""gators"", 1 utility pickup,1 fire police car, 1 fire police ambulance and 1 antique engine. Today's funding announcement will help procure personal protective equipment.
As a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, the Seventh District lawmaker has voted to increase federal investments for both the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant programs. These programs were created by Congress to help address the significant staffing, equipment, training and health and safety needs of our Nation's First Responders.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401490,Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening Rep. Chris Smith,2018-10-22,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"A man jailed since July for a death threat against U.S. Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) pleaded guilty Friday in a Monmouth County New Jersey Court.
On July 26, Mr. DeReal Finklin, 43, posted threatening messages online including Dead Man Walking next to a picture of Congressman Smith.
According to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, Mr. Finklin, pled guilty to Cyber Harassment, a 4thdegree felony. As a part of his factual basis he stated that he knowingly used his Facebook account, Israel Bey, to issue a purposefully harassing message of Dead Man Walking with Congressman Smith's photograph. In making that message, he recognized that his message contained a threat to inflict injury or physical harm to a person, and that the message threatened to commit a crime against a person, namely Congressman Smith. He further admitted that this message left Congressman Smith concerned for his life and safety, and the safety of his staff and family.
In the plea agreement, Mr. Finklin admitted to the crime. Prosecutors agreed that time served91 days of detentionan additional term of probation, a full mental health evaluation as part of the deal, adherence to all recommendations of the mental health evaluation, and no victim contact with Rep. Smith. Smith expressed his gratitude to law enforcement officials and said he especially wants to thank Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni and Assistant Prosecutor Martha Nye for their tenacity and swift pursuit of justice.
This guilty plea in this case underscores the need to report threats including online posts to law enforcement for evaluation and possible prosecution before a situation escalates, said Smith who represents parts of Monmouth, Ocean and Mercer counties in Congress.
See somethingincluding onlinesay something to law enforcement is advice everyone needs to follow to prevent acts of violence from happening, Smith said.
Too often social media posts and other threats have gone unheeded prior to a commission of serious violence, Smith said. The retired law enforcement officer who reported the post to me, and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's office that rigorously pursued the case, are to be commended for putting public safety first and lessening the possibility of violence.
To track down the defendanthe hid his actual identity onlineobtain a guilty plea and ensure that Mr. Finklin gets the mental health assistance he appears to need is a win for public safety and the defendant, and it mitigates at least this threat, Smith said.
Smith noted that a lack of proper mental health care has been a significant factor in violent attacks and shootings. In September, after speaking on the phone with Mr. Finklin's mother, Smith submitted a statement to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's office requesting mental health care for the defendant.
Smith said in his statement to the prosecutor: If guilt is established at trial or a plea agreement reached, I am respectfully asking that you consider a path forward that is most likely to ensure that Mr. Finklin gets the mental health care he appears to critically need.
Smith's September statement also emphasized that this threat could not be ignored and was just one of several threats he and his office have faced in recent years. Smith's personal car tires have been slashed at least eight times, and five separate cease-and-desist orders have been issued to individuals for threatening behavior.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401488,"**Watch photo slide show** :Rep. Smith Helps Kick Off 2018 Walk to End Alzheimers in Bradley Beach",2018-10-20,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Joining fellow advocates and supporters from throughout the Monmouth and Ocean County region in the fight against Alzheimer's disease, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) today addressed more than a thousand marchers and helped cut the ribbon at the start of the Alzheimer's Association 2018 Walk to End Alzheimer's, held in his congressional district in Bradley Beach.
Smith is the co-founder and co-chairman of the Bipartisan Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's disease, and a long-time advocate for Alzheimer's funding and research.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who came out today to support this great cause, especially caregivers and families who have a loved one struggling with this horrible disease, said Smith who co-authored the bipartisan National Alzheimer's Project Act (NAPA, P.L. 111-375), which requires the creation of an annually-updated National Alzheimer's Plan to coordinate efforts to fight Alzheimer's and help those with the disease and their families.
Events like this walk raise both money and awareness to support funds for Alzheimer's research, and gives family members and people suffering from the disease hope that treatments and someday a cure will be found, Smith said.
Smith has co-chaired the bipartisan Alzheimer's caucus since 2000, and led the drive to quadruple federal Alzheimer's research dollars from just under $600 million in 2015 to $2.3 billion in 2019.
An estimated 1,000 people-plus crowded the walk down the boardwalk. Walkers are expected to raise well over $100,000 for Alzheimer's awareness and research at today's event. The crowd was not deterred by the chilly fall weather. **See photo slide show above**
Held annually in hundreds of communities nationwide, the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's is one of the world's largest events to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer's care, support and research.
In March 2018, key provisions from Smith'sKevin and Avonte's Law(HR 4221)designed to helpprotect and locate children with Autism and elderly persons with Alzheimer's who wander were included in the Omnibus bill signed into law. The bill authorized $10 million in funding over five years for the Missing Americans Alert Program, which will help protect seniors with Alzheimer's who are prone to wandering, as well as children with developmental disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The program funds programs designed to help family members find loved ones in the critical first 24 hours. The law, funded at $2 million per year through FY 2022, will provide grants to help educate local law enforcement, health care agencies, and other organizations on wandering prevention efforts.
Smith is also chairman of the House subcommittee which oversees global health issues and held the first ever congressional hearing examining worldwide strategies to combat Alzheimer's disease. He chaired the hearing entitled Global Strategies to Combat the Devastating Health and Economic Impacts of Alzheimer's Disease in 2011, a second hearing in 2013, and a hearing on A Global Update on Alzheimer's Disease in 2017.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401489,"Slide Show of Smith's Meeting w Ocean County Services OrganizationsCongressman Smith Meets with OCEAN Inc, LEAP/Headstart Officials",2018-10-20,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Smith Visits Ocean County Services OrganizationsCongressman Smith Meets with OCEAN Inc, LEAP/Headstart Officials
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Oct 20, 2018
Congressman Chris Smith met Friday with officials from Ocean Community Economic Action Now, Inc. (OCEAN Inc.) and its affiliate Lakewood Economic Action Program, Inc. (LEAP) to discuss their federally-supported social services for the Ocean County region.
Smith was invite by Channell Wilkins,Chief Executive Officer of OCEAN Inc. Community Action Agency, headquartered at 40 Washington Street Toms River, NJ, and LEAP Board member Samuel Rabinowitz to discuss head Start's plan to consolidate operations in a new facility and other issues. The meeting took place Oct. 19 at the Head Start office at 170 Oberline Avenue, and included an on-site tour of a four acre township-owed lot where the building would be constructed.
LEAP is a non-profit charitable organization that provides Early Head Start / Head Start services that promote school readiness for children, including developmentally appropriate educational experiences that focus on building strong cognitive skills and strengthen families by fostering health services,nutritional guidance and positive approaches for mental health to pregnant women, infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children from income-eligible families in Lakewood. ""The work that is done here is critical in the lives of the families that are served,"" said Smith, a longtime supporter of funding of Head Start and OCEAN, Inc. LEAP has been providing comprehensive child development services to preschoolers and their families since the Head Start program was originally launched in 1965. In 1999, an Early Head Start grant enabled it expand services to include pregnant women and families with children birth 3 years old.
In addition to providing Head Start services, OCEAN Inc. offers homelessness prevention, first-time owners help or affordable housing assistance and housing counseling, as well as energy assistance and home weatherization.
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401484,On the Arrests of Human Rights Lawyers in Ethiopia,2018-10-19,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"On the Arrests of Human Rights Lawyers in Ethiopia
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Washington,
Oct 19, 2018
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, issued the following statement on the Ethiopian government's arrests of human rights lawyers Henok Aklilu and Michael Melake:
I am concerned by the Ethiopian government's recent arrest of human rights lawyers Henok Aklilu and Michael Melake, and am worried that it may signal backsliding. I hope and expect that Ethiopian authorities will afford them due process and fair treatment, and that Prime Minister Abiy and his government will not waver from the path of reform they have previously undertaken. It is important that Ethiopia's government protect the civil and political rights of all Ethiopians, regardless of ethnicity, and that it seek national harmony.
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https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-brings-news-of-15-million-stem-award-to-ucc,Lance Brings News of $1.5 Million STEM Award to UCC,2018-10-19,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WESTFIELD, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) today visited the Cranford campus of Union County College to congratulate the school on receiving a $1.5 million award from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
New Jersey community colleges are the best in the Nation. We must keep up the investment in our strong community colleges so we can offer our residents a terrific public option for personal and professional growth. Many young people and those starting new careers have counted on the programming at UCC to offer them greater experiences and challenges. I commend UCC for earning this award from the National Science Foundation, said Lance, who has supported funding in Congress for the National Science Foundation and has been an advocate for New Jersey's community colleges.
The NSF Award will specifically boost STEM Education (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and programming for Hispanic-Serving Institutions. UCC will use the grant to provide students with research opportunities to increase student engagement, critical thinking skills, retention and graduation rates and transfer into a STEM major at a four-year institution. The National Science Foundation supports research, innovation and discovery projects across the country, especially providing assistance to educators on the frontiers of science and engineering.
STEM majors at UCC helped by this grant will turn their degrees into small businesses and new opportunities, concluded Lance.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://macarthur.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/macarthur-introduces-bills-bolster-law-enforcement-school-efforts-make,"MacArthur Introduces Bills to Bolster Law Enforcement, School Efforts to Make Communities Safer",2018-10-19,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Tom MacArthur,M001193,macarthur.house.gov,,,legacy,"Toms River, New JerseyCongressman Tom MacArthur introduced two bills and is working on another to help local schools, students, and law enforcement officials address community and school safety concerns. The bipartisanMental Health and Public Safety Partnership Actestablishes a national pilot program to place on-site social workers in qualified police departments around the country, mirroring the work being done in South Jersey.The Modern School Threat Reporting Actcreates new grants for states to create a mobile application (app) that allows students and teachers to report threats to local law enforcement. This bill mirrors the state law in Florida championed by school safety advocate, Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow was killed in Parkland. Mr. Pollack, founder of Americans for Children's Lives and School Safety, has endorsed both pieces of legislation and is collaborating with MacArthur on the third.
In many towns across the country, there is a gap between mental health and law enforcement services that needs to be filled. Fostering relationships between law enforcement officials and social workers will better serve our communities and enhance safety throughout our communities,Congressman MacArthur said. My home of Ocean County has already taken steps to address this need. The On P.O.I.N.T. program, which creates a partnership between Ocean Mental Health Services and the Stafford Township Police Department, has been successful in connecting local law enforcement officials with mental health professionals. Streamlining communication between these two entities will allow them to better serve communities and understand the deep-rooted causes of problems some families face at home or students face at school.
The On P.O.I.N.T. (Proactive Outreach In Needs and Treatment) program in Ocean County provides police officers and social workers in our community the opportunity to work together to better understand how to assist families dealing with mental health related issues. The program has proven results in helping those in our community with mental health issues.
In response to the horrific shooting in Parkland, the state of Florida enacted a law creating a reporting app to allow people to anonymously report suspicious activity in schools and the community to law enforcement. MacArthur's bill, The Modern School Threat Reporting Act, builds on these efforts and incentivizes states to create an app of their own, which has been an initiative championed by Andrew Pollack, whose daughter, Meadow, was lost on that tragic day in Parkland. The legislation requires that applications for the grant must include a plan to deter misuse of the app, including ways to prevent students from using it to bully others.
After the tragedy in Florida, students and those in the greater Parkland community came forward about previous signs of mental instability and the intentions of the perpetrator. Creating an avenue to anonymously report threats to local law enforcement will promote community safety and may prevent another one of these horrific events from occurring,said Congressman MacArthur.These innovative and modern tools will help states with their specific needs and bolster ongoing efforts to secure schools and create an effective relationship between schools and law enforcement agencies.
""After my daughter was taken from me, I made it my mission to bring people together to do more to protect our schools. I stood at The White House, in front of the world, imploring our elected leaders to work together to fix it. There have been some steps taken to make our children safer, but we need to do more. I believe that Congressman Tom MacArthur's legislation at the federal level will help, said Andrew Pollack, founder of Americans for Children's Lives and School Safety. Accountability matters, which is why the Clery Act needs to be expanded to include secondary schools receiving federal funds. Here in Florida, our leaders took action and created a suspicious activity reporting app, which is now available to students across the state. Tom's effort to encourage every state in the nation to create apps similar to Fortify Florida is something I have been pushing for and hope to see it pass immediately. We need to think outside the box and look to successful efforts at the local level, which is exactly what theMental Health and Public Safety Partnership Actdoes. By having social workers embedded in police departments, the gap between law enforcement and mental health professionals can be closed, allowing cops to be cops and social workers to address any mental health concerns that are identified. It's working in South Jersey and it can work across the country. Congressman MacArthur hasn't forgotten Parkland and it is refreshing to see a politician cut through the noise and focus on fixing what's broken.""
MacArthur is also working closely with Andrew on new legislation that will expand the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, also known as the Clery Act, to high schools receiving federal funds. The Clery Act is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to maintain records of criminal activity on and around their campuses and make that information available to the community. It was named for Jeanne Clery, a 19-year-old Lehigh University student who was raped and murdered in her dorm in 1986.
Ensuring that students, parents, and the community is madeaware of criminal activity in and around our schools is another important step to improving school safety in the United States, added MacArthur.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-292169-in-federal-grants-coming-to-quakertown-clinton-and-high-bridge,"Lance: $292,169 in Federal Grants Coming to Quakertown, Clinton and High Bridge Fire Departments",2018-10-18,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"Lance: $292,169 in Federal Grants Coming to Quakertown, Clinton and High Bridge Fire Departments
HUNTERDON COUNTY, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) visited the Quakertown Fire Department today to announce three Hunterdon County fire companies are receiving a total of $292,169 in grants through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These funds will be used to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire-related hazards. Lance visited the department today to talk about the priorities for the grant funding with the leadership of the three departments. Lance secured more than $1 million in grant funds this year for fire companies across New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District.
FEMA has been a great partner to the volunteer fire companies in Hunterdon County tasked with protecting life and property. These federal funds help supplement critical needs like procuring equipment and staff. The fire companies of Quakertown, Clinton and High Bridge are very deserving of this support and it comes at the right time. Calls are up and the demand of these brave volunteers is only increasing. I commend the work of Chief Patkochis, Chief Dorf and Chief Smith. It's no surprise FEMA picked our communities for these merit-based grants, said Lance.
Quakertown Chief Bradley Patkochis welcome the crowd saying The AFG grants will save the taxpayers $300,000 and give communities funds that otherwise may not have come. These funds can now be spent on other uses that will help the Fire Department better serve the community. Congressman Lance's office was instrumental in receiving this much needed grant.
High Bridge Fire Chief Jeff Smith pointed out the grant will be used to purchase search and research camera. The High Bridge Fire Department is thankful for this grant. There are times when a volunteer fire fighter needs special equipment to help save lives. This grant will allow us to purchase three thermal imaging cameras that will help to search for people and their pets and fire fighters in smoke or heat-filled environments. And High Bridge Mayor Mark Desire added, The people of High Bridge are well served by our volunteer fire fighters. These are our heroes in every sense of the word. They risk their lives for our citizens and we are glad that this FEMA grant was awarded to them, which we believe to be well-deserved,"" said High Bridge Mayor Mark Desire. ""We appreciate Congressman Lance's support for our volunteer emergency responders as he understands their priceless contribution to our community.
Clinton Fire Department Chief Walt Dorf said the Clinton Fire Department is excited to receive the grant, making the case for using the funds to better protect the health of the firefighters. Due to concerns of cancer related issues in the fire service The Clinton Fire Department will be utilizing the funds received to install and exhaust system for our vehicles and purchasing equipment to properly clean and dry or gear after an incident. As Chief of the Department I have incorporated a policy for gear cleaning in house for routine maintenance and after any incident where the member may have been exposed to any type of hazardous substance of smoke. In addition The Clinton Fire Department is part of the North Hunterdon Fire Alliance which has Incorporated a on-scene decon policy for our gear after a call. This helps reduce the risks of exposing members to carcinogen that maybe with in the materials of our protective gear.
As a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, the Seventh District lawmaker has voted to increase federal investments for both the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant programs. These programs were created by Congress to help address the significant staffing, equipment, training and health and safety needs of our Nation's First Responders.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-feds-provide-frenchtown-with-supplemental-wastewater-treatment-funds,Lance: Feds Provide Frenchtown with Supplemental Wastewater Treatment Funds,2018-10-18,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"FRENCHTOWN, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) visited Frenchtown this morning to tour the wastewater treatment facility project financed in part by a federal loan made available through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA is the federal entity responsible for merit-based rural development and has approved a loan of $434,000.00 for the Frenchtown wastewater treatment facility. Lance has voted to fund the USDA at higher levels to manage important projects related to water safety.
Federal entities with important know-how and capabilities should be helping communities get projects like this up and running. I am pleased this project has received ongoing federal support and on such favorable terms. The taxpayers win when local, state and federal entities work together on major issues. The safe management of wastewater and environmental concerns are too important to leave to chance. I am pleased the USDA is offering this loan to Frenchtown and I commend Mayor Myhre for the work he has done in this community, said Lance.
Frenchtown Mayor Brad Myhre was on-hand to join Lance on the tour. He added, We appreciate Congressman Lance's ongoing support of Frenchtown Borough and more specifically his efforts at securing important federal funds for the Borough's wastewater treatment facility. The Mayor also added the new plant has the capacity to enable the hookup of existing Frenchtown residents utilizing septics.
This Rural Development investment will be applied to project costs related to the wastewater treatment facility project. The project improves the efficiency of the wastewater treatment and will substantially reduce the costs for rural users. This will serve 113 businesses and 1,373 residents in the community. The Original project cost was $12,379,000. Original funding include a $2,633,000 Rural Development Water & Waste Disposal loan, a $1,000,000 Water & Waste Disposal Grant awarded in FY 2012, and $8,746,000 from the NJ State Revolving Loan Fund (NJ State Infrastructure Trust). The loan is made available through the Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants program and the municipality was given a favorable rate of 40 years at 3.125%.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/new-study-lance-bill-will-create-billions-in-economic-growth,New Study: Lance Bill Will Create Billions in Economic Growth,2018-10-18,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WESTFIELD, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07), author of the Advancing Innovation and Reinvigorating Widespread Access to Viable Electromagnetic Spectrum Act or AIRWAVES Act, today hailed the release of a new economic study by the Competitive Carriers Association (CCA) suggesting the bill could generate billions in economic activity and create 9,700 new jobs.
Several provisions of my bipartisan AIRWAVES bill are now estimated to deliver billions in economic growth from expansion of rural connectivity. The Internet is the lifeblood of today's economy and passage of AIRWAVES will keep up the economic boom fueled by 21st Century connectivity. AIRWAVES is going to bring new and better coverage by helping deploy 5G networks, resulting in an explosion of economic growth. We're also going to reduce the rural coverage gap dramatically and deliver reliable service that many consumers are waiting for, said Lance.
Lance is the Vice Chair of the Communications and Technology Subcommittee and introduced the AIRWAVES Act earlier this year with Congressman Doyle (PA-18) and 52 other bipartisan cosponsors. The measure seeks to have the federal government free up additional spectrum for commercial use and use a portion of the proceeds of spectrum auctions to help close the urban-rural digital divide. Spectrum is the virtual highway' connecting consumers with high-speed Internet.
The CCA report specifically cites, In consequence, additional 4G coverage derived from AIRWAVES investment will grow output by up to $2.45 billion in agriculture, $ 6.56 billion in health care, and $1.75 billion in transportation. Within a more likely scenario, the impact would be $ 1.25 billion in agriculture, $ 3.35 billion in health care, and $ 0.89 billion in transportation. It estimates the measure will also reduce rural coverage gap by 12-24% - a major jump in high-quality service to unserved areas. These numbers are for only two of many provisions in the bill, which is also expected to create significantly more economic growth by unleashing 5G wireless networks.
READ THE REPORT HERE.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401483,Smith Statement on Confirmation of New Trafficking Ambassador,2018-10-17,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Smith Statement on Confirmation of New Trafficking Ambassador
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Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, issued the following statement on the confirmation of John Cotton Richmond as the next Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons:
Ambassador Richmond has demonstrated a strong commitment to thorough research and evidence-based action on sex and labor trafficking. These traits will serve him well as he oversees the development of the State Department's annual Trafficking in Persons Reportour most successful diplomatic tool to promote best practices and ensure accountability.
Smith authored the landmark legislation, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, that created the Office of Trafficking in Persons at the State Department. He also serves as the Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues to the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly President.
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401482,"Smith, Royce, Engel, Bass Release Investigative Report on Problems with USAIDs Largest-ever Contract",2018-10-15,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"House Foreign Affairs Global Health Subcommittee Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY), and Global Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Karen Bass (D-CA) today released a bipartisan report outlining problems with USAID's largest-ever contract that jeopardized access to life-saving health commodities and wasted taxpayer dollars. The report, entitled Oversight Investigation: USAID Global Health Supply Chain Contract, concludes a year-long committee investigation with detailed recommendations to improve future performance.
I chaired thehearingon this particular case that underscored the need for vigorous Congressional oversight of federal contracts, especially when lives are at stake,saidRep. Smith. People around the world with HIV, malaria and other ailments rely upon the timely delivery of vital medications in our flagship PEPFAR program, and there must be sufficient oversight and accountability to ensure that our global supply chain delivers treatment as quickly and efficiently as possible. Accountability reforms for federal contracts, including penalties for non-performing entities, should be on the table. Programs such as PEPFAR whose missions are directly impacted by federal contracts should have a major say in choosing the contract recipient. U.S. global health assistance is critical to the wellbeing of every American, said Chairman Royce. It saves lives, and advances key U.S. economic and security interests. That's why no amount of waste or mismanagement can be tolerated. I'm encouraged that, thanks in part to this committee's work, USAID last week approved a new position at the Global Health bureau to serve as a senior supply chain leader, coordinating strategic planning and working to improve the supply chain program. And I look forward to partnering with the administration to implement other recommendations. We've got to get this right.
American global-health assistance has shepherded tremendous progress around the globe, said Ranking Member Engel. For this progress to continue, it's essential that medicines and other commodities get where they need to be on time. Despite the challenges the supply chain has faced, I'm encouraged by the performance improvements we've seen so far and hopeful that this report's recommendations will help accelerate those improvements going forward.
Programs like PEPFAR, the President's Malaria Initiative, and other population and reproductive health initiatives save millions of lives, said Rep. Bass. It is vital we make sure that every dollar spent goes as far as it can go. What we want to do with this report is understand what happened in order to make sure that it does not ever happen again.
THE PROBLEM:
USAID's Global Health Supply Chain Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) contract is the primary vehicle through which USAID delivers commodities to 60 countries and technical assistance in 40 countries.
After the award of a $9.5 billion single indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract in 2015, the committee became aware of reports of declining on time delivery rates, depleted inventories and stock-outs of life-saving commodities. The committee's subsequent investigation revealed that significant mistakes were made by all parties involved in USAID's health commodities supply chain, at virtually every level from contract solicitation, and the evaluation of proposals, through transition and implementation.
These mistakes led, among other things, to late delivery of mosquito nets, delayed initiation of HIV treatment, and the continued procurement of an outdated drug nevirapine despite direct orders from the State Department's Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator to the contrary.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS:
The U.S. State Department and USAID must improve communication and coordination on the global health commodities supply chain. USAID's failure to adhere to previously agreed-upon operating standards led to wasteful spending and confusion on the ground. Consistent communication is critical to ensuring unity of effort and eliminating inefficiencies.
The U.S. State Department and USAID must improve oversight of the GHSC-PSM contract. A lack of personnel including unfilled PEPFAR coordinator positions in key oversight roles exacerbated problems.
Enhanced diplomatic engagement is necessary to ensure partner countries are living up to their own obligations and commitments under the U.S. global health strategy.
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401481,"**SLIDE SHOW*** Cong. Smith Presents U.S. Flag to Daring VetWWII Veteran Honored for Dash to Save Injured French Civilian",2018-10-13,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) today honored a hero who, 74 years ago, braved a nighttime run on a horse-drawn, two-wheel wooden cart through German lines to bring an injured French woman to a hospital only three days after he had landed on Utah Beach in the wake of the D-Day invasion.
U.S. Army Reserve Maj. Gen. Phillip Churn came from Washington to present him with the Silver Marechaussee Award, one of the highest honors that can be bestowed on a military policeman (MP) by the Military Police Regimental Association. Smith presented an American flag flown over the U.S. Capitol.
The ceremony was held at Pruiksma's longtime church, the Manasquan Presbyterian Church on Virginia Avenue in Manasquan, hosted by Pastor Jim Dunson and his congregation.
Smith told Pruiksma his willingness to go into harm's way to help a woman he did not know reminded him of the lyrics of a song, I am Available, by the music group Petra and its words, I will go if you say go.
You did it unhesitatingly, Smith told the veteran before his family, friends and the congregation gathered for the event. We are with a true hero, one of the greatest of the greatest generation.
The mission was so perilous that his lieutenant wouldn't order anyone to do it, but instead asked for volunteers. He volunteered, and another man, the late Cecil Morris of Union City, NJ joined him.
When I landed, I vowed to myself Walter, don't get killed, wounded or captured to make your mother grieve, Pruiksma said. Three nights later I volunteered for a very dangerous mission! The 24-mile mission was in the dead of night. We went through the front lines into no man's land, saw bodies of the dead Germans and Americans. They reached the hospital successfully and they returned through enemy lines and back to his unit. Though the woman, who was wounded by a grenade thrown into her home later died of her wounds, 40 years later he was able to locate her daughter and began corresponding with her. Why did he volunteer that night? I volunteered because I wanted someone to do the same thing if it was my mother.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401474,On the Release of Pastor Andrew Brunson,2018-10-12,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"On the Release of Pastor Andrew Brunson
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Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Global Human Rights and Co-Chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, released the following statement on the release of Pastor Andrew Brunson from house arrest in Turkey:
I am overjoyed that Pastor Andrew Brunson is finally free from his cruel and unjust imprisonment and house arrest, and is coming home safely to the U.S. For almost two years he was the victim of efforts by President Erdogan and the Turkish state to crack down on religious freedom as he languished in prisonand was then transferred to house arrest in Julyon absurd charges of espionage and supporting a terrorist group, while his family suffered enormously. I applaud all those involved in working successfully for his release. The United States must now hold the perpetrators of his unjust imprisonment accountable by maintaining and strengthening targeted sanctions on complicit Turkish officials.
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https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-commends-notable-improvements-at-veterans-administration,Lance Commends Notable Improvements at Veterans Administration,2018-10-12,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WESTFIELD, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) issued the following statement after the Department of Veterans Affairs released new data showing improved and shortened wait times for health care appointments. Lance was a proponent of the Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act overhauling the V.A. which made significant reforms to the V.A. system including record funding and the option for veterans to seek private care. Over 94% of New Jersey V.A. health care appointments are scheduled in less than 30 days.
Important reforms at the V.A. are making a positive difference, but we're not going to rest on this progress. Congress will continue vigorous oversite of the V.A. to ensure the unacceptable conditions veterans faced a few short years ago do not return. My office should be considered a resource for veterans to advocate on their behalf for care and seek the benefits they have earned, said Lance.
Lance's constituent casework managers have successfully closed over 5,000 casework matters, many related to veterans' care and related benefits and compensation. Residents with questions should contact Lance's Westfield District Office at (908) 518-7733 with any questions.
Notable V.A. Improvements:
Between June 1, 2014, and Oct. 1, 2018, the electronic wait list (EWL) went from 56,271 appointments to 15,552, which is a 72 percent reduction.
When compared with the Oct. 1, 2017, pending appointments data set, the Oct. 1, 2018, pending appointment data set shows VA has increased the number of overall pending appointments by 1,072,170.
From fiscal year (FY) 2016 to FY 2017, community care appointments increased 6 percent, from 30.8 million to 32.7 million. See all: DR103.102018.Public Data PDF Pending Appointments_PDFReady.pdf",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-presented-with-excellence-in-government-award-by-new-jersey-aviation,Lance Presented with Excellence in Government Award By New Jersey Aviation Association,2018-10-12,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"SOMERSET COUNTY, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) received the Excellence in Government Award' by New Jersey Aviation Association this week. The NJAA selected Lance because of his strong record of achievement on aviation issues, especially fighting on behalf of Somerset County pilots grounded by flight restrictions around Bedminster during visits by the President and his support for the recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Authorization Act.
I have stood up to the Federal Aviation Administration for the best interest of travelers, pilots and the commercial entities next to airports. This is the job a federal representative is supposed to do: hear of a problem from constituents and take action to get results. The FAA needs to do a better job of managing the New Jersey pilots inconvenienced by flight restrictions surrounding the President's visits to Bedminster. And the orders to do so came attached to the most significant reform to country's air traffic control system in years. Everyone from travelers to pilots has something to like in the FAA bill just signed into law, said Lance.
The FAA Authorization Act included Lance's legislative language that would require the FAA to conduct a study and recommend procedures allowing properly vetted pilots to fly during Presidential temporary flight restrictions (TFRs). Lance shared the concerns of the New Jersey Aviation Association about the economic impact of Temporary Flight Restrictions on local airports. Lance wants the FAA to recommend ways to mitigate the negative effects, potentially including creating security procedures to allow limited use of certain airports during a TFR.
The President and the First Family have used the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster as a weekend residence. During such visits to Bedminster, a TFR is imposed in the area shuttering Solberg and Somerset airports and grounding recreational and training flights. Lance has tried to create a workable plan for all parties.
I want to find a solution with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Secret Service so that pilots can be vetted, prescreened and allowed to fly, said Lance when his amendment to the bill first passed.
This is not a new idea. For some airports in Maryland, near Washington, DC, pilots are permitted limited operation after being properly vetted. Lance seeks the same status for constituents in New Jersey. Lance further has worked toward establishing a temporary reimbursement program, as was done for the Maryland airports in the early 2000s. He secured language in this year's transportation spending bill that would appropriate $3.5 million to reimburse airports and small businesses who have been hurt economically by the TFRs.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Authorization Act deals with much more than the TFR issue. The bill also includes a number of reforms to improve aviation infrastructure, strengthen travel safety, and ensure American companies remain at the forefront of aviation industry manufacturing. Among the highlights:
Provides funding to modernize airports and eliminates regulatory barriers to financing and completing much-needed projects.
Includes reforms to improve the quality of air travel for American consumers.
Implements guidelines to enhance safety for both travelers and airline employees.
Pares down regulations hindering U.S. manufacturers and streamlines the oversight process.
Adapts the aviation system to the newest technologies, promoting the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://lance.house.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lance-pushes-for-911-first-responders-fix,Lance Pushes For 9/11 First Responders Fix,2018-10-12,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Leonard Lance,L000567,lance.house.gov,,,legacy,"WESTFIELD, N.J. --- Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07) has joined as an original cosponsor of legislation to permanently fund the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund (VCF). The Never Forget the Heroes; Permanent Authorization of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund was introduced today following media reports of an increase in claims, including many cancer cases, possibly leaving the VCF without enough funds to cover claims during the current authorization.
Any reduction in the benefits for 9/11 first responders and their loved ones simply cannot happen. First responders to the 9/11 attacks came from every state and every corner of America this wasn't a burden shared only by our neighbors and friends in New York and New Jersey. We must see these programs continue to ensure that those who bravely stepped forward to help our Nation in its darkest hour have the benefits and care we promised. This bipartisan team of lawmakers won't allow the Victim Compensation Fund to let anyone down, said Lance, who helped steer the reauthorization of the World Trade Center Health Program and September 11th Victim Compensation Fund through the Energy and Commerce Committee in 2015.
That measure has already provided a permanent healthcare program for these responders and survivors, but the program to provide compensation for their families and their suffering will expire in 2020. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (NY), Congressman Peter King (NY), Lance and others are authoring legislation to permanently fund the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund. FromTexastoNorth Carolina,responders to 9/11 at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the Shanksville crash site are all facing the continued health impact of that day and its aftermath as are their families. Deaths from 9/11 diseases will soon outnumber those lost on that fateful day.
David Howley of Alexandria Township, New Jersey, a former New York City Police Officer and first responder on 9/11, has participated in the program. He added, The 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund is vitally important to the many First Responders who have been suffering grave and life-threatening illnesses. It is of utmost importance that the 9/11 Victims Compensation Fund be fully funded so that we can continue to take care of our family obligations even though we are no longer able to work in many cases. Illness such as cancer, and other life changing diseases continue to occur and reoccurred in many of us. I have beaten back cancer now five times and the compensation fund is a true blessing. It gives me peace of mind knowing that if and when I lose this battle my family will be provided for. I urge all lawmakers to pass this legislation.
The leadership of the VCF has announced that because of an increase in claims the VCF will not have enough funds to cover claims during the current authorization and may have to consider reducing awards. The bipartisan lawmakers are offering this legislation as a solution.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401468,"Over $95,000 for two years for cybersecurity programSmith Announces Education Grant to Brookdale Community College",2018-10-11,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) announced on Thursday that Brookdale Community College in Lincroft will receive a $95,334 grant from the Department of Education for its cybersecurity program.
Cybersecurity training is absolutely critical to national security, now and in the coming years, and I am pleased to announce that Brookdale Community College's cybersecurity program will have even more resources available to equip students with solid training and skills, Smith said.
Brookdale's new FIPSE award, under the Pilot Program for Cybersecurity Education Technological Upgrades for Community Colleges, will enable the college to provide students with a no-cost, safe, robust and highly-customizable environment to learn, apply and master the real-world, hands-on skills that are so critical in Cybersecurity, said Michael Qaissaunee, the Program Administrator for the FIFSE-USDOE's Pilot Program for Cybersecurity Education Technological Upgrades for Community Colleges grant.
In this dedicated virtual lab environment, Brookdale can quickly ramp up new labs and courses developed by a national network of partner colleges, develop custom labs, host on-site and regional competitions and provide lab capacity for other community colleges and high schools, Qaissaunee said.
The Department of Education grant will fund the creation of a virtual lab for the college's cybersecurity program, affording students an opportunity to sharpen their cybersecurity skills without any cost to them.
With the funding, the college can quickly develop new labs and courses, host lab capacity for other community colleges and high schools, and host regional cybersecurity competitions. Without the virtual lab, faculty had to resort to less-effective options for students to learn hands-on cybersecurity skills.
The Department of Education's grant program, the Pilot Program for Cybersecurity Education Technological Upgrades for Community Colleges Program, affords community colleges the resources to make technological upgrades that they otherwise might not be able to make.
Smith, whose Congressional office computers were hacked in 2006 and 2007, emphasized the importance of cybersecurity to overall national security.
In recent years, we have seen cyber attacks not only against Congress, but a much larger pattern of attacks that has targeted the executive branch, the Pentagon, and American businesses, Smith said.
The Pentagon is fending off attacks 24/7. Russian agents working for the Kremlin successfully hacked our election infrastructure in 2016. We have seen only an increase in this malicious activity, and we should be doing everything we can to ensure that cybersecurity is a priority in our education programs. This grant money will further that all-important goal, Smith said.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401473,"Smith supports new methods to more accurately determine cost-of-living adjustments for seniorsWorking for Better COLA Calculations for Seniors",2018-10-11,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today's announced 2.8 percent Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) increase for seniors is better than last year, but still not reflective of the real cost-of-living increases seniors face, said Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who is pushing for legislation to establish a more accurate cost-of-living adjustment mechanism for seniors.
While a 2.8 percent increase is an improvement upon the previous benefits, the reality is that it still does not meet the needs of today's seniors, Smith said. We must ensure that the benefits they earned are an up-to-date reflection of their daily needs, and this will require a new and more accurate measurement of their cost-of-living.
Social Security is a sacred trust, and we must honor this trust by strengthening this program to ensure that the benefits meet the needs of those who rely on them for their livelihood, Smith said.
Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) are currently tied to the Consumer Price Index. Smith has supported the creation of new measurements to more accurately reflect the costs of goods and services that today's seniors face, such as healthcare spending.
Smith has cosponsored the CPI for Seniors Act (HR 2016),a bipartisan bill requiring the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to develop and publish a new monthly index, the Consumer Price Index for Seniors, that measures changes in consumer spending more typical for Americans age 62 and older.
We need to base future Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLA) on items that seniors spend their money on, such as medical procedures, medication, and Medicare premiums. These are the cost-of-living expenses that most strongly influence a senior's household budget, Smith said.
I will continue fight for a revised COLA formula that gives more accurate weight to the types of expenses seniors endureso that the annual COLA keeps pace with expenses more typical of seniors' cost-of-living.
More than 67 million Americans will see the 2.8 percent benefit increase for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, the Social Security Administration announced on Thursday, and the increased payments will take place beginning Dec. 31, 2018. The adjustment was due to an increase in the Consumer Price Index from the third quarter of 2017 through the third quarter of 2018.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=401469,Smith's Remarks Upon Release of 2018 CECC Annual Report,2018-10-10,2018,2018-10,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), issued excerpts of the following remarks at a press conference on Wed., Oct. 10, on the release of the 2018 CECC Annual Report:
The Commission's Annual Report is the gold standard of human rights reporting on China and should be required reading.
I would also like to thank the staff of the CECCespecially staff directors Elyse Anderson and Paul Protic. They have helped us as Chairs do some very important work this yearwhether hearings, legislation, and advocacy. Thank you.
The bipartisan reports and recommendation of the Commission are a vital contribution to the ongoing reevaluation of U.S.-China policy.
This is the 17th Annual Report on human rights conditions and rule of law developments in China.
China's government and Communist Party have become more repressive in domestic politics, more mercantilist in trade and economic policy, increasingly dismissive of international norms, and more assertive in spreading their model of authoritarian governance globally.
China is on a race to the bottom with North Korea on human rights.
As this report shows, it has been another difficult year for Chinese rights defenders and democracy activists, religious leaders and labor activists, and U.S. businesses and media companies.
The crackdowns on religious groups, Uyghurs, and human rights lawyers is the most severe since the Cultural Revolution.
I want to reiterate as strongly as possible that our criticism is not about the Chinese people and culture, but of the Chinese government and Communist Party's failures to respect universal standards or abide by international obligationswhether that be trade, labor rights, human rights, or law of the seas.
The Senator and I first publicly raised the issue of arbitrary detentions of Uyghurs in January of 2018. We were among the first public officials to raise the alarm.
The work of the CECC brought global attention to the Orwellian detentions of over a million Uyghurs and other Muslims.
The Chinese government cannot get a free pass on what it is doing to the Uyghurs.
Every nation has a right to ensure its own security. But the actions of the Chinese government are extremely disproportional to the actual threatand may constitute crimes against humanity.
This issue should be front and center in all U.S. and U.N. interactions with China.
I can promise those watching today that the CECC will continue to highlight this issue until all the political reeducation camps are closed; all prisoners freed, and all families reunited.
Over the past year, the Chinese government has intensified the most severe crackdown on religious activities since the Cultural Revolution.
Xi has personally launched efforts to sinacize religion and the central government has issued commands to each provincial Party Secretary, making them responsible to bring religion in line with Communist Party ideology.
Two weeks ago in my House subcommittee on human rights I chaired a hearing on the gross religious persecution with an particular emphasis on Christians.
When Bibles are burned and Tibetan monks burn themselves in protest, when a simple prayer over a meal in public may be considered illegal religious gathering, when mosques and churches are demolished and Uyghur and Kazakh Muslims are forced to renounce their faiththe China Dream is a nightmare for millions upon millions of Chinese citizens.
U.S.-China tensions are high at the moment on many fronts and the Chinese government presumably is searching for ways to reducenot escalatethem. Taking a hammer and sickle to the cross or jailing a million Uyghur Muslims will only ensure a tougher China policy, one with widespread, bipartisan and even global support.
The Chinese government also continues to coercively limit the size of Chinese families, violating international obligations.
It is a brutal policy that is the cause of unspeakable pain and suffering and drives China's bride and sex trafficking.
As the White House continues to review U.S. China policy, we will be urging the Trump Administration to adopt the CECC's recommendations.
The need for principled and consistent American leadership is more important now than ever before. Though the U.S. and China share many interests, there is greater challenges and competition in bilateral relations than ever before.
Nothing good happens in the dark. This report shines a light on the Chinese government's failures to abide by universal standards; shines a light on the cases of tortured and abused political prisoners; shines a light on a million Uyghurs detained in Orwellian political reeducation camps and on China's still coercive population control policies.
It should be required reading for anyone interested in reevaluating U.S.-China policy and a free and open Indo-Pacific region.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z