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://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-secures-over-332000-6th-district-residents-2014,"Pallone Secures Over $332,000 for 6th District Residents in 2014",2014-12-30,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"LONG BRANCH, NJ – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. announced that, in 2014, he has helped secure over $332,274 for constituents seeking assistance through his district offices. His work on behalf of constituents includes help with Sandy related FEMA grants and claims, SBA loans, Social Security payments, and more. Over the past year, Congressman Pallone’s constituent outreach representatives have made it possible for constituents to cut through red tape in order to receive money that is rightfully owed to them.
“Whether a constituent is concerned about a federal policy or needs help navigating the federal bureaucracy, I want them to know we’re here to help,” said Congressman Pallone. “I am grateful that so many residents of the 6th District have turned to us for assistance this year, especially as we continue to recover and rebuild from Sandy together. I hope that they continue to use my office as a resource.”
The funds secured by Congressman Pallone and his staff are part of a long list of constituent services that his district offices offer. For example, constituents who have issues with their Social Security benefits, federal pensions, Medicare eligibility, and U.S. citizenship are eligible for help. Additionally, Pallone and his staff frequently assist veterans obtain back pay, GI Bill benefits, VA disability claims, as well as assistance to widows who are eligible to receive pensions. Staff can also be helpful in locating low-income housing options, energy assistance and other benefits or resources that may be helpful to residents of the 6th District.
“Direct constituent service is a top priority of mine,” added Congressman Pallone. “I always appreciate hearing from my constituents, and I encourage them to stay in touch, especially if we can be of any help.”
For help on any of these services or other issues, please do not hesitate to contact either of Congressman Pallone’s district offices:
New Brunswick Office:
67/69 Church Street
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Phone: (732) 249-8892
Long Branch Office:
504 Broadway
Long Branch, NJ 07740
Phone: (732) 571-1140",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397800,"Smith on Fox News ChannelCongressman Calls for Extradition of Convicted Murderer of NJ State Trooper to the U.S.",2014-12-24,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), a vocal critic of President Obama’s decision to embrace the Castro regime after decades of human rights abuses, including the harboring of fugitives, appearred on Fox News Channel today reiterated his call to Cuba to extradite Joanne Chesimard, the convicted murderer of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster. Smith noted the long record of human rights violations of Fidel Castro and Raul Castro, and has said the Castro brothers should be tried at The Hague for their brutal crimes against humanity—including mass murder, torture and unjust incarceration.Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com
Smith and Rep. Albio Sires (NJ-08) unveiled the“Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act” (H.R. 3585) in 2013. The bill, sponsored by Smith, would require the executive branch to report to Congress on the number of fugitives in Cuba and other countries which our government is seeking to extradite, the efforts it has undertaken to secure their return, how often it is successful, and factors that have prevented their return. The information would allow Congress to evaluate and strengthen the executive branch’s efforts to extradite fugitives. The bill is also named after Walter Patterson who was also brutally murdered by a killer who had been convicted, escaped prison and simply moved abroad beyond the reach of U.S. justice. For years Smith has been active in advocating for Cuban political prisoners, including Dr. Óscar Elías Biscet, M.D., a courageous human rights advocate who has spent over 11 years in jail. Biscet testified via telephone at a hearing chaired by Smith in 2012. Smith nominated Biscet for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 and again in 2011, when he led an international movement nominating him. Shortly after the nominations were made, Biscet was released. He remains in Cuba, today. It was reported he was beaten and shortly detained earlier this year.
In 2001, Smith offered an amendment to pressure the Cuban government to return fugitives killers, including Chesimard, as well as release political prisoners languishing in Cuban prisons. The amendment would have required that before the U.S. allows unrestricted leisure travel to Cuba, the Castro regime return fugitive killers living in Cuba, and that political prisoners be released.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-announces-additional-233600-research-educational-programs-benefit-new-jersey,"Pallone Announces Additional $233,600 for Research, Educational Programs to Benefit New Jersey Coastal Communities",2014-12-22,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium (NJSGC) has been awarded $233,600 to further develop research and educational programs to ensure that New Jersey coastal communities are resilient to the impacts of climate change, as well as future storms. Sea Grant is a nationwide network administered through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of 33 programs based at top research universities that help build resilient coastal communities.
“This latest grant for research and education at New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium is good news for our coastal communities, especially after the devastating impact Superstorm Sandy had on our region,” said Pallone. “NJSGC conducts great ocean science research, and its work will continue to help us better understand our marine environment so that we can mitigate adverse effects of disasters like Sandy on our economy and ecosystem.”
NJSGC is headquartered in the Sixth Congressional District on Sandy Hook, a unit of Gateway National Recreation Area that falls under the National Park Service’s (NPS) jurisdiction. NJSGC conducts research and hosts educational programs to further understanding of the state’s marine and coastal environment.
This latest grant comes in addition to a $567,776 grant awarded to NJSGC in October 2014 and will help fund a two year project to develop research and education initiatives to protect the coastline from future storms and the impacts of climate change. This includes natural dune building to protect inland areas, developing models to better understand the consequences of storms and sea level rise on coastal communities and businesses, and providing educational resources to help New Jersey’s residents and visitors better understand and appreciate the state’s marine environment. Funding for this larger project is being awarded incrementally as federal funds are made available.
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http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397797,"USA Today, Asbury Park Press articleAdvocate to help Sandy victims with flood claims",2014-12-19,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"BY RUSS ZIMMER, ASBURY PARK PRESS -
Thousands of superstorm Sandy victims didn't know where to turn when they ran into issues with their flood insurance providers. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is announcing today that a new, independent consumer advocate will be activated next week for just that purpose.The Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate was established as part of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 that was passed earlier this year, but hadn't yet been opened. An expedited installment of the advocate's office was one of four major changes to FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program that was announced by a group of New Jersey federal lawmakers earlier this month in Secaucus. It will open on Monday, according to a statement from the agency to the Asbury Park Press
David Stearrett will serve as the acting Flood Insurance Advocate. According to FEMA, Stearrett has worked inside the NFIP for 17 years. He has spent the last eight years as chief of the program's Floodplain Management Branch.
Related: FEMA agrees to flood insurance reforms
The advocate's office is intended to help policyholders navigate the NFIP, which was designed to provide flood insurance protection for flood-prone communities. The insurance is backed by the federal government but administered by private insurance companies. Countless New Jerseyans have complained about what they perceive as lowball insurance payouts for their flood-damaged property.
The advocate will also educate the public on regional flood zone maps, the periodically-updated maps that dictate the expected flood risk in a given area.
""FEMA's establishment of the Flood Insurance Advocate is long overdue and desperately needed by National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders,"" said Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., in a prepared statement. ""It's why we passed legislation specifically calling for a FEMA Advocate. Regrettably, in assisting my constituents with NFIP casework, it is clear that the program has not met the minimum standards for treating policyholders—i.e. Sandy victims—in a fair, equitable, and timely manner.""
Until funding is secured for a permanent office — FEMA is operating under a continuing budget resolution from Congress — the agency will reassign a number of FEMA employees to the advocate's office.
Related: FEMA asks some Sandy victims to return aid money
The public can contact the advocate's office by email at insurance-advocate@fema.dhs.gov. Within a month, a phone number will be established.
""As FEMA begins the process of finalizing and implementing preliminary flood maps in New Jersey, an effective, independent advocate within FEMA is critical,"" Smith said. ""The flood maps can have a huge financial impact on homeowners and their communities, who deserve a fair and transparent appeals process and an explanation of all mitigation options.""
FEMA recommends that policyholders continue to work with their insurance agents to resolve any flood insurance-related concerns or with their local floodplain manager on questions about flood maps. Floodsmart, the NFIP's information arm, can be contacted at 1-888-379-9531. Originally published at:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/12/18/advocate-to-help-sandy-victims-with-flood-claims/20620881/
http://www.app.com/story/news/local/2014/12/18/fema-flood-insurance-advocate/20594383/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397799,"NJ.com-/Star Ledger article:'FEMA to set up office to help Hurricane Sandy flood victims'",2014-12-19,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Jonathan D. Salant, Star Ledger Staff --
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced a new program to help victims of Hurricane Sandy and other participants in the National Flood Insurance Program.
An interim office will begin operating Dec. 22 until the agency can fulfill its congressional mandate to set up a permanent Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate. The independent office will report directly to top FEMA officials.
David Stearrett will be the acting flood insurance advocate and he will be assisted by FEMA employees temporarily detailed from other offices until funds are available to set up a permanent department.
“Floods are the most common disaster affecting communities in America,” said David Miller, associate administrator for the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration. “As someone who has worked tirelessly on behalf of policyholders for many years, I know Mr. Stearrett will fight each day to ensure that policyholders have the information they need to navigate the flood insurance process and ensure any concerns are addressed.”
Once the office begins operating, the acting advocate will be able to be reached at insurance-advocate@fema.dhs.gov, with a phone number to be set up next month.
Today's action is the latest effort by FEMA to address complaints from homeowners and members of Congress over the way Sandy damage claims have been handled by insurers.
“FEMA’s establishment of the flood insurance advocate is long overdue and desperately needed,"" said Rep, Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.) “It’s why we passed legislation specifically calling for a FEMA advocate. Regrettably, in assisting my constituents with NFIP casework, it is clear that the program has not met the minimum standards for treating policyholders—i.e. Sandy victims—in a fair, equitable, and timely manner.”
FEMA said earlier this month that it would make an advocate available to help policyholders file claims and appeals.
The agency also said at the time that it would consider appeals from homeowners whose damage claims were initially denied because they missed a filing deadline, to take action to ensure that insurance companies face the same penalties for approving underpayments of claims as they do for overpayments, and to require companies to release engineering reports they rely on to determine how much they will pay for damages.
The issues were brought to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate at a Dec. 3 meeting by Democratic U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez and Cory Booker of New Jersey and Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.
At a press conference Wednesday to highlight a tax break for Sandy victims who sold their damaged houses to the state for less than they owed on their mortgages, Booker said that there was more work to be done to help Sandy victims.
""We have a lot more challenges to meet,"" he said. Article originally published at:
http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/12/after_hurricane_sandy_fema_to_set_up_office_to_help_flood_victims.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397793,Smith: Establishment of Flood Insurance Advocate Long Overdue,2014-12-18,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) released the following statement in response to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) establishment of an Interim Office of the Flood Insurance Advocate: “FEMA’s establishment of the Flood Insurance Advocate is long overdue and desperately needed by National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policyholders,” said Smith. “It’s why we passed legislation specifically calling for a FEMA Advocate. Regrettably, in assisting my constituents with NFIP casework, it is clear that the program has not met the minimum standards for treating policyholders—i.e. Sandy victims—in a fair, equitable, and timely manner.” “As FEMA begins the process of finalizing and implementing preliminary flood maps in New Jersey, an effective, independent advocate within FEMA is critical,” continued Smith. “The flood maps can have a huge financial impact on homeowners and their communities, who deserve a fair and transparent appeals process and an explanation of all mitigation options.” “As a cosponsor of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act (PL 113-89), I view this as a step in the right direction. That said, the office will need to hit the ground running, and I will be working together with them to ensure that quality assistance is provided to homeowners, policyholders, and impacted communities.” Throughout the 113th Congress, Smith has supported measures offering relief and assistance to those facing flood insurance premium hikes. In addition to H.R. 3370, he cosponsored H.R. 1485, Congressman Frank LoBiondo’s (NJ-02) bill that would phase in rate increases over an eight-year period, and supported Congressman Bill Cassidy’s (LA-06) amendment delaying rate premium hikes by at least a year. In his remarks during the debate of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act, Smith noted that the legislation would “provide individualized assistance by establishing a flood insurance advocate to help homeowners and towns obtain information and fair treatment during the mapping process. After hearing from hundreds of families, particularly in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, who are simply looking for information on how they will be impacted by changes to the flood mapping process, I am pleased that this important provision was retained in the final bill.” Smith took a lead role in obtaining federal disaster relief funding for Superstorm Sandy victims in 2013. He successfully pushed for a 90 percent FEMA reimbursement rate for shore communities decimated by Sandy and facing extraordinary and unprecedented clean-up and disposal costs, up from the normal 75 percent federal reimbursement. He also wrote a bill that overwhelming passed in the House in 2013, H.R. 592, called the ""Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2013.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397794,75-plus House Members Oppose Proposed Rule Allowing Secret Abortion Surcharge in Obamacare,2014-12-18,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) and over 75 Members of Congress have filed a comment letter with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) opposing the abortion aspects of the proposed rule on “HHS Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2016” for the Obamacare marketplace.
Specifically the lawmakers object to the rule’s section on “Segregation of Funds for Abortion Services,” which they say ensures that the abortion surcharge (required for all Exchange plans that cover abortion) will remain hidden from consumers.
In their letter they note “… it is essential that the administration at least follow the minimal statutory requirements related to the accounting gimmick, often referred to as the Nelson amendment. Unfortunately, the proposed rule does the opposite by actually telling issuers how to avoid the requirements outlined in the ACA…under the proposed rule, the surcharge is not billed separately and will likely be all but invisible to the consumer. The text of the law and the legislative history is clear. The abortion surcharge must be a separate payment.”
The comment period on the proposed rule closes December 22.
“The Obama Administration’s cover-up of abortion insurance plans on the exchange is unnecessary, unacceptable and absolutely unconscionable,” said Smith co-chair of the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Life Caucus. “Consumers have a right to know. Abortion is not healthcare – it dismembers and chemically poisons defenseless unborn children and hurts women.
“President Obama’s solemn promise not fund abortion on demand continues to be broken with impunity. For 2014 the GAO found that over 1000 plans included abortion on demand. Research by ObamacareAbortion.com has shown that for 2015 abortion coverage continues, and once again health consumers are left almost clueless as to which plans fund abortion on demand and which do not. Furthermore, no information about the abortion surcharge is provided to consumers while shopping for Obamacare coverage.”
“It is a shame that the administration that claims to be the most transparent in history has failed to provide this basic information to consumers—despite multiple inquires by Congress in the past. The language in the explanatory statement of the recently-passed “CRomnibus” spending bill is a modest step in the right direction by calling on Secretary Burwell to ensure “full transparency” to consumers “prior to plan purchase” and requires a timeline for clarifying guidance to be submitted within 30 days.
“I hope this language will finally motivate the administration to take action to provide total and complete transparency regarding abortion coverage and the abortion surcharge. If they do not, it will be incumbent on Congress to take further action in the coming year. When the new Congress convenes in January I will reintroduce the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and the Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act to remove abortion from Obamacare and ensure transparency in the interim.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-bill-combat-stillbirth-suid-and-sudc-signed-law,"Pallone Bill to Combat Stillbirth, SUID and SUDC Signed Into Law",2014-12-18,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), the Ranking Member on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, praised the signing of his legislation to combat stillbirth, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC) into law by President Obama.
“I am pleased that President Obama has signed my bill into law, which will finally help us to better understand the causes of stillbirth, SUID and SUDC,” said Pallone. “There is no greater pain that a parent can endure than losing a child, and it is my hope that this legislation will give families who have lost a child some peace of mind and help prevent other parents from having to experience such a tragic loss. I want to express my sincerest thanks to Laura Crandall of New Jersey, whose tireless efforts over the years made this possible. I also want to remember the late Senator Frank Lautenberg, who was the original Senate sponsor of this bill and a powerful voice for the tens of thousands of families affected by stillbirth, SUID and SUDC every year.”
The “Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act,” H.R. 669, will enhance awareness and provide for consistent data collection related to stillbirth, SUID and SUDC, which affects nearly 30,000 families each year. The data will then be used to inform medical professionals and families of the deceased as to why these unexpected deaths occur and what can be done to prevent them.
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http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-calls-universities-protect-students%E2%80%99-health-banning-use-university-debit-cards,Pallone Calls on Universities to Protect Students Health By Banning Use of University Debit Cards to Pay for Indoor Tanning,2014-12-18,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) joined several of his colleagues in calling on Rutgers University and 17 other universities to protect the health of their students by ending practices that allow them to use university debit cards to pay for indoor tanning. In light of Congressman Pallone’s letter, Rutgers University intends to end the practice of allowing their students’ debit cards to pay for indoor tanning by January 1, 2015, and he hopes other universities follow suit.
“It is widely reported that indoor tanning increases the chances of developing melanoma and other adverse health conditions,” said Pallone. “As such, Rutgers University and other schools around the country should take the necessary steps to end the practice of allowing their students to use university debit cards to pay for indoor tanning. Our universities should be promoting student health, not incentivizing their students to engage in activities that put their health at risk.”
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that 18 universities allow their students to use student debit cards to pay for indoor tanning services. The Journal concluded that given the classification of indoor tanning beds as a carcinogen by the World Health Organization, universities are in essence endorsing and even encouraging indoor tanning.
Full text of the letter to Rutgers University is available here.
The list of 18 universities to which a letter was sent is available here.
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http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-pitts-bill-crack-down-anabolic-steroids-signed-law,"Pallone, Pitts Bill to Crack Down on Anabolic Steroids Signed into Law",2014-12-18,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), the Ranking Member on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, praised the signing of legislation into law that he co-sponsored with U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts (PA-16), the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, which cracks down on anabolic steroids use.
“Designer anabolic steroids are dangerous, plain and simple,” said Pallone. “They have been known to cause serious harm to consumers, especially young athletes who unwittingly use these products. As such, it is vital to ensure that they are classified as controlled substances so the DEA can quickly capture them before they reach the marketplace and potentially endanger consumers. My legislation does just that, and I am pleased that the President has signed it into law.”
The “Designer Anabolic Steroid Control Act,” H.R. 4771, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives back in September and the U.S. Senate just last week, will close a loophole often exploited by steroid manufacturers to sell products that claim to be all-natural muscle builders when they, in fact, contain chemically altered versions of anabolic steroids. The bill will immediately place 27 new designer anabolic steroids on the DEA’s list of controlled substances as well as authorize the DEA to temporarily schedule new designer drugs on the controlled substances list, which will allow the DEA to identify and list new chemicals more easily.
Congressman Pallone’s legislation is supported by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, the American Herbal Products Association, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the United Natural Products Alliance, and the Natural Products Association, among others.
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http://pascrell.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/pascrell-menendez-announce-major-milestone-for-paterson-s-historic,"Pascrell, Menendez Announce Major Milestone for Patersons Historic Hinchliffe Stadium",2014-12-18,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Bill Pascrell,P000096,pascrell.house.gov,,,legacy,"PATERSON, NJ – Today, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and U.S. Senator Robert Menendez announced that legislation introduced by both lawmakers in their respective chambers designating historic Hinchliffe Stadium as part of Paterson’s Great Falls National Historical Park is headed to President Obama’s desk for his signature. Last year, Rep. Pascrell and Sen. Menendez introduced the Hinchliffe Stadium Heritage Act, which was ultimately included in the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act.
“Today is a great day for Paterson. It’s a great day for New Jersey. And it’s a great day for our entire country,” said Rep. Pascrell. “This historic stadium symbolizes the strength and courage of the many players that graced its field, including the great Larry Doby, as they overcame great adversity in pursuit of a more perfect union. The federal government has finally recognized what all Patersonians have known for years: that Hinchliffe Stadium has played a vital role in our nation’s history, and is worthy of preservation and continued appreciation.”
""When I look at Hinchliffe Stadium, I see a field of dreams, an enduring reminder of how far we’ve come since the days of 'separate but equal,' when institutional segregation marginalized the work, dreams and achievements of African Americans,"" said Sen. Menendez. ""I see a community coming together, decades after Hinchliffe first earned its place in American history, to preserve the legacy it represents.""
In 2009, Representative Pascrell, Senator Menendez and the late-Senator Frank Lautenberg introduced the “Great Falls National Historical Park Act,” which was signed into law as a part of the “Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.” The measure designated the Great Falls in Paterson as a National Historical Park and commissioned a study to assess Hinchliffe's potential to be named a National Historic Landmark. Last year the U.S. Department of Interior completed the study, and designated Hinchliffe as a National Historic Landmark.
""The designation of Hinchliffe Stadium as part of the Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park is an honor and will aide greatly in restoring, the only baseball stadium in the nation with this distinction, to its past glory,"" said Mayor Jose 'joey' Torres. ""Hinchliffe Stadium has served as a catalyst of change and improvement. During its heyday it represented marginalized communities in American sports. We are thankful for its place in this nation's history and share the joy that now the nation and the world can see the beauty of what we hold dear.""
Eleven current members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame played on Hinchliffe's grounds, including Larry Doby, Josh Gibson, William Julius “Judy” Johnson, Oscar Charleston, and Leroy “Satchel” Paige. In addition to hosting Negro League baseball, Hinchliffe Stadium was also home to three professional football teams, many auto racing events, and professional boxing. Located within Paterson's National Landmark Historic District, the stadium is directly above the Great Falls National Historical Park.
“Hinchliffe Stadium represents an irreplaceable piece of our nation’s history,” said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. ""Some of our nation’s greatest athletes took to the field there and courageously led the movement to integrate professional sports -- and our country as a whole. Inclusion of the stadium within the broader Great Falls National Historical Park system is an important milestone towards the preservation and reuse of this extraordinary sports venue.”
Paterson School Board, the current owner of the stadium, adopted a resolution in support in support of the bill.
The bill also had the support of the New Jersey Community Development Corporation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Friends of Hinchliffe Stadium, the Hamilton Partnership for Paterson, the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and former Paterson Mayor and current Chair of the Great Falls Advisory Commission, Pat Kramer.
The Hinchliffe Stadium Heritage Act had bipartisan support from 24 cosponsors, including the entire New Jersey congressional delegation.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pascrell.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/pascrell-ways-and-means-democrats-urge-president-obama-to-exclude,"Pascrell, Ways and Means Democrats Urge President Obama to Exclude Investor State Dispute Settlement Provisions from Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership",2014-12-18,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Bill Pascrell,P000096,pascrell.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, announced that he wrote to President Obama urging him to exclude investor-to-state dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions from the proposed Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement. Reps. Lloyd Doggett, Linda Sanchez, John Lewis and Jim McDermott, also Ways and Means Committee members, joined in sending the letter to the President.
“We share your goals of ensuring that U.S. interests that invest abroad are not treated in a discriminatory fashion or denied fair opportunity to seek and achieve redress of grievances and believe they can be attained in TTIP without the inclusion of ISDS provisions,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to President Obama. “Should investor-to-state provisions be included in the TTIP, we believe that reforms to the current model are critical to avoiding the problems that have arisen under the provisions in existing FTAs and BITs.”
“I applaud Representatives Pascrell, Doggett and the other Ways and Means Democrats for standing up for working families in both the US and EU in the TTIP by taking action to exclude investor-to-state dispute settlement ISDS,” said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. “The TTIP can help our economy grow, but only if it excludes the ISDS. ISDS gives foreign investors extraordinary legal rights to challenge generally applicable public policies--including decisions about where to place toxic waste dumps, whether to increase minimum wages, and how to protect children from smoking and water pollution--in privatized ‘corporate courts’. Giving foreign investors more rights than domestic businesses is no way to build shared prosperity.”
The full text of the letter is as follows:
December 17, 2014
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States of America
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
We thank you for your efforts to grow the economy, provide greater opportunities for working people and promote more sustainable energy and environmental policies. As you begin negotiations on the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), we urge you to seek investment rules that further these goals by ensuring an appropriate balance between investor protections and the public interest.
Congress has repeatedly expressed concerns about the investment provisions of U.S. trade agreements. The inclusion of investor-to-state dispute settlement process (ISDS) in previous trade agreements advantages foreign investors over domestic ones and threatens US laws, regulations, and judicial decisions protecting health and public safety. These provisions provide foreign investors the right to either bypass our own courts entirely or to undermine them by challenging their results before panels of private arbitrators who are not required to protect the public interest or to utilize American legal principles and precedent.
We share your goals of ensuring that U.S. interests that invest abroad are not treated in a discriminatory fashion or denied fair opportunity to seek and achieve redress of grievances and believe they can be attained in TTIP without the inclusion of ISDS provisions. Quite simply, there is no need for ISDS in a free trade agreement between developed countries with well-established court systems, like the United States and the countries of the European Union. France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, are but a few of European Union countries party to TTIP in which the rule of law is not in doubt. According to the Chamber of Commerce, U.S. firms already have $2.3 trillion directly invested in EU countries, suggesting that U.S. businesses already believe investments in EU countries are safe. Additionally, the absence of such mechanisms in the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement, the earlier U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement, and the U.S.- Israel Free Trade Agreement provide relevant precedent that counsels against including investor-state dispute settlement provisions in the TTIP.
Excluding ISDS provisions from the TTIP is more likely to generate broad public support in both the United States and Europe. Should investor-to-state provisions be included in the TTIP, we believe that reforms to the current model are critical to avoiding the problems that have arisen under the provisions in existing FTAs and BITs. We would be pleased to work with you and your staff to investigate foreign investor rights reform ideas further. As always, we thank you for considering our views on this important issue.
Sincerely,
___________________________ ___________________________
Bill Pascrell, Jr. Lloyd Doggett
Member of Congress Member of Congress
___________________________ ___________________________
Linda T. Sanchez John Lewis
Member of Congress Member of Congress
___________________________
Jim McDermott
Member of Congress
Cc: The Honorable John Kerry, Secretary of State
Ambassador Michael B. Froman, United States Trade Representative
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397791,Cong. Smith Comments on Obama Move to Embrace Castro Government,2014-12-17,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The news of President Obama’s decision to embrace the Castro regime after decades of human rights abuses, including the harboring of fugitives and stymieing U.S. government efforts to extradite Joanne Chesimard, the convicted murderer of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster and other fugitives, is disappointing in light of the long record of human rights violations of Fidel Castro and Raul Castro, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) said today.
“
While we all welcome the return of Alan Gross to his family and to freedom, it is outrageous that President Obama chose to link the despicable jailing and long-delayed release of this humanitarian with a trade for three spies convicted of espionage against the United States, including Gerardo Hernandez, who also conspired to commit murder
,” said Smith, chairman of the House panel that oversees international global human rights. “
Additionally, the President has announced plans to normalize relations with the Cuban dictatorship while he ignores the fact that the Castro brothers continue to harbor convicted cop-killer Joanne Chesimard, a murderer who gunned down New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster in cold blood, shooting him twice in the head while he lay on the ground wounded
.
“
The Obama Administration’s capitulation to the Castro brothers’ tyranny, as in the case of Bowe Bergdahl, once again sends a most dangerous message to terrorists around the world: if you take an American hostage, we will release dangerous criminals, be they spies like the Cuban Five, or Taliban jihadists
.
“
Rather than bringing the Cuban people closer to democracy and freedom, by pandering to the Castro brothers, Obama allows them to strengthen their grip on the Cuban people
.
“
Just as with countries like China, President Obama continues to demonstrate a pattern of indifference to, and gross enabling of, human rights abuses. The Castro brothers should be tried at The Hague for their brutal crimes against humanity—including mass murder, torture and unjust incarceration
.”
Smith and Rep. Albio Sires (NJ-08) unveiled the
“Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act
” (H.R. 3585) in 2013. The bill, sponsored by Smith, would require the executive branch to report to Congress on the number of fugitives in Cuba and other countries which our government is seeking to extradite, the efforts it has undertaken to secure their return, how often it is successful, and factors that have prevented their return. The information would allow Congress to evaluate and strengthen the executive branch’s efforts to extradite fugitives.
The bill is also named after Walter Patterson who was also brutally murdered by a killer who had been convicted, escaped prison and simply moved abroad beyond the reach of U.S. justice.
For years Smith has been active in advocating for Cuban political prisoners, including Dr. Óscar Elías Biscet, M.D., a courageous human rights advocate who has spent over 11 years in jail. Biscet testified via telephone at a
hearing chaired by Smith in 2012
. Smith nominated Biscet for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008 and again in 2011, when he led an international movement nominating him. Shortly after the nominations were made, Biscet was released. He remains in Cuba, today. It was reported he was beaten and shortly detained earlier this year.
In 2001, Smith offered an amendment to pressure the Cuban government to return fugitives killers, including Chesimard, as well as release political prisoners languishing in Cuban prisons. The amendment would have required that before the U.S. allows unrestricted leisure travel to Cuba, the Castro regime return fugitive killers living in Cuba, and that political prisoners be released.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pascrell.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/pascrell-slams-approval-of-passaic-river-litigation,Pascrell Slams Approval of Passaic River Litigation,2014-12-17,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Bill Pascrell,P000096,pascrell.house.gov,,,legacy,"Paterson, NJ – Today, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) released the following statement regarding the announcement that a Superior Court judge has approved a $190 million settlement with Occidental Chemical Corp. that resolves the company's liability for contamination of the Passaic River.
“This settlement is an insult to the Passaic River, those that fought for decades to protect it, as well as the people of New Jersey,” said Rep. Pascrell. “This type of political shell game should come as no surprise from a governor representing a state as economically depressed as New Jersey. Instead of balancing the state’s budget at the expense of environmental protection and public health, Governor Christie should be prioritizing the communities he represents by dedicating one hundred percent of the these funds to the restoration of the Passaic River.”
In October, Rep. Pascrell wrote to DEP Commissioner Martin urging the agency to reject the $190 million settlement agreement between NJDEP and Occidental Chemical Corporation over toxic pollution in the Passaic River. In the letter, Rep. Pascrell points out that more that 80 percent of the settlement will go to the State General Fund and not the restoration of the Passaic River.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pascrell.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/pascrell-statement-on-us-cuba-relationship,Pascrell Statement on U.S. Cuba Relationship,2014-12-17,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Bill Pascrell,P000096,pascrell.house.gov,,,legacy,"Paterson, NJ – Today, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) issued the following statement regarding the U.S. – Cuba relationship.
“Today’s news is certainly momentous, especially for those of us who lived through the Cuban Missile Crisis and witnessed the decades of oppression the Cuban people faced at the hands of the Castro regime. That oppression continues to this day, evidenced by the imprisonment of Alan Gross for doing nothing more than attempting to provide humanitarian aid to the Cuban people. I’m very pleased that after more than five years and deteriorating health, Alan will be coming home to his family.
“I have many questions about the President’s announcement. It is clear that our 50-year long embargo of Cuba has failed to bring about the change we desired to free the Cuban people from an oppressive regime. However, I share the concern of Senator Menendez and others that the quick normalization of relations that the President envisions are only rewarding the Cuban government for decades of bad behavior and gross violations of human rights. I will be monitoring these developments closely and must insist that any opening of relations comes side-by-side with an opening of the Cuban government's political system from totalitarianism to one that respects democracy, human rights, and personal freedoms -- that is the only Cuba we can recognize.
“This is a moment for US-Cuban relations and today we say yes to the potential for change, but we must say no to an immediate halt of sanctions on Cuba.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://sires.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-sires-statement-on-the-change-of-cuba-policy,Congressman Sires Statement on the Change of Cuba Policy,2014-12-17,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Albio Sires,S001165,sires.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) - Congressman Albio Sires issued the following statement regarding the Administration’s announcement on its shift in policy towards Cuba:
“What should be a joyous moment to celebrate the overdue homecoming of Alan Gross today has been marred by the actions undertaken by the Administration to secure his release. The President’s announcement today detailing plans for a loosening of sanctions and initiating discussions to re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba is naïve and disrespectful to the millions of Cubans that have lived under the Castro’s repressive regime; and the thousands of human rights defenders that have fought tirelessly and at times with their lives to bring about democratic change to Cuba.
Any notion that the Administration’s engagement with Cuba will encourage a form of Cuban glasnost is a dangerous miscalculation. Cuba has not changed in 50 years and is unlikely to change if its repressive government is given more room to breathe. In turn, the Administration has risked allowing the Cuban regime to continue its repressive policies towards the Cuban people as it has over the last half century.
Now more than ever it will be incumbent upon the Cuban government to uphold the Inter-American Democratic Charter and respect the rule of law, human rights, freedoms of speech and assembly, and proceed with free and fair elections. Moreover, while I may welcome the release of over 50 political prisoners, little has been said for the countless others that remain inside a Cuban prison or the fact that the same 50 plus prisoners freed today could very well be imprisoned again tomorrow for exercising the same human rights of free speech that unjustly placed them inside prison the first time.
I am disappointed in the actions taken by the President today. However, it is Congress that must and will ultimately decide if and when the sanctions against Cuba will be lifted.”
Congressman Sires serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere within the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for the 113th Congress.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://sires.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-sires-statement-on-the-release-of-alan-gross,Congressman Sires Statement on the Release of Alan Gross,2014-12-17,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Albio Sires,S001165,sires.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) - Congressman Albio Sires issued the following statement regarding the release of Alan Gross:
“I am relieved that Alan Gross will no longer see the inside of his Cuban prison cell and finally be reunited with his family after five long years of unwarranted imprisonment by the Cuban Government. Let it be clear, however, that his release was by no means a humanitarian gesture. Nothing the Cuban regime does is humanitarian in nature, particularly when it continues to deny the Cuban people basic human rights while utilizing fear, incarceration, and unwarranted force to maintain control.
Rather than accepting nothing but the unconditional release of Mr. Gross, the Administration has succumbed to short-sighted pressures to proceed with an unjust and dangerous prisoner exchange of convicted spies. While I am relieved that Mr. Gross will finally be home with his family, I would be remiss not to wonder how the family of murdered New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster feels as his killer, Joanne Chesimard, still roams freely in Cuba. Chesimard is currently listed by the FBI as the number one most wanted terrorist and has been enjoying political asylum in Cuba for 30 years.
It is a dangerous precedent to concede and utilize Americans detained abroad as mere pawns for trading. Not only will this be an open invitation for rogue regimes and actors to follow the same playbook, but it potentially places many American lives overseas at risk.”
Congressman Sires serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere within the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for the 113th Congress.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=961,Chairman Frelinghuysen Returns from Trip to Persian Gulf with Focus on ISIL and Iran,2014-12-17,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Congressman Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (NJ) returned to the United States from an official Congressional delegation trip to the Persian Gulf region. Frelinghuysen, the Chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, traveled with incoming House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (TX) and incoming Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (CA). The delegation, led by House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA), visited Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan.
The delegation met with national leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud, along with many other senior defense officials, as well as U.S. military and State Department officers in these strategically important nations, to assess the vitality of U.S. partnerships in the region. The purpose of the trip was to examine 1) the counter-ISIL strategy and the evolving military campaign in Iraq, Syria and the surrounding region and 2) Iran and its regional influence and actions.
“In recent years, the United States has established valuable working partnerships with most nations in the greater Persian Gulf region,” said Frelinghuysen. “It is in the national security interest of the United States to ensure that these relationships remain active and vibrant. Our discussions with leaders and defense officials across the region were designed to be very helpful in this regard.”
Frelinghuysen also met with men and women of our Armed Forces, all volunteers, who are serving in the area. He expressed his appreciation for their commitment to defending America’s interests in the region, especially over the holidays when they are away from their families.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=962,Rep. Frelinghuysen Statement on U.S-Cuba Relations,2014-12-17,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"Alan Gross is Home, Killer of NJ Trooper Remains in Cuban Safe Haven
“We all welcome the release of Alan Gross and his return to his family in the United States,” said Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11). “However, we cannot forget that New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster will never return to his family and Cuba is harboring his killer.”
Mr. Gross’ release came a week after White House press secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement that Gross’s continued detainment was an “impediment to more constructive relations between the United States and Cuba.” Media reports indicate that the Obama administration plans to start talks with Cuba on normalizing full diplomatic relations and opening an embassy in Havana.
“To me, the New Jersey law enforcement community and many other Americans, one of the biggest impediments to improved relations between the United States and Cuba is the continued safe haven provided to the fugitive, Joanne Chesimard,” Frelinghuysen said. “I would demand that the White House and the State Department work much harder to bring this murderer ‘home’ to New Jersey where she can face justice and serve out her sentence.”
Chesimard, was convicted of the 1973 execution-style murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster along the New Jersey Turnpike and sentenced to life in prison. She escaped from prison in 1979 and eventually fled to Cuba where she has been provided refuge.
#######",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397787,"Trenton Times ArticleU.S. Rep. Chris Smith named grand marshal of 30th annual Hamilton St. Patrick's Day Parade",2014-12-16,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"BY MIKE DAVIS, TIMES OF TRENTON STAFF -
U.S. Rep. Chris Smith on Tuesday was named grand marshal of the 30th annual Hamilton St. Patrick's Day Parade.
""I'm honored and humbled to be a grand marshal,"" Smith (R-4th Dist.) said on Tuesday. ""I look forward to marching with you and celebrating our Irish heritage. It's a tremendous culture that we celebrate, and a saint who is second to none.""
Smith was selected to lead this year's parade, scheduled for March 14 at 1 p.m., because of his legislative work scheduling hearings and markups on human rights abuses in northern Ireland since the mid-1990s, parade organizers said.
Smith, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations, said it was Irish-American communities in the 4th District, which includes Hamilton and Robbinsville, that prompted him to push for peace in Northern Ireland.
""In many cases, our hearings were carried live in the republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to tell this story that had to be told,"" Smith said. ""We made a difference, but you made a difference. You provided the guidance and the sense of where to go on these very important issues.""
Since the Good Friday Agreement, which outlined peace in Northern Ireland, was signed in 1998, Smith has continued trying to hold accountable those who committed violence during the 30-year conflict, said Sean Pender, a past president of the Trenton Ancient Order of Hibernians and director of the national organization.
""As he continues to shine a light on what needs to be done in the north of Ireland to fully implement the Good Friday Agreement, Congressman Smith continues to push to have all signatories of the agreement live up to their obligations, especially our friends in the British government,"" Pender said. ""I can think of no better person suited to lead us in the St. Patrick's Day Parade than Chris Smith, a tireless advocate of peace, truth and justice in Ireland.""
Smith joins a long line of Hamilton politicians and Irish-American community leaders to have served as grand marshal of the township's St. Patrick's Day Parade, including Assemblyman Wayne DeAngelo (D-Hamilton), former mayors Jack Rafferty and John Bencivengo, current Trenton AOH president Vince McKelvey and Pender himself.
Smith said the work of St. Patrick -- a Catholic missionary who brought the faith to Ireland -- continues to ring true. Smith said he met Irish missionaries in Nigeria, where he visited earlier this year as part of U.S. partnership with that country to combat the Boko Haram terrorist group.
""Everywhere I go, Irish priests are doing missionary work,"" Smith said. ""They're everywhere and have made a huge difference, and it all came out of the preaching of St. Patrick.""
Most recently, Smith's role with the House Foreign Affairs health and human rights subcommittee came into play when a four-year-old Hamilton boy died of enterovirus-68, the first in the country whose death was directly attributed to the virus.
Smith helped expedite lab results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, turning a timeline of months into 72 hours, Mayor Kelly Yaede said.
""Our Congressman cleared his schedule and came into an elementary school in Hamilton Township to provide information and literature,"" Yaede said. ""He left no stone unturned and was part of a team that got Hamilton through a very dark day.""
The original story can be found at: http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2014/12/us_rep_chris_smith_named_grand_marshal_of_30th_annual_hamilton_st_patricks_day_parade.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397790,USA Today article on Smith Letter to President...,2014-12-16,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"By Ken Serrano at APP — The hulking gray aircraft lined a portion of the the flightline at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst as Air Force One touched down Monday, perhaps just a customary display of hardware for a visiting dignitary or maybe more than that.
But did the commander-in-chief inside the presidential jet notice?
President Obama in his speech at the Joint Base Monday did not mention the planes, refueling tankers that the Department of Defense has considered retiring.
But jobs connected to the retirement of the KC-10 — and its impact on the mission of the base — are what's on the mind of many people here.
The refueling tanker means much to the base — half of them are stationed here. The jets and thousands of local jobs they support are caught in a squeeze between tightening budgets and the time lapse for bringing on the Air Force's next-generation tankers, base advocates say
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J, wrote a letter to the president Friday, pushing to keep the tankers at the Joint Base.
USA TODAY
Obama thanks troops for their service
""Eliminating the KC-10s would have a detrimental impact on the installation you will visit on Monday and serious negative consequences for the strategic capabilities of our military around the world,"" Smith wrote. ""Accordingly, I am hopeful that you will seek a firsthand look at the capabilities of the KC-10 given the opportunity your visit presents and take this damaging proposal off the table as you draft the final FY 2016 budget request.""
The joint base supports some 44,000 jobs and pumps about $6.9 billion into New Jersey's economy annually. What concerns Smith and others is that if the KC-10 is retired, it could negatively impact the base's air mobility and refueling mission.
Smith said that leading up to the release of the FY15 budget, Air Force and Department of Defense officials signaled the administration's intent to phase out the KC-10s. The tanker escaped the budget axe then, but Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said the department would continue to review the retiring of the KC-10 in future budget years.
For Obama, the visit to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst provided an opportunity for the president to formally thank three branches of the military simultaneously at a time when the war in Afghanistan is drawing to a close, said pollster Patrick Murray. The U.S. and NATO ceremoniously ended the 13-year combat mission in Afghanistan last week by lowering the flag at NATO's combat command center there.
President Obama holds up a stuffed bear that N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, not shown, had won in a game on the boardwalk during their visit to Point Pleasant, N.J., May 28, 2013. (Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP)
The last time Obama came to New Jersey the state was still emerging from the effects of superstorm Sandy.
Obama went to the boardwalk May 28, 2013, and Gov. Chris Christie went with him, in a visit was meant to spur the Shore economy as the summer approached. Christie beat Obama in an arcade game where participants spiral a football through a swinging tire. Despite an 0-5 performance, Obama walked away with a teddy bear wearing a Chicago Bears sweatshirt.
The president was due to return this past October for a Democratic fundraiser. But that trip was canceled so he could speak to cabinet members about the response to the Ebola virus outbreak.
A year and a half after the Shore visit, Obama arrived at a time when New Jersey is still recovering from the storm and still struggling economically — especially with regard to job creation.
Christie is trying to recast his image as a bipartisan politician who can get thing done that he cast during the heady post-Sandy days, trying to recapture that moment that's known as the ""Obama hug"" — when Obama visited New Jersey after the storm. Bridgegate interrupted Christie's stride.
""He's trying to make that his calling card again,"" said Murray, the director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute.
And the KC-10 could matter. The further loss of jobs in New Jersey would not help him.
There was no actual hug at the Joint Base Monday. But the two men shared what appeared to be a laugh as Obama stepped down from the plane. And they shared a ride in the motorcade to the hangar where Obama gave his speech. This article was originally published at:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/12/16/obama-visit-could-impact-christie-joint-bases-kc-10s/20469349/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397798,Ancient Order of Hibernians NJ President Cites Congresman Smith's accomplishments on Ireland Issues,2014-12-16,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The following is the introduction of Congressman Smith by Ancient Order of Hibernians New Jersey State President Sean Pender at a Dec. 16 press conference at the announcing Smith as 2015 Grand Marshall of the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Hamilton Township: It is my great honor today to introduce the Grand Marshall of the 2015 Hamilton St Patrick’s Parade.
Congressman Chris Smith is a man that is a true public servant, he is a tireless worker whose moral compass is guided by one of life’s most simple lessons: “Whatsoever you do for the least of my brothers that you do unto to me”
In his 30 plus years in Congress he has built a congressional portfolio of leadership based on human rights, the protection of life, the support of our veterans, and fighting for the least of our brothers and sisters when he stands for the oppressed throughout the world. He has fought to protect woman and children caught up in sex-trade, he has supported a living wage, worker protections, senior and child health programs and a safe and clean environment.
The residents of the 4th district are very lucky to have a Congressman like Chris Smith who for 30 plus years, supported by his tremendous staff has worked tirelessly for his constituents.
While this resume in of itself deserves recognition and acknowledgment it is Congressman Smith’s impeccable record on the struggle for peace, truth and justice in the North of Ireland that we as Irish Americans are most thankful for and recognize him for. Congressman Smith held the first-ever congressional hearing on human rights abuses committed in the North. Since then, he has chaired fifteen hearings and markups condemning paramilitary violence and also focusing on human rights abuses, discrimination against Catholics, and police brutality as fundamental causes of the “Troubles” in Northern Ireland.
At these hearings he has taken on hard issues, asked hard questions and stated the facts as he continues to shine the light on, what still needs to be done in the North to fully implement the GFA. At a time when many believe that the GFA has addressed all outstanding issues pertaining to the Troubles Congressman Smith continues the push to have all signatories of the agreement live up to their obligations, especially the British government, who without any reason continue to renege on their responsibility to hold an independent inquiry into the collusion murder of Irish civil rights lawyer Pat Finucane.
Over the years Congressman Smith has provided to so many victims and survivors their only platform to speak about the injustices and losses they have encountered. So many travel 3000 miles to his hearings since they are ignored and not listened to by their own government
Of all of those that have testified perhaps the most memorable was civil rights lawyer Rosemary Nelson who in September of 1998, testified about the ongoing harassment and intimidation of defense lawyers in Northern Ireland and the threats she herself was receiving. Sadly her testimony was predictive as on March 15, 1999, six months after testifying before Congress and six weeks after filing a complaint against the RUC for the assault against her Rosemary Nelson was murdered. On the eve of the 16th anniversary let us remember that brave young mother as we march
On March 14th I can think of no person better suited to lead the 30th annual parade than Chris Smith a tireless advocate of peace, truth and justice in Ireland.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pascrell.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/pascrell-joins-bipartisan-call-for-fema-to-cease-claw-backs-of-relief,Pascrell Joins Bipartisan Call for FEMA to Cease Claw Backs of Relief Funds from Sandy Victims,2014-12-16,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Bill Pascrell,P000096,pascrell.house.gov,,,legacy,"PATERSON, NJ – In a letter to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and members of the New Jersey federal delegation, including U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker and Representatives Frank Pallone, Rush Holt, Albio Sires, Frank LoBiondo, Leonard Lance, Chris Smith, Rodney Frelinghuysen, Jon Runyan and Donald Norcross called for the agency to end “claw backs” of disaster relief funds awarded to and spent by Sandy victims still struggling to recover.
“These victims, who were approved and awarded a grant by FEMA, put this money towards their recovery effort, and had no way of knowing they might be required to repay the funds over a year later,” they wrote. “Now, as many families still struggle to recover over two years after the storm, they are being bombarded with debt notice letters demanding repayment and threatening legal action for non-compliance. These disaster victims are already stretched to their financial limits, and many simply cannot afford to pay an average bill of almost $7,000 on top of all their other rebuilding expenses.”
Specifically, the members called on FEMA to clarify the appeal guidelines for individuals who, through no fault of their own, received additional funding as a result of a FEMA error and have been sent recoupment letters, and waive the debts owed in situations where such recoupment would create financial hardship or hinder the individual’s recovery effort.
“Thanks to personal resilience, communities pulling together, and financial assistance from both federal and state governments, we are making progress on recovery,” the letter said. “But, this progress is nascent and vulnerable, making it imperative that we not pull the rug out from underneath vulnerable families.”
Full text below:
The Honorable Craig Fugate
Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency
500 C Street SW
Washington, D.C. 20410
Dear Administrator Fugate:
We are writing to inquire about the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) recent actions in attempting to “claw back” disaster relief funds from Sandy victims that were awarded due to the Agency’s error. Done without giving due consideration for the unique circumstances facing disaster assistance recipients, this policy goes against good conscience, encumbering honest Americans with a financial burden they cannot afford and threatening to hinder ongoing recovery efforts.
While we fully support the Agency’s efforts to retrieve funds that were gained by fraudulent means, most, if not all, of these cases involve individuals who were overpaid disaster assistance because of human error on the part of FEMA or the applicant. These victims, who were approved and awarded a grant by FEMA, put this money towards their recovery effort, and had no way of knowing they might be required to repay the funds over a year later. Now, as many families still struggle to recover over two years after the storm, they are being bombarded with debt notice letters demanding repayment and threatening legal action for non-compliance. These disaster victims are already stretched to their financial limits, and many simply cannot afford to pay an average bill of almost $7,000 on top of all their other rebuilding expenses.
There is no doubt that efforts to reduce waste, fraud and abuse by reducing improper payments is a responsibility of FEMA, but those efforts are best made at the beginning of the process and must be done in a fair way that does not hinder recovery. We urge you to give every consideration possible to the unique circumstances facing improper payment recipients. Specifically, we ask that you clarify the appeal guidelines for individuals receiving recoupment letters and waive the debts owed in situations where such recoupment would create financial hardship or hinder the individual’s recovery effort. By doing this in a balanced way, FEMA can protect taxpayer dollars while avoiding a man-made disaster that stretches families past their financial breaking point and impedes our region’s recovery.
Over two years ago, Americans were given the daunting task of rebuilding their homes and their lives. Few, if any, were prepared for the expensive financial and emotional toll that such a recovery would require. Thanks to personal resilience, communities pulling together, and financial assistance from both federal and state governments, we are making progress on recovery. But, this progress is nascent and vulnerable, making it imperative that we not pull the rug out from underneath vulnerable families. We appreciate your continued efforts to support the recovery and we are confident that you will give appropriate consideration and attention to this vital issue.
Sincerely,
ROBERT MENENDEZ CORY A. BOOKER
United States Senator United States Senator
FRANK LOBIONDO FRANK PALLONE
Member of Congress Member of Congress
BILL PASCRELL CHRIS SMITH
Member of Congress Member of Congress
RUSH HOLT RODNEY FRELINGHUYSEN
Member of Congress Member of Congress
LEONARD LANCE ALBIO SIRES
Member of Congress Member of Congress
JON RUNYAN DONALD NORCROSS
Member of Congress Member of Congress
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=180,Sen. Booker Receives New Committee Assignment for the 114th Congress,2014-12-16,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Cory Booker,B001288,www.booker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 16, 2014
WASHINGTON –U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. has received his committee assignments for the upcoming 114th Congress, including a new appointment to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC). HSGAC has jurisdiction over the Department of Homeland Security, the agency responsible for allocating disaster and emergency relief funding, and is the principal oversight committee of the federal government.
Sen. Booker will also continue to serve on the Senate's Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation , Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
“I am excited to continue my service as a member of the Commerce, Environment and Public Works, and Small Business committees, and to join Homeland Security, which touches so many issues of critical importance to New Jerseyans,"" Sen. Booker said. “This committee's work is vital to the progress of our state as we continue our efforts to recover from Hurricane Sandy, protect our residents from terrorism and natural disasters, and build a more efficient and effective government.”
“It has been an honor serving on the Commerce, EPW, and Small Business Committees in the 113th Congress and I look forward to using my role on these committees to continue supporting New Jersey’s small business owners, preserve our natural resources, and advocate for further investments in our nation’s and state’s transportation infrastructure,” Sen. Booker added.
The is the Senate’s primary oversight committee with broad jurisdiction over government operations generally and the Department of Homeland Security in particular. Its primary responsibilities are to study the efficiency, economy, and effectiveness of all agencies and departments of the federal government; evaluate the effects of laws enacted to reorganize the legislative and executive branches of government; and study the intergovernmental relationships between the U.S. and states and municipalities, and between the U.S. and international organizations of which the U.S. is a member.
The Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) studies and reviews, on a comprehensive basis, matters relating to environmental protection and resource utilization and conservation dealing with waste, water and noise pollution, highway construction and repair, environmental aspects of the continental shelf, flood control, deepwater parts, and toxic substances other than pesticides and fisheries.
The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation is composed of seven subcommittees, which together oversee the vast range of issues under its jurisdiction. These issues range from communications, highways, aviation, rail, shipping, transportation security, merchant marine, the Coast Guard, oceans, fisheries, climate change, disasters, science, space, interstate commerce, tourism, consumer issues, economic development, technology, competitiveness, product safety, and insurance.
The Senate Small Business Committee deals primarily with matters related to the Small Business Administration, and also is generally responsible for studying problems of American small business enterprises, and report thereon.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397786,"Star Ledger Article...President Obama should reconsider phasing out aircraft at Joint Base, Smith says",2014-12-15,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"When President Obama visits Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on Monday to thank American service members, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith wants the Commander in Chief to use the time to also reconsider plans phase out certain refueling aircraft.
In a letter sent Friday to Obama, Smith (R-4th Dist.) said the “misguided proposal” of phasing out KC-10 aircraft without another model ready to take their place would be a “tremendous risk” to the Air Force.
He said two of the three active-duty flying squadrons on the base use KC-10s, which refuel other aircraft while in flight. and that eliminating those 32 aircraft from the military’s fleet at this time would greatly hamper missions.
Production of the KC-46s — the replacement for the KC-10 — most likely would be delayed, leaving the military with too few refueling options, Smith said. Those aircraft, in production by Boeing, are not expected to be available until at least 2017.
Smith noted that while the KC-10 is capable of refueling any aircraft, the only aircraft that would be left in service at the base — the KC-135 — is not as adaptable.
“Eliminating the KC-10s would have a detrimental impact on the installation you will visit on Monday and serious negative consequences for the strategic capabilities of our military around the world,” Smith wrote in his two-page letter.
Talk of retiring the KC-10s first surfaced for the FY15 budget but the fleet was not touched in that budget. However, the aircraft is being considered again to be eliminated from next year’s budget. Smith, as well as military leaders in New Jersey, are concerned that would signal the start of the decommissioning of the base, which survived the Department of Defense’s most recent base closure plan in 2005. This article was first published at:
http://www.nj.com/ocean/index.ssf/2014/12/president_obama_should_reconsider_phasing_out_aircraft_at_lakehurst_smith_says.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pascrell.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/pascrell-introduces-water-quality-investment-act,Pascrell Introduces Water Quality Investment Act,2014-12-15,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Bill Pascrell,P000096,pascrell.house.gov,,,legacy,"PATERSON, NJ – Today, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) announced that he introduced legislation that would help communities reach a higher standard of environmental health. The bill, Water Quality Investment Act, H.R. 5826, would fund a $1.8 billion grant program for municipalities and states to invest in the modernization of aging sewer infrastructure affected by wet weather events.
”This legislation takes an important step in modernizing America’s most outdated water infrastructure without passing the burden on to local municipalities,” said Rep. Pascrell. “Smart water infrastructure investment will mitigate public health risks and contribute to the preservation of natural resources, such as the Passaic River and Paterson’s Great Falls. Critical investments like this in our nation’s crumbling infrastructure also creates good jobs while boosting our economy. This is the sort of smart investment we need to rebuild many of America’s urban areas.”
As the former Mayor of Paterson, which has thirty-one combined sewer outfalls that discharge into the Passaic River, Rep. Pascrell served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and the Environment from 1997-2006, determined to improve waste water infrastructure and water quality standards.
“Federal support for clean water projects has been essential to updating our nation’s clean water infrastructure and continued support will be necessary to continue to protect the nations’ water quality,” said National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) Executive Director Ken Kirk. “This is why NACWA is proud to endorse the Water Quality Investment Act. I applaud Congressman Pascrell for his leadership on investment in our water infrastructure and look forward to continue working with him on this critical issue.”
To provide additional Federal assistance with this issue, Congress amended the Clean Water Act in 2000 to add section 221, which authorizes Sewer Overflow Control Grants. However, funding was never been appropriated for these grants and the authorization expired in 2002. In 2008, EPA determined it would cost $63.6 billion to prevent or control the periodic discharges of mixed stormwater and untreated wastewater that occur when the capacity of a sewer system is exceeded during a wet weather event across 31 states. Since 2008 the need has only continued to grow.
Recognizing the additional need for funds to prevent water pollution across our nation, the Water Quality Investment Act would reauthorize section 221 of the Clean Water Act. The legislation would authorize $1.8 billion in sewer overflow control grants over the next five fiscal years.
Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) contain stormwater, untreated human and industrial waste, toxic materials, and debris, which is a major water pollution concern for the approximately 772 cities in the United States that have combined sewer systems. Although clean water agencies have made significant progress in reducing CSOs, overflow control remains a significant cost for communities and a priority enforcement area for EPA.
Many older cities have combined stormwater and sanitary sewer systems which suffer from CSOs during wet weather that send sewage and untreated waste flowing into streets, basements, rivers, and lakes. As a result, the water quality of bodies of water are damaged and overtime become dangerous to public health.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397785,"Smith, Task Force Seek More for Research in Alzheimer'sAlzheimers Task Force Seeks More Federal Funding for Research",2014-12-14,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Representatives Chris Smith (NJ-04) and Maxine Waters (CA-43), House co-Chairs of the Bipartisan, Bicameral Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease, wrote a letter to the President this week asking for additional federal resources to be directed to fighting Alzheimer’s in the Administration’s upcoming 2016 budget. “We believe that an increase in resources for Alzheimer’s research is both necessary and a smart investment that will lower future government spending,” the letter stated. “Similar investments in research for other diseases have yielded tremendous results: patients have access to new treatments, and death rates are decreasing. At the same time, mortality due to Alzheimer’s is escalating dramatically, and it is unique among the top ten causes of death in that it cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. That said, there is promising research in the pipeline that holds great hope for Alzheimer’s patients and their families. The research community is poised to make important contributions toward the treatment of this disease through clinical trials and by investigating new therapeutic targets if adequate resources are available. ""For these reasons, we urge you to call for an additional $200 million in Alzheimer’s research in the coming fiscal year and work with us to develop a plan to meet our ultimate goal of a $2 billion annual investment within the next five years.” (Click here to read the letter) Alzheimer’s is costing Americans more than $200 billion a year, yet the federal government is spending less than three tenths of one percent of that amount (an estimated $566 million in 2014) on research, far less than other deadly diseases. The Omnibus Appropriations bill for FY2014 did provide a $100 million increase at the National Institute of Aging to enhance Alzheimer’s research, but the Advisory Council established by the 2010 National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA, P.L. 111-375)—the House version of which as co-authored by Smith—estimates the government will need to devote $2 billion a year to Alzheimer’s research to reach the goal of preventing and effectively treating Alzheimer’s disease by 2025. Smith, who also is chairman of the House subcommittee which oversees global health issues, held the first ever congressional hearing examining the global strategies to address Alzheimer’s disease, entitled“Global Strategies to Combat the Devastating Health and Economic Impacts of Alzheimer’s Disease” in 2011, and a second in 2013. Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, with a 68 percent increase in deaths caused by Alzheimer’s in the last 10 years. Alzheimer’s disease, a degenerative condition characterized by steadily deteriorating thinking and memory skills, currently has no cure. In New Jersey, an estimated 170,000 Garden State residents suffered from this form of dementia in 2014, and 443,000 caregivers provided unpaid care.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-statement-oil-slick-discovered-near-sandy-hook,Pallone Statement on Oil Slick Discovered Near Sandy Hook,2014-12-12,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington D.C. — Congressman Pallone released the following statement tonight in response to reports of an oil spill off the coast of New Jersey that has the potential to impact the Sandy Hook area:
“Reports of an oil slick off the coast of Sandy Hook are troubling, and I will be closely monitoring this ongoing situation. I will work with local and federal agencies, as well as the local communities, to make sure we minimize any adverse effects of the oil.
“It is critical that we find the source of the spill and take all necessary steps to ensure that our waters are not contaminated, that marine life and animals are not endangered, and that our shoreline is protected.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pascrell.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/pascrell-statement-opposing-omnibus-spending-bill,Pascrell Statement Opposing Omnibus Spending Bill,2014-12-12,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Bill Pascrell,P000096,pascrell.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), a member of the House Ways and Means and Budget Committees, issued the following statement in opposition to the 2015 Omnibus spending bill:
“No one wants to avoid a shutdown of the government more than me. I voted in favor of the Murray-Ryan budget deal that set the spending levels this bill is based on, and I support a clean omnibus bill to fund the government pursuant to that deal. However, this bill is packed to the gills with unnecessary, irrelevant, and harmful riders that have no place in this deal, which is why I voted against it. This baggage must go. I will not sell my soul to the company store.
“For example, this bill contains an extraneous provision to roll back an important provision of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that regulates trading in risky instruments that helped contribute to the Great Recession. Instead of debating this provision openly, House Republicans are trying to sneak this favor to Wall Street through by tucking it into this bill’s 1600 pages, which I doubt many on the other side of the aisle have actually read. So much for, “Did you read the bill before you voted on it?”
“And that’s just the beginning. The bill is packed full of favors to special interests and the well connected. We’re rolling back nutrition standards for our school lunch program and the WIC program. Important highway safety regulations to ensure truckers are getting appropriate rest and keeping our roads safe will be delayed. And perhaps most egregiously, campaign finance regulations will be rolled back, allowing the wealthiest amongst us to increase their donations to party organizations by 1000 percent.
“On the spending side, there are some good things in this bill and there are some bad things. I’m pleased this legislation will provide over $200 million for the Department of Justice’s COPS office, including $180 million for COPS Hiring Grants. I welcome the $175 million to help our Eastern European allies, including Ukraine, defend themselves against Russian aggression, and the $5.4 billion to combat Ebola at home and abroad.
“However, I am incredibly disappointed that the Department of Homeland Security will not receive a full year of funding. The Republican’s inability to deal responsibly with the issue of immigration in this country is now putting our country’s security at risk. Additionally, I am boggled by the extreme cuts to the Internal Revenue Service, which are not going to fix any of the problems at that agency, but will just mean worse service for taxpayers and allowing more tax cheats to get away with not paying their fair share. Finally, the Environmental Protection Agency will once again be asked to do more to keep our water and air clean, with less.
“This bill is an example of why Americans continue to be so cynical about their government. Instead of playing partisan politics, Congress should pass a clean bill that funds the government without providing special favors to the a well-connected few.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://sires.house.gov//media-center/washington-reviews/washington-review-december-12-2014,"Washington Review, December 12, 2014",2014-12-12,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Albio Sires,S001165,sires.house.gov,,,legacy,"As the end of the year and 113th Congress approached, over the past two weeks I participated in committee hearings, voted on several critical pieces of legislation, spoke on the Floor of the House of Representatives, and shared my gratitude with our troops serving overseas.
Last week, I met with the President of the Inter-American Foundation (IAF), Robert Kaplan, to discuss the work they are doing in Central America, particularly surrounding the unaccompanied minors crossing the U.S.-Mexico border over the course of the past year. IAF has consistently awarded grants to, and invested in, programs and organizations in Latin America, and I was glad to hear of IAF’s community-led development initiatives in the region.
This week in Washington, I spoke on the Floor of the House to recognize the life of legendary North Bergen High School football coach Vincent Ascolese. Coach Ascolese, whose career as a high school football coach spanned 50 years, passed away on December 3rd after a long battle with cancer. He retired after the 2011 season as New Jersey’s third winningest coach in history, and has earned his place in both the Hudson County Hall of Fame and the New Jersey Coaches Hall of Fame. My thoughts are with Vincent Ascolese’s family, former players, and the North Bergen community.
In addition, this past week I participated in a Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on our progress to diminish the threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The Committee reviewed ISIL’s offensive in the Middle East and its threat to vital U.S. interests and allies. It was productive to hear testimonies from the Administration on their progress and oversight of the situation at hand.
I supported the passage of several critical pieces of legislation this week, such as the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2013 (H.R. 2901), which would increase the effectiveness of existing programs that are dedicated to safe drinking water and sanitation projects. These programs would be directed to some of the poorest regions in the world, where millions continue to live without access to clean water. With increased measures from Congress and other non-governmental organizations, we can increase access to one of the world’s most important resources.
I also supported the passage of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (TRIA) of 2014 (S. 2244). This measure would extend TRIA for six years and increase the program trigger for government assistance from $100 million to $200 million in industry losses resulting from a terrorist attack. Without affordable terrorism insurance, many buildings, schools, and commercial venues would remain uninsured against terrorist attacks, meaning the government likely would pick up the tab for catastrophic losses without being able to recoup them.
I also supported the unanimous passage of the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans (SAV) Act (H.R. 5059). This piece of legislation is named in honor of Corporal Clay Hunt, an Iraq and Afghanistan War veteran who was awarded the Purple Heart, worked to bring awareness to veterans’ issues, and who tragically took his own life. This bill would expand access to mental health services for our nation’s veterans and increase the capacity and efficiency of VA care for the more than one million veterans returning from war. The veterans of our country are owed and deserve our support as they return home.
Finally, I sent a holiday video message to our brave troops spending their holiday season keeping us safe overseas. I thank them for making it possible for those of us here at home to celebrate this holiday season in safety. Because of their sacrifice and call to serve, we have the freedom to celebrate the holidays across the country. We are thinking of our troops and their families this holiday season, and we thank them for all that they’ve done this year on behalf of their fellow Americans.
Thank you for reading the Washington Review. For regular updates, you may stay in touch by leaving comments on my Facebook, Twitter, and website.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=959,Chairman Frelinghuysen's Statement on Passage of Defense Title of Omnibus Appropriations Act for FY2015,2014-12-12,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"“The Defense Title of H.R. 83, the Omnibus Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2015 meets the two goals I set at the first hearing our Defense Appropriations Subcommittee held earlier this year.
“First, it ensures that our men and women in uniform have the resources they need to defend our nation and support their families.
“Second, it ensures that the Department of Defense has the resources it needs to carry out their mission in the most efficient and effective manner.
“Our legislation is a clear example of our commitment to U.S. military dominance across the air, land and sea; our commitment to our allies and partners; and our commitment to our service-members, all of whom are volunteers, and their families.”
Additional Details of the Defense Title:
FY 2015 Omnibus -Department of Defense Appropriations
The Defense Title of H.R 5230 will strengthen national security and military readiness, provide troops with the resources they need, care for military families.
The Omnibus legislation contains the fiscal year 2015Defense Appropriations bill, which provides funding for our nation’s security, military readiness, support for our troops at home and abroad, and care for military families.
It also includes emergency funds to combat the emerging real world threat of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
In total, the Defense portion of the Omnibus contains $490.2billionin base discretionary funding, $3.3 billion above the fiscal year 2014 level. This bill also includes $64 billion in emergency war Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding.
Ongoing Military Operations – The bill contains $64 billion in OCO funding for ongoing military operations abroad. This is a reduction of $21.2 billion compared to the fiscal year2014 enacted level – largely reflecting the drawdown of military personnel and operations in Afghanistan. This funding level will provide needed resources and training for our troops in the field. This also includes funds to combat the threat presented by ISIL –including $3.4 billion to continue the air campaign and replenish weapons and $1.6 billion to train and equip our Iraqi allies –and additional resources to help reinforce European countries facing Russian aggression.
Military Personnel and Pay –The legislation includes $128 billion to provide pay for 1,310,680 active duty troops and 820,800 reserves. This funding level is $800 million below the fiscal year 2014 enacted level, which reflects the reduction in U.S. military force. The bill fully funds the one percent pay raise for the military and provides $215 million above the request to fully fund The cost-of-living allowance for military retirees.
Defense Health and Military Family Programs – The bill contains $32.1billion for the Defense Health Program to provide care for our troops, military families, and retirees. This is $600 million below the fiscal year 2014 enacted level, due to increased efficiency of care within Military Treatment Facilities. Several important health programs receive increases above the President’s request, including increases of $281million for cancer research, $125 million for traumatic brain injury and psychological health research, and $39 million for suicide prevention outreach programs.
Operation and Maintenance –The legislation includes $161.7 billion for operation and maintenance – $1.8 billion above the fiscal year 2014 enacted level. Within this amount, priority is placed on key areas such as essential readiness programs to prepare our troops for combat and peacetime missions, flight time and battle training, equipment and facility maintenance, and base operations. An additional $900 million above the request for Facilities Sustainment, Restoration, and Modernization is included, as well as $1.2 billion to address shortfalls in military readiness, depot maintenance, and base operating support. The bill also includes $257 million for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response programs, and an additional $25 million to continue the expansion of the Sexual Assault Victims Counsel program to all the military services.
Research and Development – The bill contains $63.7 billion for research, development, testing and evaluation of new defense technologies. These efforts will help to advance the safety and success of current and future military operations and prepare our nation to meet a broad range of potential security threats.
Equipment Procurement – The legislation provides a total of $94 billion for new equipment and upgrades. This funding is necessary to ensure our nation’s military readiness, and will provide the platforms, weapons, and other equipment our forces need to train, maintain our force, and to conduct successful operations.
Guantanamo Bay –The legislation prohibits funding for transfers of Guantanamo detainees to the U.S. or its territories, prohibits funding to modify any facility in the U.S. to house detainees, and places conditions on the release of detainees to other countries. These provisions are similar to language contained in the fiscal year 2014 Defense Appropriations legislation.
Savings and Reductions to President’s Request –The bill reflects common-sense decisions to save taxpayer dollars where possible in areas that will not affect the safety or success of our troops and missions. Some of these reductions include: $660 million in excess civilian personnel costs; $386 million for revised economic assumptions; $270 million for overestimation of information technology costs; and $2.5billion in savings from rescissions of unused, prior-year funding.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=176,"Booker, Menendez Announce nearly $17.5M in Federal Preschool Development Grants",2014-12-12,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Cory Booker,B001288,www.booker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 12, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez announced the awarding of a combined $17,498,115 in federal preschool development grants, jointly administered by the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, to expand high-quality preschool programs in high-need communities.
“The funding announced today will provide access to quality preschool programs for thousands of New Jersey children,” said Sen. Booker. “Investment in early education is critical to opening the doors of opportunity to our youth, and to preparing the next generation of American workers to succeed in an increasingly competitive global economy.”
“Every parent wants their child to have the opportunity to reach their full potential,” said Sen. Menendez. “These grants will help fund the development and expansion of high-quality, early education programs in underserved areas of our state and allow each child to achieve their dreams. I believe that education provides each child with the building blocks for success and will continue to fight for funding to make these programs available to all New Jerseyans.”
The following New Jersey communities will share the federal funding being announced today:
Absecon (Atlantic) Atlantic City (Atlantic) Bellmawr (Camden) Berkeley Township (Ocean) Bound Brook (Somerset) Clayton (Gloucester) Clifton (Passaic) Egg Harbor (Atlantic) Freehold (Monmouth) Galloway (Atlantic) Hamilton Township (Atlantic) Lakewood (Ocean) Linden (Union) Lindenwold (Camden) Middle Township (Cape May) Mount Holly (Burlington) North Bergen (Hudson) Paulsboro (Gloucester) Upper Deerfield Township (Cumberland)
The Preschool Development Grants program will lay the groundwork to ensure that more states are ready to participate in the Preschool for All initiative proposed by the Obama Administration. Through these Preschool Development Grant awards, more than 33,000 additional children will be served in high-quality preschool programs that meet high-quality standards in the first year of the program alone.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397780,Smith-McCollum Global Food Security Act Passes House,2014-12-11,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The House of Representatives last night passed bipartisan legislation to address global hunger and help the world’s poorest countries develop better agriculture. Sponsored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.), chairman of the House panel that oversees global health initiatives, along with lead Democrat cosponsor Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), HR 5656, “The Global Food Security Act,” is designed to help prevent starvation and famine, and reduce hunger and malnutrition by enabling countries to feed their own people. “This is important bipartisan legislation which will help provide a long-term solution to global hunger by authorizing and strengthening the existing national food security program coordinated by USAID commonly known as Feed the Future,” said Chairman Smith, who has spearheaded similar U.S. international, health and nutritional initiatives throughout his career dating back to legislation he successfully offered in 1985 to restore and double the commitment to the then Child Survival Fund program to protect children who would otherwise die from preventable, curable diseases. “This program encourages self-sufficiency, and operates in targeted countries where the host governments have committed to investing in local agricultural development and undertaking reforms that allow the private sector to flourish. Its hallmarks are the building of local capacity and sustainability, linking local entrepreneurs to the global economy, while boosting transparency and accountability. The end result of this can be seen in lives saved and lives enriched. In the past year, Feed the Future has helped seven million farmers across the globe increase harvests, resulting in improved nutrition for 12.5 million children. To give one example, in Ethiopia, stunting rates were driven down by nine percent in just three years, resulting in roughly 160,000 fewer children suffering from malnutrition.”
McCollum joined Smith on the floor to support passage. “We cannot sit by and do nothing as 800 million hungry people suffer, parents are forced to watch their children go hungry, and far too many die from malnutrition,” said Congresswoman McCollum. “Human dignity, decency, and our own national security demands that we support and sustain this important investment in agriculture development and nutrition. This bill is about partnering with hardworking farmers – who are mostly women – to make them more successful. It helps provide access to the knowledge, tools, markets, and business opportunities they desperately need. Because when a woman farmer succeeds, her children and family are healthier and more likely to succeed. I have seen the difference our investments in agriculture development and nutrition are having in developing nations. I have met women farmers who are feeding their families, sending their children to school, and investing in their communities. These investments have been proven to work, and I am glad that today we were able to do more.” Chronic hunger afflicts over 800 million people around the world. The Smith-McCollum bill would coordinate the efforts of 11 government agencies in improving basic nutrition and reducing hunger in the poorest in 19 priority countries. The legislation authorizes the Feed the Future Initiative. It coalesces the abilities of private businesses, faith-based organizations and community-based non-profits while fostering women’s economic empowerment and building the capacity of local small farmers. Launched by President Bush and continued by President Obama, the current U.S. food security program has been funded by Congress in annual appropriations legislation, but without official statutory authorization. The Smith-McCollum bill would permanently codify and authorize such efforts and help marshal a worldwide commitment to tackling hunger and malnutrition. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will be the lead U.S. agency, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture, the Department of State, the U.S. African Development Foundation and other agencies. Beyond its humanitarian impact, the Smith-McCollum bill also buttresses national security. A 2014 Worldwide Threat Assessment produced by the U.S. Intelligence Community stated that the “lack of adequate food will be a destabilizing factor in countries important to United States national security that do not have the financial or technical abilities to solve their internal food security problems.“ Lack of food and nutrition in nations with weak governments might embolden insurgent groups to exploit conditions and undermine and destabilize regions.” Many groups have called for the legislation, including American Jewish World Service, Catholic Relief Services, Food for the Hungry, Lutheran World Relief, Oxfam America, Self Help Africa, Stop Hunger Now, United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society, World Vision and dozens of others. “Save the Children welcomes the leadership of Reps. Chris Smith and Betty McCollum and the House passage of the Feed the Future Global Food Security Act, and looks forward to continuing our work with Congress and the administration on this important effort for the world's children,"" said Carolyn Miles, President and CEO of Save the Children.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397782,"Smith-Authored Bill Passes HouseSave the Children Praises Passage of Bipartisan ""Feed the Future"" Bill to Fight Child Hunger and Malnutrition",2014-12-11,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Save the Children today praised the passage in the House of Representatives of the bipartisanFeed the Future Global Food Security Act of 2014 (H.R 5656). The bill, introduced by food security and nutrition champions Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Betty McCollum (D-MN), is a strong showing of bipartisan cooperation and action to maintain the U.S. commitment and progress in combating global hunger and malnutrition for the more than 800 million children and families suffering worldwide.
""Feed the Future has become a breakthrough development model that has a potential to leave a lasting legacy for generations to come,"" said Carolyn Miles, President and CEO of Save the Children. ""It has raised the bar on tackling hunger and malnutrition, focusing particularly on the critical 1,000 day period from pregnancy through a child's second birthday. Through this initiative, nutrition becomes the essential bridge between agriculture and health that enables millions of children to reach their full potential.""
The vote comes on the heels of the release of the Global Nutrition Report, which provides the first-ever comprehensive narrative and analysis on the state of the world's nutrition. The report highlights the need to confront this urgent crisis that underpins a nation's overall development. The report shows that for every $1 invested in improving nutrition $16 is returned to the economy; a ratio highly competitive with investments in roads, irrigation, and health.
Passage of the Feed the Future bill is a major congressional achievement toward ensuring the U.S. meets its commitment to end preventable child deaths, nearly half of which are caused by malnutrition, and its goal to prevent stunting, an indicator of chronic malnutrition which can be a debilitating life-long sentence, in at least 2 million children by 2017.
Hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition are intrinsically linked. More than three-quarters of the world's hungry depend on agriculture and food production for their livelihoods. Ensuring smart, sustained U.S. investments in small-scale livelihoods, agricultural development and improved nutrition, particularly for women, will reduce hunger and poverty. These investments also will help children survive, thrive and live up to their full potential.
The bill, if passed into law, would essentially solidify the current U.S. initiative known as ""Feed the Future,"" and ensure the program lives on beyond the Obama administration. It also, importantly, supports the vision of theUSAID Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy 2014-2025to achieve long-term success in tackling malnutrition by supporting the development plans of low-resource countries and deepening engagement with all stakeholders, including local communities, governments and private sector leaders. Feed the Future has proven results, including increased crop production for more than 7 million small scale farmers and reaching 12.5 million children with key nutrition programs in 2013 alone.
The bill requires the U.S. government to:
· Develop a food security strategy with specific and measurable goals and targets
· Coordinate expertise from across all relevant federal departments and agencies for a ""whole-of-government"" approach
· Support country-led agriculture and nutrition investment plans to ensure investments are sustainable
· Focus on nutritional outcomes for women and children, particularly in the first 1,000 day window of opportunity between a woman's pregnancy and her child's second birthday; and
· Put in place strong reporting, oversight and accountability measures.
""Save the Children welcomes the leadership of Reps. Chris Smith and Betty McCollum and the House passage of the Feed the Future Global Food Security Act, and looks forward to continuing our work with Congress and the administration on this important effort for the world's children,"" said Miles.
Save the Childrengives children in the United States and around the world a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We invest in childhood — every day, in times of crisis and for our future. Follow us onTwitterandFacebook. This press release was originally posted at:
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=8rKLIXMGIpI4E&b=8943305&ct=14385595¬oc=1",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397777,"Intl Human Rights Day Weds. Dec 10Smith cites rights violations in China, Vietnam, Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, other nations; Honors retiring human rights leader Rep. Wolf",2014-12-10,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Promoting and protecting human rights should be a central part of U.S. foreign policy around the world, including in dealings with rising powers such as China, developing nations like Sudan and Nigeria, and every other nation where human rights violations occur, said Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) today. The Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees global human rights issues, Smith marked Wednesday, Dec. 10, as the anniversary of the founding of International Human Rights Day. “China, which today continues to defiantly imprison Nobel Prize Laureate Liu Xiaobo and over a thousand other documented political prisoners, remains among the world’s worst human rights abusers,” said Smith, co-chairman of the U.S. Commission on China and chair the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations. ""On International Human Rights Day we remember how far we have come and how far we still have to go to ensure that all individuals can enjoy the fundamental freedoms of speech, religion, assembly, press and association. “We need to support true defenders of human rights and hold accountable the abusers. It is the abuser that jailed Liu Xiaobo, that attacked Malala and assassinated Shabazz Bhatti in Pakistan, that maintains gulags in North Korea, that spreads anti-Semitism and sectarian violence, and trafficks young woman into sexual slavery,” Smith said. “These are intolerable abuses that occur much too often. But I remain hopeful today because I have seen how the universal demand for freedom can break down the walls of tyranny. That is what we celebrate on International Human Rights Day because we believe that good will triumph over evil, that the desire for basic human rights will correct many of the world's wrongs, and that, despite the seemingly unassailable power of the abusers, that power is fleeting because of the millions of people working to promote human rights around the world.” Smith chose Wednesday, Human Rights Day, to introduce the ‘‘Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Support Act of 2014’,” because religious freedom is so central to human rights, including our own First Amendment in the Bill of Rights. The legislation is named for one of the leading voices in the U.S. Congress, Congressman Frank Wolf (VA-10). Wolf, who is concluding his final term after 34 years in Congress, authored the landmark International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, which established both an independent commission and a State Department office wholly dedicated to safeguarding—via sanctions if necessary—religious freedom. “At home and overseas, Frank Wolf—the William Wilberforce of the United States House of Representatives—has been an indefatigable defender of human rights and human dignity,” Smith said on the House floor today. “Whether it be helping a young mother in a refugee camp in Sudan or political prisoners in Russia or jailed pastors in China or any number of the marginalized and persecuted, Frank Wolf has sought to protect and rescue.” Regarding the many challenges to religious freedom, Smith said, “Today Christians and other religious minorities, such as Yezidis, Shabaks, and Turkmen Shiites are not just facing a long winter without homes,” Smith said. “They are not just hungry and thirsty and wandering from village to village in Northern Iraq and Kurdistan. They are facing annihilation—genocide—by fanatics who see anyone who does not subscribe to their draconian and violent interpretation of Islam as fair game for enslavement, forced conversion or death.” Though there are so many human rights abuses throughout the world that one would be hard-pressed to address them all in a single day, Smith noted Vietnam’s documented use of forced labor and horrendous record on human trafficking, and jailing prisoners of faith, such as Father Nguyen Van Ly, a Catholic priest who has been jailed and tortured for his beliefs, stand out. “The Vietnamese government’s violations of religious freedom against Buddhists and Christians are severe and ongoing,” said Smith, author the Vietnam Human Rights Act of 2013, H.R. 1897, which was approved by House of Representatives in 2013 but has not been taken up by the Senate. “The restrictions and jailing of labor and democracy advocates, discrimination against ethnic Montagnards and the pervasive censorship of the Internet are far too harsh for Vietnam to be given trade benefits or security assistance it wants from the U.S. As Vietnam seeks entry to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and its generous trade benefits, the U.S. should be conditioning any new economic and security assistance on real advances in freedom and human rights.” Smith has also pressed the Nigerian government to fight for the hundreds of Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped earlier this year by the notorious terrorist group Boko Haram. The congressman visited the country and held congressional hearings on the Nigerian crisis. He led the fight to have the U.S. State Department declare Boko Haram a terrorist organization in 2013. “I met in Abuja with one of the Chibok girls who escaped early on in the ordeal,” Smith said. “This brave young woman has suffered much—was clearly traumatized and in emotional pain. You could hear it in her voice, see it in her eyes—as she sat motionless recounting her story. Yet she spoke of her concern not for herself, but her friends and classmates who remain in captivity. I met with a Muslim father of two girls abducted from the Chibok school. Fighting back tears, he said the agony was unbearable. The story of his daughters underscored the fact that Boko Haram brutalizes Muslims as well.” Smith has also pushed for the return of U.S. children abducted or unlawfully held in other countries—an act which he describes as a blatant human rights violation— including Brazil, Japan, Tunisia, India and other countries by non-custodial parents. His parental child abduction bill, The Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act, H.R. 3212, was signed into law in August. Human Rights Day was first proclaimed in 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://norcross.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/south-jersey-share-175m-federal-pre-k-grant,South Jersey to Share in $17.5M Federal Pre-K Grant,2014-12-10,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Donald Norcross,N000188,norcross.house.gov,,,legacy,"Haddon Heights, NJ – Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) announced that the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services have jointly awarded nearly $17.5 million to improve preschool programs throughout New Jersey. The federal grant, which will be shared among 19 districts, is designed to ensure that preschool is more accessible to children in high need communities and that students are fully prepared to enter kindergarten. Recipients in the First Congressional District include Bellmawr, Lindenwold, and Paulsboro.
Provided under the Administration’s Preschool Development Grant program, these funds are awarded on a competitive basis and may be used to build or expand high-quality preschool programs for children from low- and moderate-income families. The State of New Jersey will administer the grant and determine the amount of funding for each of the 19 targeted districts. In New Jersey, the grant is expected to expand high-quality preschool access to an additional 1,248 children and improve existing slots for over 1,000 preschoolers.
“The return on this investment cannot be underestimated,” said Congressman Norcross. “A robust early education program is essential for young learners to achieve their full potential. This grant will make sure that our young students have the tools they need to be ready for their introductory school years – a critical point in the learning process. By investing in education and childhood development, we are taking another step forward in building new opportunities for South Jersey’s students and communities, and it will be done without having to overburden local school district budgets and taxpayers.”
Nationwide, eighteen states have been awarded nearly $250 million under the Preschool Development Grant program this year alone. The federal funding, which has already been appropriated by Congress, is expected to benefit nearly 63,000 preschoolers throughout the country.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-announces-additional-71-million-continue-woodbridge-and-sayreville-buyouts-a-0,Pallone Announces Additional $7.1 Million to Continue Woodbridge and Sayreville Buyouts and Demolitions,2014-12-10,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) will receive an additional $7.1 million to continue to fund buyouts and the demolition of flood prone properties in Sayreville and Woodbridge. $3,303,332 has been allocated to continue to buyout and demolish 196 properties in Sayreville and $3,862,563 has been allocated to continue to buyout and demolish 187 properties in Woodbridge. These latest grants are awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and were made possible through the Sandy Aid package Congressman Pallone fought for in Congress.
“This additional funding brings us one step closer to providing much needed relief to Woodbridge and Sayreville homeowners who have repeatedly suffered and struggled to put the pieces back together after each flood,” said Congressman Pallone. “As extreme weather becomes more and more frequent due to climate change, I’m pleased that the Sandy Aid package has allowed for steps like these buyouts to mitigate future storm damage and costs and take residents out of harm’s way.”
$43,293,713.80 was initially allocated to the Sayreville project, which covered 75% of the project’s total costs. However, the state has decided to fund this project with 100% federal funds and has allocated an additional $14,431,238, or 25%, bringing the total cost of the project to $57,724,954. The Woodbridge project will also be funded with 100% federal funds. Funds are being awarded incrementally for both the Sayreville and Woodbridge projects until all the designated properties are acquired and demolished.
Pallone has met with a number of homeowners who have faced severe and repetitive damages to their homes from flooding, and he fought to secure funding for their buyouts. In a March 2013 letter to Governor Christie on the State’s proposal to use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, Pallone called for full funding to aid the homeowners.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-announces-funding-community-health-center-asbury-park,Pallone Announces Funding for Community Health Center in Asbury Park,2014-12-10,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, announced that the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey Community Health Center will receive $12,258. This funding was awarded in recognition of health center quality improvement achievements and ongoing quality improvement activities.
“I am pleased the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey Community Health Center was recognized for their work to improve health care delivery systems in order to bring about the highest quality of primary care services to residents of Asbury Park,” said Pallone. “Having just visited the health center in October, I saw directly how hard the staff works to make sure every dollar is put to good use providing services to the community.”
Funding for the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey Community Health Center was provided by supplemental funding in the Affordable Care Act through the U.S. Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA). This funding is for use during the period of December 1, 2014, through November 30, 2015.
-###-",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pascrell.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/pascrell-lauds-175-million-in-federal-preschool-funding-for-new-jersey,Pascrell Lauds $17.5 Million in Federal Preschool Funding for New Jersey,2014-12-10,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Bill Pascrell,P000096,pascrell.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) praised the U.S. Dept. of Education for awarding New Jersey $17,498,115 in federal funds as part of a Preschool Development Grant to support communities in providing high-quality preschool programs. The City of Clifton is slated to be one of only 19 districts in the state designated as high need communities to be served under this plan.
""I applaud the Department of Education for this tremendous federal investment in the future of our children,"" said Rep. Pascrell, a former educator who now serves on the House Ways and Means and Budget Committees. ""By fostering the education of our youngest students, we are setting the stage for continued success in their academic careers and beyond.
""Federal investment in education is also vital to our future economic prosperity by preparing students for a 21st century workforce. At a time when New Jersey schools district are facing increasingly tight budgets, these federal funds provide some much needed relief and bring us one step closer to fulfilling our vision as a leader in educating our youth,"" concluded Pascrell.
Today, the White House is also hosting summit on early education that will bring together a broad coalition of philanthropic, business, education, advocacy and elected leaders, as well as other stakeholders who are committed to expanding access to high-quality early education.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pascrell.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/rep-pascrell-announces-400000-in-federal-hiv-funds-for-st-joseph-s,"Rep. Pascrell Announces $400,000 in Federal HIV Funds for St. Josephs Healthcare System",2014-12-10,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Bill Pascrell,P000096,pascrell.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – Continuing in his commitment to assist people living with the HIV/AIDS virus, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) today announced that $402,147 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program was awarded to St. Joseph’s Healthcare System. The funding is part of the Part C Early Intervention Services (EIS) component of the federal Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, which funds comprehensive primary health care in outpatient settings for people living with HIV disease.
""These federal funds will help strengthen St. Joseph's already high quality care for those living with HIV and AIDS,"" said Rep. Pascrell, a former Paterson mayor who served as chairman of the Paterson-Passaic-Bergen HIV Planning Council during the early years of the Ryan White Program. ""This federal funding will help ensure that thousands of New Jerseyans can receive the services they need to remain healthy. I'll continue to fight to ensure Passaic County and the state at-large continues to receive its fair share of funding from this vital program.""
""We are grateful for Congressman Pascrell's fight for these federal Ryan White funds and applaud his commitment to healthcare for all New Jerseyans,"" said Kevin Slavin, President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Joseph's Healthcare System. ""These federal funds will allow St. Joe's to continue our work in providing those living with HIV and AIDS with the absolute best care possible.""
Ryan White was diagnosed with AIDS at age 13. He and his mother, Jeanne White Ginder, fought for his right to attend school, gaining international attention as a voice of reason about HIV/AIDS. Ryan White died at the age of 18 on April 8, 1990, just months before Congress passed the Ryan White CARE (Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency) Act. The legislation has been reauthorized four times, most recently in 2009, and is now called the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://sires.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/sires-announces-grant-to-expand-preschool-programs-in-new-jersey,Sires Announces Grant to Expand Preschool Programs in New Jersey,2014-12-10,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Albio Sires,S001165,sires.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) - Today, Congressman Sires announced that New Jersey was awarded a Preschool Development Grant by the Department of Education to expand preschool programs in underserved communities across the state. Specifically, New Jersey was awarded $17,498,115 in fiscal year 2014 to support expansion of voluntary, high-quality preschool programs for 4 year olds in high-need communities for children from low-and-moderate income families.
“A child’s socioeconomic status should not determine whether they are afforded early learning opportunities. New Jersey has been a leader in its commitment to expand high-quality early education and this grant will assist in implementing the state’s comprehensive strategy to ensure that all children enter kindergarten ready to succeed,” expressed Congressman Sires.
Specifically, New Jersey was one of 18 states that will utilize the grant to work with local communities to provide high-quality preschool programs for over 18,000 additional children in the first year of the four year program. To be eligible for a Preschool Development Grant, states must present an ambitious and achievable plan to implement and sustain high-quality preschool programs that can reach and serve additional eligible children in high-need communities. Up to five percent of the Expansion Grant award may be used for state-level infrastructure and quality improvements.
“Until Congress can implement legislation that would provide pre-school for all, these Preschool Development Grants are critical in ensuring that local communities are provided with the necessary resources to educate thousands of children that would otherwise not have the opportunity to begin learning at an early age,” stated Congressman Sires.
The award announcement was issued as part of the White House Summit on Early Education that brought stakeholders ranging from businesses to educators together to focus on expanding access to early education.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/114th-congress-convenes,114th Congress Convenes,2014-12-09,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"114th Congress Convenes
Start:
January 6, 2015
End:
January 6, 2015
Location:
US Capitol, Washington, DC
Dec 9, 2014",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/hanukkah-begins,Hanukkah Celebration,2014-12-09,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Hanukkah Celebration
Start:
December 16, 2014
End:
December 24, 2014
Dec 9, 2014",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://payne.house.gov/press-release/payne-dedicates-mlk-drive-jersey-city-post-office-honor-late-judge-shirley-tolentino,Payne Dedicates MLK Drive Jersey City Post Office in Honor of the Late Judge Shirley A. Tolentino,2014-12-08,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Donald Payne,P000604,payne.house.gov,,,legacy,"Jersey City, N.J. – Today, Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, and Councilwoman Diane Coleman (Ward F) dedicated the Jersey City Post Office located at 369 Martin Luther King Drive, Jersey City, N.J. in honor of the late Judge Shirley A. Tolentino.
In the 113th Congress, Rep. Payne, Jr. introduced and passed legislation naming a U.S. Post Office in honor of the late Judge Tolentino. H.R. 1376 passed the House on March 24, 2014, passed the Senate on July 10, 2014, and was signed by President Obama and became Public Law 113-139 on July 25, 2014.
“It is not a coincidence that the post office to bear her name would be located on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.,” Rep. Payne, Jr. said. “There is no better way to acknowledge the exemplary achievements of Judge Tolentino and at the same time provide a permanent monument of possibilities and hope for young women, African Americans, and the citizens of Jersey City. I am proud to stand here today and dedicate this post office to honor her legacy.”
Judge Tolentino was born and raised in Jersey City, served as a distinguished jurist in Hudson County for 26 years, and was a trailblazer for women and African Americans as a public servant in New Jersey. Judge Tolentino became the second African American woman to be named as Municipal Court Judge in the State of the New Jersey, and the first to be appointed to the Jersey City Municipal Court. In 1981, she continued to blaze a trail for others, becoming the first African American Presiding Judge of the Jersey City Municipal Court. In 1984, when she was appointed by Governor Thomas Kean, Judge Tolentino became the first African American woman to ascend to the Superior Court of the State of New Jersey.
Later, she was appointed to the original Coleman Commission, which would later be called the New Jersey Supreme Court Task Force on Minorities. During her time on the commission, she became Chair of the Sub-Committee on Juvenile Justice and also served as the Supreme Court Chair of the Committee on Criminal Justice and Minority Defendants. With all her professional achievements, she viewed her appointment and time served on the commission as her greatest accomplishment.
Judge Shirley A. Tolentino passed away on October 31, 2010, and is survived by her husband, Dr. Ernesto Tolentino, children, and grandchildren.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=174,Sen. Booker Urges Senate Leadership to Add Trade Program Renewal to End of the Year Tax & Spending Package,2014-12-08,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Cory Booker,B001288,www.booker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 8, 2014
WASHINGTON –U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., today sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid D-N.V., and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-K.Y., voicing strong support for the renewal of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program which expired last July.
The GSP, a trade program that helps U.S. manufacturers remain competitive and supports economic growth in developing countries, has had a significant impact on New Jersey businesses. In 2013 alone, New Jersey’s GSP imports totaled $1.8 billion in goods across the industrial, raw goods, food, appliance, energy, and chemical industries. The GSP program stands to save New Jersey businesses $64 million in 2015.
In the letter Sen. Booker wrote:
“Since Congress allowed the GSP program to expire in July 2013, businesses have reportedly paid nearly $2 million each day in higher expenses as a result of our failure to act. In New Jersey, this means that businesses like food distributor Atlantic Beverage Co. and electronics company Panasonic Corporation are losing out on millions in savings on tariffs waived under the GSP program.
Instead of investing in innovative new ideas and job-creating ventures, the higher costs associated with the expiration of GSP have forced many companies to halt new investments and trim their workforces. Continued delays will only create additional barriers for U.S. business facing an increasingly competitive global market.”
The signed letter can be viewed here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=175,"Booker, Blumenthal Urge Majority Leader Reid To Remove From OmnibusProvisions That Roll Back Regulations Governing Truck Safety",2014-12-08,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Cory Booker,B001288,www.booker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 8, 2014
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) today sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, urging the Senate Majority Leader to ensure that critical regulations governing truck safety remain in full effect and are not rolled back in the 2015 government spending bill, which will likely be on the Senate floor later this week. The letter comes in support of Administration efforts to ensure that truck drivers receive adequate rest and are not driving fatigued on the nation’s roads and highways.
“We are extremely disappointed that despite our grave concerns, this matter is moving forward through the appropriations process, rather than with extensive study and debate,” the senators wrote. “This issue is far too important to have been altered outside of the committee of jurisdiction and without debate by the Senate.
“The current hours of service rules governing rest requirements for truck drivers are based on years of study and sound scientific research in addition to a review of public comments. They should remain firmly in place. In 2012 large trucks were involved in 3,700 accidents with close to 4,000 fatalities and 104,000 injuries. With so many crashes, we should be examining further limitations on hours of service, not suspending the rules currently in place. At the very least, hours of service requirements should not be suspended during further study, but rather maintained until evidence illustrates a change would not pose a threat to public safety.”
The full text of the letter here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pascrell.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/pascrell-menendez-deliver-440k-in-federal-sandy-funds-to-repair-secaucus,"Pascrell, Menendez Deliver $440K in Federal Sandy Funds to Repair Secaucus Marina",2014-12-05,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Bill Pascrell,P000096,pascrell.house.gov,,,legacy,"SECAUCUS, N.J. – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) and U.S. Senator Robert Menendez today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) has reconsidered and approved Secaucus’ application for disaster recovery funding to repair damage to the Secaucus Public Safety Marina caused by Superstorm Sandy. In September, Sen. Menendez and Rep. Pascrell sent a letter to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate urging him to reconsider Secaucus’ application and the importance of the marina to public safety.
""In those days and months following Hurricane Sandy, many hard hit towns like Secaucus tried their best to recover and rebuild quickly in order to serve their residents,” Rep. Pascrell said. “Their priority was in people, not in paperwork, as well as it should have been. This is why I was proud to fight alongside Senator Menendez to ensure that Secaucus received the federal rebuilding funds they were duly entitled to while ensuring our first responders have the resources they need to protect our communities.”
“This critical disaster recovery assistance will bring the marina back into full operating capacity, restore life-saving rescue operations in the Hackensack River and help protect the people of Secaucus and its surrounding communities,” said Sen. Menendez. “I applaud FEMA for finally recognizing the inherent risk to public safety and awarding Secaucus the funds it was properly entitled.”
The Secaucus Public Safety Marina, which serves both the Secaucus Fire Department Marine Unit and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Auxiliary Flotilla 32, suffered substantial damage from Superstorm Sandy. FEMA initially denied Secaucus’ application for assistance, despite significant sedimentation and the dispersal of debris from an old barge that has made it difficult, and at times impossible, for the boats that use the marina to operate, posing a public safety hazard.
“It’s tremendous,” said Secaucus Mayor Michael Gonnelli. “Secaucus has the only emergency services marina on the Hackensack River north of Newark Bay, and the only fireboat in the water and ready to respond. I want to thank Senator Menendez and Congressman Pascrell for their advocacy in helping us plead our case to FEMA. This was a collaborative effort aimed at restoring a crucial public safety asset.”
The funds being announced today will help pay for the removal of debris from the barge and the dredging of sediment in the Hackensack River to allow the Secaucus Public Safety Marina to fully support fire response, water rescue, homeland security patrols and emergency response operations.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pascrell.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/pascrell-statement-on-november-jobs-report,Pascrell Statement on November Jobs Report,2014-12-05,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Bill Pascrell,P000096,pascrell.house.gov,,,legacy,"PATERSON, NJ – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09), a member of the House Budget and Ways and Means Committees, released the following statement today after the Department of Labor announced that the economy added 321,000 jobs and the unemployment rate held at 5.8 percent, the lowest unemployment rate since July 2008. With businesses adding 314,000 jobs, this marks the 58th consecutive month of private sector job growth.
“Today's jobs report is further evidence that the economic recovery is accelerating and the policies the President and Congressional Democrats took to dig the country out of the Great Recession are bearing fruit. This is the 50th straight month of payroll growth, the longest stretch in our country's history, and we have now added more jobs in 2014 than any year since 1999. Manufacturing saw the strongest job growth since the 90’s adding 28,000 jobs, bringing the total to 764,000 jobs over the past 57 months.
“I'm also encouraged by signs of wage growth that will help raise the standards of living for working Americans. We still have a long way to go, especially in New Jersey, where we have only recovered 47 percent of the jobs we lost during the recession and continue to have the 3rd highest long-term unemployment in the country. I am committed to working with my colleagues in a bipartisan way to help New Jersey's and the country's recovery continue to march forward.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=173,"Booker, Menendez Announce FEMA Fixes to Help Homeowners Fallen Victim to Flood Insurance Process that's Stacked Against Them",2014-12-05,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Cory Booker,B001288,www.booker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Four major actions come after months of effort, pursuit by lawmakers
December 5, 2014
SECAUCUS, N.J. – United States Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker today announced a commitment they received from the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to take four major actions to help homeowners still struggling to rebuild their homes by increasing transparency, fairness and credibility within the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims process.
“There needs to be transparency, so that insurance companies can’t get away with sticking it to homeowners,” Sen. Menendez said. “While I certainly understand the need to protect taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud and abuse, I equally want to protect homeowners from getting swindled out of money they deserve. Taken together these four reforms will inject fairness and level the playing field for homeowners who have been forced to fight an uphill battle.”
“I am pleased to see that on the heels of our meeting with FEMA Administrator Fugate, there is progress for those who are still enduring hardship in their recovery from Sandy,” said Sen. Booker. “The measures announced today will improve fairness and transparency, and are in response to the demands of New Jerseyans across our state, expressed firmly by me and Senator Menendez to FEMA, that the federal government improve processes to meet the needs of the residents and communities still recovering more than two years after the storm. This is much-needed progress, but I’m going to continue to fight and do everything I can to make Sandy recovery faster and rebuilding as strong as it can be.”
The announcement comes just two days after the Senators met with FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate to press again for reforms in the NFIP claims process and three months after Menendez first brought forth evidence of potentially widespread problems with the program. The Senators were joined by Congressmen Bill Pascrell, Jr. (NJ-09) and Frank Pallone (NJ-06) for the announcement.
“Thanks to the changes that are being announced today, we’re going to make sure that everyone whose home was damaged by Sandy isn’t going to get short changed by their insurance company,” said Rep. Pascrell. “It’s simply unconscionable that there are people out there who would take advantage of individuals whose homes were destroyed and lives turned upside down. I’m grateful that FEMA will be cracking down on these unscrupulous practices, reopening the appeals process, and establishing a strong Flood Insurance Advocate to fight on behalf of policy holders.”
“I am pleased that FEMA is announcing some commonsense reforms today, but we must make sure that they, and the insurance companies, are held accountable for helping those that lost so much during Sandy,” said Rep. Pallone. “I have repeatedly pressed FEMA to set up an ‘NFIP Consumer Bill of Rights’, so it is my hope that this ‘Flood Insurance Advocate’ will work hard to help homeowners understand the flood insurance process more clearly, especially those that feel as though they’ve been shortchanged. I will continue fighting with my colleagues to ensure that New Jersey families have the resources that they are rightly owed.”
The Senators outlined the main problems with the NFIP claims process and four major actions FEMA has committed to take:
1) Unbalanced Penalty Structure
Problem: Unbalanced penalty structure that penalizes Write Your Own (WYO) insurance companies for making overpayments disproportionately more than underpayments, leading to systemic underpayments.
FEMA’s Action: Administrator Fugate has committed to take administrative action to level the penalties levied against WYOs for underpayments and overpayments. He has asked Sen. Menendez to convene a task force composed of Congress, FEMA and WYOs to find the right balance while ensuring over-and-underpayments are penalized equally. The first meeting of this Task Force will convene within weeks.
2) Secret Altering of Engineering Reports
Problem: WYOs “shopping” for engineering reports in order to reduce the amount of damage reimbursable by flood insurance and refusing to comply with the New York Federal Court order to provide policyholders with contradicting damage assessments.
FEMA’s Actions: Today, Administrator Fugate sent a letter to all WYOs operating in New Jersey and participating in the NFIP, ordering them to comply with the N.Y. Magistrate Court order and provide policyholders with all engineering report iterations, including but not limited to revisions.
3) Appeals Deadline Hypocrisy
Problem: Hypocrisy by FEMA to dismiss 270 claims because the policyholder missed a deadline, yet FEMA failed to comply with its own deadlines to respond to appeals.
FEMA’s Actions: Administrator Fugate has committed to reopen and consider the appeal of 270 policyholders who suffered damage from Sandy and had their appeal dismissed because they missed a FEMA deadline.
4) Robust Flood Insurance Advocate
Problem: The need for a comprehensive, flood insurance advocate that will assist policyholders with the claims process, not limited to maps.
FEMA’s Actions: Administrator Fugate once again renewed his commitment to ensure that the flood insurance advocate authorized by the Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act (HFIAA) would be robust and comprehensive, helping policyholders navigate through the claims and appeals process in addition to map revisions.
Last month, Menendez and Booker called for Administrator Fugate to address potential widespread manipulation of flood insurance claims in order to lowball Sandy victims after a federal judge in New York found that insurance providers have engaged in a pervasive practice of tasking firms to issue “baseless report[s]” in order to reduce the amount of money provided to policyholders. In the ruling, the judge found a WYO engaged in “reprehensible gamesmanship” against disaster victims and “that these unprincipled practices may be widespread.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397762,"Smith to request a GAO investigationHearing Probes Chinas Influence on U.S. Universities",2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"“Is Academic Freedom Threatened by China's Influence on U.S. Universities?” is the title of a hearing held today by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the global human rights subcommittee in the House of Representatives and co-chairman of the U.S. Commission on China. Smith, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, said the U.S. needs to take a long hard look at the costs and benefits of the growing number of Chinese educational partnerships started by U.S. universities and colleges, including exchange programs and satellite campuses in China and China’s recent Confucius Institutes in the U.S. “We are seeing emerging faculty opposition to these Institutes, as well as to the all-too cozy and lucrative arrangements which American universities have with institutions affiliated with the Chinese government,” said Smith, who has held nearly 50 congressional hearings on the Chinese government’s human rights abuses on freedom of speech, academic, religion, the press and other basic human rights. “This prompts us, however, to ask the question: Is American higher education for sale? And, if so, are U.S. colleges and universities undermining the principle of academic freedom – and, in the process, their credibility—in exchange for China’s education dollars?” “While foreign educational partnerships are important endeavors—for students, collaborative research, cultural understanding, and even for the host country—I think we all can agree that U.S. colleges and universities should not be outsourcing academic control, faculty and student oversight, or curriculum to a foreign government,” said Smith, citing the American Association of University Professors’s (AAUP) July 2014 report blasting China’s Confucius Institutes established in U.S. colleges. The report states the institutes “sacrificed the integrity of the [host] university and its academic staff” by requiring concessions “to advance a state agenda in the recruitment and control of academic staff, in the choice of curriculum, and in the restriction of debate."" The AAUP report concluded that ""Confucius Institutes function as an arm of the Chinese state and are allowed to ignore academic freedom” and recommended shutting down U.S. Confucius Institutes unless they could meet certain standards of academic freedom and transparency. Click here to read Chairman Smith’s opening remarks.
Testifying at the hearing were: Dr. Perry Link, Ph.D., Chancellorial Chair for Innovative Teaching, University of California, Riverside; Dr. Thomas Cushman, Ph.D., Deffenbaugh de Hoyos Carlson Chair in the Social Sciences, Wellesley College; Dr. Xia Yeliang, Ph.D., Visiting Fellow, Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, Cato Institute, and; Sophie Richardson, Ph.D., China Director at Human Rights Watch. While no serious scholar could argue that the U.S should not have scholarly exchanges and higher learning relations with China, Cushman said, there are troubling aspects of these relations that may infringe upon academicfreedom in American universities, and more generally on the right of freedom of expression guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. He also noted the financial aspect of Chinese presence on U.S. universities. “China is a rich source of revenue from the estimated 274,000 Chinese students studying in the U.S., the vast number of whom pay full tuition and costs. Students from the PRC bring huge benefits to the U.S. economy, which are estimated by the Institute of International Education at $27 billion per annum,” Cushman said. Click here to read Cushman’s testimony
Dr. Link said that the Communist Party of China (CPC), which has continuously exercised one-party dictatorship over all programs of the Chinese government, has goals to advance its own power interests.
“Scholars in China have come under sharply increased pressure in recent months,” Link said. “Unsubtle guidelines that university professors must be ‘patriotic’ (i.e., support the CPC) and must oppose ideas like ‘universal values’ have been spread all across the country,” Link said. “The orders have been broadly obeyed, in part because of the punishments that disobedience brings. The few scholars who dare not to obey have been monitored, threatened, harassed, fired, beaten, indicted, or imprisoned—the degree of their punishment calibrated to the degree to which they persist in their dissent. Individual American scholars often speak out for their Chinese colleagues under pressure, but American academic administrators seldom do, and formal cooperation with the CPC—the oppressing party—marches forward. This is not because U.S. academic administrators are illiberal in their values; it is because they do not understand the realities of the Chinese side and are insufficiently diligent in discovering them.” Click here to read Dr. Link’s testimony
Dr. Yeliang Xia said he doubted how the New York University campus in Shanghai “could possibly avoid CCP’s ideological control and Marxist education while all Chinese students in the university have to take (five) compulsory courses in the first three years of undergraduates and two compulsory courses for the first year of graduate studies. It means the Chinese students who will get degrees of prestigious U.S. universities must meet the requirement for ideological and moral education of CCP while foreign students may choose take those course or alternatives of some Chinese cultural courses by themselves.” Click here to read Dr. Xia’s testimony Smith said he will ask the non-partisan Government Accountability Office to review the agreements of both satellite campuses in China and of Confucius Institutes in the U.S. “I would like to know if those agreements are public, whether they compromise academic or other freedoms of faculty, students, and workers and whether Chinese teachers are allowed the freedom to worship as they please and teach about Tiananmen, Tibet, and Taiwan,” Smith said. “I will also ask the GAO to study whether U.S. satellite campuses in China operate differently from Chinese universities."" Smith said he would ask the GAO report to include whether Communist Party committees operate on campus, and whether fundamental freedoms are protected for both Chinese and U.S. students and faculty—religious freedom, internet freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of association.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397770,"USA Today article on Smith hearing on ChinaHouse panel investigates 'Confucius institutes'",2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"NICOLE GUADIANO, USA Today - Lawmakers are investigating whether academic freedom is being threatened at universities building campuses in China and partnering with the Chinese on ""Confucius institutes"" in the U.S.
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., chairman of a House subcommittee focusing on human rights, said at a hearing before the panel Thursday that he will seek a Governmental Accountability Office study of agreements between U.S. universities and China that allow China to promote its culture and language here through education programs it supervises and finances.
Smith said Congress could decide to withhold money for the Education Department or for State Department exchange programs if it decides the Chinese-sponsored efforts are compromising academic freedoms in the U.S.
""I think we can all agree that U.S. colleges and universities should not be outsourcing academic control, faculty and student oversight or curriculum to a foreign government — in this case a dictatorship,"" said Smith, chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations.
There are 357 ""Confucius classrooms"" in secondary and elementary schools in the U.S., and 97 ""Confucius institutes"" at universities, including Stanford and Columbia universities. The institutes are named for the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius who paradoxically was vilified during the 1949-1976 reign of Communist Chairman Mao Zedong.
They are subsidized and supervised by Hanban, a Chinese government agency that influences the institutes' staff recruitment and curriculum.
A small number of American universities have satellite campuses in China.
The American Association of University Professors opposes Confucius institutes, writing in a June report that they ""function as an arm of the Chinese state and are allowed to ignore academic freedom,"" and sacrifice the integrity of universities and academic staff. The association recommended that universities cease involvement with the institutes unless agreements are renegotiated to provide for transparency and control by U.S. universities over all academic matters.
Witnesses at Thursday's hearing said the Chinese exert influence over American scholars by denying them visas and blocking access to archives. Perry Link, chancelorial chairman at the University of California, Riverside, said fear of being denied a visa by the Chinese results in self-censorship.
""I have been on a visa blacklist since the mid-1990s, and I hear, on average, two or three inquiries per month from younger scholars who want to know what they should avoid saying in order not to end up where I am,"" he said in written testimony.
Link said American administrators who accept funds from the Communist Party of China for endeavors such as Confucius institutes understand, without being told, which topics are unwelcome, such as Tibetan or Uighur autonomy, Taiwan independence or the Tiananmen massacre.
""American students are presented a roseate cameo of China and are told that it is the whole,"" he stated. ""Omission of the forbidden topics not only reduces the size of the picture, it misrepresents the character of the part that remains.""
Another witness, Yeliang Xia, a visiting scholar at the libertarian Cato Institute, said a speech he was scheduled to give on China's economy at Stanford University's Confucius institute was canceled last year by a student union leader who said the institute wasn't happy about his earlier discussion on constitutional issues in China.
""How can you export liberal ideas to ... authoritarian countries if you cannot persist on your own ideals?"" he asked.
Smith said he continues to question why New York University last year terminated the fellowship of human rights advocate Chen Guangcheng, who alleged the university succumbed to pressure from China.
NYU, which recently launched a campus in Shanghai, has said the fellowship was always intended to expire after a year. The university's president and faculty declined multiple invitations to testify, Smith said.
The subcommittee hearing was the first in a series, Smith said, and the beginning of ""a long hard look"" at costs and benefits of partnerships between U.S. universities and China. He said he will ask the GAO to investigate whether the partnership agreements are public, whether they compromise academic or other freedoms, and whether Chinese teachers are free to worship as they please and to teach topics considered taboo by Chinese officials.
He will also ask the GAO to investigate whether U.S. satellite campuses in China operate differently from Chinese universities, whether Communist Party committees operate on those campuses and whether academic freedoms on the campuses are protected.
""We need to look at whether these issues can be handled by the universities, their faculties and trustees themselves, or if there is something the U.S. Congress must do to ensure academic freedom is protected,"" Smith said.
Originally published at:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/12/04/house-china-confucius-institutes/19909507/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397771,"Wall Street Journal article on China's influence on US universitiesChina defends Confucius Institute after new doubts in U.S.",2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"China defended its relationship with U.S. universities on Friday after critics of Beijing told a panel of U.S. lawmakers that those growing ties challenge their commitment to academic freedom.
The hearing held Thursday by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) – who has held a number of hearings on China’s human-right practices — took a critical look at the increasing ties between U.S. universities and Chinese schools, including Chinese-funded language and culture institutes at U.S. campuses as well as U.S. satellite campuses on the Chinese mainland.
“The formation of partnerships with Chinese universities has far outpaced the development of procedures and mechanisms for the monitoring and protection of academic freedom on American campuses,” Thomas Cushman, a sociology professor at Wellesley College, told lawmakers Thursday.
Much of the focus has been on Confucius Institutes, which are funded by a Chinese government organization and have locations at nearly 100 U.S. universities, school districts and elsewhere. The institutes have come under scrutiny at a number of schools.
China’s Foreign Ministry lashed back Friday, saying that the institutes weren’t being forced on U.S. institutions. “All Confucius Institutes in the U.S. are there because they were applied for by U.S. universities of their own will,” spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a daily news briefing. She added, “we have assisted with supplying teachers and textbooks at the request of the U.S. side but have never interfered with academic freedom.”
The greater ties reflect both rising interest in China, its language and its culture at the same time that Beijing is seeking to build up its soft power – the kind the U.S. wields through everything from its pop songs and TV shows to its long history of taking foreign-exchange students.
Many U.S. universities — such as New York University – have expanded partnerships with China, opening campuses there to attract local talent.
Mr. Cushman is among a number of Wellesley faculty members who have called into question a cooperation between Wellesley and a top Chinese school that dismissed a professor after he expressed negative views of the Chinese government.
Perry Link, a professor at the University of California, Riverside, urged the U.S. to fund more of its own China-focused programs. He also pushed U.S. universities to set broader, clearer academic agendas and demand to include Tibet and democracy in lessons when cooperating with China.
The issue isn’t like to die down soon. Rep. Smith said he is calling for a government probe of academic agreements U.S. universities have made with China.
– Laurie Burkitt. Follow her on Twitter @lburkitt This story can be found at:
http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/12/05/china-says-its-never-interfered-with-u-s-academic-freedom/",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397772,"AP: State-funded institutes give China foothold, rosy image on US college campuses, scholars say",2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"China's authoritarian government is gaining a foothold on American campuses by funding dozens of institutes that project a rose-tinted view of the Asian nation that compromises the academic integrity of U.S. universities, a congressional hearing was told Thursday.
Scholars of China testified that these state-funded Confucius Institutes teach nonpolitical subjects like Chinese language and culture but suppress discussion on sensitive topics like Tibet and the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown on democracy protesters.
The hearing was chaired by House Republican Rep. Chris Smith, an arch critic of Beijing, who questioned whether American education was ""for sale.""
Students from China now make up 31 percent of all international students in the United States. Last year, Chinese students in U.S. colleges and universities contributed $8 billion to the U.S. economy, according to the Commerce Department.
U.S. colleges such as New York University are also opening campuses in China, hoping to tap into the country's enormous, growing pool of students.
Geng Shuang, spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, said China-U.S. educational exchange is carried out on a voluntary basis and respects the academic independence and integrity of all educational institutions.
Perry Link, a China expert at the University of California at Riverside, said independent scholar-to-scholar exchanges with China should be encouraged.
But he said the Communist Party of China opposes the exchanges and prefers to negotiate campus-to-campus cooperation. He said inexperienced U.S. academic administrators, eager for funding, reach protocols with party officials that allow authorities in Beijing to choose teachers and set curricula that provide a rosy ""cameo"" of China.
Thomas Cushman, a professor in social sciences at Wellesley College, said the Chinese government's effort to forge ties with U.S institutions is part of a more general ""soft power"" strategy toward the West.
MATTHEW PENNINGTON, ASSOCIATED PRESS - There are now about 90 Confucius Institutes in the U.S., part of an expanding network of more than 400 worldwide. Geng, the embassy spokesman, said the institutes help people learn about Chinese language and culture and strengthen cooperation between China and other countries.
But there has been some push back from scholars and colleges in the U.S. In June, the American Association of University Professors called on universities to cancel their current agreements with Confucius Institutes, and this fall the University of Chicago and Penn State ended their relationships with the institute.
The Chinese state-funded outreach comes amid growing restrictions on scholars at home as President Xi Jinping's government has tightened controls over a wide range of society since he took power early last year.
""For decades, the primary strategy of the CPC in censoring its own people has been to induce self-censorship,"" Link said, referring to the Communist Party of China. ""Now the CPC, stronger and wealthier than before, is looking to project these battle-tested methods onto the world stage.""
Cushman said U.S. scholars of China are careful what they say in public so they can keep visiting. He said that leads to a ""beautified"" version of China that avoids the realities of repression.
Link said he's been blacklisted since the mid-1990s and gets two or three inquiries per month from younger scholars wanting to know what they should avoid saying in order not to be barred.
Cushman also contended that professors on U.S. campuses may avoid discussing sensitive tops about China in their classes out of fear of negative evaluations by the growing number of Chinese students. This Associated Press story ran in numerous places, including:
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/scholars-china-govt-foothold-us-campuses-27368225
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/chinas-ties-u-s-universities-healthy/
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_UNITED_STATES_CHINA_UNIVERSITIES?SITE=NCWILHN&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2014/12/04/chinese-government-gaining-foothold-on-us-campuses-scholars-say/?intcmp=latestnews",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397773,"LA Times Article on Hearing China's Sway on U.S. universitiesChina's influence threatens American universities, experts say",2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Much of the debate centered on the Confucius Institutes, Chinese government-sponsored cultural centers at universities worldwide. Funded by the Chinese government, the institutes provide language instruction and sponsor cultural exchanges, but some experts worry they allow China to engage in ""soft power"" propaganda campaigns and encourage censorship over certain topics.
China says the institutes — which experts estimate could number more than 400 worldwide — are established only at schools that invite them and do not force their curriculum on any campus.
Experts suggested that the federal government could do more to finance Chinese-language programs within the United States, rather than relying on Chinese funds to do so.
""Why should we hand our young people over to an authoritarian government because they supply the funds?"" asked Perry Link, a Chinese-language professor at UC Riverside. ""We have enough funds for that.""
Experts also called on lawmakers to withhold visas for Confucius Institute instructors as long as China continues to do the same for American scholars.
Mainly, they said, American universities must do more in their negotiations as they develop partnerships with China, pushing for broader discussion rather than quieting debates over controversial topics on their campuses.
""If you don't stake out the borderline, natural self-censorship will stick in,"" Link said.
Prestigious American institutions, including New York University and Carnegie Mellon University, have partnered with Chinese universities to open satellite programs there. Many institutions maintain that their influence will lead to gradual change within the authoritarian Chinese government, Smith said. But he challenged academic leaders to reconsider their positions, given what he said was pervasive self-censorship by American scholars.
""So long as the dragon is not provoked, they think they will be allowed to continue doing their work, slowly changing from the inside,"" he said. ""But are these American universities changing China, or is China changing these American universities?""
Human rights observers noted that American universities often pledge to uphold Western ideals of free speech on their Chinese campuses, but few, if any, of these promises have been put to the test.
It's unclear how American colleges would react if, for example, a student on their Chinese campus wanted to host a symposium on Tibet, a fraught topic in China, said Sophie Richardson of Human Rights Watch. For university administrators, such a situation would be ""one of their worst nightmares,"" she said.
Scholars within China face significant consequences for research into unfavorable topics, such as the 1989 protests and crackdown at Tiananmen Square and the imprisonment of Nobel Prize-winning human rights activist Liu Xiaobo.
Economics professor Xia Yeliang lost his position at Peking University in 2013 for his political activism, supporters say. Despite protests on his behalf, Wellesley College, which partners with Peking, chose not to terminate its partnership with the Chinese university.
""How can you export ideals to authoritarian countries if you can't persist on your own ideals?"" Xia asked lawmakers.
Earlier this year, the University of Chicago chose not to renew its contract with the Confucius Institute on its campus, citing an ""incompatible"" relationship.
This story was originally published at:
http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-chinese-influence-20141205-story.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397774,"Reuters Article on Hearing China's Sway on U.S. universitiesChina defends Confucius Institute after new doubts in U.S.",2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Reuters) - China defended its government-funded Confucius Institute programs on Friday after new questions were raised in the United States about their transparency and effect on academic freedom.
China says its Confucius Institutes around the world are established by universities voluntarily, and that such centers promote Chinese-language learning and academic and cultural exchange.
But the institutes have raised concerns that they threaten academic freedom, conduct surveillance of Chinese students abroad and promote the political aims of China's ruling Communist Party.
On Thursday, the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs held a hearing on whether academic freedom is threatened by China's influence on U.S. universities, with the Confucius Institute receiving particular attention.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that all Confucius Institutes in the United States had been voluntarily applied for by U.S. universities.
""All class and cultural activities are open and transparent. The Chinese side has provided teachers and teaching materials assistance according to requests of the U.S. side. It has never interfered with academic freedom,"" she told a daily news briefing.
""We hope everybody can make joint efforts to reject prejudice and work together to better build these bridges of friendship and make them stronger.""
At the Washington hearing, Congressman Chris Smith said he would ask the Government Accountability Office to review agreements of both satellite campuses for U.S. universities in China and of Confucius Institutes in the United States.
""I would like to know if those agreements are public, whether they compromise academic or other freedoms of faculty, students, and workers and whether Chinese teachers are allowed the freedom to worship as they please and teach about Tiananmen, Tibet, and Taiwan,"" Smith said.
In September, the University of Chicago said it would suspend negotiations to renew the Confucius Institute on the school's campus, citing comments in the media that were ""incompatible with a continued equal partnership"".
Despite tight government control over curriculum, many foreign universities have rushed to establish partnerships with China in an effort to improve access to the country's huge educational market. That has created unease about whether schools would be forced to sacrifice academic freedoms.
Xia Yeliang, a prominent Chinese professor and dissident who was fired from the elite Beijing University last year, has warned that academic exchanges with China carry hidden risks, such as visiting scholars who may be sent as spies.
(Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Michael Martina; Editing by Nick Macfie) This article was originally published at:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/05/us-china-usa-education-idUSKCN0JJ0MC20141205",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/announcement-2015-atlantic-city-airshow,Announcement on 2015 Atlantic City Airshow,2014-12-04,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"Start:
December 5, 2014 9:30 am
End:
December 5, 2014 10:30 am
Location:
Kennedy Plaza @ the Boardwalk, Atlantic City, New Jersey",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397758,"NJ.com Article N.J. students remember Rwandan genocide with Capitol display",2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON — The cutouts of human figures stood in neat rows in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol, each decorated by a group of New Jersey middle and high school students paying tribute to 800,000 Rwandans massacred two decades ago.
More than 70 such figures, each 5-feet tall, some covered in black with drawings of skulls and others with doves flying in bright blue skies, stood on exhibit in the Rayburn House Office Building here to remember the 100-day period beginning in April 1994 where the majority Hutu slaughtered the minority Tutsi.
""We wanted to do something that had an impact,"" said Susan Yellin of Manalapan, a member of the committee that established the exhibit.
President Clinton, visiting a Rwandan memorial site more than a decade later, expressed ""regret for my personal failure"" as the U.S. did not intervene to stop the slaughter. The United Nations also sat on the sidelines. The killings ended only after a Tutsi-backed force captured control of the country in July 1994.
High school students in Wall Township painted a picture of a woman in a long skirt. On the other side of the figure was a child she was hiding. Another figure, by students at Christa McAuliffe Middle School in Jackson, featured doves against a bright blue sky on one side and victims in darkness on the other side with a quote, ""Human life is not meant to be abused.""
The Center for Holocaust, Human Rights and Genocide Education at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft designed the project to commemorate the massacre. The figures themselves were decorated by students who weren't born when it occurred. About 450 students participated, organizers said.
""We needed a way to engage the kids,"" said Dale Daniels, executive director of the center, ""They were all born after the genocide and had no knowledge of it.""
The exhibit was brought to Washington by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th Dist.), who escorted fellow House members and other visitors around the figures.
""You need to remember the past to prevent such things from happening in the future,"" Smith said. ""This was a preventable genocide. It truly has to be never again."" By Jonathan D. Salant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com on December 02, 2014 at 7:55 PM This article appeared on NJ.com on 12/2/2014 and can be found here: http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/12/new_jersey_students_remember_rwandan_genocide_with_capitol_display.html",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-bill-combat-stillbirth-and-sids-passes-congress-heads-president%E2%80%99s-desk,"Pallone Bill to Combat Stillbirth and SIDS Passes Congress, Heads to Presidents Desk for Signature",2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), the Ranking Member on the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, praised the passage of an amended version of his legislation to combat stillbirth, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC).
“I am pleased that the House of Representatives has unanimously passed the amended version of my bill, which will finally help us to better understand the causes of stillbirth, SUID and SUDC,” said Pallone. “No parent should ever have to endure the pain of losing a child. It is my hope that this legislation will offer families who have lost a child some peace of mind and help prevent other parents from ever having to experience such a tragedy. I also want to extend my deepest thanks to Laura Crandall of New Jersey, whose continued efforts over the years to find answers for her own family and so many others have helped ensure passage of this critical legislation.”
The “Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act,” H.R. 669, which was amended and passed unanimously by the Senate last week, will direct the Department of Health and Human Services to continue collecting data on stillbirth, SUID and SUDC cases across the country. The data will then be used to inform medical professionals and families of the deceased as to why these unexpected deaths occur and what can be done to prevent them.
Having passed both chambers of Congress, H.R. 669 will now be sent to the President’s desk to be signed into law by the end of the year.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-calls-congress-extend-chip-funding-lame-duck,Pallone Calls on Congress to Extend CHIP Funding in Lame Duck,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a hearing about the future of the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), the Ranking Member the Subcommittee on Health, called on Congress to extend funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) before the end of the year at the hearing.
“Without Congressional action, funding for CHIP will expire next fall, which will jeopardize the health coverage of millions of children throughout the country whose families cannot afford to purchase coverage for them on their own,” said Pallone. “We have an opportunity right now to come together and extend funding for the program through 2019. I hope my colleagues will join me in supporting action during this lame duck session.”
Below is the full text of the statement Congressman Pallone submitted at the hearing:
Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr.
Committee on Energy and Commerce
Subcommittee on Health
Hearing on “The Future of the Children's Health Insurance Program”
Opening Statement
December 3, 2014
“Thank you, Chairman Pitts. I am glad that we are having this hearing today and very much look forward to making progress toward ensuring the continued success of CHIP. It is a vital program that provides coverage to 8.1 million low-to-moderate income children throughout the Nation who are unable to afford or are not eligible for other forms of coverage.
Without Congressional action, funding for the program will expire next year. This would inevitably lead to gaps in coverage for some and lack of coverage for many others. So we must have a conversation now about providing funding as soon as possible. In fact, I would urge my colleagues to consider an extension during the lame duck – to ensure predictability to the many states that have come to rely and appreciate the CHIP program. I don’t think anyone would argue that CHIP should not be extended. So let’s get it done.
CHIP was created in a Republican-controlled Congress in 1997 as a joint federal-state undertaking so that states could help determine how best to design and administer their own programs, and ever since, it has traditionally enjoyed bipartisan support. This historic support from both sides of the aisle was reflected in the responses to Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Waxman's recent letter to the Nation's Governors. Across red and blue states, including some that did and some that did not proactively implement the ACA, Governors overwhelmingly support the extension of CHIP funding.
I have a bill – H.R. 5364, the “CHIP Extension and Improvement Act of 2014” – that would achieve this purpose while also instituting reforms that would enable states to eliminate administrative burdens and increase quality of care.
By funding the program through 2019, we would provide states with more time to plan for the future, putting them in a better position to ensure that there are no disruptions in affordable and comprehensive coverage for those families who depend on the program.
Furthermore, the consequences of this coverage are far flung. Not only do state governments depend on this funding, it will also support economic activity stemming from providers who provide care to children, as well as mothers who are able to keep themselves and their children healthy and thus won't need to take off time from work in order to care for their sick children.
In my state of New Jersey alone, over 800,000 children are served by New Jersey Family Care, which is funded by CHIP. For these families, getting coverage on the private market is still out of reach – a sentiment that is supported by both GAO and MACPAC, who have shown that even with cost sharing, CHIP is the most affordable and comprehensive form of coverage for these children, especially those with complex health needs.
This is true for the millions of American families who rely on the program, so I hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting action this lame duck to fund CHIP for the next four years.
Thank you.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-recognizes-23rd-anniversary-nagorno-karabakhs-movement-towards-liberation,Pallone Recognizes 23rd Anniversary of Nagorno Karabakh's Movement Towards Liberation,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC — On Tuesday, December 2, 2014, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), founder and co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, celebrated the 23rd Anniversary of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic’s movement towards liberation. An event, hosted by the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the Embassy of Armenia, Armenian-American groups and in cooperation with the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, recognized the 23 years since the referendum in Nagorno Karbakh when the nation adopted its constitution.
Congressman Pallone welcomed the Nagorno Karabakh Republic’s Speaker Ashot Ghoulian as the event’s keynote speaker, along with Nagorno Karabakh’s representative, Robert Avetisyan and Armenia’s Ambassador to the United States, Tigran Sargsyan. The leaders discussed the ongoing commitment to democracy and freedom in Nagorno Karabakh, and the importance of continued U.S. support for the region.
“Since 1991, the people of Nagorno Karabakh have demonstrated their commitment to our shared ideals of participatory and responsive democracy,” said Congressman Pallone. “Tonight, we celebrate the relationship between the Nagorno Karabakh and the United States, while also recognizing the important role Nagorno Karabakh plays in the stability of the region. With them, we will continue to push for restoration of their war torn economy and work towards peace in the region with a strong and independent Nagorno Karabakh.
“Twenty three years ago, on December 10, the people of Nagorno Karabakh made its legitimate choice and reinstated through a nationwide referendum the already proclaimed independence of the NKR,” said Ashot Ghoulian, Speaker of the NKR Republic. “In the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic we know the price of independence, security, and peace.”
Congressman Pallone and the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues continue to lead the fight for the Nagorno Karbakh Republic’s international recognition and official independence. Congressman Pallone has called for NKR’s international recognition and official separation from Azerbaijan as a solution to the regional conflict and continued violence against the people of Nagorno Karabakh. He has also advocated for U.S. foreign aid to be provided to NKR in support for important projects that help rebuild infrastructure and public works programs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-statement-department-labor%E2%80%99s-announced-rule-protect-lgbt-employees-workplace,Pallone Statement on Department of Labors Announced Rule to Protect LGBT Employees from Workplace Discrimination,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Frank Pallone issued the following statement today regarding the U.S. Department of Labor’s announced rule to protect federal contract workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The rule will formally implement Executive Order 13672, signed by President Obama in July 2014:
“Today’s announcement by the Department of Labor confirms what we already know: what matters in the workplace is how you do your job, not who you are or who you love. No one in this country should be subjected to discrimination and harassment at work. I commend Secretary Perez and the Department of Labor for taking a critical step today to implement President Obama’s Executive Order and to ensure that members of the LGBT community receive the same protections afforded to all other Americans.
“While this is an important step towards prohibiting discrimination in the workplace for federal contractors, there is more work that needs to be done. Congress has an obligation to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and guarantee fairness in the workplace for every American employee. Congress must schedule a vote on ENDA immediately in order to provide these same protections to all LGBT workers—not just those fortunate enough to be covered by this particular rule.
“I remain committed to working in Congress to make sure that all Americans are free to work without the threat of harassment or discrimination, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. Today’s announcement by the Department of Labor, though, serves as a crucial step forward in our efforts to guarantee LGBT equality in this country.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://sires.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-sires-statement-on-alan-gross-5-year-imprisonment-in-cuba,Congressman Sires Statement on Alan Gross 5 Year Imprisonment in Cuba,2014-12-03,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Albio Sires,S001165,sires.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) - Congressman Albio Sires issued the following statement regarding the fifth year anniversary of Alan Gross’ imprisonment in Cuba:
“Today marked the fifth year that former USAID contractor and U.S. citizen Alan Gross has languished in a Cuban prison. Not a day goes by that I do not pray for him and his family to see an end to this unimaginable nightmare. The way by which Mr. Gross, 65 years old today and in ill health, was unwarrantedly detained, falsely tried, and then imprisoned on groundless accusations is a sobering reminder of the Cuban government’s own unabashed practice of utilizing fear, incarceration, and unwarranted force to maintain control over the Cuban people.
I am unequivocal in my commitment for the unconditional and expedient release of Mr. Gross. I do, however, implore the Administration to proceed with prudent haste to see to Mr. Gross’ release and avert succumbing to ill-conceived measures that will cast Mr. Gross as a pawn in what would be tantamount to a dangerous game of diplomatic chess. This is neither a game nor should we play into one. Mr. Gross needs be released unconditionally and allowed to come home now.”
Congressman Sires serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere within the House Committee on Foreign Affairs for the 113th Congress.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397748,"Brookdale Art Exhibit 100 Days of Silence Displayed in Washington, DC",2014-12-02,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) hosted “100 Days of Silence,” a one-of-a-kind art exhibition on Tues. Dec. 2, 2014, coordinated by the Center for Holocaust, Human Rights & Genocide Education (Chhange) at Brookdale Community College to commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the 1994 Rwanda Genocide. The collection brings together works created by over 450 New Jersey students and includes more than 60 life-size human forms which illustrate students’ artistic responses to learning about the genocide, the silence of the world, and the importance of becoming involved, concerned citizens. “These are powerful expressions by young people who are concerned about a genocide that unfolded while the world watched,” said Smith, a longtime human rights advocate in Congress and chairman of the House Africa and global human rights subcommittee. “The pieces in this exhibition remind us that each of the hundreds of thousands of victims in Rwanda was an individual, worthy of dignity, whose precious life was cut short, who the world should have done more to save. If we cannot do more to prevent genocides in the future, ‘Never again’ will only be lip service. When so many innocent lives are at stake, we must do more. While remembering a genocide often invokes feelings of horror, this exhibition reminds us that hope is also crucial. We must have the hope that we can defeat the evil that is at the root of genocides and we must follow it with the will to act.” The 100 Days of Silence exhibit corresponds with the 100 days in 1994 when some 800,000 Rwandan men, women and children were killed by Hutu extremists. The title is a reference to the failure of the global community to intervene. A number of officials stopped by, including U.S. Reps. Jim McGovern, Chaka Fattah, Bobby Rush, Al Green, and Mexican Ambassador Eduardo Medina-Mora. “The exhibit is a chance for students, educators and community members to reflect upon the human experience of the Rwandan people and the silence of the world,” according to Dale Daniels, executive director of Chhange. “It is a powerful statement from our children and our community about genocide and humanity.” Originally exhibited at Chhange from April through August 2014, the 100 Days of Silence art exhibit will be on display in the Rayburn House Office Building Foyer (first floor) from 4 to 7 p.m. The Rayburn building is located Southwest of the U.S. Capitol, bounded by Independence Ave., South Capitol St., First St., and C St., S.W. Smith is co-chairman of U.S. Helsinki Commission and an Executive Member of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397749,"Hamilton, Red Bank Arts Organizations Awarded National Endowment for the Arts Grants",2014-12-02,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Three local organizations will each receive $20,000 grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to support arts projects, Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04) announced today. Two River Theatre in Red Bank, and Grounds for Sculpture and International Sculpture Center, Inc. both in Hamilton, were among chosen from 3,455 applications for funding. In all, 1,118 awardees were chosen across the country. “These organizations each contribute to the community and beyond,” Smith said. “Their work recognizes artists and talent and encourages a wider appreciation for the arts in the public. Two River Theater Company openly fosters young people to participate in its productions, and is a jewel in the crown of Monmouth County theater. Grounds for Sculpture is an amazing display of artistry for both visitors and passers-by along the old State Fair Grounds area in Hamilton, since many displayed artwork can be seen and enjoyed driving along East State Street. The international sculpture center serves nearly all aspects of the field sculpture, from artists to museums and virtually anyone with an appreciation of sculpture.” Two River Theater Company of Red Bank in Monmouth County was awarded $20,000 to support the world premiere of ""Be More Chill,"" a new musical by playwright Joe Tracz and composer and lyricist Joe Iconis. Based on the young adult novel of the same name by Ned Vizzini, the work tells the story of an unpopular teen boy who inserts a supercomputer into his brain that teaches him how to “be cool.” In an effort to engage young audiences, the theater will recruit teen ambassadors who will attend readings and rehearsals to learn about the show’s development, and the theater will host outreach events and post-play discussions.
The theater company develops and produces American theater created by gifted, adventurous artists. Each year, more than 55,000 patrons and guests attend Two River Theater events to see productions in the theater’s intimate performance spaces, the Joan and Robert Rechnitz Theater and the Marion Huber Theater. Founded in 1994, Two River Theater now enjoys recognition in the national theater community for their new-play commissioning program, launched in 2010 to create a pipeline for developing work that contributes to the vitality and future of the American theater.
Grounds For Sculpture Inc., of Hamilton in Mercer County, was also awarded a $20,000 grant to support an exhibition of work by Korean-American sculptor Jae Ko. The artist will create a massively scaled, deep sculptural relief (raised dimensional technique) made entirely of manipulated paper that she rolls and layers against the gallery wall. The project also will include the exhibition of smaller, ""sumi"" (ink wash) works to demonstrate Ko's artistic depth and talent. Demonstrations, workshops, artist's talks, and a documentary video will help educate the public about the versatility of paper as a medium.
Grounds For Sculpture is a constantly-evolving collection of contemporary outdoor sculptures situated on the former New Jersey State Fairgrounds. Established in 1992 to promote an understanding of and appreciation for contemporary sculpture, the organization maintains a 42-acre sculpture park composed of works by well-known and emerging American and international artists in Hamilton Township, NJ. In accordance with its mission, it presents visitors with an evolving permanent outdoor collection, seasonal exhibitions, and educational programs designed to facilitate the understanding of and appreciation for contemporary sculpture.
International Sculpture Center, Inc., also of Hamilton, has been awarded $20,000 to support the “Dialogues and Discoveries” initiative. Designed to facilitate conversations about contemporary sculpture, the initiative includes the production of Sculpture magazine, online digital content, and a weekly blog. Sculpture has a press run of 14,000 copies per issue 10 times per year, as well as an online audience of 500,000, and more than 36,000 unique blog users.
ISC is a member-supported, nonprofit organization founded in 1960 to champion the creation and understanding of sculpture and its unique contributions to society. ISC members include not only sculptors but collectors, patrons, architects, developers, journalists, curators, historians, critics, educators, foundries, galleries, and museums. The mission of the center is to expand public understanding and appreciation of sculpture internationally, demonstrate the power of sculpture to educate and effect social change, engage artists and arts professionals in a dialogue to advance the art form and promote a supportive environment for sculpture and sculptors. The NEA was established by Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. To date, the NEA has awarded more than $5 billion to support artistic excellence, creativity, and innovation for the benefit of individuals and communities. The NEA extends its work through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector. Congressman Smith, who represents New Jersey’s Fourth Congressional District in the House of Representatives, has offices in Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean Counties. For more information call (732) 780-3035 or (609) 585-7878.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://norcross.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/rep-norcross-statement-50m-school-renovation-project-announced-today,Rep. Norcross Statement on $50M School Renovation Project Announced Today in Camden,2014-12-02,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Donald Norcross,N000188,norcross.house.gov,,,legacy,"Today, Governor Chris Christie and the New Jersey Schools Development Association (SDA) announced a $50 million project to renovate Camden City High School and transform the facility into a state of the art learning environment. The announcement culminates years of advocacy by Congressman Donald Norcross, Mayor Dana Redd, and countless others. Prior to his recent election to the Congress, Donald Norcross fought tirelessly for the repairs as Chairman of the Schools Construction Subcommittee in the New Jersey Senate.
The project commits at least $50 million in SDA resources to address Camden High School’s structural deficiencies, while also moving forward with a plan to create a campus environment on site that will house four additional autonomous small schools. Architectural work on the project is expected to start this Spring.
“Making sure that our students have a school that is safe and modern is the first step to ensuring their academic success,” said Congressman Norcross. “This $50 million investment will not only address the much-needed structural needs at Camden City High School, but it also demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the City of Camden and its residents by providing top rate classrooms where opportunities for success are achieved. I applaud Governor Christie and the SDA for honoring their commitment to Camden schools and will continue my efforts to improve South Jersey’s educational facilities as Congressman.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=171,"Sens. Booker, Menendez, Rep. LoBiondo and New Jersey Reps. Send Letter to Labor Secretary Advocating for New Jerseyans Impacted by Atlantic City Casino Closures",2014-12-02,2014,2014-12,Democrat,House,NJ,Cory Booker,B001288,www.booker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"December 2, 2014
WASHINGTON – New Jersey members of Congress, led by U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez both D-NJ, and Rep. Frank LoBiondo R-NJ2 today sent a letter to U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Thomas Perez advocating for the 6,500 hardworking New Jerseyans affected by the closures of the Revel, Showboat, and Trump Plaza casinos in Atlantic City.
Reps. Donald Norcross D-NJ1, Frank Pallone D-NJ6, Rush Holt D-NJ12, Donald Payne Jr. D-NJ10, Albio Sires D-NJ8, Bill Pascrell D-NJ9, Chris Smith R-NJ4, and Jon Runyan R-NJ3 also joined in the letter urging Secretary Perez to support the Atlantic City Re-Employment Initiative, a National Emergency Grant (NEG) proposal filed by the State of New Jersey which would fund employer-driven training programs and help affected workers learn new skills that are in demand.
In the letter Sens. Booker, Menendez and the Reps. wrote:
“We strongly support the plan put forward by the New Jersey Division of Labor and Workforce Development and are confident that, in coordination with the local workforce investment board, this funding will be utilized to increase occupational skills and reemploy these workers. We urge your urgent and expedited attention to this proposal, as thousands of New Jersey families are in need.”
The signed letter can be viewed here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397747,Hearing on Chinas Influence on U.S. Universities Set for Dec. 4,2014-12-01,2014,2014-12,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"A hearing entitled “Is Academic Freedom Threatened by China's Influence on U.S. Universities?” will be held Dec. 4 by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the global human rights subcommittee in the House of Representatives and co-chairman of the U.S. Commission on China.
“The Chinese educational market is a lucrative one, but we have to ask if there are any hidden costs for American schools and colleges seeking access to that market,” said Smith, who chairs the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations. “By rushing to build campuses in China and signing agreements to have Chinese government entities on American campuses, are universities and schools accepting restrictions on foundational principles of American higher education? The American university model is the world’s best and they should be ambassadors for freedom and democracy globally. They should also be islands of freedom where foreign students can enjoy the fundamental freedoms denied them in their own country. Our witnesses will provide information on the growing presence of American universities in China and the presence of Chinese government educational entities on American campuses through ‘Confucius Institutes.’ They will also detail some of the costs and benefits of such educational partnerships and offer recommendations on how such partnerships can protect academic freedom and the fundamental human rights of faculty and students.”
Who: Rep. Smith, longtime advocate of human rights in China, other invited members of Congress, and:
Dr. Perry Link, Ph.D., Chancellorial Chair for Innovative Teaching, University of California, Riverside;
Thomas Cushman, Ph.D., Deffenbaugh de Hoyos Carlson Chair in the Social Sciences, Wellesley College, and;
Xia Yeliang, Ph.D., Visiting Fellow, Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity, Cato InstituteWhen: Thursday, Dec. 4 @ 1 p.m.
What: Congressional hearing on academic freedom and China's Influence on U.S. Universities
Where: Room 2172 Rayburn House Office Building ### http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearing/subcommittee-hearing-academic-freedom-threatened-chinas-influence-us-universities",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397743,"Asbury Park Press Op-EdSMITH: Defiant killer still free 52 years later",2014-11-25,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The week of Thanksgiving is often a difficult time for the daughters of Walter Patterson, who was attacked on Nov. 23, 1962, at his Wall gas station and died two days later, Nov. 25. Those sad anniversaries are made worse because they know that their father’s killer, George Wright, lives freely and defiantly today in Portugal.
In recent years I have been pushing the Obama administration to ramp up efforts to seek extradition of American fugitives who have taken refuge in other countries, with Wright and JoAnne Chesimard, who killed New Jersey state trooper Werner Foerster in 1973, at the top of the list. Both committed grisly murders in New Jersey, were convicted and sentenced, escaped prison and now live openly abroad, out of reach of our justice system.
Walter, a World War II hero and Bronze Star recipient, was brutally beaten and shot in the 1962 robbery. Wright was captured, tried, convicted and sent to prison. Justice seemed to be served. Unfortunately, he escaped from Bayside State Prison in Leesburg, Cumberland County, in 1970 and fled the U.S. in 1972 by hijacking a commercial jet. The FBI painstakingly tracked him down in 2011, but Portugal refused to extradite him, declaring it had granted Wright citizenship. Wright gave a gloating media interview, claiming “I really should be a role model of rehabilitation.”
Foerster was shot and killed on a routine traffic stop on the New Jersey Turnpike. Chesimard was convicted and sent to prison. She broke out of Clinton Correctional Facility for Women in 1979 and made her way to Cuba, and has lived there ever since as an honored “guest” of the Castro government.
Wright and Chesimard are emblematic of why we need to bring fugitives back to the United States.
In 2011, Patterson’s daughter, Ann, testified at a Capitol Hill hearing I chaired on Wright’s unjust freedom and the efficacy of the U.S. extradition process. Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jonathan Winer also testified and said that the Portuguese judge’s refusal to extradite Wright to the U.S. was “legally indefensible” under international principles of extradition law.
Current Justice Department officials admitted to me that its “data management system cannot readily specify the number of (extradition) requests presented to a foreign country in a given time period.” Even more troubling, they claim that their system does not maintain a central repository for information on rendition requests — or their status. Similarly, the U.S. Department of Justice seems extremely reluctant to discuss not only the Wright and Chesimard cases, but even to provide basic information on the extradition system and whether it is working.
In other words, American family members are basically left on their own to pursue information and justice for a relative whose killer has outrun U.S. law enforcement.
To address this unfairness and garner more support for surviving family members, I have introduced the Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act. This bipartisan legislation, co-sponsored by Rep. Albio Sires, D-N.J., would for the first time require the president to report annually to Congress on the number of American fugitives residing in other countries; a list of the countries harboring U.S. criminals; efforts made by the U.S. government to secure a return; the number of resolved cases; and factors that have been barriers to resolving cases.
Armed with this information, Congress would be able to exercise its oversight responsibility to ensure that federal agencies work more effectively with and on behalf of surviving family members like the Pattersons.
Both Patterson and Foerster were violently murdered and torn away from their families. In the name of justice, we owe it to the victims — and their surviving family members — to aggressively pursue extradition of convicted murderers and return them to U.S. prisons for the completion of their sentences.
Chris Smith is a Republican congressman who represents New Jersey’s 4th Congressional District. Click here to view Smith's 2012 hearing on George Wright.
Click here to read Smith's Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act ,bipartisan legislation, cosponsored by Rep. Albio Sires (D-N.J.), Click on image below or here to view a 2012 CBS 48 Hours on the case:",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397744,"Trentonian Op-EdPut Fugitives Back in American Prisons",2014-11-25,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"BY U.S. REP. CHRIS SMITH (NJ-04)
for the Trentonian The week of Thanksgiving is often a difficult time for the daughters of Walter Patterson, who was attacked on Nov. 23, 1962 at his Wall, N.J. gas station and died two days later Nov. 25. Those sad anniversaries are made worse because they know that their father’s killer, George Wright, lives freely and defiantly today in Portugal. In recent years I have been pushing the Obama Administration to ramp up efforts to seek extradition American fugitives who’ve taken refuge in other countries–with George Wright and cop-killer JoAnne Chesimard, who killed New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster in 1973, at the top of the list. Both committed grisly murders in New Jersey, were convicted and sentenced, escaped prison and now live openly abroad–out of reach of our justice system. Walter, a World War II hero and Bronze Star recipient, was brutally beaten and shot in the 1962 robbery. Wright was captured, tried, convicted and sent to prison. Justice seemed to be served. Unfortunately, he escaped from Bayside State Prison in Leesburg in 1970 and fled the U.S. in 1972 by hijacking a commercial jet. The FBI painstakingly tracked him down in 2011, but Portugal refused to extradite him, declaring it had granted Wright citizenship. Wright gave a gloating media interview, claiming “I really should be a role model of rehabilitation.” Trooper Foerster, a Vietnam War veteran from Old Bridge, was shot and killed on a routine traffic stop on the N.J. Turnpike. JoAnne Chesimard was convicted and sent to prison. She broke out of Clinton Correctional Facility for Women in 1979 and made her way to Cuba, and has lived there ever since as an honored ‘guest’ of the Castro government. Wright and Chesimard–both convicted murderers and prison escapees who are living openly abroad–are emblematic of why we need to bring fugitives back to the United States. In 2011, Walter Patterson’s daughter, Ann, testified at a Capitol Hillhearing I chaired on Wright’s unjust freedom and the efficacy of the U.S. extradition process. Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Jonathan Winer also testified and said that the Portuguese judge’s refusal to extradite Wright to the U.S. was “legally indefensible” under international principles of extradition law. Current Justice Department officials admitted to me that its “data management system cannot readily specify the number of [extradition] requests presented to a foreign country in a given time period.” Even more troubling, they claim that their system does not maintain a central repository for information on rendition requests—or their status. Similarly, the U.S. Department of Justice seems extremely reluctant to discuss not only the Wright and Chesimard cases, but even to provide basic information on the extradition system and whether it is working. In other words, American family members are basically left on their own to pursue information and justice for a relative whose killer has outrun U.S. law enforcement. To address this unfairness and garner more support for surviving family members, I have introduced theWalter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act.This bipartisan legislation, cosponsored by Rep. Albio Sires (D-N.J.), would for the first time require the President to report annually to Congress on: the number of American fugitives residing in other countries; a list of the countries harboring U.S. criminals; efforts made by the U.S. government to secure a return; the number of resolved cases; and factors that have been barriers to resolving cases. Knowledge is power and armed with this information, Congress would be able to exercise its oversight responsibility to ensure that federal agencies work more effectively with and on behalf of surviving family members like the Pattersons. Both Walter Patterson and Trooper Foerster were violently murdered and torn away from their families. In the name of justice, we owe it to the victims—and their surviving family members—to aggressively pursue extradition of convicted murderers and return them to U.S. prisons for the completion of their sentences. Click here to view Smith's 2012 hearing on George Wright.
Click here to read Smith's Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act ,bipartisan legislation, cosponsored by Rep. Albio Sires (D-N.J.), Click on image below or here to view a 2012 CBS 48 Hours on the case:",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-announces-additional-71-million-continue-woodbridge-and-sayreville-buyouts-and,Pallone Announces Additional $7.1 Million to Continue Woodbridge and Sayreville Buyouts and Demolitions,2014-11-25,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) will receive an additional $7.1 million to continue to fund buyouts and the demolition of flood prone properties in Sayreville and Woodbridge. $3,303,332 has been allocated to continue to buyout and demolish 196 properties in Sayreville and $3,862,563 has been allocated to continue to buyout and demolish 187 properties in Woodbridge. These latest grants are awarded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and were made possible through the Sandy Aid package Congressman Pallone fought for in Congress.
“This additional funding brings us one step closer to providing much needed relief to Woodbridge and Sayreville homeowners who have repeatedly suffered and struggled to put the pieces back together after each flood,” said Congressman Pallone. “As extreme weather becomes more and more frequent due to climate change, I’m pleased that the Sandy Aid package has allowed for steps like these buyouts to mitigate future storm damage and costs and take residents out of harm’s way.”
$43,293,713.80 was initially allocated to the Sayreville project, which covered 75% of the project’s total costs. However, the state has decided to fund this project with 100% federal funds and has allocated an additional $14,431,238, or 25%, bringing the total cost of the project to $57,724,954. The Woodbridge project will also be funded with 100% federal funds. Funds are being awarded incrementally for both the Sayreville and Woodbridge projects until all the designated properties are acquired and demolished.
Pallone has met with a number of homeowners who have faced severe and repetitive damages to their homes from flooding, and he fought to secure funding for their buyouts. In a March 2013 letter to Governor Christie on the State’s proposal to use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, Pallone called for full funding to aid the homeowners.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-statement-st-louis-county-grand-jury-decision,Pallone Statement on St. Louis County Grand Jury Decision,2014-11-25,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) released the following statement after a St. Louis County Grand Jury announced it will not indict Officer Darren Wilson in the death of Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager who was shot and killed in August:
“The St. Louis County Grand Jury’s decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson is a failure of our justice system. The principle of ‘Equal Justice under Law’ must apply to all Americans. My thoughts and prayers are with Michael Brown’s family, especially his parents, who have endured such unimaginable pain and hardship over these past few months.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://payne.house.gov/press-release/payne-deeply-disappointed-ferguson-grand-jury-decision,Payne Deeply Disappointed in Ferguson Grand Jury Decision,2014-11-25,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Donald Payne,P000604,payne.house.gov,,,legacy,"Newark, N.J. – Today, Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) released the below statement following the Ferguson grand jury’s decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for the death of Michael Brown:
“As many others, I am deeply disappointed in the grand jury’s decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson for shooting and killing Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. This is a tremendous miscarriage of justice that reminds everyone, of every age and race, that we still have incredible hatred and prejudice to overcome in our nation.
“People in all communities – whether they are in Ferguson, Missouri or Newark, New Jersey – deserve to feel that they are safe and being protected. We cannot let the death of Michael Brown be in vain; we cannot resort to violence and looting; and we cannot find comfort in despair and complacency. We must do as a nation what we always do, and that is to stand up for justice, fight for change, and not stop until we get it in a peaceful manner. Let us strive to embody the words and teachings of Dr. King, ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hatred cannot drive out hatred; only love can do that.’
“My heartfelt condolences go out to Michael Brown’s family and to the people of Ferguson. I am hopeful that the ongoing federal investigation will bring justice to the Brown Family. To the people who have continually fought for equality and justice in this country, the struggle continues, but let us never give up hope.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-statement-federal-court-ruling-sports-betting-new-jersey,Pallone Statement on Federal Court Ruling on Sports Betting in New Jersey,2014-11-24,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today issued the following statement on U.S. District Judge Michael Shipp’s decision to bar New Jersey from implementing its new sports betting law:
""I am very disappointed with Judge Shipp's ruling and disagree with his decision. I believe New Jersey's sports betting law fully complies with the ruling set down by the Third Circuit and that it should be allowed to be implemented as such. Legal sports betting will have a real and tangible impact on the State of New Jersey, bringing tourism and tax revenue to the state and reinvigorating the racetracks and Atlantic City.
""The fact is, the citizens of New Jersey passed a constitutional amendment by referendum and their legislature acted to give it effect. While the Third Circuit may have ruled that New Jersey's original sports betting law was not legal, New Jersey has now enacted a law that complies with the requirements set out by the court and which allows New Jersey to permit sports betting within its borders. This ruling simply misses the mark.
""I remain committed to seeing sports betting becoming legal in the New Jersey. I believe that change is needed at the federal level and will continue to work with my colleagues, in particular, Congressman LoBiondo, to see this change occur.""",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397736,"Two Smith Humanitarian Bills AdvanceEbola Virus & Anti-Hunger Bills Passed by Key House Committee",2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The House Foreign Affairs Committee Thursday approved two key humanitarian aid bills authored by Rep. Chris Smith – one to help contain and better treat Ebola at points of origination overseas and a second bill to combat world hunger by enhancing agricultural and nutrition activities in poor countries. The adoption of both bills at the full committee level improves the chances that each bill will be considered by the full congress before the end of this year.
“I am proud to have introduced H.R. 5656, the Global Food Security Act, and to have the support of co-sponsors across the aisle,” Smith said. “This important legislation will help provide a long-term solution to global hunger by authorizing a national food security program coordinated by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) known as Feed the Future. This program strengthens nutrition, especially for children during that critical first 1000 day-window, from conception to the child’s second birthday, and also teaches small-scale farmers techniques to increase agricultural productivity, thereby helping nations achieve food security – something that is in the national security interest of the United States as well.” Smith also noted that the legislation is “fiscally-responsible, as helping countries become agriculturally self-sufficient should lead to a reduction in the amount of money we spend on emergency food aid.” Over 800 million people around the world suffer from chronic hunger. The Smith bill, co-sponsored by Democrat Betty McCollum, coordinates the efforts of 11 government agencies in improving basic nutrition and reducing hunger within the poorest of 19 priority countries. It promotes women’s economic empowerment and building the capacity of local small scale farmers. Begun by President Bush and continued by President Obama, the current U.S. food security program has been funded by Congress in annual appropriations legislation, but without official statutory authorization. The Smith bill would permanently codify and authorize such efforts and help marshal a worldwide commitment to tackling hunger and malnutrition. USAID will be the lead U.S. agency, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture, the Department of State, the U.S. African Development Foundation and the other agencies. The Foreign Affairs Committee also passed another key Smith legislative initiative on the Ebola crisis.
Smith, who chairs the Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Global Health, has held three hearings on the West African Ebola epidemic since August – the most recent one on Tuesday, November 18 – on the extent of this epidemic and the U.S. government response. The unprecedented epidemic has killed more than 5,000 people, with another 14,000 people known to be infected. “In previous hearings, we were told that if the rate of infection continued at the level it was at the end of summer, we could have 1.4 million Ebola cases in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone by the end of January,” Smith said. “Due to the robust programming of our government in Liberia, the rate of new infections there is slowing measurably, and we may avoid this dire prediction.” H.R 5710 – the Ebola Emergency Response Act – lays out the steps needed for the U.S. government to continue to effectively help fight the West African Ebola epidemic, especially in Liberia, the worst-hit of the three affected countries. The bill supports staffing and training health care personnel, establishing fully functional treatment centers, conducting education campaigns among populations in affected countries and developing diagnostics, treatments and vaccines. It confirms U.S. policy in the anti-Ebola fight and provides necessary authorities for the Administration to continue or expand anticipated actions in this regard. “Unless we can prevent the further increase in Ebola cases in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, there will be increasing pressure on the United States and the rest of the international community to combat this threat once it reaches our shores,” Smith said. At today’s committee mark-up, Smith also offered a substitute amendment to H.R. 2901, the Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act, enhancing local capacity for critical water projects, including safe drinking water. Smith has spearheaded similar U.S. international, health and nutritional initiatives throughout his career dating back to legislation he successfully offered in 1985 to restore and double the commitment to the then Child Survival Fund program to protect children who would otherwise die from preventable, curable diseases.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397741,Smith Urges Resolution of Nigerian Government Crisis,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"The National Assembly of Nigeria was closed down Thursday in the wake of an effort to block opposition lawmakers from entering the Nigerian House of Representatives. The apparent main target was Speaker of the House Aminu Tambuwal, who left the ruling People’s Democratic Party recently to join the opposition All Progressives Congress. Congressman Chris Smith, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations, urges the Nigerian executive branch to respect the democratic process and cease and desist efforts to interfere with the legislative branch. “Nigeria is the largest democracy in Africa, and as such has been watched closely by other democratic governments in Africa,” Smith said. “If the executive branch of Nigeria successfully thwarts the ability of its legislature to operate, other governments could follow, and democracy in Africa will be placed in grave danger.” Speaker Tambuwal was able to enter the House chambers only after his colleagues overpowered State Security Service and police officers blocking his entry. At least 15 other House members from his party had to scale a fence erected to block them from entering the building. Several members reportedly were overcome by tear gas used by Nigerian security and police personnel. In the wake of the conflict, Senate President David Mark closed the entire National Assembly. The National Assembly had been reconvened at the request of President Goodluck Jonathan to consider his request for an extension of the state of emergency in three states in northeastern Nigeria beset by attacks from the terrorist group Boko Haram: Adamawa, Borno and Yobe.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-statement-president-obama%E2%80%99s-announced-plan-extend-protections-immigrant,Pallone Statement on President Obamas Announced Plan to Extend Protections to Immigrant Families,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) released the following statement in response to President Obama’s announcement that he will use an executive action to adjust the country’s deportation policies, focusing on undocumented immigrants convicted of serious crimes, rather than those with strong ties to the U.S.:
“I applaud the President for taking an important first step to help fix our country’s broken immigration system. In the face of House Republicans crippling inaction, President Obama has acted decisively and within his legal authority to help keep families together and ensure that everyone living in this country is playing by the same rules. These executive actions will help secure our border, hold bad actors accountable, and ensure that families are not being ripped apart.
“While President Obama’s announced plan will expand protections to millions of undocumented immigrants in this country, it is no substitute for a comprehensive solution. This is a critical step in the right direction, but there is much more that needs to be done. Congress has a responsibility to act to address this issue in a comprehensive manner.
“Speaker Boehner and Republican leadership in the House have repeatedly asserted that they intend to take up immigration reform. However, it has been over a year since the Senate passed a bipartisan immigration bill, and House Republicans have yet to schedule a single vote on the issue. It is the job of Congress to legislate, and immigration reform needs a legislative solution. I urge my Republican colleagues to stop making excuses and start working with Democrats so that we can finally address the problems facing our nation’s immigration system in a meaningful way.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-statement-proposed-sandy-hook-fee-increase-0,Pallone Statement on Proposed Sandy Hook Fee Increase,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) issued the following statement in response to the U.S. National Park Service’s proposal to increase Sandy Hook’s camping and parking fees:
“Sandy Hook is a treasure along the New Jersey shore that should remain affordable for anyone who wants to visit, regardless of his or her economic situation. I want to see the park continue to encourage tourism, create recreational opportunities and serve as an economic driver for the local economy.
“I have always been an advocate for the preservation and upkeep of Sandy Hook and will continue to be, but I do not support asking hardworking New Jersey families to fork over more money in order to spend time together at one of our nation’s national parks.
“It was just two years ago that the National Park Service increased fees at Sandy Hook by fifty percent and there was significant opposition at that time. I am requesting that the National Park Service schedule a public hearing on the issue at Sandy Hook so that the local community and all interested parties can have their voices heard. I encourage everyone to make their feelings on this matter known to the National Park Service.”
The Gateway National Recreation Area is seeking public comment on the proposed fee increase. To do so, send an email to Fee_increase@nps.gov or send a letter to the Office of the Superintendent, Gateway National Recreation Area, ATTN: proposed parking and camping fee increase, 210 New York Ave., Staten Island, NY 10305.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-statement-selection-ranking-member-energy-and-commerce-committee,Pallone Statement on Selection as Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) issued the following statement after being nominated by the House Democratic Caucus to become the next Ranking Minority Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee:
“I am deeply honored to have been chosen by my colleagues to serve as Ranking Member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
“I am so grateful for this opportunity to lead my party in promoting the values that first compelled me to enter public service and that continue to motivate me today. I am fully committed to developing real solutions to the challenges that average Americans face, while building an agenda that will make our party stronger for years to come.
“Over the last year, it has been a privilege to speak with members of the caucus about our shared vision for the futures of both the committee and our party. I am excited to work together to make this vision a reality.
“I want to extend my profound appreciation and deepest gratitude to the entire Democratic Caucus, especially those who have encouraged me along the way. The outpouring of support has been humbling.
“I look forward to working closely with Congresswoman Eshoo and all of my colleagues to continue delivering on the Democratic promise to the American people.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pallone.house.gov/press-release/pallone-statement-senate-passage-sudden-unexpected-infant-death-bill,Pallone Statement on Senate Passage of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death Bill,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Frank Pallone,P000034,pallone.house.gov,,,legacy,"Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) today issued the following statement after the Senate passed an amended version of his Sudden Unexpected Death Data Enhancement and Awareness Act, H.R. 669, which directs the Department of Health and Human Services to continue collecting data on stillbirth, sudden unexpected infant death (SUID), and sudden unexplained death in childhood (SUDC):
“I am pleased that the Senate has passed an amended version of my legislation, which will help us to better understand the causes of stillbirth, SUID and SUDC,” said Pallone. “Collecting this information is critical to understanding why these sudden and unexpected deaths occur and what can be done to prevent them. Most importantly, though, this information will give so many families the answers that they have struggled to find. No parent should ever have to endure the pain of losing a child, but it is my hope that this bill will give these families some peace of mind and prevent others from ever having to experience such a tragedy. I look forward to the House of Representatives taking up this bill so that the President can sign it into law before the end of the year.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://sires.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-sires-statement-on-president-obamas-executive-action-on,Congressman Sires' Statement on President Obama's Executive Action on Immigration,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Albio Sires,S001165,sires.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Congressman Albio Sires (D-NJ) issued the below statement regarding President Obama’s executive action on immigration:
“Since I was first elected to Congress, I have been fighting for comprehensive immigration reform. Unfortunately, the current majority party has had the best chance in a generation to fix our broken immigration system, but walked away. Now, President Obama, as did his predecessors, is using his legal executive authority to grant relief to millions of families who support themselves and have deep ties to America.
Not only will the President’s action allow immigrant families to no longer live in fear, but it will also make the process easier for high skilled immigrant workers, entrepreneurs and graduates to stay and boost our economy.
The President's announcement last night sets the country in the right direction, but let's be clear there still is work to be done. As a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus I will continue to work with my colleagues to construct long term policies that are crucial to comprehensive immigration legislation.""
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://sires.house.gov//media-center/washington-reviews/washington-review-november-21-2014,"Washington Review, November 21, 2014",2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Albio Sires,S001165,sires.house.gov,,,legacy,"Over the past two weeks in Washington, I participated in a subcommittee hearing and committee markup session for several important pieces of legislation, spoke with airline pilots about the aviation industry, reflected on the importance of Veterans Day, and attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Bayonne Fire Department’s new firehouse.
Last week our nation celebrated Veterans Day to honor America’s veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve. Just as the military pledges to leave no soldier behind on the battlefield, we will leave no veteran behind when they return home. You can read my full statement on Veterans Day here.
It was a pleasure to take part in the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Bayonne Fire Department’s new fire house. This state-of-the-art facility, funded by a $3.5 million federal grant, will give the City of Bayonne the financial means to increase the capabilities of Bayonne’s fire department and to protect communities and local residents from fire hazards. I supported Bayonne’s application for this grant and was honored to attend this ceremony.
This week in Washington, I participated in a Foreign Affairs Committee markup session for several very important bills, including the Paul Simon Water for the World Act (H.R. 2901), of which I am a cosponsor. This bill would improve water development programs and support safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives around the globe. We also discussed a bill that would prohibit the United States from recognizing the Russian annexation of Crimea (H.R. 5241), of which I am also a cosponsor, as well as the Ebola Emergency Response Act (H.R. 5710), which would provide for U.S. as well as U.N. coordination and assistance in Africa in managing the Ebola outbreak. Hopefully, these pieces of legislation will be brought before the full House of Representatives for a vote soon.
As the Ranking Member, I also participated in the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere hearing on the unaccompanied child migrants crossing the U.S. border from the countries of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. More than 68,500 unaccompanied minors were taken into custody between October 2013 and September 2014, and this spike has strained U.S. government resources, created a complex crisis with humanitarian implications, and raised concerns about the safety and protection of the children. It was encouraging to hear from officials within the State Department, USAID, and the Inter-American Foundation on the status of these children and how we are managing this crisis.
Finally, I was pleased to speak with the Airline Pilots Association this week on the importance of maintaining a strong U.S. aviation workforce. New Jersey is home to three commercial airports that employ thousands of employees from the 8th Congressional District. The Norwegian Air International’s foreign air carrier permit exception application would threaten U.S. domestic airlines by putting them at a competitive disadvantage. As such, I will continue to promote U.S. aviation workers, the rule of law, and policies that make sense and support good jobs.
Thank you for reading the Washington Review. For regular updates, you may stay in touch by leaving comments on my Facebook, Twitter, and website.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://frelinghuysen.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=2&itemid=955,Statement of Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen on President's Executive Order on Immigration,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,NJ,Rodney Frelinghuysen,F000372,frelinghuysen.house.gov,,,legacy,"“The message of the 2014 election was that the American people want Congress and the President to work together to develop solutions for the problems facing our constituents. Yet, just two weeks past that election, the President announced he’s taking unilateral action on immigration by declaring that millions of unlawful immigrants can stay in the U.S. without facing the consequences of violating current U.S. immigration laws. In effect, he’s jumping them to the front of the line, ahead of millions of potential immigrants who have waited their turn and followed our rules.
“It is absolutely true that the Congress has not agreed on how to legislate reform of the immigration system. But that does not mean, on a whim, the President can ignore the Constitution and alter existing U.S. law before Congress passes new statutes.
“Our immigration system is broken and it needs to be fixed. That effort must start with working together to secure the borders first!”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=170,Booker Statement on Immigration Executive Action,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Cory Booker,B001288,www.booker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"November 21, 2014
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., issued the following statement after President Obama announced executive action marking reform measures to the U.S. immigration system:
“I am encouraged by President Obama’s remarks tonight on immigration reform. This is an important first step and more needs to be done. At a time of great crisis in our country, when families are being separated, our nation is losing revenue, and we have an immigration policy that by just about everyone's account is failing to accomplish our common goals, we must implement a comprehensive strategy that secures our border and strengthens our economy. The president's plan will greatly help law enforcement focus on felons and threats to our country, and pull individuals out of the shadows, not to grant them amnesty, but allow them to pay taxes and start on a path towards lawful immigration. Congress must act to fix our broken immigration system and implement a long-term solution — nothing less than America's economic success, national security, and fundamental values are at stake. Senator Menendez and a bipartisan coalition in the Senate have already passed a comprehensive immigration bill, and now it's time for House Republicans to act.""
New Jersey's immigrant population has been an integral part of the state's economy for decades. New Jersey has 15,200 foreign born students who contribute $447.6 million to the state economy. According to a report by the Perryman Group, without the contributions of unauthorized immigrants, New Jersey would lose $24.2 billion in economic activity, $10.7 billion in gross state product, and approximately 103,898 jobs.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=172,Booker Applauds Senate Passage of Satellite Reauthorization Legislation,2014-11-21,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Cory Booker,B001288,www.booker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Bill Includes Booker-Fischer Media Market Study
November 21, 2014
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., issued the following statement applauding the passage of legislation to reauthorize the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA). The legislation includes an amendment championed by Sens. Booker and Deb Fischer, R-N.E., requiring the Federal Communications Commission to examine media markets and make recommendations on how to improve access to local television programming in areas served by out-of-state media markets:
“I’m proud to have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on this important legislation that includes a number of provisions to strengthen and invigorate cable, broadcast, and satellite television. Vibrant local programming is essential to communities in New Jersey and across the country. With New Jersey being one of only two states without its own media market, I’m pleased my amendment was included in this reauthorization to evaluate what more can be done to promote local news programming.”
In addition to the Booker-Fischer amendment, the legislation:
Reauthorizes STELA for five more years.
Adopts new consumer protections in negotiations between broadcast, cable, and satellite providers.
Provides more information to consumers about the cost of their cable service.
Sets a timeline for repeal of cable set-top box requirements and directs the FCC to establish a working group to make recommendations for a standardized replacement technology.
Sen. Booker serves as a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee which has jurisdiction over telecommunications. He introduced the Let Our Communities Access Local TV Act (LOCAL TV Act) with Sen. Deb Fischer, R-N.E., in July, 2014. Read more about the LOCAL TV Act here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397739,Obama Continues to Violate Hyde,2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"A new website was unveiled today to address the appalling lack of transparency of abortion coverage in Obamacare by the Administration. “Obamacareabortion.com is an extraordinarily useful new tool for healthcare consumers,” said Smith. “The Obama Administration’s cover-up of abortion insurance plans on the exchange is unnecessary, unacceptable and absolutely unconscionable. Consumers have a right to know. Abortion is not healthcare – it dismembers and chemically poisons defenseless unborn children and hurts women.” With “open season” beginning Nov. 15, the Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) and Family Research Council (FRC) have been examining healthcare.gov and state-based exchanges for general information on abortion coverage and the accessibility of that information. Researchers from CLI and FRC and Smith, sponsor of the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act (HR 7), shared their findings to date and announce a new website, www.obamacareabortion.com. An extensive audit this summer by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released in September found that 1,036 Obamacare exchange plans covered elective abortion. GAO also found that separate billing of the abortion surcharge–required by the Affordable Care Act–is not being enforced and the abortion-funding premium is again in 2015 being illegally rolled into the total plan cost. Healthcare consumers are therefore buying health insurance with little or no knowledge that they are purchasing abortion-subsidizing plans. “On September 9, 2009 President Obama told lawmakers and the American public in a specially called joint session of Congress on healthcare reform that ‘under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortion,’” said Smith. “In an 11th hour ploy to garner a remnant of pro-life congressional Democrats absolutely needed for passage of Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act), the President issued an executive order on March 24, 2010 that said: ‘the Act maintains current Hyde Amendment restrictions governing abortion policy and extends those restrictions to newly created health insurance exchanges.’ Turns out that those ironclad promises made by the President himself are absolutely untrue, and ranks right up there with President Obama’s oft stated deception that if you like your health insurance plan you can keep it, dubbed Politifact’s 2013 ‘lie of the year.’” Click here to read Smith’s remarks. Smith was joined at the press conference with Arina Grossu from FRC; Genevieve Plaster from Charlotte Lozier Institute, and; Kerri Kupec, Alliance Defending Freedom.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pascrell.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/rep-pascrell-statement-on-obama-immigration-plan,Rep. Pascrell Statement on Obama Immigration Plan,2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Bill Pascrell,P000096,pascrell.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) released the following statement on President Obama’s plan to be announced this evening to protect up to five million undocumented immigrants from deportation. Last week, Rep. Pascrell joined his Democratic colleagues in signing a letter to President Obama in support of executive action on immigration.
“I applaud the President’s decision to take action within his legal authority to help address our broken immigration system. As the grandson of immigrants and representing one of the most diverse districts in our country, I know how important this is to the millions of families in pursuit of the American Dream. Speaker Boehner has been sitting on a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill passed by the Senate, which I cosponsored, since June of 2013. Despite repeated urging to do so, he has done nothing to move this bill through the House, nor have he and his Republican colleagues proposed any alternative. I believe that because of this irresponsible and cowardly inaction, it is imperative that the President act.
“For many House Republicans, changes to our immigration system present the opportunity to capitalize on fear and hate to score political points. In reality, policies like the Senate bill and the President’s executive order provide responsible solutions to prevent families from being torn apart and people brought to the U.S. illegally as children from being deported from the only country they’ve ever known as home. There are many aspects of our immigration system that the President cannot fix through executive action. It is my hope that my Republican colleagues in the House will stop playing politics and work constructively so we can pass comprehensive legislation.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://web.archive.org/web/20141125192841/http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397735,"Washington Times article: Groups push for openness on subsidized abortions",2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,web.archive.org,,,legacy,"Washington Times article: Groups push for openness on subsidized abortions
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https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=169,"Sens. Booker, Menendez Applaud Confirmation of Madeline Cox Arleo to NJ Federal Court",2014-11-20,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Cory Booker,B001288,www.booker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"November 20, 2014
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker today applauded the confirmation of Judge Madeline Cox Arleo to the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
“Madeline Cox Arleo is the kind of judge we look to—the kind of person we look to—when we think of the notion of equal dispensation of justice under law,” said Sen. Menendez, who nominated Judge Arleo for appointment. “She is a New Jerseyan who—in her life and career—has embodied the qualities of respect for justice and the rule of law we look for in all of our judicial nominees. She has also demonstrated an impressive ability to manage complex legal cases throughout the course of her career and is clearly the best choice to serve New Jersey as District Court Judge.”
“I commend Judge Madeline Cox Arleo for her years of dedicated service and commitment to the people of New Jersey and congratulate her as she embarks on the distinct honor of serving as a District Court Judge,” said Sen. Booker. “Our state stands to benefit greatly from Judge Madeline Cox Arleo’s continued leadership in this new role and I am confident she will continue to serve our community well.”
Judge Madeline Cox Arleo has served as a United States Magistrate Judge in the District of New Jersey since 2000. Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge Arleo was a partner at Tompkins, McGuire, Wachenfeld & Barry, LLP from 1998 to 2000, where her practice focused on civil litigation in state and federal courts. She worked at the law firms of Barry & McMoran from 1994 to 1998 and Clapp & Eisenberg from 1990 to 1994. Judge Arleo began her legal career as a law clerk to Justice Marie L. Garibaldi of the New Jersey Supreme Court from 1989 to 1990. She received her J.D. summa cum laude from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1989, her M.A. from Rutgers University in 1986, and her B.A. from Rutgers College in 1985. She lives in West Caldwell, NJ.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397733,"Smith Comments of Terror Attacks...Five Brutally Murdered in a Jerusalem Synagogue",2014-11-19,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Responding to the murder of five innocent people in a brutal attack on a Jerusalem synagogue, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), made the following statement: “My heart goes out to the families and friends of the innocent people who were savagely murdered in Jerusalem on Tuesday—while praying in the sanctuary of a synagogue,” Smith . “They are all in our prayers.
“The horrific way in which these murders were carried out indicates the atmosphere the killers came out of–one soaked in religious hatred. This is the tragic result of decades of anti-Semitic incitement. Terror groups and Middle-Eastern dictatorships deliberately create this atmosphere in order to further their own selfish ends and draw attention away from their own failures and tyranny. They all share in the responsibility for what happened on Tuesday, and our government should be holding Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, and all Middle Eastern governments to account for a zero-tolerance policy on anti-Semitism.”
News accounts report that one of the victims, Rabbi Moshe Twersky, has a son who attends school Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, N.J. in Smith’s district.
Rep. Smith has long been a leader in the fight against anti-Semitism. Last Tuesday he held a planning meeting with a group of European officials and activists in the fight against anti-Semitism. The meeting was on the eve of the Berlin + 10 Conference on Anti-Semitism, held by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Smith and others reviewed steps they will take in coming months to ensure that the U.S. and other governments belonging to OSCE work to implement more vigorously the OSCE commitments on fighting anti-Semitism. These include monitoring and prosecuting hate crimes, and Holocaust education and remembrance. In recent years, many of the OSCE member states have ignored their commitments. The commitments date from the 2004 Berlin Conference and Declaration, which became touchstones in the battle against anti-Semitism. From 2002 to 2004 Smith led U.S. and international parliamentarians in a movement to put anti-Semitism on the agenda of the OSCE; this resulted in the Berlin Conference and Declaration.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://sires.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-sires-statement-on-election-of-rep-pallone-as-ranking-member,Congressman Sires Statement on Election of Rep. Pallone as Ranking Member of House Energy and Commerce Committee,2014-11-19,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Albio Sires,S001165,sires.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.)- Today, Congressman Sires released the following statement in response to the House Democratic Caucus’ election of Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) as Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce:
“I offer my sincere congratulations to Congressman Pallone on his election as the top ranking Democrat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Congressman Pallone’s selection by his colleagues reaffirms that the Caucus values seniority.
The seniority that Congressman Pallone brings to the leadership of the Democrats on the Committee comes with years of experience of fighting for families not only in New Jersey, but across the country. During his tenure in Congress, Congressman Pallone has used his position on the Energy and Commerce Committee to advocate for access to affordable health care; consumer protections; and environmental safeguards in our communities.
As the Energy and Commerce Committee continues to tackle critical issues facing every day Americans, I look forward to Congressman Pallone’s leadership in navigating Democratic principles on the vast variety of issues that will come before the Committee.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397724,"Smith Chairs 3rd Ebola hearingEbola Aid Organizations Testify on Efforts to Contain the Virus Overseas",2014-11-18,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"Organizations on the front lines of the fight to contain Ebola in West Africa came to Capitol Hill today to detail both the hurdles and the progress of the life-and-death efforts to contain the virus and assist the victims of the epidemic before the House global health subcommittee chaired by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04). Smith introduced legislation on Nov. 14 to authorize U.S. efforts to contain the virus overseas. Today’s hearing, ""Fighting Ebola: A Ground Level View,"" follows two congressional hearings Smith chaired on the Ebola threat in August and September featuring key government testimony from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. State Department, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), National Institutes for Health and various Health and Human Services Department officials. But today’s hearing gave voice exclusively to the groups whose workers who are most at risk, including International Medicorps, Africare and Global Communities. 'This hearing is intended to take testimony from non-governmental organizations providing services on the ground currently in the affected countries so we can better determine how proposed actions are being implemented,"" said Smith , a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Chairman of its Africa and global health subcommittee who authored and introduced H.R. 5710, the Ebola Emergency Response Act. “This bill lays out the steps needed for the U.S. government to effectively help fight the West African Ebola epidemic, especially in Liberia–the worst-hit of the three affected countries. This includes recruiting and training health care personnel, establishing fully functional treatment centers, conducting education campaigns among populations in affected countries and developing diagnostics, treatments and vaccines."" H.R. 5710 confirms U.S. policy in the anti-Ebola fight and provides necessary authorities for the Administration to continue or expand anticipated actions. The bill encourages U.S. collaboration with other donors to mitigate the risk of economic collapse and civil unrest in the three affected countries. Furthermore, the legislation authorizes funding of the International Disaster Assistance account at the higher FY2014 level—an additional $500 million—to effectively support anti-Ebola efforts. Building upon testimony from other service providers at previous hearings, witness Rabih Torbay, Senior Vice President for International Operations at the International Medical Corps, one of only a small handful of international NGOs treating Ebola patients in West Africa, said his organization operates in Liberia and Sierra Leone—where more than two-thirds of all Ebola cases and over three-quarters of all Ebola-related deaths have been reported. By month's end he anticipates having a total staff of about 800 in Liberia and Sierra Leone, of which 90 percent are African nationals. ""By year's end we expect this number to reach 1,000 working in four Ebola Treatment Units in Liberia and Sierra Leone,"" Torbay said. ""I would like to acknowledge the dedicated and courageous international and African national staff working in our treatment centers. They have come from inside Liberia and outside – including physicians and nurses from many parts of the United States, Europe and Africa. Our staff is comprised of doctors, nurses, technicians, specialists in water, sanitation and hygiene, logisticians, mental health professionals, custodial workers, and members of burial teams.” Brett Sedgewick is the Technical Advisor for Food Security and Livelihoods at Global Communities, which began combating the spread of Ebola in April by providing community education, protective equipment and hygiene materials to communities through its existing program partnering with USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA). ""Our activities aim to combat infection through community engagement and education, safe burial and body management, contact tracing, and ambulance services,"" Sedgewick said. ""Beyond the immediate health effects, we are seeing second tier effects of the outbreak: economic downturn, food insecurity, unemployment, a huge number of orphans and child head of households, and potential instability… Due to the nature of how Ebola is transmitted, at Global Communities we have focused our immediate and greatest efforts on safe burial and body management. Ebola is spread through bodily fluids that increase in their level of contagion as the virus multiplies throughout the body and the patient becomes increasingly ill. Those most at risk for contracting the virus are those caring for the sick, and those handling the dead."" Dr. Darius Mans, Ph.D., President of Africare testified that when the Ebola crisis began earlier this year in West Africa, Africare mobilized more than $2 million in private donations to help break the chain of transmission. ""We have shipped and will continue to ship personal protection equipment and essential health supplies to Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia through partnerships with Direct Relief and local aid organizations,"" said Mans, who told the panel that Africare has trained more than 300 local volunteer community health workers who, in turn, have educated more than 150,000 Liberians about Ebola prevention, detection and care. ""One of the big lessons of this crisis is that donors need to move beyond the old vertical program approach of targeting resources to specific disease burdens like malaria and HIV/AIDS and invest in strengthening the public health systems."" To read the testimonies of the witnesses, or to watch video of the hearing, click here.
Smith said that with more than 5,000 reported dead, efforts must be ramped up from what the Administration had been conducting at our previous hearings in August and in September. HR 5710 provides necessary authorities for the Administration to continue or expand anticipated actions to tame the outbreak. The bill encourages U.S. collaboration with other international partners to mitigate the risk of economic collapse and civil unrest in the three affected countries. Furthermore, the legislation authorizes and restores funding of the International Disaster Assistance account at $1.8 billion (up from the previously reduced level of $1.3 billion) to support anti-Ebola efforts. H.R. 5710 authorizes improved border security and the creation of a secure operating environment for health workers and other responders and the communities they are serving. It authorizes coordination of U.S. efforts with countries in Africa affected by or at risk of being affected by the outbreak with other assisting nations, as well as the private sector, regional and international financial institutions, local, regional, and international organizations, civil society, and nongovernmental organizations that possess experience in emergency relief and infection control. As Chairman of the Africa and Global Health subcommittee Smith ordered an emergencycongressional hearing in August 2014 featuring Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC, as well as the U.S. State Department, and USAID. He held a second hearing on Sept. 17, 2014, featuring the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, USAID, and the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases. Smith has also held numerous hearings on health threats around the world, including hearings on tropical diseases in June 2013 and another on “Superbugs” in April 2013.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://norcross.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/house-democrats-select-norcross-freshman-leadership-role,House Democrats Select Norcross for Freshman Leadership Role,2014-11-18,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Donald Norcross,N000188,norcross.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON – Today, Congressman Norcross was unanimously elected by the Democratic Caucus – along with Rep. Stacey Plaskett of the U.S. Virgin Islands – to represent the incoming freshman class for the 114th Congress.
Chaired by Leader Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee is responsible for advising the Caucus on our nation’s most pressing issues, carrying out the party’s agenda, and assigning Members to their respective House committees. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut was renamed as Steering Co-Chair and Congresswoman Donna Edwards of Maryland was elected to serve as Policy Co-Chair in the upcoming Congress.
“I am humbled and honored to join such a distinguished and diverse group of party leaders as we work together to create better opportunities for America’s middle class,” said Congressman Norcross. “I thank Leader Pelosi and my colleagues for the trust they placed in me and I’m looking forward to learning from them and getting to work on improving our economy and creating jobs.”
The Steering and Policy Committee includes members of the elected leadership, Ranking Members of the exclusive committees and representatives appointed by the leadership and selected from each region of the country.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://pascrell.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/pascrell-statement-on-jerusalem-synagogue-attack,Pascrell Statement on Jerusalem Synagogue Attack,2014-11-18,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Bill Pascrell,P000096,pascrell.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ-09) released the following statement today on the attack at a synagogue in Jerusalem, Israel that killed four people, including three Americans:
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the four rabbis, including three Americans, that were senselessly murdered in Israel today. This attack is shocking by any measure, but the fact that it took place in a house of worship is especially heinous and demonic. I strongly condemn this act of terrorism and urge the United States government to provide any assistance requested for the investigation to bring others responsible to justice.”
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://payne.house.gov/press-release/payne-introduces-statewide-interoperable-communications-swic-enhancement-act,Payne Introduces Statewide Interoperable Communications (SWIC) Enhancement Act,2014-11-18,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Donald Payne,P000604,payne.house.gov,,,legacy,"Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) introduced the Statewide Interoperable Communications (SWIC) Enhancement Act in coordination with a hearing on “Interoperable Communications: Assessing Progress Since 9/11,” held by the Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications where Rep. Payne, Jr. serves as Ranking Member.
“In recent years, States could rely on the Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program to support their Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (SWIC) and other communications governance structures,” said Rep. Payne, Jr. in his opening statement at the hearing. “But that program has been eliminated. And other sources for Federal support are scarce particularly since the State Homeland Security Grant Program and the Urban Area Security Initiative are not funded at the levels they once were.”
Rep. Payne, Jr. continued, “When I joined this panel last year, I was surprised to learn that my home state of New Jersey did not have a SWIC. Now, I understand that a SWIC has been named, but it is one of many hats worn by this official. The challenge of funding SWIC is not unique to New Jersey. Other States are facing the same funding challenge and, as a result, there is a very real risk that important governance structures that have taken over a decade to build will be abandoned. That is why, today, I am introducing the Statewide Interoperable Communications Enhancement Act, or the SWIC Enhancement Act.”
The legislation will ensure that States maintain the progress that has been made toward achieving interoperability by preserving the governance structures necessary to make the communications technology work. These structures are key to achieving interoperability using existing technology and networks and to realizing the full potential of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.
Please see the text of the bill here and a one pager on the bill here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://sires.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/congressman-sires-statement-on-the-terrorist-attack-in-jerusalem,Congressman Sires' Statement on the Terrorist Attack in Jerusalem,2014-11-18,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Albio Sires,S001165,sires.house.gov,,,legacy,"(Washington, D.C.) – Congressman Albio Sires issued the following statement regarding the murder of four men while worshipping in a Jerusalem synagogue:
“I am saddened and outraged by the barbaric events that took the lives of 4 innocent men – 3 of whom were Americans - earlier today in Jerusalem. Attacking worshippers in a synagogue, a place meant for sanctuary and peace, is a cowardly and inexcusable act.
“These senseless attacks on innocent men, women, and children must be stopped and all perpetrators must be held accountable. I stand with Israelis all over the globe, condemning these heinous acts, and calling on leaders in the West Bank to stop inciting such violence.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=168,Booker Statement on Jerusalem Synagogue Shooting,2014-11-18,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Cory Booker,B001288,www.booker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"November 18, 2014
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Cory Booker, D-N.J., issued the following statement after two armed Palestinians stormed into a synagogue during early morning prayers this morning killing four people– three with dual U.S.-Israeli citizenship and one with dual British-Israeli citizenship:
“I am saddened and angered by the senseless and gruesome acts of terror that took place early this morning in Jerusalem. A day meant to start in worship and prayer turned into a nightmare for innocent worshipers. I denounce these attacks and call upon the Palestinian leadership to press for restraint and begin the necessary measures to ensure there is no more incitement of violence. My prayers and condolences are with the families who lost their loved ones today in this abhorrent tragedy.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://chrissmith.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=397726,"Free Screenings Available Nov. 18U.S. Reps. Smith, Waters Mark Alzheimers Foundation 12th Annual Memory Screening Day",2014-11-17,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,NJ,Christopher Smith,S000522,chrissmith.house.gov,,,legacy,"U.S. Representatives Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), House co-Chairs of the Bipartisan, Bicameral Task Force on Alzheimer's disease, commended the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) for holding its 12th annual Memory Screening Day on Nov. 18.
“The AFA has remained steadfast in its commitment to provide access to these necessary evaluations, which assist Americans in forming their healthcare decisions surrounding Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. I have been fortunate to collaborate with members of AFA for many years to help raise awareness about this debilitating disease, and they have made great inroads in both informing the public and providing the needed resources for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Smith.
“National Memory Screening Day is a wonderful opportunity for individuals with memory concerns to get free and confidential screenings for Alzheimer’s disease and other problems affecting memory,” said Waters. “It is also an opportunity to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease and promote the value of memory screening and early detection.”
For over a decade, the AFA has held annual National Memory Screening Days in November during National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. The AFA provides these safe, private screenings in collaboration with local organizations and healthcare professionals. Last year alone, there were 7,500 NMSD sites with over 250,000 individuals participating.
Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States, with a 68 percent increase in deaths caused by Alzheimer’s in the last 10 years. Alzheimer’s disease, a degenerative condition characterized by steadily deteriorating thinking and memory skills, currently has no cure.
Sharing the impact of the disease are the 15 million family members and others who act as caregivers and provide an estimated 17 billion hours of unpaid care—often relinquishing their jobs and other obligations to do so. Economic costs of unpaid care are estimated to exceed $200 billion annually. In New Jersey, an estimated 170,000 Garden State residents suffered from this form of dementia in 2014, and 443,000 caregivers provided unpaid care. In California, nearly 600,000 have Alzheimer’s disease with 1.5 million family members providing care.
National Memory Screening Day is of great potential significance for the millions of Americans who may be unaware that they have Alzheimer’s disease, and have not yet developed a plan of action. On Nov. 18th, local sites are offering free, confidential memory screenings to the public, as well as education about memory concerns, dementia, caregiving and healthy aging. You can find the nearest screening site by entering your zip code here: http://www.afascreenings.org/.
“There is a persistent stigma associated with Alzheimer’s disease that prevents people from talking about it and taking action that could ultimately help improve quality of life,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. “We encourage people to seek early detection of memory issues on National Memory Screening Day by offering free, confidential screenings. A memory screening is much like any other routine health check-up – it’s non-invasive and takes just five to 10 minutes.”
Memory screenings are not used to diagnose illness. Rather, they are an indicator to determine whether a person might benefit from further examination by a qualified physician. These safe and cost-effective interventions can guide individuals to the appropriate resources before long-term complications, hospitalizations or misdiagnoses occur. Those with normal scores also benefit from screenings, as greater knowledge dispels fears, provides a baseline for future screenings, and promotes disease prevention.
“Early detection of Alzheimer’s disease improves treatment and helps individuals and families plan for their future,” said Waters. “I congratulate the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America for organizing the 12th annual National Memory Screening Day.”
“Memory screenings are not only the first step on the path to obtaining an accurate and early diagnosis, they also offer insight into brain health to all who participate,” said Smith. “I highly encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity.”
For additional information on Alzheimer’s disease and memory screenings, visit: www.nationalmemoryscreening.org.
Smith and Waters also teamed up with other House members earlier this year to introduce HRes. 489, which calls on the U.S. to both engage in and lead a coordinated, international effort to advance work for the treatment, prevention and, perhaps, even a cure for Alzheimer’s disease as well as other forms of dementia.
Smith co-authored the bipartisan National Alzheimer’s Project Act or NAPA, which passed the House in 2010 and was enacted in 2011 to establish the goal of preventing and successfully treating Alzheimer’s disease by 2025 in the United States.
HRes. 489 calls on the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to enter into negotiations with the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop a Global Alzheimer’s and Dementia Action Plan focused on areas such as research, clinical care, supportive services for patients and for caregivers, prevention and health promotion, public awareness and education.
Smith recently chaired a series of hearings in the subcommittee on global health. The effort is the latest in the bipartisan endeavors begun by Smith and then-Congressman, now Senator, Ed Markey (D-MA), who teamed up to write NAPA/HR 4689 in 20101. That bill led to enactment of NAPA (PL 111-375), which established the goal of preventing and successfully treating Alzheimer’s disease by 2025 in the United States. Click here to read the national plan. The plan reflects efforts of the Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services—also created by NAPA—as well as advocates across the country. It required the development of the national plan to employ and coordinate government and private sector research and improve care and support services. The law also created an advisory committee of private and federal experts to work with the HHS Secretary to comprehensively assess and address Alzheimer’s research, institutional services and home and community-based care.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://lobiondo.house.gov/event/new-years-day-offices-closed,New Years Day - Offices Closed,2014-11-17,2014,2014-11,Republican,House,NJ,Frank LoBiondo,L000554,lobiondo.house.gov,,,legacy,"New Years Day - Offices Closed
Start:
January 1, 2015
End:
January 1, 2015
Nov 17, 2014",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
http://payne.house.gov/press-release/payne-attends-ribbon-cutting-new-bayonne-firehouse,Payne Attends Ribbon Cutting of New Bayonne Firehouse,2014-11-17,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Donald Payne,P000604,payne.house.gov,,,legacy,"Bayonne, N.J. – Today, Congressman Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10) joined U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Congressman Albio Sires (NJ-13), Bayonne Mayor Jimmy Davis, Bayonne Fire Chief Gregory Rogers, and the brave men and women from the Bayonne Fire Department for a ribbon cutting of a brand new 15,000 square foot fire station.
“This is a great day for the City of Bayonne,” said Payne, Jr., Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Communications. “This new facility will allow our firefighters and first responders to have the state-of-the-art equipment they need to provide greater safety to the City of Bayonne. Every day, these men and women put their lives on the line for us, and so we as leaders owe it to them to do what we can to keep them safe. We have a duty to protect our protectors, and providing our first responders with the necessary resources to do their jobs efficiently and successfully is the least we can do.”
Payne went on to recognize and congratulate Bayonne’s first female firefighter in its 108 year history, Ms. Cailin Brodel. “Ms. Brodel, you are knocking down barriers and stereotypes, and your commitment to this city is a shining example for both our young women and our young men.”
The fire station was made possible by a $3.5 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s (ARRA) Fire Station Construction Grant (SCG) program. The firehouse will be staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will also serve as a training center.
###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z
https://www.booker.senate.gov?p=press_release&id=167,"Booker, Gillibrand, Schumer, Menendez Push for Formation of a Combined New York and New Jersey Cyber Protection Team; Urge Army National Guard to Approve Bid",2014-11-17,2014,2014-11,Democrat,House,NJ,Cory Booker,B001288,www.booker.senate.gov,,,legacy,"November 17, 2014
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) today announced their support for the New York and New Jersey Army National Guards’ formation of a combined Cyber Protection Team. In a letter to the Army National Guard’s Acting Director, Major General Lyons, the senators urged for swift approval of a proposal allowing the New York and New Jersey Army National Guards to form a joint team focused on addressing the growing cyber security threats in New York and New Jersey. This new team would leverage their existing relationships with the Department of Homeland Security and their extensive training, to focus on combatting increasing cyber security threats to the region’s critical infrastructure and networks.
“The National Guard has a unique role to play in protecting our cyber networks,” said Senator Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “By vesting this capacity in the National Guard, this team can provide the military with private sector expertise and the surge capacity that it needs to respond to threats. The NY and NJ National Guard together have helped our citizens during disasters like Hurricane Sandy and I know they would be invaluable in handling the constant cyber threats to America’s financial center.”
“The Army National Guard in both New York and New Jersey are tasked with protecting the safety of citizens during catastrophic events, from natural disasters like Superstorm Sandy to cyber breaches and other security risks, and it is critical that the Tri-state region is prepared,” said Senator Schumer. “That is why we are urging Acting Director Major General Lyons to select New York and New Jersey’s joint bid that would allow them to form a combined team of experts to stand at the ready to combat more traditional threats, as well as emerging threats of the 21st Century like cyber-attacks.”
“Technological innovations have greatly enhanced the lives of all Americans, however these advancements also bring unique cyber threats and challenges that we must collectively be prepared to face,” said Senator Booker. “The New York and New Jersey National Guard have the expertise and knowledge to help tackle the serious regional cyber threats we face today. I’m pleased to support this important initiative that will help protect our critical infrastructure.”
Currently, state Army National Guard units throughout the country are competing to form ten multi-state Cyber Protection Teams as part of the Army’s efforts to build up its cyber capabilities. Senator Gillibrand introduced the Cyber Warrior Bill along with seven other senators in 2013, which called for the creation of a National Guard Cyber and Computer Network Incident Response Team in each state. In response to this legislation, language in the FY 2014 National Defense Authorization Act required the Department of Defense (DoD) to consider the role of the reserve component in cyber defense.
The Army National Guard plays a critical role in responding during catastrophic events in New York and New Jersey, for example, when they were both hit hard by Superstorm Sandy. The addition of a Cyber Protection Team would add to the Army National Guard’s strength as they work to serve New York and New Jersey.
In their letter to the Army National Guard Acting Director, the Senators wrote, “The New York-New Jersey Metropolitan Area has long been a primary target of our adversaries around the world. With the cyber world influencing many aspects of our economy and national security, we must be prepared to deter the growing threat to cyber networks in America’s financial hub. Increasing resources and protection in the bi-state area not only decreases financial threat domestically, but also internationally. While both of our states have implemented significant information security measures across a variety of agencies, this Cyber Protection Team would integrate the Army National Guard as a cyber resource capable of responding to threats anywhere in either state.”
The full text of the letter to the Army National Guard Acting Director can be seen here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z