Rep. Chris Smith called on his colleagues to pass "Sami's Law," a bill he named after Samantha Josephson of Robbinsville, NJ, during floor debate July 30. Sami was killed by a man posing as her Uber ride in 2019. Smith worked with Sami's parents, Seymour and Marci Josephson, to craft a bipartisan bill to improve ride-hail, sometime called ride-share, safety. The measure passed in a voice vote, and is pending in the Senate.
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Rep. Chris Smith chaired a hearing in July to focus attention on the case of missing Bishop James Su Zhimin, who has endured approximately 40 years in prison in China for exercising his universally-recognized human right of religious freedom. Said Smith, "Today, I again join many, including the Bishop’s relatives, and ask President Xi Jinping: where is Bishop Su? And why does a powerful dictatorship fear peaceful men and women of faith and virtue? "
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Rep. Chris Smith addressed Voices Against Trafficking's recent 2020 webinar, stating, "Human trafficking is a barbaric human rights abuse that thrives on greed, secrecy, a perverted sense of entitlement to exploit the vulnerable and an unimaginable disregard for the victims. Twenty years ago, the U.S. Congress approved and the President signed first-ever historic legislation that I authored—the Trafficking Victims Protections Protection Act... ."
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Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) was a guest on Fox and Friends First with anchor Rob Schmidt in July on the topic of China making good on a threat to sanction him for his human rights work regarding Muslim Uyghurs now being persecuted in labor camps with coerced sterilizations and other abuses. Smith has also spoken up for Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners and Chinese human rights advocates whom the Chinese government targets.
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Congressman Chris Smith was a guest on a June episode of "Jersey Matters" with New Jersey News Network's Larry Mendte. They discussed COVID-19 nursing home deaths in NJ, policing reform, the hard-hit Jersey Shore fishing industry and more.
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The State of New Jersey has announced a plan to ease the coronavirus restrictions the Murphy Administration placed on New Jersey residents and businesses.
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Just in time for the summer season, Gov. Murphy lifted his COVID-19 restrictions on the number of anglers permitted on charter and head boats, as long as all anglers adhere to 6’ social distancing. Smith, the Recreational Fishing Alliance and the United Boatmen of NJ pressed the State to ease restrictions on this vital part of the Shore economy.
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Bipartisan legislation to extend and enhance the Paycheck Protection Program, which is helping sustain businesses and pay workers during the economic devastation wrought by COVID-19, passed the House May 28. Rep. Chris Smith, who supported the creation of the PPP and recent legislation nearly doubling its funding, said the new Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act is needed to make the program more accessible to struggling small businesses.
Learn MoreBy Jerry Carino, Asbury Park Press staff, USA TODAY NETWORK – Jim and Karen Raffone thought they had the perfect fundraiser for their charity, which sponsors major research on Duchenne muscular dystrophy: All American Ford in Old Bridge donated a 2020 Ford Mustang convertible for them to raffle off. “We thought we could raise $100,000,” ... READ MORE
The following are excerpts of remarks by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) in the House of Representatives for debate on H.R. 8438, The Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act of 2020 on November 18, 2020: Madam Speaker, I urge swift enactment into law of the bipartisan Belarus Democracy, Human Rights and Sovereignty Act of 2020 which ... READ MORE
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), author of the House-passed Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act,” said: “the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) forced removal of four duly elected pro-democracy lawmakers from Hong Kong’s Legislative Council is outrageous, unjustified and absolutely dishonorable and tells the world that human rights and the rule... READ MORE
On the eve of the Veterans’ Day holiday, legislation authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to help veterans heal through outdoor recreational therapy cleared the Senate and was on its way to the President’s desk for signing and implementation. Smith’s bipartisan Accelerating Veterans Recovery Outdoors Act (H.R. 2435), which was endorsed by... READ MORE
By Julie Asher, Catholic News Service As the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 marked its 20th year Oct. 28, the Catholic congressman who wrote it -- and four other anti-trafficking laws in the intervening years – celebrated the historic legislation that holds every nation on the globe "to account on human trafficking matters." ... READ MORE
This week marks the 20th anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000—the comprehensive, historic law that I authored to aggressively combat sex and labor trafficking both within the United States and around the world. The TVPA created a new, well-funded whole-of-government domestic and international strategy and e... READ MORE