Chris Smith (New Jersey politician)
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Christopher Henry Smith (born March 4, 1953) is an American politician serving his 21st term as the
U.S. representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
for . Though it has taken various forms, his district has always been situated in central
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
. Currently, the district contains parts of
Ocean The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the wo ...
and Monmouth counties. Smith is the dean of New Jersey's congressional delegation and the longest-serving member of Congress in New Jersey's history. He has focused much of his career on promoting
human rights Human rights are moral principles or normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for certain standards of hu ...
abroad, including authoring the
Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) is a federal statute passed into law in 2000 by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Clinton. The law was later reauthorized by presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump. In addi ...
and several follow-on laws. From 1993 to 2019, he was the top House Republican on the United States
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is an independent U.S. government agency created by Congress in 1975 to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and o ...
. He has used his leadership positions, including chairmanships, to author multiple pieces of legislation focused on human rights and conduct aggressive oversight of human rights abuses, actions that have earned him scorn from abusing nations. Smith is a member of the Republican Party, having switched from the
Democratic Party Democratic Party most often refers to: *Democratic Party (United States) Democratic Party and similar terms may also refer to: Active parties Africa *Botswana Democratic Party *Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea *Gabonese Democratic Party *Demo ...
in 1978.


Early life, education, and early career

Smith was born in
Rahway, New Jersey Rahway () is a city in southern Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. A bedroom community of New York City, it is centrally located in the Rahway Valley region, in the New York metropolitan area. The city is southwest of Manhattan ...
, on March 4, 1953. He attended St. Mary's High School in
Perth Amboy Perth Amboy is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey. Perth Amboy is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 55,436. Perth Amboy has a Hispanic majority population. In the 2010 census, th ...
, where he competed as a runner and wrestler. After graduating with a
B.A. Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...
in business administration from Trenton State College (now
The College of New Jersey The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) is a public university in Ewing Township, New Jersey. It is part of New Jersey's public system of higher education. Established in 1855 as the New Jersey State Normal School, TCNJ was the first normal school, or ...
), Smith worked in his family's sporting goods business.Early on, Smith was dismissed as a fluke
''New York Observer'' (December 23, 2019).
In the 1976 election cycle, he managed the Democratic primary challenge of Steven Foley, an attorney and anti-abortion activist, against incumbent Senator Harrison Williams; Foley received about 15% of the vote, losing to Williams. In 1978, Smith switched to the Republican Party,Gruson, Lindsey
"Decade of Rep. Smith: Fluke to Tactician"
''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'', August 10, 1991; accessed March 28, 2008. "He switched parties but lost in 1978 as the token opposition to Frank Thompson, a veteran Democrat who was chairman of the House Administration Committee. But he won in 1980 when Thompson was convicted of bribery and conspiracy in the Abscam scandal and later served two years in prison."
and became executive director of the New Jersey Right to Life Committee, a part-time role.


U.S. House of Representatives


Elections


1978

In 1978, while working at his family's sporting goods store, 25-year-old Smith ran for Congress as a Republican. He lost to longtime Democratic incumbent U.S. Congressman Frank Thompson 61%–37%.


1980

In 1980, Smith ran against Thompson again. Initially, Smith was thought to have a very slim chance of winning, but Thompson was indicted as part of the FBI's
Abscam Abscam (sometimes written ABSCAM) was an FBI sting operation in the late 1970s and early 1980s that led to the convictions of seven members of the United States Congress, among others, for bribery and corruption. The two-year investigation init ...
probe. With the race now considered competitive, Republicans considered replacing Smith, but two alternative candidates seen as more competitive, Hamilton mayor John K. Rafferty and 1978 Senate nominee Jeff Bell, declined. Helped by Ronald Reagan's strong performance in the district, Smith defeated Thompson 57%–41%.


1982

In 1982, Smith's district was redrawn to include more Democratic voters and his Democratic opponent was former New Jersey Senate President Joseph P. Merlino, who had directly controlled the redistricting process and run a competitive campaign for governor the year before. It was widely assumed that Smith's 1980 victory over the scandal-plagued Thompson was a fluke, and that he would lose to the better-known Merlino. At the end of one of their debates, Smith approached Merlino to exchange pleasantries. Merlino was quoted as saying "Beat it, kid." During the campaign, Merlino ran a negative ad comparing Smith to
Jimmy Stewart James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality h ...
's character in '' Mr. Smith Goes to Washington''. In response, Stewart released a statement endorsing Smith and denouncing the ad: "When I played Mr. Smith in that picture, I did not think he was a naive hick. I thought he believed in honesty and integrity in government, the right of the people and the love of his country." Merlino pulled the ad. Smith won the race with 52.7% of the vote. Subsequently, a federal court found the 1982 redistricting was impermissible
gerrymandering In representative democracies, gerrymandering (, originally ) is the political manipulation of electoral district boundaries with the intent to create undue advantage for a party, group, or socioeconomic class within the constituency. The m ...
, and Smith's district was redrawn to more closely resemble the one used in 1980. He has not faced another contest that close since.


1984–present

From 1984 to 2016, Smith won reelection with over 60% of the vote. In 2006, Smith's 66% was the highest percentage for any Republican in the
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
delegation. In 2008, Smith defeated college history professor Joshua M. Zeitz, 66%–32%. In 2010, Smith received 69.4% of the vote, ahead of Democratic nominee Howard Kleinhendler, Libertarian nominee Joe Siano, Green Party nominee Steven Welzer, and American Renaissance Movement nominee David Meiswinkle. In 2018, Smith defeated Democratic nominee Joshua Welle with 55% of the vote to Welle's 43%. Smith was the only Republican to win a congressional race in New Jersey that year, reducing the GOP to its smallest presence in New Jersey's House delegation since 1918. This was Smith's closest election since 1982. In 2020, Smith defeated Democratic nominee Stephanie Schmid.


Tenure

Smith was ranked the 17th most bipartisan member of the House of Representatives during the
114th United States Congress The 114th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States of America federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from Jan ...
(and the second most bipartisan from New Jersey) in the Bipartisan Index by
the Lugar Center Richard Green Lugar (April 4, 1932 – April 28, 2019) was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from Indiana from 1977 to 2013. He was a member of the Republican Party. Born in Indianapolis, Lugar graduated from Den ...
. In November 1997, Smith was one of 18 House Republicans to co-sponsor a resolution by
Bob Barr Robert Laurence Barr Jr. (born November 5, 1948) is an American attorney and politician. He served as a federal prosecutor and as a Congressman. He represented Georgia's 7th congressional district as a Republican from 1995 to 2003. Barr attai ...
that sought to launch an impeachment inquiry against President
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...
. The resolution did not specify any charges or allegations. This was an early effort to
impeach Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements. In ...
Clinton, predating the
Clinton–Lewinsky scandal The Clinton–Lewinsky scandal was a sex scandal involving Bill Clinton, the president of the United States, and Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern. Their sexual relationship lasted between 1995 and 1997. Clinton ended a televised speech in ...
. That scandal led to a more serious effort to impeach Clinton in 1998. On October 8, 1998, Smith voted in favor of legislation that was passed to open an impeachment inquiry. On December 19, 1998, he voted in favor of all four proposed
articles of impeachment Impeachment in the United States is the process by which a legislature may bring charges against an officeholder for misconduct alleged to have been committed with a penalty of removal. Impeachment may also occur at the state level if the sta ...
against Clinton (only two of which received the needed majority of votes to be adopted). It was revealed in October 2015 that intern applicants for Smith's office were required to rate "27 different personalities, organizations and political issues to indicate whether they tend to agree with them, disagree with them or have no opinion or knowledge of them." Personalities and organizations included Rachel Maddow, the
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, Planned Parenthood, and The National Right to Life Committee. Smith has been nominated and confirmed twice to serve as a member of the United States delegation to the
United Nations General Assembly The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA or GA; french: link=no, Assemblée générale, AG) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN. Curr ...
. He was nominated by President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the ...
in 2015 for the 70th session and by President
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...
in 2017 for the 72nd session. Smith voted against both articles in the
first impeachment of Donald Trump Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States, was impeached for the first time by the House of Representatives of the 116th United States Congress on December 18, 2019. The House adopted two articles of impeachment against Trump: abus ...
, and the sole article of the second impeachment of Donald Trump. Unlike most House Republicans, Smith did not file an '' amicus curiae'' brief supporting Texas in '' Texas v. Pennsylvania''. On February 4, 2021, Smith voted with 10 other House Republicans and all House Democrats to strip Marjorie Taylor Greene of her House Education and Labor Committee and
House Budget Committee The United States House Committee on the Budget, commonly known as the House Budget Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Its responsibilities include legislative oversight of the federal budget process, ...
assignments in response to controversial political statements she had made. On November 5, 2021, Smith was one of 13 House Republicans to break with their party and vote with a majority of Democrats in favor of the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and originally in the House as the INVEST in America ActH.R. 3684, is a United States federal statute enacted by the 117th United States Congress ...
. ;Veterans In January 2001, Smith became chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee and pushed for policies Republican leadership opposed, including voting against the Republican and for the Democratic budget resolution because the latter included more spending on veterans programs. In 2004, Smith refused to endorse the Republican budget proposal unless it included more money for veterans. In a congressional hearing, Smith articulated his belief that the Bush Administration's budget request was $1.2 billion less than the Department of Veterans Affairs actually required, embarrassing the administration and Republican congressional leadership. During his four years as committee chair, Smith wrote 22 bills addressing veterans' issues. His unwillingness to follow the party line resulted in the House Republican Caucus removing him from his chairmanship (and from the committee altogether) in January 2005, at the beginning of the
109th Congress The 109th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, from January 3, 2005 to January 3, 2007, dur ...
, with the chairmanship going to Steve Buyer instead, two years short of the normal six-year term. Veterans' groups such as the Veterans of Foreign Wars and
Paralyzed Veterans of America The Paralyzed Veterans of America is a veterans' service organization in the United States of America, founded in 1946. The organization holds 33 chapters and 70 National Service Offices in the United States and Puerto Rico. It is based in Washin ...
praised Smith and criticized the decision to remove him.


Legislation

On May 6, 2014, Smith introduced the bill International Megan's Law to Prevent Demand for Child Sex Trafficking (H.R. 4573; 113th Congress), which would require the notification of foreign governments when an American registered as a
sex offender A sex offender (sexual offender, sex abuser, or sexual abuser) is a person who has committed a sex crime. What constitutes a sex crime differs by culture and legal jurisdiction. The majority of convicted sex offenders have convictions for crim ...
of children travels to their country. As of April 2020,
FiveThirtyEight ''FiveThirtyEight'', sometimes rendered as ''538'', is an American website that focuses on opinion poll analysis, politics, economics, and sports blogging in the United States. The website, which takes its name from the number of electors in th ...
reported that Smith voted in line with Trump's position 67.7% of the time, the third-lowest percentage among Republican members of Congress after fellow New Jerseyan
Jeff Van Drew Jefferson H. Van Drew (born February 23, 1953) is an American politician and dentist serving as the U.S. representative for New Jersey's 2nd congressional district since 2019. Formerly a Democrat, he has been a member of the Republican Party s ...
and Brian Fitzpatrick. Relative to the partisan lean of their respective districts, only Van Drew and Kentucky Representative
Thomas Massie Thomas Harold Massie (born January 13, 1971) is an American politician and businessman. A member of the Republican Party, Massie has been the United States representative for Kentucky's 4th congressional district since 2012, when he defeated Bi ...
were less likely than Smith to vote with Trump. In March 2021, Smith was one of eight Republicans to join the House majority in passing the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021.


Committee assignments

* Committee on Foreign Affairs ** Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights (Ranking member) ** Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere *
Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (formerly known as the Congressional Human Rights Caucus) is a bipartisan caucus of the United States House of Representatives. Its stated mission is "to promote, defend and advocate internationally recogniz ...
*
Congressional-Executive Commission on China The Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) is an independent agency of the U.S. government which monitors human rights and rule of law developments in the People's Republic of China. It was created in October 2001 under Title III of ...


Caucus memberships

*
Republican Main Street Partnership The Republican Main Street Partnership is a 501(c)(4) organization that was allied with the congressional Republican Main Street Caucus. The Partnership continues to exist, while the Caucus was dissolved by its members in February 2019. Hist ...
* Republican Governance Group * Problem Solvers Caucus


Political positions


Abortion

Smith is strongly anti-abortion. He is a co-chairman of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus and is co-chair of the Trump Administration's Pro-Life Coalition. He supports the Mexico City policy, which blocks U.S. federal funding for non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling or referrals, advocate to decriminalize abortion or expand abortion services. In 2000, he voted for the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2000. Smith expressed support for the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, an amendment to America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009. Smith has introduced various forms of the
No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act () is a bill that was introduced to the 112th Congress of the United States in the House of Representatives by Rep. Chris Smith ( R-New Jersey) and Dan Lipinski ( D-Illinois). The bill's stated purpose is " ...
, starting with the original proposal in 2011. The 2011 proposal prohibited federal funds from being used for health benefits that cover abortion, unless in the case of rape, incest or if the woman could die. It also disqualified abortions from being written off on taxes. In 2013, Smith reintroduced the proposal, which further restricted insurance coverage of abortions. The bill passed the House but has yet to be voted on by the Senate.


Domestic violence

Smith voted for the original 1994
Violence Against Women Act The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) is a United States federal law (Title IV of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, ) signed by President Bill Clinton on September 13, 1994. The Act provided $1.6 billion toward investi ...
and co-sponsored the reauthorization bills of 2000 and 2005, the latter of which provided $1.6 billion for investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women, imposed automatic and mandatory restitution on those convicted, and allowed civil redress in cases prosecutors chose to leave un-prosecuted. Smith voted against reauthorizing the act in 2013, due to the Senate version of the bill's cutting of funding for the Trafficking in Persons Office at the State Department, which Smith's
Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) is a federal statute passed into law in 2000 by the U.S. Congress and signed by President Clinton. The law was later reauthorized by presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump. In addi ...
created.


Environment

As of 2020, Smith has a lifetime score of 62% on the National Environmental Scorecard of the
League of Conservation Voters The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is an American environmental advocacy group. LCV says that it "advocates for sound environmental laws and policies, holds elected officials accountable for their votes and actions, and elects pro-environmen ...
, the second-highest of any sitting Republican member (after Brian Fitzpatrick). He has said, "Climate change is a global challenge that must be addressed with a global solution." Smith also opposes offshore drilling, particularly in New Jersey. Smith backed a carbon
emissions trading Emissions trading is a market-based approach to controlling pollution by providing economic incentives for reducing the emissions of pollutants. The concept is also known as cap and trade (CAT) or emissions trading scheme (ETS). Carbon emission ...
bill to tackle climate change, one of only eight Republicans in the House to do so.


Guns

Smith opposes
concealed carry Concealed carry, or carrying a concealed weapon (CCW), is the practice of carrying a weapon (usually a sidearm such as a handgun), either in proximity to or on one's person or in public places in a manner that hides or conceals the weapon's pr ...
. In 2016, he was one of four Republicans to receive a 100% rating from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and has generally received low or intermediate ratings from pro-gun organizations Gun Owners of America and the National Rifle Association. Smith did not co-sponsor the Brady Campaign's proposed legislation to expand background checks for gun purchasers. Smith was one of five Republicans to co-sponsor HR 8 in the 116th Congress, which would require mandatory background checks for gun sales. Smith called the 2016
Orlando nightclub shooting On , 2016, Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old man, killed 49 people and wounded 53 more in a mass shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, United States. Orlando Police officers shot and killed him after a three-hour standoff. In a ...
"tragic beyond words" and said, "The terrorist's motive, if linked to radical Islamist ideology, underscores the escalating national and worldwide threat from global jihad." In the wake of the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, Smith co-sponsored a ban on bump stocks with Leonard Lance.


Health care

Smith has written three major laws to address autism, including the most recent Autism CARES which included $1.3 billion in funding for research, services and supports and requires a report on aging out. On May 9, 2014, Smith introduced the bill Autism CARES Act of 2014, a bill that would amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize research, surveillance, and education activities related to autism spectrum disorders (autism) conducted by various agencies within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). On May 9, 2019, Smith was one of only three Republicans who voted for HR 986, a measure supported by all voting House Democrats intended to maintain protections of those with preexisting medical conditions to have continued access to affordable medical insurance under the existing provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Five weeks earlier, he had voted with seven other Republicans to pass a resolution condemning the Trump administration's efforts by Department of Justice to have the courts invalidate Obamacare. Smith has been a longtime promoter of the medically unrecognized "chronic Lyme disease", and has pushed for the medical establishment to recognize the condition. The condition, not to be confused with genuine Lyme disease, is generally rejected by medical professionals, and its promotion is generally seen as health fraud. In 2019, Smith proposed an investigation into whether the Pentagon had released "weaponized" ticks infected with Lyme disease into the environment between 1950 and 1975. Scientists identified this proposal, which Congress did not adopt, as based on a conspiracy theory and claimed that an investigation was unnecessary and a poor use of funds.


Human rights

Smith advocates for
human rights Human rights are moral principles or normsJames Nickel, with assistance from Thomas Pogge, M.B.E. Smith, and Leif Wenar, 13 December 2013, Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyHuman Rights Retrieved 14 August 2014 for certain standards of hu ...
, serving on numerous committees that seek to impact both national and international laws and legislation. He has stated that the bills he introduces to the house are meant to make the U.S. take "human rights seriously." In 1999, Smith proposed, as part of the American Embassy Security Act, to stop a U.S. sponsored program which provided training to Royal Ulster Constabulary with the FBI, due to claims of human rights violations, i.e. harassment of defense attorneys representing republicans in Northern Ireland. However, he voted no on a bill that halts arms sales to Saudi Arabia and removes troops from Yemen. He supported the return David Goldman's son in the Goldman child abduction case, which involved a trip to Brazil. Smith acknowledges the Armenian genocide and has made calls for the U.S. to recognize it. In 2017, Smith co-sponsored an effort to prioritize human rights in Azerbaijan with Jim McGovern (American politician), Jim McGovern. The H. Res. 537 act also seeks to see further implementation of the Magnitsky Act regarding Azerbaijani officials, as well as a call for Azerbaijan to release all political prisoners. He supports efforts to deport Jakiw Palij, a List of denaturalized former citizens of the United States, denaturalized former American citizen residing in New York who failed to disclose he worked as a guard at a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. Smith condemned Turkey's wide-ranging 2016–present purges in Turkey, crackdown on dissent following a failed July 2016 coup.


China

Smith has held congressional hearings and has proposed bills regarding human rights violations, specifically around women's sexual health, activism and religious groups, in China. He staunchly opposes the forced sterilization (medicine), sterilization and forced abortions being implemented by the Chinese government towards women regarding China's one-child policy. Regarding the victimization of these women, Smith stated that "the agony that those women carry with them is beyond words. They talk about the pain that they carry for their child and for the violation by the state." In response, Smith wrote a bill, which was put into law in 1999, making it illegal for the U.S. to issue visas to foreign nationals who have been involved in forced abortion or sterilization. Smith held a congressional hearing regarding the disappearance of blind Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng. He attempted, in 2011, to visit Chen in China, when the activist was under house arrest, but was not granted permission. In response to the violations towards Chen and his family, Smith sponsored the China Democracy Promotion Act of 2011, which sought to prevent known Chinese human rights violators from entering the U.S. In the wake of the 2014 Hong Kong class boycott campaign and Umbrella Movement, Smith co-sponsored the bipartisan Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, supporting Hong Kong's ongoing autonomy and the human rights of those Hong Kongers involved in nonviolent protests and/or those who have had their rights violated by the Chinese government. In November 2018, Smith raised the issue of Xinjiang re-education camps and human rights abuses against the Uyghurs, Uyghur Islam in China, Muslim minority. Smith said: "The internment of over a million Uyghurs and other Muslims in China is a staggering evil and should be treated by the international community as a crimes against humanity, crime against humanity. The Chinese government's creation of a vast system of what can only be called concentration camps cannot be tolerated in the 21st century." In October 2022, ''Politico'' reported that Smith criticized some US-based financial executives attending the Global Financial Leaders' Investment Summit, saying that companies "that trumpet their so-called 'Environmental, Social and Governance Principles' at home are quick to discard these 'values' for a chance to make a profit from China."


South Korea

Smith has indicated his serious concern on the amendment of the Development of Inter-Korean Relations Act in South Korea which passed the South Korean National Assembly (South Korea), National Assembly on December 14, 2020. It penalizes activists who send anti-North Korean material across the border as Balloon propaganda campaigns in Korea, balloon propaganda. It was passed by the super-majority of the ruling party of President Moon Jae-in who is keen to improve cross-border ties. Smith stated that "While I would hope that members of Democratic Party of Korea, Korea’s Democratic Party would see how damaging this proposed legislation is to democratic principles and human rights, and thus reverse course, in the event that they pass such a law, I call upon our State Department to critically reevaluate the Republic of Korea’s commitment to democratic values in its annual human rights report, as well as in its report on international religious freedom. It may very well be that we will see South Korea put on a watch list, which would be a very sad development indeed."


Religion

Smith supports religious rights regarding international human rights. He supports sanctions against Vietnam regarding its treatment of Catholics and China regarding the Uyghurs and Falun Gong.


Immigration

Smith supported the Indonesian Family Refugee Protection Act in 2012, which would have extended the deadline for Indonesians, Indonesian immigrants to file for citizenship.


Intellectual property rights

Smith authored the Global Online Freedom Act in 2007, but it did not become law. The proposed legislation was a bill "to promote freedom of expression on the Internet, to protect United States businesses from coercion to participate in repression by authoritarian foreign governments, and for other purposes." Specifically, the bill would prohibit American companies from turning over data about customers residing in "internet restrictive countries." The bill is supported by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Reporters Without Borders. It is opposed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation.


January 6 commission

On May 19, 2021, Smith was one of 35 Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting to approve legislation to establish the January 6 commission meant to investigate the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, storming of the U.S. Capitol.


LGBT rights

In 2015, Smith said he did not consider same-sex marriage a fundamental human right as defined by the United Nations. In July 2022, Smith voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill that required the U.S. federal government to recognize the validity of same-sex marriages.


Labor movement

Smith supports the Employee Free Choice Act. The AFL-CIO Legislative Scorecard, which tracks support for workers' rights, gives Smith a 61% lifetime rating, ranking him seventh of New Jersey's twelve Representatives, and 195th of the United States House of Representatives, House's 435 Representatives. The AFL-CIO endorsed Smith for re-election in 2018, calling him one of the "best candidates for working people," due to his support for collective bargaining, opposition to the Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court decision, and support for infrastructure funding, among other reasons. As of March 2019, Smith is the only Republican co-sponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act. He also supported the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, which expanded the scope of the statute of limitations for pay discrimination. Smith cited the example of Lech Walesa and the Solidarity (Polish trade union), Solidarity movement as a reason he support unions. He also said of his fellow Republicans, "What my Republican colleagues often don't understand is that labor is a human-rights issue".


Marijuana

Smith has a "D" rating from NORML regarding his voting record on cannabis-related matters. He has consistently voted against the Veterans Equal Access Amendment, which provides veterans access to information regarding medical marijuana accessibility in their respective states.


Veterans affairs

Bob Wallace, executive director of the Veterans of Foreign Wars calls Smith "the best friend" of veterans. In 2004, Smith refused to endorse the Republican budget proposal unless it included more money for veterans. In a congressional hearing, Smith publicly articulated his belief that the Bush Administration's budget request was $1.2 billion less than the Department of Veterans Affairs actually required, embarrassing the administration and Republican congressional leadership. In 2005, Smith was removed from his chairmanship and membership on the Veterans Affair Committee for his aggressive role in seeking more funding for veteran-related causes.


Science policy

Smith supports efforts to provide alternatives to embryonic stem cell research. In 2005, he co-sponsored a bill with Artur Davis to fund the creation of a network of national blood banks to distribute umbilical cord blood for stem cell research.


Taxation

Smith voted against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, 2017 Republican tax legislation backed by Donald Trump; he was one of five Republican representatives from New Jersey who joined Democrats in opposing the bill. Smith opposed the bill as "unfair to the taxpayers of New Jersey" because it dramatically limited the federal reduction of state and local taxes (SALT). and said he would be "forced to oppose" more tax cuts if legislation included a provision permanently extending the $10,000 cap on the SALT deduction.


Electoral history

, + : Results 1978–2022 ! Year ! ! Republican ! Votes ! % ! ! Democratic ! Votes ! % ! ! Third Party ! Party ! Votes ! % ! ! Third Party ! Party ! Votes ! % ! , - , United States House election, 1978, 1978 , , , , Chris Smith , , 41,833 , , 36.9% , , , Frank Thompson (Inc) , , 69,259 , , 61.1% , , , John Valjean Mahalchik , , Independent , , 1,145 , , 1% , , , Paul Rizzo , , No Slogan , , 827 , , 1% , , - , United States House election, 1980, 1980 , , , , Chris Smith , , 95,447 , , 57% , , , Frank Thompson (Inc) , , 68,480 , , 41% , , , Jack Moyers , , Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian , , 2,801 , , 2% , , , Paul Rizzo , , No Slogan , , 1,776 , , 1% , , - , United States House election, 1982, 1982 , , , , Chris Smith , , 85,660 , , 53% , , , Joseph P. Merlino, Joseph Merlino , , 75,658 , , 47% , , , Bill Harris , , Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian , , 662 , , 0% , , , Paul Rizzo , , No Slogan , , 374 , , 0% , * , - , United States House election, 1984, 1984 , , , , Chris Smith , , 139,295 , , 61% , , , James Hedden , , 87,908 , , 39% , , , , , , , , , , , , - , United States House election, 1986, 1986 , , , , Chris Smith , , 78,699 , , 61% , , , Jeffrey Laurenti , , 49,290 , , 38% , , , Earl Dickey , , Stop Financing Communism , , 789 , , 1% , , , , , , , - , United States House election, 1988, 1988 , , , , Chris Smith , , 155,283 , , 66% , , , Betty Holland , , 79,006 , , 33% , , , Judson Carter , , Independent , , 1,114 , , 0% , , , Daniel Maiullo , , Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian , , 791 , , 0% , , - , United States House election, 1990, 1990 , , , , Chris Smith , , 99,920 , , 63% , , , Mark Setaro , , 54,961 , , 35% , , , Carl Peters , , Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian , , 2,178 , , 1% , , ! style="background:#FF7575; ", Joseph Notarangelo , ! style="background:#FF7575; ", Populist Party (United States, 1984), Populist , ! style="background:#FF7575; ", 1,206 , ! style="background:#FF7575; ", 1% , * , - , United States House election, 1992, 1992 , , , , Chris Smith , , 149,095 , , 62% , , , Brian Hughes , , 84,514 , , 35% , , , Benjamin Grindlinger , , Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian , , 2,984 , , 1% , , , Patrick Pasculi , , Independent , , 2,137 , , 1% , * , - , United States House election, 1994, 1994 , , , , Chris Smith , , 109,818 , , 68% , , , Ralph Walsh , , 49,537 , , 31% , , , Leonard Marshall , , New Jersey Conservative Party, Conservative , , 1,579 , , 1% , , ! style="background:#00bfff; ", Arnold Kokans , ! style="background:#00bfff; ", Natural Law Party (United States), Natural Law , ! style="background:#00bfff; ", 833 , ! style="background:#00bfff; ", 1% , , - , United States House election, 1996, 1996 , , , , Chris Smith , , 146,404 , , 64% , , , Kevin Meara , , 77,565 , , 34% , , , Robert Figueroa , , Independent , , 3,000 , , 1% , , , J. Morgan Strong , , Independent , , 2,034 , , 1% , * , - , United States House election, 1998, 1998 , , , , Chris Smith , , 92,991 , , 62% , , , Larry Schneider , , 52,281 , , 35% , , , Keith Quarles , , Independent , , 1,753 , , 1% , , , Morgan Strong , , Independent , , 1,495 , , 1% , * , - , United States House election, 2000, 2000 , , , , Chris Smith , , 158,515 , , 63% , , , Reed Gusciora , , 87,956 , , 35% , , , Stuart Chaifetz , , Independent , , 3,627 , , 1% , , , Paul Teel , , Independent , , 712 , , 0% , , - , United States House election, 2002, 2002 , , , , Chris Smith , , 115,293 , , 66% , , , Mary Brennan , , 55,967 , , 32% , , , Keith Quarles , , Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian , , 1,211 , , 1% , , , Hermann Winkelmann , , Honesty, Humanity, Duty , , 1,063 , , 1% , * , - , 2004 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey#District 4, 2004 , , , , Chris Smith , , 192,671 , , 67% , , , Amy Vasquez , , 92,826 , , 32% , , , Richard Edgar , , Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian , , 2,056 , , 1% , , , , , , , - , United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, 2006#District 4, 2006 , , , , Chris Smith , , 124,482 , , 66% , , , Carol Gay , , 62,902 , , 33% , , , Richard Edgar , , Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian , , 1,539 , , 1% , , , Louis Wary , , Remove Medical Negligence , , 614 , , 0% , , - , United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, 2008#District 4, 2008 , , , , Chris Smith , , 202,972 , , 66% , , , Joshua M. Zeitz, Joshua Zeitz , , 100,036 , , 32% , , , Steven Welzer , , Green Party of the United States, Green , , 3,543 , , 1% , , , , , , , - , United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, 2010#District 4, 2010 , , , , Chris Smith , , 129,752 , , 69% , , , Howard Kleinhendler , , 52,118 , , 28% , , , Joe Siano , , Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian , , 2,912 , , 2% , , , Steven Welzer , , Green , , 1,574 , , 1% , * , - , United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, 2012#District 4, 2012 , , , , Chris Smith , , 195,146 , , 64% , , , Brian Froelich , , 107,992 , , 35% , , , Leonard Marshall , , No Slogan , , 3,111 , , 1% , , , , , , , - , United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, 2014#District 4, 2014 , , , , Chris Smith , , 118,826 , , 68% , , , Ruben Scolavino , , 54,415 , , 31% , , , Scott Neuman , , D-R Party , , 1,608 , , 1% , , , , , , , - , United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, 2016#District 4, 2016 , , , , Chris Smith , , 211,992 , , 64% , , , Lorna Phillipson , , 111,532 , , 34% , , , Hank Schroeder , , Economic Growth , , 5,840 , , 2% , , , Jeremy Marcus , , Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian , , 3,320 , , 1% , , - , United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, 2018#District 4, 2018 , , , , Chris Smith , , 159,965 , , 55% , , , Joshua Welle , , 123,995 , , 43% , , , Michael Rufo , , Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian , , 1,352 , , 1% , , , Ed Stackhouse , , Independent , , 1,034 , , 0% , * , - , United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey, 2020#District 4, 2020 , , , , Chris Smith , , 254,103 , , 60% , , , Stephanie Schmid , , 162,420 , , 38% , , , Hank Schroeder , , Independent , , 3,195 , , 1% , , , Michael Rufo , , Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian , , 2,583 , , 1% , * , - , 2022 United States House of Representatives elections in New Jersey#District 4, 2022 , , , , Chris Smith , , 173,288 , , 66% , , , Matthew Jenkins , , 81,233 , , 31% , , , Jason Cullen , , Libertarian Party (United States), Libertarian , , 1,902 , , 0.7% , * , , David Schmidt , , Independent politician, Independent , , 1,197 , , 0.5% , * * In elections marked with an asterisk (*), additional candidates received less than 1% of the vote.


References


External links


Congressman Chris Smith
official U.S. House website
Chris Smith for Congress
* * *
Smith: China's illegal organ harvesting
September 18, 2012, Washington Times , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Chris 1953 births 21st-century American politicians American anti-abortion activists Catholics from New Jersey Living people People from Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey People from Rahway, New Jersey People from Robbinsville Township, New Jersey People from Woodbridge Township, New Jersey Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey The College of New Jersey alumni