Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) has proposed a solution to the use of chemical weapons in Syria that does not involve the United States bombing the country — the investigation and prosecution of those crimes against humanity.
Smith, New Jersey’s longest serving congressman and a well regarded champion of human rights, introduced a Concurrent Resolution last week that, if passed by both the House and Senate, would direct President Obama to work with the United Nations to set up a tribunal to investigate war crimes war crimes committed by the Syrian government and the rebel groups waging a civil war in the county.
In a interview with The Washington Post’sBrad Plumer, Smith, who has previously worked on war crimes tribunals involving Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone and Rwanda, criticizes the Obama targeting “20 year-olds who might be on an air force base” rather the actual perpetrators of use of sarin gas against the Syria people, be it the Assad regime or the rebels.
A tribunal would be a non-lethal alternative to a bombing campaign — which no one knows how long it will last. During the House hearing [on Wednesday], I asked Secretary Kerry: How do you define “limited”? How do you define “short duration”? And he didn’t answer. There’s no sense that bombing will end this war. No one is even remotely suggesting that. And I’m equally concerned about a strike where there are consequences that have or haven’t been anticipated that could occur.
Smith said the tribunal should convene immediately and that there in no need to wait for the end of the Syrian civil war.
Smith said that he asked Secretary of State John Kerry at a hearing of the House Foreign Affairs Committee if the Obama administration had proof that the chemical weapons were deployed by the Assad regime. Kerry wouldn’t answer.
Smith said that he anticipated that Russia, China and the rest of the world community would support an investigative prosecutorial tribunal.
Yesterday, the House of Representatives defeated, 205-217, an amendment to the 2014 Defense Appropriations Bill that would have defunded the National Security Agency’s Domestic Phone Metadata program.
Congressman Frank Pallone was in New Jersey campaigning for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate which will be decided in the Special Primary on August 13. He did not vote on the measure.
The rest of the New Jersey delegation split, 4-7, to continue domestic spying.
Voting for the amendment (against the spying) were Republicans Chris Smith and Scott Garrett and Democrats Rush Holt and Bill Pascrell.
Voting nay (for funding the spying) were Republicans Rodney Freylinghuysen, Frank LoBiando, Leonard Lance and Jon Runyon, along with Democrats Rob Andrews, Donald Payne, JR, and Albio Sires.
WASHINGTON, DC – “It has been five long months since the House overwhelmingly passed my legislation to ensure that houses of worship are no longer discriminated against under Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) rules,” said Rep. Chris Smith, author of H.R. 592, the “Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2013.”
“When a bill passes the House by such a strong, bipartisan margin of 354-72, it is hoped that the Senate will work aggressively to send it to the President’s desk. The legislation is desperately needed to put fairness back into our disaster relief programs.
“I welcome the bipartisan efforts of Senators Kirsten Gillebrand (D-NY) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) in their introduction of a Senate companion bill, S. 1274, this week and I am delighted and encouraged that New Jersey Sen. Jeff Chiesa has signed on as well. I am confident their leadership will help break the log jam and bring equity to the program.”
Smith, who has personally met with Senators Tom Carper and Tom Coburn, the chair and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, said that they each raised some concerns that Smith believed could be easily addressed in a bill markup session. Having a companion bill will hopefully help show support in the Senate and advance the issue. Smith also met with FEMA head Craig Fugate to discuss the bill and the current unfair treatment of houses of worship compared to other non-profits.
FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate, left, and Congressman Chris Smith, center, meet with their staff members in Smith’s office on June 6, 2013
FEMA will be reimbursing New Jersey towns impacted by Superstorm Sandy 90% of their cleanup and rebuilding costs, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ4) announced on Tuesday evening.
The approval will provide an immediate and additional $262 million for already obligated funding and it will cover all additional local government approved funding. Funds will cover: Public Assistance Grant emergency work and permanent work including debris removal; emergency protective measures; road systems and bridges; water control facilities; buildings; contents and equipment; utilities, and; parks.
Non-conservatives sometimes get a little frustrated with conservatives for complaining about “media bias.” To be fair, I do think there’s something to be said for the fact that simply whining about how crappy the press can be isn’t an effective electoral strategy. Plenty of radio hosts make a living that way but it’s not helpful.
That doesn’t mean media bias isn’t a very real problem, and some instances of bias, however, are especially egregious. The complete mainstream media blackout surrounding the Dr. Kermit Gosnell trial across the Delaware River is one such instance, Save Jerseyans. The allegations in that trial — “43 criminal counts, including eight counts of murder” — are nightmarishly grizzly and reveal a completely non-sanitized account of abortion that many willfully-blind Americans need to see.
What Kirstin is apparently waking up to is the reality of a hyper-ideological press corps that lives by the doctrine of selective outrage. Reporting the news is a secondary objective for these people. Affecting their desired vision of “change” in society always takes primacy. In this case, abortion doesn’t offend them (most even see it as a sacred natural right). Private gun ownership does offend them (in case you hadn’t heard!). As a result, you can expect to see story after story lamenting isolated, statistically rare gun accidents but nothing in print about the alleged mass murder of infants.
Again, the media’s goal here isn’t to inform you. They’re trying to shape you.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Speaker of the House John Boehner has tasked Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and leader on many international human rights efforts, to lead the bipartisan U.S. congressional delegation to attend the investiture of former Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope Francis.
“It is an honor to lead this bipartisan group of House members to this international event,” said Smith, who chairs the House Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations Subcommittee. “The world is a challenging place, in terms of wars and peace, basic human rights and freedoms. The Holy Father has a major role to play in global affairs. I wish him well as he begins his pontificate and am honored to be a part of this historic occasion. The Pope is more than a spiritual leader for the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, he is an inspiration of holiness and goodness, and above all, the faithful proclamation of the Gospel.”
While in Rome, Smith plans to meet with Vatican officials to discuss human rights issues, including human trafficking, religious freedom and culture of life issues. He expects to meet with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State, The Vatican; Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; Cardinal Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Council for the Family, and two of the top U.S. prelates, New York City’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley.
In selecting Smith, Boehner said: “I’m pleased Congressman Smith and this bipartisan group of Members will join the Vice President in communicating the prayers and warm regards of the American people to Pope Francis as he begins his papacy.”
The Smith co-del to the Vatican will also include Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Sean Duffy (R-WI), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), Jim Langevin (D-RI), Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), and Loretta Sanchez (D-CA).
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who represents areas of Ocean and Monmouth counties hard-hit by Superstorm Sandy, today testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee Energy and Water Development on the impact of Superstorm Sandy disaster relief legislation.
The hearing was held by New Jersey Congressman, Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, author of the “Frelinghuysen amendment” which provided the necessary funding to rebuild New Jersey and keep our recovery on track. The legislation “is making—and will continue to make—a real difference in the lives of our constituents and communities throughout the Northeast,” Smith told the Committee members.
The legislation brought the total federal appropriations to help Sandy impacted states to $60.4 billion including assistance to back up the National Flood Insurance Program, programs to help the residents whose homes were destroyed or damaged, and help for communities to make a robust and sustainable recovery.
The hearing focused on the Army Corps of Engineers—who received $5.35 billion from the supplemental appropriation—and their plans for Sandy recovery, including the critical beach replenishment projects along the Jersey Shore that helped mitigate the damage in certain areas.
Would Allow Houses of Worship Same Status as Other Non-Profits in Seeking Federal Disaster Assistance
The House of Representatives voted today to put houses of worship—many of which were severely damaged by Superstorm Sandy but nonetheless continued to serve ravaged coastal communities—on an even playing field with other non-profit organizations seeking disaster assistance.
H.R. 592, the “Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2013,” is co-authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ-04) and Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY-06), and co-sponsored by Peter King (R-NY-02), Eliot Engel (D-NY-16), Trent Franks (R-AZ-08), Michael Grimm (R-NY-11), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ-02), Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY-04) and Bill Pascrell Jr.(D-NJ-09).
The legislation stipulates that the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, which funds the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) disaster relief program, is a general government program under which federal assistance following a natural disaster can be rendered using criteria that are neutral with regard to religion. Congress has previously enacted laws providing financial assistance to religious nonprofit institutions, including houses of worship, on terms equal to other eligible nonprofit organizations. The bill now moves to the Senate.
The bill had 10-2 support in the New Jersey delegation. Congressmen Rob Andrews and Rush Holt voted NO.
If passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Obama, the following Monmouth County churches that sustained over $100,000 each from Superstorm Sandy stand to received FEMA funds for rebuilding:
Christ the King (Our Lady of Mt Carmel), Long Branch
Christ the King (Holy Trinity Church, Long Branch)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate today passed the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, one week after the House passed a similar assistance measure, which will keep New Jersey’s recovery on track and allow New Jersey and other Superstorm Sandy-impacted states—New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania—to rebuild in the wake of the storm. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), who represents the hard-hit disaster areas of Ocean and Monmouth counties, noted that the federal aid is needed to recover from the worst natural disaster in his state’s history.
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WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who represents areas of Ocean and Monmouth counties hard-hit by Superstorm Sandy, today testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee Energy and Water Development on the impact of Superstorm Sandy disaster relief legislation.
The House of Representatives voted today to put houses of worship—many of which were severely damaged by Superstorm Sandy but nonetheless continued to serve ravaged coastal communities—on an even playing field with other non-profit organizations seeking disaster assistance.