Last December, when it became obvious China faced a deadly disease of historic dimensions, Xi Jinping and his government went into damage control mode.
We are not talking about controlling the terrible damage wrought by COVID-19 among humans, but rather the damage to China’s reputation as an emerging global leader, fearing that a carefully crafted, but bogus image would be damaged as more people around the world succumbed to COVID-19.
Congressman Chris Smith at work in his Hamilton, NJ office
The State of New Jersey was awarded $1.7 billion by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to shore up its mass transit system from the economic upheaval caused of the coronavirus pandemic, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ4) announced on Friday.
Congressman Chris Smith at work in his Freehold District Office.
Local governments in the 4th Congressional District of New Jersey were awarded $4.5 million in federal CARE Act funds to help areas stabilize and recover from the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) announced.
Medical-grade gloves before release by Customs and Border Protection. photo courtesy of Ansell
Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ4) became aware on Monday that 41.3 million medical-grade gloves owned by Iselin based Ansell had been held by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) since last September.
Twenty-four hours later, after dozens of phone calls from Rep. Smith to numerous federal officials, CBP released the gloves which are now being distributed to medical professionals and first responders throughout the United States.
WASHINGTON, DC—In an urgent phone conversation Saturday, March 21st with U.S. Ambassador to Peru, Krishna Urs, Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) a senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, urged the Ambassador to reach out to U.S. citizens and reassure those spread-out across Peru that they have not been forgotten nor abandoned.
“There are reportedly 5,000 Americans trapped in Peru needing the immediate assistance of the U.S. government in order to get home,” said Smith, who has been contacted by more than a dozen travelers with New Jersey roots. Read the rest of this entry »
Congressman Chris Smith working in his Hamilton office
Monmouth County Freeholders Sue Kiley and Nick DiRocco, joined by County Administrator Teri O’Connor, briefed Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) on the work being done in Monmouth to stop the spread of the novel Coronavirus, as well as to help County residents deal with the stressors the pandemic may bring.
Smith said that though the County is limiting visitors to all offices, all golf courses, parks and open spaces remain open and may offer needed respite. The Freeholders also discuss the testing, screening and tracing being done, and also briefed the congressman on the bank of volunteers who are answering calls at the Monmouth County Health Department.
Smith said Regenye briefed him on the “mutually reinforcing aggressive steps” Ocean County has undertaken including the push to identify and test at-risk people, school closing and need for students during closures to adhere to “social distancing—no parties or sleepovers” and the need for personal protective equipment (PPE), especially for health workers and first responders.
WASHINGTON, DC – As the House tonight passed its second comprehensive bipartisan bill to combat the coronavirus (COVID 19), Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) said that “containing the outbreak, finding a cure and a safe and effective vaccine must be our highestpriority—no matter the cost.”
“We must contain the coronavirus pandemic and protect all people, especially those most vulnerable to the disease such as the elderly and those with serious chronic medical conditions,” said Smith, who strongly supported and voted for the measure hours after President Trump declared the coronavirus a national emergency, opening the door for states and local governments to receive additional federal assistance. Read the rest of this entry »
The top winner—Best in Show—is recognized at an annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., and is displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol. The 2019 winner of Best in Show from the Fourth Congressional District was “Family Tree,” by Anna Effenberger, of Colts Neck, a 2019 graduate at the Ranney School. Anna’s work remains on display in the Capitol through June 2020.
High school students who live in the Fourth Congressional District of New Jersey (parts of Mercer, Monmouth and Ocean Counties) have until March 13 to enter the 2020 Congressional Art Competition, Congressman Chris Smith announced.
The competition is open to current high school students with artwork recently completed, or works specifically created just for the competition, that meet the originality, suitability, size and other entry guidelines of the national competition. Click here for 2020 rules of entry, entry forms, a list of towns in the Fourth District and other important information.
