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Chris Smith

R

Won the Primary, 2024 New Jersey U.S. House District 4, Primary Election

New Jersey U.S. House, District 4 (1980 - Present)

Dean, New Jersey Congressional Delegation (? - Present)

Quick Facts
Personal Details

Caucuses/Former Committees

Member, 9/11 Health Caucus, present

Co-Chair/Founder, Alzheimer's Caucus, present

Member, Animal Welfare Caucus, present

Founder/Co-Chair, Autism Caucus, present

Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Bosnia, present

Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Combating Anti-Semitism, present

Member, Congressional Caucus on Refugees, present

Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Vietnam, present

Member, Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, present

Member, Congressional Coastal Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Guard and Reserve Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Human Rights Caucus, present

Co-Chair, Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus, present

Co-Chair, Congressional Lyme Disease Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, present

Co-Chair, Congressional Poland Caucus, present

Founder/Co-Chair, Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus, present

Co-Chair, Hong Kong Caucus, present

Member, House Air Force Caucus, present

Member, House Army Caucus, present

Member, House Oceans Caucus, present

Member, Military Veterans Caucus, present

Member, Rail Passenger Caucus, present

Member, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus, present

Former Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Uganda

Former Co-Chair, Spina Bifida Caucus

Former Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations, United States House of Representatives

Former Chair, Subcommittee on Africa, United States House of Representatives

Former Chair, Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Operations, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, and Trade, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, The Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Chair, Veterans Committee, United States House of Representatives

Education

  • BA, Business Administration, The College of New Jersey, 1975
  • Attended, Worcester College, 1974

Professional Experience

  • BA, Business Administration, The College of New Jersey, 1975
  • Attended, Worcester College, 1974
  • Former Executive Director, New Jersey Right to Life Committee

Political Experience

  • BA, Business Administration, The College of New Jersey, 1975
  • Attended, Worcester College, 1974
  • Former Executive Director, New Jersey Right to Life Committee
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, New Jersey, District 4, 1980-present
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, New Jersey, District 4, 2018, 2020
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, 1978

Former Committees/Caucuses

Member, 9/11 Health Caucus, present

Co-Chair/Founder, Alzheimer's Caucus, present

Member, Animal Welfare Caucus, present

Founder/Co-Chair, Autism Caucus, present

Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Bosnia, present

Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Combating Anti-Semitism, present

Member, Congressional Caucus on Refugees, present

Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Vietnam, present

Member, Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, present

Member, Congressional Coastal Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Guard and Reserve Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Human Rights Caucus, present

Co-Chair, Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus, present

Co-Chair, Congressional Lyme Disease Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's Caucus, present

Co-Chair, Congressional Poland Caucus, present

Founder/Co-Chair, Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, present

Member, Congressional Shipbuilding Caucus, present

Co-Chair, Hong Kong Caucus, present

Member, House Air Force Caucus, present

Member, House Army Caucus, present

Member, House Oceans Caucus, present

Member, Military Veterans Caucus, present

Member, Rail Passenger Caucus, present

Member, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus, present

Former Co-Chair, Congressional Caucus on Uganda

Former Co-Chair, Spina Bifida Caucus

Former Chair, Subcommittee on Africa, United States House of Representatives

Former Chair, Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Operations, United States House of Representatives

Former Member, The Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives

Former Chair, Veterans Committee, United States House of Representatives

Current Legislative Committees

Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs

Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Global Human Rights

Religious, Civic, and other Memberships

  • BA, Business Administration, The College of New Jersey, 1975
  • Attended, Worcester College, 1974
  • Former Executive Director, New Jersey Right to Life Committee
  • Representative, United States House of Representatives, New Jersey, District 4, 1980-present
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, New Jersey, District 4, 2018, 2020
  • Candidate, United States House of Representatives, 1978
  • Co-Chair, Ad Hoc Congressional Committee for Irish Affairs, present
  • Co-Chair, Bicameral Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer's Disease, present
  • Member, Congressional Coalition on Adoption, present
  • Co-Chair, Congressional Heart and Stroke Coalition, present
  • Member, Delaware River Basin Task Force, present
  • Special Representative, Human Trafficking, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly, present
  • Dean, New Jersey Congressional Delegation, present
  • Co-Chair, Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, present
  • Co-Chair, Coalition on Autism Research and Education
  • Ranking Member, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE)
  • Ranking Member/Former Chair, Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC)
  • Former Republican Congressional Delegate, United Nations
  • Chair, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 2011-2012

Other Info

Astrological Sign:

Pisces

— Awards:

  • Legislator of the Year, 2015, Veterans of Foreign Wars
  • Boat People SOS Vietnamese Human Rights Award
  • Humanitarian Impact Award in Healthcare, 2015, Healey International Relief Foundation
  • Citizen Power Award, 2015, Initiatives for China/Citizen Power for China
  • Leadership Award, 2015, Center for Jewish Life
  • Guardian of Small Business Award, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
  • Honorary Trenton Firefighters Award, 2014
  • The Coptic Solidarity 2014 Leadership Award
  • Defender Award, 2012, China Aid Association
  • Easter Seals Advocacy Award, 2012
  • Congressional Leadership Award, 2012, Refugees International
  • Spirit of Enterprise, 2012, United States Chamber of Commerce
  • Public Service Award, 2012, National PACE Association (NPA)
  • United States Humane Champion Award, 2012, The Humane Society
  • Defender of Children, 2012
  • Leadership Award, 2011, Flax Trust-America
  • Distinguished Community Health Advocate, 2011, National Association of Community Health Centers
  • Global Forum Leadership Award, 2011, The American Jewish Committee
  • Man of Distinction Award, 2011, Monmouth County Jewish Federation
  • Appreciation Award and Honorary Firefighter's Helmet, 2011
  • Wilberforce Leadership Award, 2010, Students for Life of America
  • Award of Gratitude, Falun Dafa Practitioners in New Jersey
  • Legislator of the Year, 2010, National Association of Private and Special Education Centers
  • Award of Recognition, Allergy & Asthma Network
  • Joey Damiano Community Hero Award, 2009, The Arc Mercer
  • United States Legislative Leader Award, 2009, Humane Society
  • Humanity Award, 2009, Profile World Congress
  • Award Recognizing Dedication and Support to Lyme Patients, Lyme Disease Association
  • Max Cleland Lifetime Achievement Award, 2009, Veterans & Military Families for Progress
  • Award of Thanks, 2009, Autism Speaks
  • Distinguished Community Health Superhero, 2009, National Association of Community Health Centers
  • Award of Appreciation, 2009, Keep Infants with Down Syndrome
  • Award of Appreciation, Township of Howell
  • Public Policy Award, 2008, The Marshall Legacy Institute
  • The Good Samaritan Award, Advocates International
  • The Presidents Award, American Association of Blood Banks
  • Innocents at Risk Award, Leadership in Fight to Stop Human Trafficking
  • The Central and East European Coalition Award
  • Spirit of St. Francis Award, 2008, Saint Francis Medical Center
  • National Breast Cancer Coalition's Certificate of Excellence, 2007
  • Legislator of the Year, 2007, Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey
  • Award of Appreciation, 2007, New Jersey's Homeless Individuals and Families
  • Spirit of Enterprise Award, 2007, United States Chamber of Commerce
  • American Ireland Fund's Distinguished Leadership Award, 2007
  • Commander's Cross of Merit, Republic of Hungary
  • Humane Champion Award, 2007, Humane Society of United States
  • President's Award, 2007, Life Issues Institute
  • True Blue Award, 2007, Family Research Council
  • American Jewish Committee's Soviet Jewry Liberty Award
  • Leon H. Sullivan Award, 2007
  • Circle of Honor Award, 2007, Alzheimer's Association
  • Human Rights Award, 2007, Korean American Voters' Council
  • President's Award, 2007, New Jersey Water Association
  • Srebrenica 1995 Award, 2007
  • Saint Thomas More Award, 2007, Trenton Diocese
  • Respect Life Award, 2007, Knights of Columbus
  • Special Recognition Award, 2007, Society of Ethiopians Established in Diaspora (SEED)
  • Commodore John Barry Award, 2007, Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick of the Jersey Shore
  • Chairman's Leadership Award, 2006, Alzheimer's Association of America's
  • Paul O'Dwyer Award, 2006, Irish American Unity Conference
  • Congressional Hero Award, Autism Society of America
  • Legislator of the Year, Veterans of Foreign Wars
  • Legislator of the Year, New Jersey Veterans of Foreign Wars
  • Vitae Caring Award, 2005
  • Pony Express Federal Leadership Award, New Jersey Association of Mental Health Agencies
  • Sean MacBride Human Rights Award, Ancient Order of Hibernians
  • Legislator of the Year, National Mental Health Association
  • Public Service Award, Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce
  • Legislator of the Year, Jewish War Veterans
  • New Jersey Broadcasters Association 2002 Award
  • Silver Helmet Award, AmVETS
  • Proudly Pro-Life Award, 1996, National Right to Life Committee Educational Trust Fund
  • Leader of the Year, New Jersey State Postal Workers
  • Public Service Award, American Legion Distinguished
  • Humanitarian of the Year Award, Catholic Charities Diocese of Trenton
  • Legislator of the Year, Order of the Purple Heart
  • Distinguished Community Health Defender Award, National Association of Community Health Centers
  • Legislator of the Year Award, 2003, Vietnam Veterans of America
  • Alexander Boloni Farkas Award, American Hungarian Federation
  • Retired Enlisted Association Award of Excellence
  • Tri State Region Spirit of Life Award, Spina Bifida Association
  • Irish American Unity Conference Patrick Finucane Award
  • New Jersey Primary Care Association Community Health Super Hero
  • Award of Merit, Military Coalition
  • Congressional Champion, Spina Bifida Association of America
  • John C. Reiss Respect Life Award, 1990, Diocese of Trenton's Bishop
  • Captain Frank Taylor Evans Outstanding Achievement Award, Friends of Navy Lakehurst
  • National Association of State Approving Agencies Award
  • Friend for Life Award, Northwest Pregnancy Center and Maternity Home
  • New Jersey State Hibernian Humanitarian Award, 2001
  • National Association for Homeless Veterans Legislative Leadership Award
  • Values Action Team Award, 2003
  • Distinguished Service Award, Trenton Vets Center
  • Outstanding Service Award, Boy Scouts of America Jersey Shore Council
  • Pro Vita Award, 1998, Diocese of Metuchen's Diocesan
  • County Veterans Services Officers Award
  • George "Buck" Gillispie Award, Blinded American Veterans Foundation
  • Ivan Veit Award, Immigration and Refugee Services of America
  • Spirit of Enterprise Award, United States Chamber of Commerce
  • William Wilberforce Award
  • Department Commanders' Appreciation Award, American Legion
  • Man of the Year, Scleroderma Foundation
  • Sierra Club Clean Air Champion
  • Distinguished Service Award, National Association of State Veterans Homes
  • Guardian of Small Business, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
  • Outstanding Service Award, Disabled American Veterans
  • New Jersey Catholic War Veterans Patriot Award
  • Irishman of the Year, Ocean County Emerald Society
  • Friend of Adoption Award, National Committee of Adoption
  • Cancer Advocacy Award, Cancer Institute of New Jersey
  • Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3523 Award
  • Courage in the Marketplace Award, 2001
  • American Ambulance Association Legislative Recognition Award
  • Peace Corps Leader for Peace Award
  • Eagle of Freedom Award, American Security Council
  • Defender of Life Award, 2001, Pro-Life Union of Southeast Pennsylvania
  • Legislator of the Year, International Chiropractors Association
  • Anchor House Child Advocate Award
  • Share the Vision Award, Lyme Research Foundation
  • Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community Award
  • Religious Alliance Against Pornography Award
  • Inspiration Award from the Year United Catholic Music Video Association, 2001
  • Deborah Heart Foundation Humanitarian of the Year
  • Citizen of the Year, Toms River-Ocean County Chamber of Commerce
  • Friend of the National Parks Award, National Park Conservation Association
  • Courage to Lead Award, International Chiropractors Association
  • Distinguished Service Award, New Jersey State Council of the Knights of Columbus
  • NJARSVRD Award, Senior Citizen Volunteer Retirement Programs
  • L. Mendel Rivers Award, 2002, Non-Commissioned Officers Association
  • Man of the Year Award, B'Nai Brith Judean Unit 1351
  • Citizens for a Sound Economy Jefferson Award
  • Christian Coalition Friend of the Family Award

  • 3

Policy Positions

2021

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

Budget

1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
- Yes

Campaign Finance

1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Unknown Position

Crime

1. Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct?
- Unknown Position

Defense

Do you support increasing defense spending?
- Yes

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Unknown Position

3. Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
- Yes

Education

1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- Unknown Position

Energy and Environment

1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Unknown Position

Guns

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Yes

Health Care

1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
- Yes

Immigration

1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Yes

2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- No

National Security

1. Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
- Unknown Position

Trade

Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
- Yes

Congressional Election 2006 National Political Awareness Test

Abortion

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding abortion.

1. Abortions should always be illegal.
- X

2. Abortions should always be legal.
- No Answer

3. Abortions should be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy.
- No Answer

4. Abortions should be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape.
- No Answer

5. Abortions should be legal when the life of the woman is endangered.
- X

6. Prohibit public funding of abortions and to organizations that advocate or perform abortions.
- X

Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 1: Budget Priorities

Using the key, indicate what federal funding levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category, you can use a number more than once.Budget Priorities

1. Agriculture
- Slightly Decrease

2. Arts
- Maintain Status

3. Defense
- Slightly Increase

4. Education
- Greatly Increase

5. Environment
- Slightly Increase

6. Homeland security
- Greatly Increase

7. International aid
- Slightly Increase

8. Law enforcement
- Slightly Increase

9. Medical research
- Greatly Increase

10. National parks
- Maintain Status

11. Public health services
- Greatly Increase

12. Scientific research
- Slightly Increase

13. Space exploration programs
- Maintain Status

14. Transportation and highway infrastructure
- Slightly Increase

15. Welfare
- Slightly Increase

16. Emergency preparedness
- Greatly Increase

Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 2: Defense Spending

Defense Spending

1. Armed Forces personnel training
- Slightly Increase

2. Intelligence operations
- Greatly Increase

3. Military hardware
- Slightly Increase

4. Modernization of weaponry and equipment
- Slightly Increase

5. National missile defense
- Slightly Increase

6. Pay for active duty personnel
- Greatly Increase

7. Programs to improve troop retention rates
- Greatly Increase

8. Research and development of new weapons
- Slightly Increase

9. Troop and equipment readiness
- Greatly Increase

Budgetary, Spending, and Tax Issues, Part 3: Taxes (A)

Using the key above, indicate what federal tax levels you support for the following general categories. Select one number per category.TaxesIncome Taxes:Family IncomeRetiree IncomeOther Taxes:Deductions/Credits:

1. Less than $25,000
- Eliminate

2. $25,000-$75,000
- Greatly Decrease

3. $75,000-$150,000
- Slightly Decrease

4. Over $150,000
- Maintain Status

5. Other or expanded categories
- No Answer

6. Over $40,000
- No Answer

7. Alcohol taxes
- Maintain Status

8. Capital gains taxes
- Maintain Status

9. Cigarette taxes
- Slightly Increase

10. Corporate taxes
- Maintain Status

11. Gasoline taxes
- Maintain Status

12. Inheritance taxes
- Eliminate

13. Charitable contributions
- Slightly Increase

14. Child tax credit
- Greatly Increase

15. Earned income tax credit
- Maintain Status

16. Medical expense deduction
- Greatly Increase

17. Mortgage deduction
- Maintain Status

18. Student loan credit
- Slightly Increase

Budgetary, Spending, and Taxes, Part 3: Taxes (B)

1. Do you support the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
- Yes

2. Do you support making President Bush's tax cuts permanent?
- Yes

3. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Campaign Finance and Government Reform

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding campaign finance and government reform.

1. Support public taxpayer funding for federal candidates who comply with campaign spending limits.
- No Answer

2. Increase the amount individuals are permitted to contribute to federal campaigns.
- No Answer

3. Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
- No Answer

4. Allow unregulated soft money campaign contributions to political parties or committees.
- No Answer

5. Remove all contribution limits on federal campaigns and parties.
- No Answer

6. Require Section 527 organizations to register with the Federal Election Commission as Political Action Committees.
- No Answer

7. Do you support instant run-off voting?
- No

8. Should Election Day be a national holiday?
- No

9. Do you support a constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a union between a man and woman?
- Yes

10. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Crime

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding crime.

1. Support the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
- No Answer

2. Eliminate the use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
- X

3. Support programs to provide prison inmates with educational, vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
- X

4. Support programs to provide prison inmates with drug and alcohol addiction treatment.
- X

5. Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
- No Answer

6. Require that crimes based on gender, sexual orientation, and disability be prosecuted as federal hate crimes.
- X

7. Impose stricter penalties for those convicted of corporate crimes.
- X

8. Minors accused of a violent crime should be prosecuted as adults.
- X

Drug

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding drugs.

1. Support mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
- X

2. Expand federally sponsored drug education and drug treatment programs.
- X

3. Decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana.
- No Answer

4. Allow doctors to recommend marijuana to their patients for medicinal purposes.
- No Answer

5. Increase border security to stop the flow of illegal drugs into the United States.
- X

6. Eliminate federal funding for programs associated with the "war on drugs."
- No Answer

7. Support a federal law to standardize testing and penalties for steroid use in professional sports.
- X

Education

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding education.

1. Support national standards for and testing of public school students.
- X

2. Allow parents to use vouchers, (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any public school.
- No Answer

3. Allow parents to use vouchers, (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any private or religious school.
- No Answer

4. Allow teachers and professionals to receive authorization and funding to establish charter schools.
- X

5. Reward teachers with merit pay for working in low-income schools.
- X

6. Increase funding for school capital improvements (e.g. buildings, infrastructure, technology).
- X

7. Support affirmative action in public college admissions.
- No Answer

8. Increase funding of programs such as Pell grants and Stafford loans to help students pay for college.
- X

9. Support federal tax incentives to help families save for college.
- X

Employment and Affirmative Action

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding employment.2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding affirmative action.

1. Increase funding for national job-training programs that re-train displaced workers or teach skills needed in today's job market.
- X

2. Reduce government regulation of the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
- No Answer

3. Provide tax credits or grants to businesses that offer child care services to employees.
- X

4. Encourage employers to offer flex-time scheduling, comp-time, and unpaid leave for family emergencies.
- X

5. Eliminate all federal programs designed to reduce unemployment.
- No Answer

6. Increase the federal minimum wage.
- X

7. Support the right of workers to strike without fear of being permanently replaced.
- X

8. Include sexual orientation in federal anti-discrimination laws.
- No Answer

9. The federal government should consider race and gender in government contracting decisions.
- No Answer

10. The federal government should discontinue affirmative action programs.
- No Answer

11. The federal government should continue affirmative action programs.
- No Answer

12. The federal government should continue to reform programs that seek to ensure fairness in employment and contracting.
- As the author of the law to help homeless veterans rebuild their lives, I strongly believe our government must work to improve job-training and related assistance.

Environment and Energy

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the environment and energy.

1. Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Water Act.
- X

2. Strengthen the regulation and enforcement of the Clean Air Act.
- X

3. Support Clear Skies Act to reduce power plant emissions by setting a national cap on pollutants.
- X

4. Require states to compensate citizens when environmental regulations limit uses of privately-owned land.
- No Answer

5. Relax logging restrictions on federal lands.
- No Answer

6. Relax standards on federal lands to allow increased recreational usage.
- No Answer

7. Support increased development of traditional energy resources (e.g. coal, natural gas, oil).
- No Answer

8. Strengthen emission controls and fuel efficiency standards on all gasoline and diesel-powered engines, including cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles.
- X

9. Support opening a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil exploration.
- No Answer

10. Encourage further development and use of alternative fuels to reduce pollution.
- X

11. Support the use of ethanol as an alternative fuel.
- No Answer

12. Allow energy producers to trade pollution credits.
- No Answer

13. Support the Kyoto Protocol to limit global warming.
- X

Gun

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding guns.

1. Reauthorize the ban on the sale or transfer of semi-automatic guns, except those used for hunting.
- X

2. Maintain and strengthen the current level of enforcement of existing federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- X

3. Ease federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- No Answer

4. Repeal federal restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns.
- No Answer

5. Allow citizens to carry concealed guns.
- No Answer

6. Require background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows.
- X

7. Require a license for gun possession.
- No Answer

Health

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding health care.

1. Providing health care is not a responsibility of the federal government.
- No Answer

2. Implement a universal health care program to guarantee coverage to all Americans regardless of income.
- No Answer

3. Expand eligibility for tax-free medical savings accounts.
- X

4. Establish limits on the amount of punitive damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
- X

5. Support expanding prescription drug coverage under Medicare.
- X

6. Offer tax credits to individuals and small businesses to offset the cost of insurance coverage.
- X

7. Support automatic enrollment of children in federal health care programs such as CHIP and Medicaid.
- X

8. Support stem cell research on existing lines of stem cells.
- No Answer

9. Allow laboratories to create new lines of stem cells for additional research.
- No Answer

Immigration

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding immigration.

1. Decrease the number of legal immigrants allowed into the country.
- No Answer

2. Establish English as the official national language.
- No Answer

3. Support a temporary worker program that would enable illegal immigrants to work in the United States legally.
- No Answer

4. Relax restrictions barring legal immigrants from using government funded social programs (e.g. public housing, food stamps).
- No Answer

5. Support amnesty for illegal immigrants already working in the United States.
- No Answer

International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 1: International Aid

International AidIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding United States economic assistance.

1. Aid should be granted to countries when extraordinary circumstances cause disaster and threaten civilian lives.
- X

2. Aid should be granted to countries when it is in the security interests of the United States.
- X

3. Aid should be eliminated for any nation with documented human rights abuses.
- No Answer

4. International Aid programs should be scaled back and eventually eliminated.
- No Answer

International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 2: International Policy

International Policy1) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the Middle East.2) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Central and East Asia.3) Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding the United Nations.

1. Should the United States continue to provide leadership in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process?
- Yes

2. Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?
- Yes

3. Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?
- No

4. Should the United States send more troops to Iraq?
- No Answer

5. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

6. Should the United States use diplomatic and economic pressure to encourage North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program?
- Yes

7. Should the United States use military force to dismantle the North Korean nuclear weapons program?
- No Answer

8. Should the United States remove the North Korean government from power?
- No Answer

9. Should the United States increase financial support to Afghanistan?
- Yes

10. Should the United States increase military support to Afghanistan?
- Yes

11. Should the United States maintain its financial support of the United Nations?
- Yes

12. Should the United States decrease its financial support of the United Nations?
- No

13. Should the United States commit troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions?
- Yes

14. Should the United States lift the travel ban to Cuba?
- No

15. Should the United States increase its financial support to Colombia to combat "the war on drugs?"
- Yes

16. Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention programs fund distribution of contraceptives?
- Yes

17. Should aid to African nations for AIDS prevention programs fund abstinence education?
- Yes

18. The US must do all it can to fight and eliminate terrorism.
- I want our soldiers to come home-and- soon. But that fervent hope must be tempered with realities on the ground. What do our military commanders think? To leave prematurely or pursuant to an arbitrarily arrived at deadline established by members of Congress may unwittingly put more lives at risk and strengthen the fanaticism and hopes of terrorist. Public debate on exit strategy is important, even necessary...

19. I strongly support the scientifically proven ABC method used to combat AIDS in Africa. Uganda is a prime example of this success.
- The US should push the UN to reform; particularly the new Human Rights Council should address major human rights abusers who are not being recognized for their abuses.

International Aid, International Policy, and Trade Issues, Part 3: International Trade

International TradeIndicate which principles you support (if any) regarding international trade.

1. Do you support the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?
- No

2. Do you support the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA)?
- No

3. Do you support the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)?
- No

4. Do you support continued U.S. membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO)?
- No

5. Should a nation's human rights record affect its normal trade relations (most favored nation) status with the United States?
- Yes

6. Do you support the trade embargo against Cuba?
- Yes

7. Should trade agreements include provisions to address environmental concerns and to protect workers' rights?
- Yes

National Security

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding national security.

1. Do you support using military tribunals to try suspected terrorists when ordinary civilian courts are deemed inappropriate or impractical?
- Yes

2. Should the United States grant law enforcement agencies greater discretion to read mail and email, tap phones, and conduct random searches to prevent future terrorist attacks?
- No Answer

3. Should the United States hold foreign states accountable for terrorists who operate in their country?
- Yes

4. Should the federal government increase funding to states and cities for homeland security?
- Yes

5. Do you support the prohibition of torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of prisoners in U.S. custody?
- Yes

6. Do you support a policy of pre-emptive military strikes against countries deemed to be a threat to U.S. national security?
- No Answer

7. Other or expanded principles
- No Answer

Social Security

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding Social Security.

1. Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts which they manage themselves.
- No Answer

2. Allow workers to invest a portion of their payroll tax in private accounts managed by private firms contracted by the government.
- No Answer

3. Invest a portion of Social Security assets collectively in stocks and bonds instead of United States Treasury securities.
- No Answer

4. Increase the payroll tax to better finance Social Security in its current form.
- No Answer

5. Lower the annual cost-of-living increases.
- No Answer

6. Raise the retirement age for individual eligibility to receive full Social Security benefits.
- No Answer

7. Other of expanded principles
- X

Technology and Communication

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding technology and communication.

1. Collect taxes on commercial Internet transactions.
- No Answer

2. Continue the moratorium on Internet taxation.
- X

3. Implement government regulation of Internet content.
- No Answer

4. Support government mandates to curtail violent and sexual content on television.
- X

5. Support strict penalties for Internet crimes (e.g. hacking, identity theft, worms/viruses).
- X

6. Support legislation to detail how personal information can be collected and used on the Internet.
- X

7. Regulating the Internet is not a responsibility of the federal government.
- No Answer

Welfare and Poverty

Indicate which principles you support (if any) regarding welfare and poverty.

1. Require welfare recipients to spend at least 40 hours a week in a combination of work and training programs.
- X

2. Increase funding for child care programs.
- X

3. Continue to give states and local governments flexibility in and responsibility for welfare programs through federal block grants.
- No Answer

4. Direct federal poverty aid through religious, community-based, or other non-profit organizations.
- X

5. Abolish all federal welfare programs.
- No Answer

6. Support housing assistance for welfare recipients.
- X

Legislative Priorities

On an attached page, disk, or via email, please explain in a total of 75 words or less, your top two or three priorities if elected. If they require additional funding for implementation, please explain how you would obtain this funding.
- No Answer

2019

Abortion

1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life

Budget

1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No

2. In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
- No

Campaign Finance

1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Unknown Position

Economy

1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes

Education

1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- Unknown Position

Energy & Environment

1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- Yes

2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- Unknown Position

Guns

1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- Unknown Position

Health Care

1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes

Immigration

1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes

Marijuana

Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- Unknown Position

National Security

1. Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon?
- Unknown Position

2. Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
- Unknown Position

Congress Bills
Speeches
Articles

Asbury Park Press - Smith Op-Ed in the Asbury Park Press Calling for a Transparent and Accountable WHO

Apr. 15, 2020

By Chris Smith Seventy-two years ago, this week--on April 7, 1948--the World Health Organization (WHO) was founded to organize global responses to infectious disease pandemics that respect no national boundaries. Its effectiveness depends heavily on the good will of its member states, and the competence and trustworthiness of its leadership. The coronavirus pandemic revealed China's malign influence on the leadership of WHO, and a glaring accountability and transparency deficit at WHO centered around Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Tedros dutifully echoed Chinese talking points on person-to-person transmission of the coronavirus while ignoring Taiwan's contrary evidence, whom the WHO ostracized because of China.EffectivenessThis isn't the first time WHO has minimalized a major infectious disease emergency due to political pressure. In 2014, WHO dragged its feet for months before declaring the Ebola outbreak an emergency due to pressure from African governments fearing economic fallout. In March 2014, Doctors Without Borders described the international response to Ebola as "non-existent," while WHO waited until August 2014, long after the epidemic was out of control, to make the call. When the bill came due for that blunder, more than 11,000 were dead. When the deadly coronavirus broke out in Wuhan, China's first response was a campaign of human rights abuses suppressing truth-telling. China then leveraged its influence at WHO to minimize the damage to China's image globally. Rather than listen to courageous physicians like Li Wenliang, whom China censored, smeared and threatened with arrest for truth-telling, WHO praised China for "openness to sharing information with WHO and other countries." China lied to WHO, while WHO pushed China's false narrative about the disease--saying it was not very communicable and well under control in China, and therefore there was no need for travel bans. According to a recent study, however, China's lack of transparency and WHO's reliance on China's disclosures likely caused a 20 fold increase in cases worldwide. Transparency If we want to restore the effectiveness of WHO, first we must promote transparency. The failure of WHO--especially Director-General Tedros--to demand that China permit access to all information in the early weeks of the coronavirus pandemic requires serious scrutiny. There is little likelihood that WHO or UN mechanisms such as the Office of Internal Oversight Services will conduct meaningful investigations without pressure. Donor countries must demand that WHO produce its files -- including its correspondence with Chinese officials -- to an independent auditing unit. Donor pressure on the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria following discovery of corruption in 2011 helped turn that agency around -- including by replacing its head, thereby restoring trust in the Global Fund's ability to combat disease effectively. Accountability Following WHO's bungling of 2014 Ebola outbreak, there should have been a thorough commitment to reform. At the last election for Director-General in 2016, however, the reform candidate that the UK proffered lost after lobbying by China on behalf of Tedros. At the time of the election, there were credible allegations that Tedros suppressed information about cholera outbreaks in Ethiopia for political reasons, downplaying the disease as "acute watery diarrhea." Such politicized decision-making is consistent with someone who for decades has been a highly ideological actor. Tedros was not only Ethiopia's health minister, but also a member of the Politburo in a government whose roots were Marxist with close ties to China. Indeed, Tedros' WHO tenure is marked by placing politics over health. A month after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Tedros removed Dr. Mario Raviglione, the 25-year veteran and well-regarded head of WHO's Tuberculosis Program--indeed, someone I had worked with as past chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Global Health Subcommittee--and replaced him with a Russian official. If there is no accountability for such gross mismanagement, promoting public health by WHO becomes a secondary avocation to burnishing China's global image. To that end, donors must apply pressure akin to that used to promote reform at the Global Fund. As the prime author of numerous global health and human rights laws including the reauthorization of the Presidents Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) I recognize and respect the importance of WHO, but believe systemic reform is absolutely necessary. Moreover we, and other donor nations, can leverage funding to demand transparency and accountability, and check the rogue influence of China. When the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) cracked down on whistleblowers who uncovered corruption and illicit transfers, the United States withheld 15 percent of its assessed contribution to insist that WIPO adopt state-of-the-art whistleblower protections and implement reforms. Our annual WHO assessment exceeds $100 million dollars--voluntary contributions responding to various crises often can push our assistance beyond half a billion dollars--and we can leverage funding to demand reform, particularly if we work with donor nations other than China. Such a diplomatically-coordinated approach met with recent success when the US and its allies checked Chinese attempts to choose the next head of WIPO. As the COVID-19 crisis underscores, China's influence at WHO has cost lives. The world deserves a better, totally transparent and accountable WHO--and urgently needs it now.

The Washington Times - Violence and inhumanity of abortion requires that we speak out

Jan. 23, 2020

By Chris Smith - - Thursday, January 23, 2020ANALYSIS/OPINION: Hundreds of thousands of pro-life advocates -- including an extraordinarily large number of students -- are marching for life in Washington on Jan. 24 to defend the weakest and most vulnerable from deadly assault. Tragically, since the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973 eviscerated legal protection for unborn children, more than 61 million babies have been dismembered or chemically aborted -- a death toll that equates with the entire population of Italy. Courageous women negatively impacted by their abortion decision -- who are silent no more -- continue to make clear that there are two victims in every abortion, both the mom and her infant daughter or son and that for women who have had abortions there is a way forward to healing and hope. The passage of time hasn't changed for them the fact that they regret their abortion and for all of us the fact that abortion is a serious, lethal violation of human rights, and that women and children deserve better, and that the demands of justice, generosity and compassion require that the right to life be guaranteed to everyone. The violence and inhumanity of abortion requires that we speak out, do more and rally throughout the year to defend the voiceless. The pro-life struggle is not only on the side of human rights, responsible medicine, compassion, justice and inclusion, but is on the right side of history as well. Someday, future generations will look back on the United States and wonder how and why such a seemingly enlightened society, so blessed and endowed with education, advanced science, information, wealth and opportunity could have systematically enabled the death of millions of children. Because of the empathy of the pro-life community, countless women and babies have been spared the violence of abortion and today live, love and thrive. Unborn babies are society's youngest patients. Today it is commonplace for doctors to diagnose and treat a myriad of illnesses and disabilities before birth, substantially improving outcomes in the life of a child. With the help of ultrasound imaging, pro-life advocates have tirelessly struggled to ensure that unborn children are no longer invisible, trivialized, mocked, dehumanized and killed. Ultrasound is a window to the womb and the child who resides there. Ultrasound helps to underscore the fact that birth is merely an event -- albeit an important one -- in the breathtaking continuum that spans a lifetime. So many Americans today proudly share first baby photos not taken at birth but from ultrasound scans of the child. Yet, the struggle to protect the unborn -- recognized by so many as right and honorable and good -- is under an unprecedented attack by abortion activists. Federal legislation cosponsored by 190 more than embers of Congress to rescue children born alive during later-term abortions has been denied even a vote in the House of Representatives. Some states have acted to embed anti-child extremism into state law that makes it legal to slaughter a newborn child. Federal legislation cosponsored by more than 170 members of Congress to protect unborn children from the pain and agony of dismemberment at 20 weeks gestation remains bottled up in the Judiciary Committee. Those marching Friday -- and tens of millions of other Americans -- who want the carnage and pain to stop should nevertheless be encouraged. There has been progress. In just three years, several executive orders and actions have been promulgated by the Trump administration to protect life -- including Title X reform and the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA) -- and the courts appear to be seriously trending in the right direction. In his Proclamation on National Sanctity of Human Life Day, President Trump acknowledged the declines in the most recent abortion rate and in abortion numbers. What does that mean? According to the National Right to Life Committee, "in the 1980s about one in three pregnancies ended in abortion, current data puts that at just under one in five pregnancies. This is still too many, but a marked and dramatic improvement." Under President Obama, abortion was aggressively promoted at home and in our foreign aid programs. Even bipartisan conscience protection laws were shamelessly non-enforced. Now, the Trump administration is robustly enforcing America's conscience laws including the Weldon Amendment to ensure that no heath care professional and no organization or entity is forced or coerced into paying for or participating in the killing of an unborn child. The March for Life -- and the selfless pro-lifers who daily struggle for justice -- will be remembered as an amazing outpouring of love and compassion for the "least of these" -- a group of children who by reason of their age, sex, condition of dependency and disability cannot defend themselves.

The Washington Times - Violence and inhumanity of abortion requires that we speak out

Jan. 23, 2020

By Chris Smith - - Thursday, January 23, 2020ANALYSIS/OPINION: Hundreds of thousands of pro-life advocates -- including an extraordinarily large number of students -- are marching for life in Washington on Jan. 24 to defend the weakest and most vulnerable from deadly assault. Tragically, since the U.S. Supreme Court in 1973 eviscerated legal protection for unborn children, more than 61 million babies have been dismembered or chemically aborted -- a death toll that equates with the entire population of Italy. Courageous women negatively impacted by their abortion decision -- who are silent no more -- continue to make clear that there are two victims in every abortion, both the mom and her infant daughter or son and that for women who have had abortions there is a way forward to healing and hope. The passage of time hasn't changed for them the fact that they regret their abortion and for all of us the fact that abortion is a serious, lethal violation of human rights, and that women and children deserve better, and that the demands of justice, generosity and compassion require that the right to life be guaranteed to everyone. The violence and inhumanity of abortion requires that we speak out, do more and rally throughout the year to defend the voiceless. The pro-life struggle is not only on the side of human rights, responsible medicine, compassion, justice and inclusion, but is on the right side of history as well. Someday, future generations will look back on the United States and wonder how and why such a seemingly enlightened society, so blessed and endowed with education, advanced science, information, wealth and opportunity could have systematically enabled the death of millions of children. Because of the empathy of the pro-life community, countless women and babies have been spared the violence of abortion and today live, love and thrive. Unborn babies are society's youngest patients. Today it is commonplace for doctors to diagnose and treat a myriad of illnesses and disabilities before birth, substantially improving outcomes in the life of a child. With the help of ultrasound imaging, pro-life advocates have tirelessly struggled to ensure that unborn children are no longer invisible, trivialized, mocked, dehumanized and killed. Ultrasound is a window to the womb and the child who resides there. Ultrasound helps to underscore the fact that birth is merely an event -- albeit an important one -- in the breathtaking continuum that spans a lifetime. So many Americans today proudly share first baby photos not taken at birth but from ultrasound scans of the child. Yet, the struggle to protect the unborn -- recognized by so many as right and honorable and good -- is under an unprecedented attack by abortion activists. Federal legislation cosponsored by 190 more than embers of Congress to rescue children born alive during later-term abortions has been denied even a vote in the House of Representatives. Some states have acted to embed anti-child extremism into state law that makes it legal to slaughter a newborn child. Federal legislation cosponsored by more than 170 members of Congress to protect unborn children from the pain and agony of dismemberment at 20 weeks gestation remains bottled up in the Judiciary Committee. Those marching Friday -- and tens of millions of other Americans -- who want the carnage and pain to stop should nevertheless be encouraged. There has been progress. In just three years, several executive orders and actions have been promulgated by the Trump administration to protect life -- including Title X reform and the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA) -- and the courts appear to be seriously trending in the right direction. In his Proclamation on National Sanctity of Human Life Day, President Trump acknowledged the declines in the most recent abortion rate and in abortion numbers. What does that mean? According to the National Right to Life Committee, "in the 1980s about one in three pregnancies ended in abortion, current data puts that at just under one in five pregnancies. This is still too many, but a marked and dramatic improvement." Under President Obama, abortion was aggressively promoted at home and in our foreign aid programs. Even bipartisan conscience protection laws were shamelessly non-enforced. Now, the Trump administration is robustly enforcing America's conscience laws including the Weldon Amendment to ensure that no heath care professional and no organization or entity is forced or coerced into paying for or participating in the killing of an unborn child. The March for Life -- and the selfless pro-lifers who daily struggle for justice -- will be remembered as an amazing outpouring of love and compassion for the "least of these" -- a group of children who by reason of their age, sex, condition of dependency and disability cannot defend themselves.