On Winning the GOP Congressional Nomination
NJ Primary Election, July 7, 2020
Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04)

I am deeply grateful to Republican voters for their overwhelming show of support.

Special thanks to my amazing wife Marie, our talented campaign staff, and the extraordinary leaders of the Republican party.

I’ve worked hard in Congress to write laws that promote jobs, make our communities safer, and all of us healthier—especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

Over the years, my staff and I have worked diligently to help solve over 93,000 separate individual casework problems facing people throughout central New Jersey.

I strongly believe that we need to work together as never before to face the unprecedented challenges we face today.

This year I was honored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce with their new prestigious award for bipartisanship in sponsoring and passing legislation.

Notwithstanding hyper partisanship by some in Congress, I’ve continued to author major legislation that has been signed into law during the past two years including the Autism CARES Act of 2019 and another law to combat the evil of human trafficking—the Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Act.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000—the comprehensive, historic law that I authored to combat sex and labor trafficking both within the United States and around the world. My law also included the Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act, the Battered Immigrant Women Protection Act of 2000, and reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act for five years.

Because of these laws, many victims have been rescued and protected. Predators have been apprehended and jailed. Comprehensive prevention strategies have spared many from exploitation and abuse.

I am also the prime author of 14 laws to provide healthcare and benefits to our veterans including the landmark Homeless Veterans Comprehensive Assistance Act and other laws that help with healthcare, education and other benefits for veterans in New Jersey and across the country.

And I continue to rank second among all 435 members of Congress in actually turning bills into laws.

So much unfinished business remains—on the environment, healthcare, education, human rights, ensuring a strong military, and much more.

I am absolutely committed to meeting these challenges.