Chris Smith

This resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Hyde Amendment, a federal policy enacted in 1976 that prohibits the use of federal taxpayer dollars to fund elective abortions. The measure, introduced by Republican Congressman Henry Hyde, has been included in annual federal appropriations bills for the past five decades with bipartisan support and affects all Americans who pay federal taxes. The resolution states the amendment has prevented over 2.6 million abortions and asserts it protects taxpayers' conscience rights by preventing them from funding abortion procedures. As a resolution rather than legislation, this measure does not create new law or require funding, but instead expresses the House's recognition and support for the Hyde Amendment's continued policy. The resolution encourages Americans to reflect on the amendment's history and significance since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision.

This bill expresses congressional concern about pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai, a British citizen imprisoned in Hong Kong since 2020 under China's National Security Law with a 20-year sentence—the longest imposed under that law to date. The legislation documents that over 1,000 other political prisoners in Hong Kong face severe detention conditions including solitary confinement and denial of medical care, which Congress views as violations of international human rights standards and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. The bill calls for Jimmy Lai's immediate and unconditional release, demands that China grant him full consular access under international law, and directs the U.S. Government to prioritize his case in all diplomatic discussions with China and the United Kingdom. Congress characterizes his prosecution as an assault on press freedom and notes that deaths of political prisoners in custody could warrant sanctions under existing U.S. human rights laws.

This bill directs the Secretary of State to take steps that would facilitate travel and investment by Americans in Somaliland, a region in the Horn of Africa. Specifically, the legislation asks the State Department to consider opening a representative office in Hargeisa, Somaliland's capital city, and to separate travel warnings for Somaliland from those issued for Somalia, potentially allowing the State Department to provide different advisory levels for each territory. The bill affects American citizens and businesses interested in visiting or conducting business in Somaliland. No specific funding amounts or timelines are included in the legislation, which focuses on directing the Secretary of State to evaluate these policy changes rather than mandating them outright.

Stop China’s Exploitation of Congolese Children and Adult Forced Labor through Cobalt Mining ActThis bill requires the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force to complete and submit to Congress the results of an investigation into the alleged use of forced labor in the cobalt mining industry of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).Specifically, the task force must (1) submit to Congress strategies for preventing the importation of cobalt mined using forced labor, and (2) provide semiannual briefings to Congress.This requirement ceases to have effect on the earlier of (1) eight years after the date of enactment, or (2) the date on which the President submits to Congress a determination that forced labor in the DRC mining industry has ended.

This bill prohibits the purchase, service, or sale of seafood products from China in all congressional dining facilities located in the Capitol building and surrounding grounds. The legislation is based on congressional findings that forced labor is widespread in China's fishing and seafood processing industries, and that supply chain transparency is insufficient to verify products are labor-abuse-free. Covered entities—including the House and Senate administration committees and the Architect of the Capitol—must establish regulations within 180 days to implement the ban and require seafood suppliers to certify every country where seafood was caught, processed, or produced, along with maintaining supporting records. The bill's definition of Chinese seafood is broad, covering any seafood fished or processed in whole or in part in China or by Chinese-owned or registered vessels, and includes products with seafood as a characterizing ingredient.

This bill would prohibit the United States from providing any voluntary or assessed contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). The legislation affects U.S. foreign aid policy and would halt American funding to the agency that provides education, healthcare, and social services to Palestinian refugees across the Middle East. The bill does allow humanitarian assistance to reach vulnerable populations through other agencies or organizations, but only if the Secretary of State certifies that these alternative organizations do not promote violence, terrorism, or antisemitism and do not employ individuals who do so. The bill was introduced in the House Foreign Affairs Committee in July 2026, but the text does not specify any particular funding amounts or implementation timelines.

This resolution condemns a campaign of forced assimilation of ethnic and religious minorities by the Chinese Communist Party and a related Chinese law, known as the Ethnic Unity and Progress Law. The resolution also urges U.S. officials to impose sanctions on officials and entities responsible for the law and related forced-assimilation policies. The resolution further urges the Department of State to collaborate with allies to monitor implementation of the law and prioritize programs that support affected communities.

This bill directs the Secretary of Defense to study the feasibility and cost of testing military members for helicobacter pylori, a bacteria that can cause stomach cancer, during the transition period when service members leave active duty. The Department must deliver a report within 180 days of the bill's passage that includes a detailed plan, cost estimate, and feasibility assessment for implementing such a testing program, with specific attention to breath and stool-based testing methods. The report should consider input from medical experts, including gastroenterologists specializing in H. pylori and related gastrointestinal diseases. This legislation affects active duty military members and those preparing to leave the Armed Forces, particularly those who may have been exposed to the bacteria during service. The bill does not authorize funding or mandate implementation of a testing program, but rather requires the Pentagon to evaluate whether such a program is practical and affordable.

This resolution commemorates the fourth anniversary of the Supreme Court's June 24, 2022 Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade and eliminated the federal constitutional right to abortion. The resolution, introduced by House members who support the decision, celebrates what they describe as the protection of unborn life and criticizes the previous Roe precedent. The resolution expresses support for states that have enacted abortion restrictions since Dobbs and for pregnancy centers offering alternatives to abortion, while also criticizing the Biden Administration's policies on mail-order abortion medications. The resolution does not create new laws, appropriate funding, or establish timelines, as resolutions are ceremonial measures that express the sentiment of the House rather than binding legislation. It is primarily a statement of support for abortion restrictions and opposition to federal abortion access policies.

The Walter Patterson Justice and Extradition Act directs the President to submit comprehensive reports to Congress about fugitives currently hiding in foreign countries for whom the United States is seeking extradition. The bill requires these reports within 270 days of enactment and annually thereafter, detailing the number of fugitives by country, diplomatic efforts undertaken to secure their return, average case duration, resolution rates, and barriers to extradition. The legislation was prompted specifically by the case of George Wright, a convicted murderer who escaped from a New Jersey prison in 1970 and is believed to be residing in Portugal, and the bill includes a sense of Congress that U.S. ambassadors should prioritize advocating for extradition cases in meetings with foreign officials. The reports must be submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Foreign Affairs and Judiciary in unclassified form, though classified annexes are permitted if necessary. This legislation affects the State Department and other agencies responsible for pursuing extradition cases, with no specific funding authorization mentioned.

The Tibet Atrocities Determination Act requires the Secretary of State to determine within one year of the law's enactment whether Chinese government actions against Tibetans constitute genocide or crimes against humanity. In making this determination, the Secretary must evaluate specific factors including systematic killing, torture, forced displacement, mass detention, enforced sterilization, coercive abortion practices, and removal of Tibetan children from families through boarding school systems. The Secretary must also submit a detailed report to Congress documenting the evidentiary basis for the determination, reviewing Chinese government policies aimed at suppressing Tibetan Buddhism, language, and culture, and providing policy recommendations including potential sanctions and visa restrictions. The report should be submitted in unclassified form but may include a classified annex, and the Secretary may consult with human rights experts, nongovernmental organizations, and members of the Tibetan diaspora during the review process. The law affects U.S. foreign policy toward China and applies to the traditional Tibetan provinces of Amdo, Kham, and U-Tsang within the People's Republic of China.

This resolution expresses support for designating May as "Lyme and Tick-borne Disease Awareness Month" in the United States. The measure highlights the growing public health concern posed by Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, noting that reported cases have increased nearly ninefold since 1991, with estimates suggesting approximately 476,000 Americans are diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease annually. The resolution points out that ticks carrying Lyme disease are now present in all 48 contiguous states and affect about half of U.S. counties, while emergency room visits for tick bites have reached their highest levels since 2017. The resolution acknowledges federal efforts to combat the disease, including the Kay Hagan Tick Act and the Department of Health and Human Services' "No Time for Lyme" awareness campaign, while calling for continued government support to help public health agencies monitor and control disease outbreaks.

This resolution calls upon the President to prioritize the humanitarian release of five specified individuals (Pastor Jin Mingri, Pastor Gao Quanfu and his wife Pang Yu, Dr. Gulshan Abbas, and Jimmy Lai) and others unjustly detained by China during future engagements with China's President Xi Jinping.The resolution also (1) urges the President to seek verifiable proof of life, access to independent legal counsel, family communication, and medical care for these detainees; and (2) reaffirms the U.S. commitment to defending political and religious freedom and advocating for the release of those unjustly detained for exercising such fundamental freedoms.

This resolution expresses congressional support for recognizing open water lifeguards as first responders and emergency response providers. The measure acknowledges that lifeguards perform critical public safety work, including water rescue operations, emergency medical response, and marine safety, while facing significant personal risk. The resolution highlights that lifeguards meet the operational definitions of first responders by protecting lives, property, evidence, and the environment, and that many are trained in multiple emergency disciplines including emergency medical response and water rescue craft operations. The measure also references two New Jersey lifeguards who died in the line of duty in 2021 and notes that other countries already recognize lifeguards as emergency responders with corresponding program access and benefits. While this is a symbolic resolution with no direct funding or implementation requirements, it signals congressional intent to formally recognize lifeguards' first responder status, which could support future policy decisions regarding benefits, training access, and emergency preparedness programs for these workers.

This bill would nullify two specific Federal Communications Commission rulings that streamlined the approval process for broadband infrastructure deployment. The legislation targets FCC actions that reduced barriers to wireless and wireline broadband investment by accelerating permits and environmental review timelines. The bill would restore authority to state and local governments to have greater input and control over broadband infrastructure projects in their jurisdictions, potentially slowing deployment timelines but giving communities more say in how and where broadband infrastructure is built. The measure does not authorize new spending or establish specific timelines for implementation, as it simply reverses existing FCC rules rather than creating new programs.

H.R. 7967 requires the federal government to add methadone testing to workplace drug-testing programs for federal employees and transportation workers. Specifically, the bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to revise federal drug-testing guidelines within 90 days to include methadone in the opiate testing category, and requires the Secretary of Transportation to update its drug-testing regulations for transportation employees within 60 days of that revision. The bill also establishes an annual review process requiring the Health and Human Services Secretary to assess and potentially add newly identified drugs to the federal testing guidelines, with the Transportation Department updating its procedures accordingly within 60 days of each annual review. The legislation affects federal employees and all workers in transportation-related positions subject to federal drug-testing requirements, though no specific funding is allocated in the bill.

The Honduras Expropriation Accountability Act authorizes the Foreign Claims Settlement Commission to process claims by U.S. citizens and companies whose property was expropriated (seized) by the Honduran government. The bill amends existing law to add Honduras to a list of governments against which Americans can file property claims, similar to existing procedures for Cuba and China. Claims against Honduras would cover expropriations dating back to January 1, 1979, and claimants would have 60 days from the bill's enactment to file their claims with the commission. The legislation does not specify new funding allocations, but uses the existing claims settlement framework already established for other countries. This bill essentially creates a formal mechanism to address long-standing grievances by American property owners in Honduras.

LymeX Authorization Act This bill authorizes the Department of Health and Human Services to carry out prize competitions to accelerate innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of Lyme disease. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection carried by ticks that can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.

This bill directs the Secretary of State to submit comprehensive reports to Congress every 90 days on U.S. efforts to address religious persecution and mass atrocities in Nigeria, specifically documenting violence against Christians by Boko Haram, ISIS West Africa, and Fulani militant groups that have reportedly killed tens of thousands and displaced millions since 2009. The legislation expresses Congress's support for designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern for religious freedom violations and calls on the State Department to impose targeted sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act against individuals and entities responsible for the violence, while also considering whether certain Fulani militias should be designated as foreign terrorist organizations. The bill mandates that reports assess Nigeria's compliance with international religious freedom standards, document U.S. security assistance and whether it risks enabling persecution, detail humanitarian aid coordination, and evaluate progress on prosecuting perpetrators and repealing Nigeria's death-penalty blasphemy laws. While no specific funding is allocated in the bill itself, it references existing appropriations authority and emphasizes conditioning future U.S. foreign assistance to Nigeria on concrete improvements in protecting religious minorities and addressing extremist violence.

This bill strengthens and extends U.S. sanctions against Nicaragua's government under President Daniel Ortega through 2030, targeting the regime's economic sectors that fund the ruling family, including newly added focus on gold mining and military social security institutions. The legislation expands grounds for sanctions to cover religious persecution (particularly against the Catholic Church), prosecution of political prisoners and opposition members, human rights abuses, and support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It also prohibits U.S. persons from making new investments in Nicaragua and requires the State Department to work with international partners—including Canada, the European Union, Latin America, and multilateral development banks—to coordinate sanctions and restrict loans to the Nicaraguan government. Additionally, the bill directs the U.S. to support international human rights investigations through the United Nations, funds democracy and human rights programs for Nicaraguan opposition groups, and mandates annual reviews of Nicaragua's participation in the U.S.-Central America-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement, with provisions allowing the President to lift sanctions once the country achieves free elections, ceases violence against civilians, and conducts investigations into protest killings.

H.R. 6930 requires the President to certify within 90 days that offshore wind projects in the North Atlantic and Mid-Atlantic regions will not interfere with military radar, sonar, or combat operations. If the President cannot provide this certification, the bill directs the administration to halt any projects that pose a national security threat. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Defense Inspector General to conduct a comprehensive study within 180 days examining how offshore wind development affects military radar and sonar systems, air and maritime operations, Coast Guard rescue capabilities, and military training areas. The study will also assess whether current approval processes adequately protect military interests and whether existing mitigation strategies from a 2016 Defense Department report are sufficient. This legislation primarily affects offshore wind developers, federal energy agencies, and the Department of Defense, with no specific funding amounts authorized but with strict statutory timelines for compliance.

The Safe Passages Act of 2025 creates a global maternal and child health initiative to reduce preventable deaths of mothers and infants in low- and lower-middle-income countries through 2030. The program will fund training for local health providers, midwives, and community health workers to prevent and treat the leading causes of maternal and child mortality—including postpartum hemorrhage, high blood pressure complications, infections, and complications during labor—as well as improve nutrition during the critical first 1,000 days of a child's life. The bill requires the State Department to allocate at least $400 million annually from existing global health funds to support these interventions, prioritizing faith-based and local organizations with proven expertise in resource-limited settings. The legislation also emphasizes engaging fathers in maternal and child health support and explicitly excludes abortion-related services from the program. The State Department must report to Congress every two years on program outcomes, including the number of providers trained, lives saved, and facility improvements made.

The LANDED Act creates a framework allowing state law enforcement agencies to detect, track, and disable unauthorized drones that pose threats to public safety, national security, or critical infrastructure, in coordination with federal authorities. Under the bill, the Department of Homeland Security would establish an application and approval process for state agencies to acquire and operate counter-drone systems, with agreements specifying operational limits, safety protocols, and federal oversight through periodic site visits. The legislation also requires state law enforcement to report drone mitigation actions to federal agencies within 24 hours and establishes a mandatory reporting system so that federal, state, and local agencies can check whether drones in operation belong to other government agencies, preventing accidental interference. Additionally, the bill creates a Counter-UAS Security Grant Program through which state law enforcement agencies can receive federal funding to purchase approved counter-drone equipment and training, with grant funds available for at least 24 months. Finally, the Defense Department's Inspector General must review and report to Congress within 90 days on drone activity over military installations and sensitive locations, including instances of foreign adversary involvement.

H.Res. 860 is a House resolution commending President Trump for redesignating Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" due to religious freedom violations. The resolution documents extensive persecution of Christians and religious minorities in Nigeria, citing statistics showing Nigeria accounts for 89 percent of Christian martyrs worldwide, over 18,000 churches destroyed since 2009, and approximately 56,000 deaths from attacks between 2019 and 2023. The resolution calls on the State Department to condition U.S. foreign assistance to Nigeria—which has totaled over $3.5 billion in non-military aid and $83 million in military assistance since 2020—on improvements in religious freedom protections, and urges targeted sanctions against individuals and organizations responsible for religious violence. The resolution expresses Congress's view that the U.S. should leverage its diplomatic and financial relationship with Nigeria to pressure the Nigerian government to prevent religious persecution, prosecute perpetrators, and protect displaced persons.

This resolution expresses support for National Hydrocephalus Month and World Hydrocephalus Day.