New Jersey
CH

Christopher H. Smith

R

U.S. Representative · New Jersey

Last updated

May 11, 2026

Next election

November 2026

Votes cast

956

On record

Bills sponsored

0

Including co-sponsored

Ledger entries

956

All actions

Policy pillars — derived from activity record

Electoral integrity

16 actions

Smith demonstrates consistent support for electoral integrity measures emphasizing citizenship verification, observer access, and ballot tracking mechanisms.

Criminal justice

50 actions

Smith's criminal justice votes reflect support for law enforcement priorities and harsher penalties for specific crimes, but opposition to enhanced drug enforcement and police accountability restrictions creates inconsistency in his enforcement ideology.

Fiscal policy

88 actions

Smith votes consistently for spending measures and procedural fiscal votes with occasional support for revenue-increasing and spending-reduction provisions, reflecting a pragmatic rather than ideologically consistent fiscal approach.

Healthcare

35 actions

Smith demonstrates consistent support for healthcare expansion, disease prevention, and federal funding for public health initiatives across pediatric, maternal, occupational, rural, and emergency healthcare domains.

Education

26 actions

Smith's votes on education demonstrate consistent opposition to parental transparency measures, worker training flexibility, and pregnant student support resources, with only isolated support for financial aid processing efficiency.

Economy and labor

47 actions

Smith demonstrates consistent support for policies that expand access to capital and business support while backing both free trade initiatives and labor organizing rights.

Environment and energy

169 actions

Smith demonstrates a strong commitment to environmental protection through consistent support for measures addressing pollution control, ecosystem conservation, wildfire management, and marine preservation, with only isolated votes against environmental safeguards.

Immigration

53 actions

Smith's immigration votes reflect conflicting impulses between support for enforcement measures and opposition to certain restrictive policies, suggesting an inconsistent ideological position on immigration control.

National security and foreign policy

189 actions

Smith consistently supports legislation advancing U.S. national security through sanctions against adversaries, counterterrorism measures, financial transparency initiatives, and strengthened defense capabilities.

Civil rights and liberties

46 actions

Smith's civil rights votes reflect competing priorities between protecting individual liberties like free speech and gun rights while supporting measures against discrimination and political violence, creating an inconsistent ideological pattern.

Social policy

25 actions

Smith demonstrates consistent support for expanding social safety net protections, veteran benefits, child welfare services, and family support programs while opposing federal restrictions on state welfare administration.

Technology and data

35 actions

Smith demonstrates a consistent pro-technology ideology centered on innovation within regulatory guardrails, particularly regarding consumer privacy protections, data security frameworks, and responsible digital asset development.

Civil liberties and government power

6 actions

Smith demonstrates mixed civil liberties positioning, opposing protections for electronic privacy while supporting restrictions on government censorship authority and increased transparency requirements.

Government accountability and transparency

139 actions

Smith demonstrates a strong commitment to government accountability and transparency, consistently supporting measures that increase legislative oversight of executive actions, require disclosure of regulatory impacts, and enhance public access to ethics investigations.

Infrastructure and public investment

28 actions

Smith demonstrates consistent support for public infrastructure investment across diverse project types including transportation, utilities, preservation, broadband expansion, and space exploration.

Activity ledger — most recent first

Apr 28, 2026

Smith included in the Congressional Record an exchange of letters between Chairman Jason Smith of the House Committee on Ways and Means and Chairman Brian Mast of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs regarding the jurisdictional interests and procedural handling of H.R. 6903, the Ensuring Children Receive Support Act.

On the record

Apr 15, 2026

Smith spoke in opposition to H.J. Res. 140, a Congressional Review Act resolution that would roll back protections for the Boundary Waters Wilderness in Northeastern Minnesota and allow copper sulfide mining in the watershed.

On the record

Apr 14, 2026

Smith rose to discuss Congressional Review Act resolution H.J. Res. 140 and urged Republican colleagues to vote against it because it would roll back protections for the Boundary Waters Wilderness in Northeastern Minnesota and allow copper-nickel sulfide mining in the watershed.

On the record

Dec 18, 2024

Beagle Brigade Act of 2023 — This bill advances government transparency by requiring the Department of Agriculture to report to Congress on threats to agriculture and natural resources.

Government accountability and transparencyEthics and financial disclosure↗ Source
Voted yes

Dec 18, 2024

DETECT Fentanyl and Xylazine Act of 2024 — This bill supports national security by authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to develop better technology for detecting dangerous drugs at borders and ports of entry.

National security and foreign policyDefense spending↗ Source
Voted yes

Dec 18, 2024

Jamul Indian Village Land Transfer Act — This bill advances Native American sovereignty and self-determination by transferring land to tribal control, supporting the civil right of indigenous peoples to govern their own territories.

Civil rights and libertiesVoting rights↗ Source
Voted yes

Dec 17, 2024

Never Again Education Reauthorization Act of 2023 — This bill supports Holocaust education programs by extending federal authorization and funding for educational initiatives through 2030.

EducationK-12 funding and standards↗ Source
Voted yes

Dec 17, 2024

Midnight Rules Relief Act — This bill makes it easier for Congress to overturn multiple regulations at once during presidential transitions, which could reduce executive branch accountability by allowing rapid reversal of rules without individual scrutiny.

Government accountability and transparencyEthics and financial disclosure↗ Source
Voted yes

Dec 11, 2024

Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 — This bill extends and updates federal programs that protect endangered wildlife species and their habitats through conservation funding and partnerships.

Environment and energyClimate legislation↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 21, 2024

Creating Confidence in Clean Water Permitting Act — This bill streamlines the permitting process for dredging and filling activities in U.S. waters, potentially making it easier to conduct these projects but risking reduced environmental protections.

Environment and energyClimate legislation↗ Source
Voted no

Mar 21, 2024

Ocean Shipping Reform Implementation Act of 2023 — This bill strengthens national security by reducing Chinese government influence over U.S. shipping infrastructure and giving federal authorities more power to prevent foreign manipulation of maritime commerce.

National security and foreign policyDefense spending↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 21, 2024

Expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the United States economy. — This bill opposes a carbon tax as economically harmful, taking a stance against a potential revenue-raising or economy-regulating tax policy.

Fiscal policyFederal and state taxation↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 21, 2024

Denouncing the harmful, anti-American energy policies of the Biden administration, and for other purposes. — This bill opposes environmental regulations on energy production and federal lands while promoting increased domestic fossil fuel development.

Environment and energyClimate legislation↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 20, 2024

Restoring American Energy Dominance Act — This bill would block new environmental protections and climate provisions for oil and gas leasing on public lands, favoring fossil fuel extraction over energy transition goals.

Environment and energyClimate legislation↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 20, 2024

Restoring American Energy Dominance Act — This bill would block new environmental protections and climate provisions for oil and gas leasing on public lands, favoring fossil fuel extraction over energy transition goals.

Environment and energyClimate legislation↗ Source
Voted no

Mar 20, 2024

Protecting American Energy Production Act — This bill would protect fossil fuel extraction through fracking by preventing the President from restricting it without Congress approval and prioritizing state over federal environmental regulation.

Environment and energyClimate legislation↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 20, 2024

Protecting American Energy Production Act — This bill would protect fossil fuel extraction through fracking by preventing the President from restricting it without Congress approval and prioritizing state over federal environmental regulation.

Environment and energyClimate legislation↗ Source
Voted no

Mar 19, 2024

Condemning the illegal abduction and forcible transfer of children from Ukraine to the Russian Federation. — This bill strengthens the U.S. position on a major foreign conflict by formally condemning Russian actions against Ukrainian children and supporting Ukraine against Russian aggression.

National security and foreign policyDefense spending↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 19, 2024

Upholding the Dayton Peace Agreement Through Sanctions Act — This bill uses sanctions to protect the stability and democracy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, advancing U.S. foreign policy interests in maintaining peace in a strategically important region.

National security and foreign policyDefense spending↗ Source
Voted yes

Mar 13, 2024

Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act — This bill would restrict or ban applications controlled by foreign adversaries like China from operating in the United States to protect national security and prevent foreign surveillance of Americans.

National security and foreign policyDefense spending↗ Source
Voted yes

Feb 29, 2024

Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2024 — This bill extends federal funding and authorization for airport infrastructure programs and aviation services, supporting continued public investment in transportation infrastructure.

Infrastructure and public investmentTransportation and roads↗ Source
Voted yes

Feb 29, 2024

Extension of Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2024 — This bill authorizes federal spending to keep government operating and funds student aid programs, representing a decision to maintain current spending levels rather than make cuts or increases.

Fiscal policyFederal and state taxation↗ Source
Voted yes

Jan 11, 2024

DOE and SBA Research Act — This bill would advance the economy and labor pillar by fostering collaboration between federal agencies to support research and development activities that include small businesses, potentially creating innovation and job opportunities.

Economy and laborMinimum wage↗ Source
Voted no

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