Christopher “Chris” Smith, Representative for New Jersey's 4th Congressional District

Smith is the representative for New Jersey’s 4^th congressional district (view map) and is a Republican. He has served since Jan 5, 1981. Smith is next up for reelection in 2018.

Photo of Rep. Christopher “Chris” Smith [R-NJ4]

Analysis

Legislative Metrics

Read our 2017 Report Card for Smith.

Ideology–Leadership Chart

Smith is shown as a purple triangle ▲ in our ideology-leadership chart below. Each dot is a member of the House of Representatives positioned according to our liberal–conservative ideology score (left to right) and our leadership score (leaders are toward the top).

The chart is based on the bills Smith has sponsored and cosponsored. See full analysis methodology.

Ratings from Advocacy Organizations

United States Chamber of Commerce: 65% League of Conservation Voters: 62% Americans for Prosperity: 59% The Club for Growth: 49% FreedomWorks: 45% NumbersUSA: 44% NIAC Action: D The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws: D American Civil Liberties Union: 5% Planned Parenthood Action Fund: 3% Human Rights Campaign: 0%

Committee Membership

Christopher “Chris” Smith sits on the following committees:

Chair, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
- Chair, Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations
- Member, Subcommittee on The Western Hemisphere

Enacted Legislation

Smith was the primary sponsor of 55 bills that were enacted. The most recent include:

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We consider a bill enacted if one of the following is true: a) it is enacted itself, b) it has a companion bill in the other chamber (as identified by Congress) which was enacted, or c) if at least about half of its provisions were incorporated into bills that were enacted (as determined by an automated text analysis, applicable beginning with bills in the 110^th Congress).

Bills Sponsored

Issue Areas

Smith sponsors bills primarily in these issue areas:

International Affairs (60%) Health (14%) Crime and Law Enforcement (10%)

Recent Bills

Some of Smith’s most recently sponsored bills include...

View All » | View Cosponsors »

Voting Record

Key Votes

Smith’s Vote	Vote Description
Nay	H.R. 5325: Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017 Sep 28, 2016. Passed 342/85.
Nay	S. 764: A bill to reauthorize and amend the National Sea Grant College Program Act, and for other purposes. Jul 14, 2016. Passed 306/117. This bill was the vehicle for passage of the Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act, which is the form it was enacted it. Prior to amendments, the bill regarded defunding Planned Parenthood and the National Sea Grant College Program. As enacted, the bill created national ...
Aye	H.R. 3038: Highway and Transportation Funding Act of 2015, Part II Jul 15, 2015. Passed 312/119.
No	H.R. 2146: Defending Public Safety Employees’ Retirement Act Jun 18, 2015. Passed 218/208. This vote made H.R. 2146 the vehicle for passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal currently being negotiated. H.R. 2146 was originally introduced as a bill to address issues with retirement funds of federal law enforcement officers and firefighters. ...
Yea	H.R. 2048: Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 May 13, 2015. Passed 338/88. The USA Freedom Act (H.R. 2048, Pub.L. 114–23) is a U.S. law enacted on June 2, 2015 that restored in modified form several provisions of the Patriot Act, which had expired the day before. The act imposes some new limits on the bulk collection of ...
Aye	H.J.Res. 124 (113th): Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015 Sep 17, 2014. Passed 319/108.
Nay	S. 1603 (113th): Gun Lake Trust Land Reaffirmation Act Sep 16, 2014. Passed 359/64.
No	H.R. 6233 (112th): Agricultural Disaster Assistance Act of 2012 Aug 2, 2012. Passed 223/197.
Nay	H.R. 2362 (112th): Indian Tribal Trade and Investment Demonstration Project Act of 2011 Jul 23, 2012. Failed 222/160.
Aye	H.R. 1249 (112th): Leahy-Smith America Invents Act Jun 23, 2011. Passed 304/117. The Leahy–Smith America Invents Act (AIA) is a United States federal statute that was passed by Congress and was signed into law by President Barack Obama on September 16, 2011. The law represents the most significant change to the U.S. patent system since 1952, and ...

Missed Votes

From Jan 1981 to Sep 2018, Smith missed 458 of 22,452 roll call votes, which is 2.0%. This is on par with the median of 2.4% among the lifetime records of representatives currently serving. The chart below reports missed votes over time.

Show the numbers...

Time Period	Votes Eligible	Missed Votes	Percent	Percentile
1981 Jan-Mar	15	0	0.0%	0^th
1981 Apr-Jun	90	1	1.1%	0^th
1981 Jul-Sep	106	1	0.9%	8^th
1981 Oct-Dec	142	0	0.0%	0^th
1982 Feb-Mar	48	0	0.0%	0^th
1982 Apr-Jun	119	1	0.8%	17^th
1982 Jul-Sep	193	0	0.0%	0^th
1982 Oct-Dec	99	6	6.1%	50^th
1983 Jan-Mar	43	1	2.3%	17^th
1983 Apr-Jun	182	3	1.6%	28^th
1983 Jul-Sep	130	2	1.5%	33^rd
1983 Oct-Nov	143	1	0.7%	6^th
1984 Jan-Mar	53	0	0.0%	0^th
1984 Apr-Jun	223	17	7.6%	56^th
1984 Jul-Sep	96	1	1.0%	17^th
1984 Oct-Oct	36	2	5.6%	50^th
1985 Jan-Mar	36	1	2.8%	25^th
1985 Apr-Jun	154	5	3.2%	45^th
1985 Jul-Sep	101	5	5.0%	55^th
1985 Oct-Dec	148	1	0.7%	15^th
1986 Jan-Mar	61	0	0.0%	0^th
1986 Apr-Jun	128	2	1.6%	35^th
1986 Jul-Sep	202	3	1.5%	45^th
1986 Oct-Oct	60	1	1.7%	50^th
1987 Jan-Mar	39	1	2.6%	44^th
1987 Apr-Jun	187	1	0.5%	7^th
1987 Jul-Sep	95	0	0.0%	0^th
1987 Oct-Dec	167	4	2.4%	18^th
1988 Feb-Mar	49	3	6.1%	64^th
1988 Apr-Jun	161	2	1.2%	14^th
1988 Jul-Sep	152	3	2.0%	43^rd
1988 Oct-Oct	89	0	0.0%	0^th
1989 Jan-Mar	14	1	7.1%	53^rd
1989 Apr-Jun	105	1	1.0%	20^th
1989 Jul-Sep	128	2	1.6%	37^th
1989 Oct-Nov	121	3	2.5%	37^th
1990 Jan-Mar	60	3	5.0%	81^st
1990 Apr-Jun	150	5	3.3%	61^st
1990 Jul-Sep	183	2	1.1%	33^rd
1990 Oct-Oct	143	1	0.7%	33^rd
1991 Jan-Mar	62	3	4.8%	60^th
1991 Apr-Jun	139	1	0.7%	22^nd
1991 Jul-Sep	81	5	6.2%	78^th
1991 Oct-Nov	162	1	0.6%	7^th
1992 Jan-Mar	66	8	12.1%	90^th
1992 Apr-Jun	185	5	2.7%	54^th
1992 Jul-Sep	196	1	0.5%	20^th
1992 Oct-Oct	41	0	0.0%	0^th
1993 Jan-Mar	127	0	0.0%	0^th
1993 Apr-Jun	190	9	4.7%	61^st
1993 Jul-Sep	164	1	0.6%	30^th
1993 Oct-Nov	134	1	0.7%	22^nd
1994 Jan-Mar	95	2	2.1%	41^st
1994 Apr-Jun	219	1	0.5%	18^th
1994 Jul-Sep	142	7	4.9%	69^th
1994 Oct-Nov	51	0	0.0%	0^th
1995 Jan-Mar	279	6	2.2%	64^th
1995 Apr-Jun	189	3	1.6%	48^th
1995 Jul-Sep	232	4	1.7%	56^th
1995 Oct-Dec	185	4	2.2%	55^th
1996 Jan-Mar	110	1	0.9%	25^th
1996 Apr-Jun	182	7	3.8%	68^th
1996 Jul-Sep	163	8	4.9%	77^th
1997 Jan-Mar	71	5	7.0%	83^rd
1997 Apr-Jun	174	7	4.0%	74^th
1997 Jul-Sep	232	11	4.7%	78^th
1997 Oct-Nov	163	0	0.0%	0^th
1998 Jan-Mar	89	3	3.4%	63^rd
1998 Apr-Jun	185	2	1.1%	34^th
1998 Jul-Sep	199	1	0.5%	16^th
1998 Oct-Dec	74	3	4.1%	67^th
1999 Jan-Mar	77	6	7.8%	86^th
1999 Apr-Jun	184	8	4.3%	72^nd
1999 Jul-Sep	204	6	2.9%	75^th
1999 Oct-Nov	146	0	0.0%	0^th
2000 Jan-Mar	95	4	4.2%	55^th
2000 Apr-Jun	277	1	0.4%	15^th
2000 Jul-Sep	130	0	0.0%	0^th
2000 Oct-Dec	101	1	1.0%	13^th
2001 Jan-Mar	75	3	4.0%	71^st
2001 Apr-Jun	135	0	0.0%	0^th
2001 Jul-Sep	149	1	0.7%	26^th
2001 Oct-Dec	153	2	1.3%	34^th
2002 Jan-Mar	79	2	2.5%	57^th
2002 Apr-Jun	203	7	3.4%	63^rd
2002 Jul-Sep	141	3	2.1%	48^th
2002 Oct-Nov	61	0	0.0%	0^th
2003 Jan-Mar	94	1	1.1%	38^th
2003 Apr-Jun	239	12	5.0%	81^st
2003 Jul-Sep	193	2	1.0%	34^th
2003 Oct-Dec	151	3	2.0%	32^nd
2004 Jan-Mar	104	2	1.9%	31^st
2004 Apr-Jun	221	8	3.6%	61^st
2004 Jul-Sep	161	2	1.2%	26^th
2004 Oct-Dec	58	0	0.0%	0^th
2005 Jan-Mar	90	2	2.2%	38^th
2005 Apr-Jun	272	2	0.7%	29^th
2005 Jul-Sep	146	1	0.7%	27^th
2005 Oct-Dec	163	2	1.2%	27^th
2006 Jan-Mar	81	4	4.9%	76^th
2006 Apr-Jun	276	5	1.8%	47^th
2006 Jul-Sep	159	6	3.8%	74^th
2006 Nov-Dec	27	0	0.0%	0^th
2007 Jan-Mar	213	1	0.5%	20^th
2007 Apr-Jun	393	6	1.5%	49^th
2007 Jul-Sep	317	4	1.3%	32^nd
2007 Oct-Dec	263	7	2.7%	47^th
2008 Jan-Mar	149	7	4.7%	64^th
2008 Apr-Jun	321	10	3.1%	55^th
2008 Jul-Sep	205	1	0.5%	15^th
2008 Oct-Dec	15	0	0.0%	0^th
2009 Jan-Mar	174	5	2.9%	61^st
2009 Apr-Jun	303	8	2.6%	58^th
2009 Jul-Sep	268	23	8.6%	92^nd
2009 Oct-Dec	246	2	0.8%	19^th
2010 Jan-Mar	195	0	0.0%	0^th
2010 Apr-Jun	219	3	1.4%	28^th
2010 Jul-Sep	151	4	2.6%	59^th
2010 Nov-Dec	99	2	2.0%	36^th
2011 Jan-Mar	212	2	0.9%	45^th
2011 Apr-Jun	281	7	2.5%	69^th
2011 Jul-Sep	247	5	2.0%	63^rd
2011 Oct-Dec	208	1	0.5%	18^th
2012 Jan-Mar	151	6	4.0%	74^th
2012 Apr-Jun	299	4	1.3%	47^th
2012 Jul-Sep	152	0	0.0%	0^th
2012 Nov-Dec	51	2	3.9%	56^th
2013 Jan-Jan	5	0	0.0%	0^th
2013 Jan-Mar	89	13	14.6%	95^th
2013 Apr-Jun	215	1	0.5%	24^th
2013 Jul-Sep	200	5	2.5%	68^th
2013 Oct-Dec	137	2	1.5%	43^rd
2014 Jan-Mar	148	2	1.4%	40^th
2014 Apr-Jun	219	2	0.9%	35^th
2014 Jul-Sep	147	0	0.0%	0^th
2014 Nov-Dec	49	5	10.2%	93^rd
2015 Jan-Mar	144	4	2.8%	62^nd
2015 Apr-Jun	244	1	0.4%	27^th
2015 Jul-Sep	139	1	0.7%	34^th
2015 Oct-Dec	177	2	1.1%	52^nd
2016 Jan-Mar	137	3	2.2%	44^th
2016 Apr-Jun	204	1	0.5%	19^th
2016 Jul-Sep	232	5	2.2%	68^th
2016 Nov-Dec	48	2	4.2%	73^rd
2017 Jan-Mar	208	1	0.5%	23^rd
2017 Apr-Jun	136	3	2.2%	59^th
2017 Jul-Sep	199	1	0.5%	37^th
2017 Oct-Dec	167	0	0.0%	0^th
2018 Jan-Mar	129	1	0.8%	24^th
2018 Apr-Jun	184	1	0.5%	17^th
2018 Jul-Sep	86	0	0.0%	0^th

Primary Sources

The information on this page is originally sourced from a variety of materials, including:

@unitedstates/congress-legislators, a community project gathering congressional information
The House and Senate websites, for committee membership and voting records
United States Congressional Roll Call Voting Records, 1789-1990 by Howard L. Rosenthal and Keith T. Poole.
Martis’s “The Historical Atlas of Political Parties in the United States Congress”, via Keith Poole’s roll call votes data set, for political party affiliation for Members of Congress from 1789 through about year 2000
GPO Member Guide for the photo
GovInfo.gov, for sponsored bills

Christopher “Chris” Smith is pronounced:

KRIS-tuh-fer // smith

The letters stand for sounds according to the following table:

Letter	Sounds As In
ER er	her
F f	fat
I i	pin
K k	king
M m	man
R r	rag
S s	sit
T t	top
TH th	thin
UH uh	cup

Capital letters indicate a stressed syllable.

Rep. Christopher “Chris” Smith

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