We are writing on behalf of the Jackson Town-ship Regular Repub-lican Organization to express our concern and dismay over the removal of our congressman, Chris Smith, from his role as chairman of the House Commit-tee on Veterans Affairs.
For almost a quarter century Chris Smith has represented the people of the New Jersey Fourth Congressional District. Congress-man Smith has always enjoyed the unanimous support of all local and county Republican Party organizations within his district and has handily won re-election 12 times; always with a clear mandate from his constituents.
Throughout Congressman Smith’s 24 years of service, he has established himself as one of the hardest-working, most compassionate and dedicated members of the House.
A nationally and internationally recognized leader in Con-gress, particularly in the areas of veterans affairs, human rights and international relations, Chris Smith is equally passionate when it comes to working to advance the needs of his state.
From 2001-04, Congressman Smith served the nation’s 25 million military veterans as chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. Congressman Smith oversaw more than $63 billion provided to the Department of Veterans Affairs for healthcare and other benefit programs.
Congressman Smith has worked to improve the delivery of healthcare and benefits due our nation’s veterans in exchange for their service to the nation. The congressman has authored several new laws to significantly enhance veterans’ health care and benefit programs.
Congressman Smith authored a bill providing a 46 percent increase in funding for the GI Bill. This bill provided the largest increase in funding for the GI Bill since the end of World War II. Smith also wrote the nation’s first law dealing with chronic homelessness among veterans. The Homeless Veterans Comprehen-sive Assistance Act authorizes $1 billion in programs to help veterans find and retain jobs and provides them with housing, counseling, training and the medical care they need to rebuild their lives.
Clearly, Congressman Smith has been a devoted and powerful advocate for our nation’s veterans. Based upon his legislative and public record on these issues, our members and officers were shocked by his replacement as chairman. We respectfully request that he be restored to his position as chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.
Carol Blake
president
Lisa Fitzgerald
first vice president
Curtis M. Briggs
second vice president
Michael Hoffman
third vice president
Josephine Aranda
secretary
Angelo Stallone
treasurer
Jackson Township Regular Republican Organization