WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Chris Smith's recent comments on same-sex marriage drew a rebuke from one of his Garden State colleagues on the other side of the political aisle.

At a Jan. 27 hearing, Smith (R-4th Dist.) said that he did not consider same-sex marriage to be a fundamental human right, as defined by the United Nations or various treaties.

"I am a strong believer in traditional marriage and do not construe homosexual rights as human rights," Smith said at the heading of the House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Africa, which he chairs. "Others have a different view and I certainly respect them."

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-6th Dist.) issued a statement on Tuesday calling attention to Smith's comments.



"Congressman Smith is welcome to have his own opinions, but when he makes such an inflammatory statement in an effort to push the administration into ignoring the rights of LGBT people as a matter of policy, it crosses the line," Pallone said, using the term for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. "Representatives in Congress must be promoting the expansion of human rights, not fighting to limit its definition to people that they deem to be appropriate."

"It is a little shocking how they're twisting my words and profoundly inaccurate,'' Smith responded in an interview.

The comments came when Smith asked a State Department official, Robert T. Jackson, whether U.S. support for Nigeria in its fight against the Boko Haram terrorist group was being influenced by its attitude on gay rights. Nigeria has enacted legislation banning same-sex marriage.

"Has the administration's view on LBGT affected in any way or in any way hindered U.S. support to Nigeria to combat Boko Haram?" Smith asked. "Has the administration held back or in any way affected funding to the faith community, whether it be Muslim or Christian?"

Jackson said it wasn't.

"To my knowledge, there has been no impact," he said, "on any of our activities, be it financial assistance, humanitarian assistance or what organizations we work with in Nigeria."

Pallone said there should be no distinction based on sexual orientation.

"What is so troubling and inexplicable about Congressman Smith's comments is that he makes a distinction between the rights of LGBT individuals and the rights of humans," Pallone said. "The day that we begin plucking certain categories of people out from under the protections of universal human rights because of who they are is the day we abandon our commitment to building a more just world."

Smith said he was not condoning attacks against anyone.

"I don't care who you are,'' he said. "You shouldn't have violence against you.''

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Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.