[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 80 (Wednesday, May 16, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E666]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          CHRISTOPHER D'URSO: AN EXTRAORDINARY RHODES SCHOLAR

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 16, 2018

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate 
Christopher D'Urso, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania from 
Colts Neck, NJ, in my district, who was one of only 32 candidates 
nationwide selected as a 2018 Rhodes Scholar, for a three-year doctoral 
program at Oxford University.
  Christopher graduated from the University of Pennsylvania this week 
with a Master's of Public Administration (MPA) and a Certificate in 
Politics through Penn's Fels Institute of Government--the youngest 
student to graduate the university with an MPA. He also earned a 
Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, and was named 
Valedictorian of the International Relations Senior Class of 2018, with 
a 4.0 GPA.
  This fall, Christopher will begin pursuing a doctorate in Public 
Policy at Oxford's renowned Blavatnik School of Government as one of 
only five full-time students worldwide selected to enroll in this 
program.
  Rhodes Scholarships honor young men and women not only for their 
achievements, but ``for their character, commitment to others and to 
the common good, and for their potential for leadership in whatever 
domains their careers may lead.''
  Christopher most certainly meets these high standards, as I have seen 
first-hand his keen intellect, passion for public service, outstanding 
leadership qualities and commitment to excellence. From 2013 to 2014, 
he interned in my district office where he assisted our staff with 
casework matters by helping provide valuable information from 
government agencies.
  As a high school student, his research on loopholes in U.S. country-
of-origin labeling laws that pose risks to consumer safety was so well-
conducted that in 2014, he testified before the China Commission 
alongside officials from the USDA and the FDA in a hearing on concerns 
over food exports from China. He also produced a report with 
legislative recommendations on the issue.
  I know that consumer safety and public service are important issues 
for Christopher--while at Penn, he founded Penn CASE, a student--led 
consumer assistance outreach program for local residents. Christopher 
also worked for the Monmouth County Department of Consumer Affairs for 
three years, investigating 70 consumer complaints--many of them related 
to Hurricane Sandy--and helping return over $114,000 to local citizens.
  His senior project, a report on ``Translating Justice: An Evaluation 
of U.S. Efforts to Support Criminal Procedure Reform in Panama,'' was 
borne out of his recent trip to Panama as part of his MP A capstone 
project; he interviewed Panamanian and U.S. officials on the country's 
criminal justice system and evaluated U.S. programs created to help 
reform the system. Christopher won Penn's Rose Undergraduate Research 
Award for his work, and he will share his evaluation and 
recommendations with the U.S. Department of Justice, the State 
Department, and the Panamanian Embassy.
  As Christopher graduates and prepares to attend Oxford in the fall, I 
wish him all the best in this exciting new step in his life.

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