Speech #530132420

I am privileged to have this opportunity to join my colleagues in this special order on behalf of Soviet Jews and in particular to publicly call attention to the plight of Ilya Katz and his family. I consider it a privilege. yet a responsibility. to speak on behalf of the Katz family. knowing that they cannot speak for themselves. Refuseniks since 1979. the Katz family was denied permission to emigrate to Israel on grounds of insufficient kinship. Like so many refuseniks. since permission to emigrate was denied. Ilya Katz. his wife. and their two daughters have been unable to secure employment in their fields of training and thus have been deprived of sufficient means to support themselves. While the present situation for the Katz family and other Jews in the Soviet Union is bleak. our continued outcry will help to demonstrate to Soviet leaders that we will not let their treatment of Soviet Jews to silently continue. unprotested.