Mr. President. I am pleased to join as a sponsor in the bill introduced yesterday by the junior Senator from Maine to authorize the Secretary of State to furnish financial assistance for the resettlement in Israel of Jewish refugees from the Soviet Union. The immigration of beleagured Jews from the U.S.S.R.to Israel was a trickle of 1.000 in 1970. a flow of 13.000 last year. and is expected to grow to a heavy stream of some 40.000 this year. Only last month 330 arrived on one El Al flight. Israel. with its limited resources strained to the utmost in securing its defenses and in providing for other impoverished refugees from the Middle East and elsewhere who came in previous waves. is burdened almost beyond endurance in dealing with this new wave who come from the Soviet with almost nothing in the way of goods. enriched only by a desire to be free. This bill will help in carrying the new burden. This legislation is in keeping with the statement of Secretary of State Rogers in October 1970 when he declared: We believe that free movement is one of the basic human rights of all persons. We have expressed sympathy and support on many occasions for persons in the Soviet Union who wish to emigrate. often to rejoin their families elsewhere. but who are denied permission to do so. We shall continue to make these views known and to take every practical measure which could overcome the hardships suffered by such persons. This legislation is one of those practical measures to overcome -the hardships suffered by these refugees which can be undertaken by the United States. Since World War II. this Government has contributed $2.8 billion for refugee relief. about $500 million of which. for example. was for Arab refugees. The assistance contemplated by the measure being introduced today is another step forward in our national policy of aid to the homelegs. As a member of the Committee on Foreign Relations.
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emigrate immigration refugee refugees