Speech #920206618

The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Corr. RES. 471 Whereas in the Soviet Union men and women are denied freedoms recognized as basic by all civilized countries of the world. indeed by the Soviet Constitution. and Whereas the Jews and other religious minorities of the Soviet Union are being denied the means to sustain their identity inside that country and the opportunity to maintain that identity by moving elsewhere. and Whereas the right freely to emigrate. which Is denied Soviet Jews. is a right affirmed by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. adopted unanimously by the General Assembly of the United Nations: Now therefore. be it Resolved by the House oy Representatives (the Senate concurring). That It is the sense of Congress that the President of the United States of America shall take immediate and determined steps to(1) call upon the Soviet Government to permit the free expression of ideas and the exercise of religion by all its citizens in accordance with the Soviet Constitution. and (2) utilize formal and informal contacts with Soviet officials in an effort to secure an end to discrimination against religious minorities. and (3) request of the Soviet Government that it permit its citizens the right to emigrate from the Soviet Union to the countries of their choice as affirmed by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. and (4) raise in the General Assembly of the United Nations the issue of the Soviet Unions transgression of the Declaration of Human Rights. particularly against Soviet Jews and other minorities To assure that some assistance will be forthcoming. it is the hope of many of my colleagues and myself that the President of the United States will raise this important issue of the right of emigration of Soviet Jews who desire to leave the Soviet Union. A text of a letter currently being circulatedand which I have signedis as follows: President RICHARD M. NixoN.