Mr. Speaker. events of the past year have demonstrated that the Government of the Soviet Union. despite Its protestations to the contrary. is in some degree sensitive toward public opinion on the subject of its treatment of the Jewish population of that nation. The increase in emigration over the past yearwhile it is still shamefully below what ought to be permittedwould not have come without the constant pressure that those in Congress and outside have applied. It is time for the Congress to go on record as declaring formally that the fundamental violations of basic human rights which the Jewish population of the Soviet Union suffer are intolerable to civilized men and women. The resolution before us today is commendable and I urge the House to pass it overwhelmingly so that those in power in the Soviet Union will understand how deeply the American people feel about the questions of religious and personal freedom. This resolution expresses the sense of the Congress that the President should take the following steps to ease the plight of Soviet Jews: Call upon the Soviet Government to permit the free expression of ideas and the exercise of religion by all citizens in accordance with the Soviet Constitution. Utilize formal and informal contacts with Soviet officials in an effort to secure an end to discrimination against religious .minorities. Request the Soviet Government to 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. Raise in the United Nations General Assembly the issue of the Soviet Unions transgression of the Declaration of Human Rights. particularly against Soviet Jews and other minorities. We are not here asking the Soviet Government to do anything that is not routinely and regularly done within our own country.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration