Mr. Speaker. I was distressed to read in the New York Times of September 14 that the Soviet Union for the first time told its people about the new. high emigration taxes for all of its educated citizens who wish to emigrate to the West. These taxes. ostensibly aimed at all educated Soviet citizens. primarily affect Soviet Jews. who are the most highly educated ethnic group in the Soviet Union. and who account for most of that nations emigration. This Soviet policy of levying "emigration taxes" on Jews wishing to emigrate to Israel is despicable. a flagrant violation of human civil rights. and I will do all I can to have our Government press this issue in an effort to have this persecution halted immediately. � The American Jewish Community Is rightly angered. as the Soviets have also increased their use of sudden callups to military duty to discourage young. trained Jews from leaving the country. Older Jews seeking to leave Russia are facing various forms of harassment. including the "head tax." demotions and discharges at their place of employment. and removal of telephone and police surveillance. On September 11. I was pleased to join a number of my colleagues in cosponsoring House Concurrent Resolution 694. condemning the Soviet Union for forcing thousands of people to live and work in a country which they want to leave. because they do not have the money to ransom themselves into freedom.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration head tax