Speech #920286917

I join my colleagues in denouncing the Soviet Unions latest move toward repressing its Jewish people. In his visit last May. President Nixon was able to extract promises from the Soviet leaders to increase the level of emigrants to Israel to 2.500 a month. So far this year. about 20.000 Jews are reported to have received clearance to emigrate from the Soviet Union. which is double the rate of 1971. Even with the rate increase. the Jewish desire to abandon the Soviet Union far exceeds the allotted emigrations. The Soviet leaders were faced with extreme embarrassment by this outrush of citizens. and were faced with a potential demand by other groups to leave -under the same policy. So the Soviets unearthed an illogical and illegal tool to stem the flight of Soviet Jews. As of August 3. a person must pay off his public education at a rate set by the Soviet Union. before emigration is allowed. Needless to say. the rate exceeds every. bodys ability to pay. And the order violates the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights which the Russians have agreed to. The fee effectively blocks emigration. . In the past. congressional protests has evidently had some positive effect on the policy of the Soviet Government toward its Jewish citizens. It is hoped that our voice today will stop ratification of this onerous exit fee when the Supreme Soviet meets on September 19.