Mr. Speaker. the Soviet Unions recent decision to increase emigration fees for Jews planning to go to Israel is nothing less than an attempt to blackmail the United States and the world Jewish community and at the same time. block any mass exodus of Soviet Jews to Israel. There is no way that Soviet Jews could save enough for the required fees from their own meager incomes. Soviet officials have advised American Jews that they can pay the costs imposed on their Russian brethren. Thus. it seems that the Soviet Union is attempting to persuade the world Jewish community to pay ransom for Jews who wish to leave Russia. At -the same time.: since It is doubtful that even American Jews could raise the large sums required for the new fees. the move is designed to stop any substantial emigration to Israel. It was no coincidenceconsidering the protest it would have raisedthat the Soviets waited until after the WashingtonMoscow wheat deal to demand that Russian Jews pay exorbitant new emigration fees. I speak out today to indicate the utter seriousness of my concern about this Soviet action and to say that this development has deep implications for future SovietAmerican trade relations. This year about 20.000 Soviet Jews have received permission to emigrate to Israel. It is believed that about 400.000 persons have applied. In a desperate attempt to halt this emigration. the Soviet Government imposed new exit fees based on the applicants level of education. Previously these fees had been about $1.080 per person. The new fees ranged from $5.000 for those who had not completed high school to $37.000 for those who hold a doctor of science degree.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration