Mr. Speaker. the world has witnessed in recent weeks the most blatant effort by the Soviet Union to restrict the travel of Soviet Jews to Israel. This latest pronouncement requiring the payment of enormous emigration fees is an unjust and discriminatory act which represents a denial of fundamental human rights. For far too long we. in this country. have accepted the official antiSemitic policy of the Soviet Government and have done little to condemn it except to voice an occasional protest. We are now confronted with the unique opportunity of being able to bargain with the Soviet Government. a bargain that would exchange wheat. grain. and machinery for the rights and lives of human beings. We must be willing to make a full commitment to this cause. a commitment that would deny the Soviets of needed materials if they refuse to recognize the immorality of their actions and change their emigration policy. We must stand firm in our position of being willing to deny granting the Soviet Union the status of a "most favored nation." Mr. Speaker. I have writen the following letter to Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev apprising him of the possible economic ramifications if this unjust emigration policy continues. I urge each of my colleagues to join me in writing Secretary General Brezhnev demanding that the Soviet Union immediately discontinue all discriminatory policies directed against Soviet Jews. I would now like to read this letter into the RECORD.
Keywords matched
emigration