Speech #920310002

Speaker. the medieval tactics of the Soviet Union in their oppression of their Jewish citizenry continue to expand and apply a greater vise of suppression and strangulation of the religious and cultural heritage of the people of Hebrew faith in the U.S.S.R. They are now reaching into the educational. learning and knowledge processes of mankind and enslaving the intellect of the Soviet Jewry. It is incredible to all freedomloving people to learn that the Soviet Union is now demanding a ransom of from $5.000 to $37.000 for each Jewish person with a higher education who wants to go to Israel. in addition to their fee of $1.000 for immigration permits and renouncement of citizenship. the loss of job. forced enlistment in the Army. imprisonment and other forms of harassment. On October 4. 1972. I joined with my distinguished colleague. Congressman VANIK and others in introducing the following resolution to prohibit mostfavorednation treatment and commercial and guarantee agreements with respect to any nonmarket economy country which denies to its citizens the right to emigrate or which imposes more than nominal fees upon its citizens as a condition to emigration: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That this Act may be cited as the "Act for Freedom of Emigration in EastWest Trade". "SEc. 2. To assure the continued dedication of the United States to fundamental human rights. and notwithstanding any other provision of law. after October 15. 1972. products from any nonmarket economy country shall not be eligible to receive mostfavorednation treatment. such country shall not participate in any program of the Government of the United States which extends credits or credit guarantees or investment guarantees. directly or indirectly. and the President of the United States shall not conclude any commercial agreement with any such country during the period beginning with the date on which the President determines that such country(1) denies its citizens the right or opportunity to emigrate. (2) Imposes more than a nominal tax on emigration or on the visas or other documents required for emigration. for any purpose or cause whatsoever. or (3) imposes more than a nominal tax. levy. fine. fee. or other charge on any citizen as a consequence of the desire of such citizen to emigrate to the country of his choice. and ending on the date on which the President determines that such country is no longer in violation of paragraph (1). (2). or (3). "SEC. 3. After October 15. 1972. pursuant to any separate Act of Congress. (A) products of a nonmarket economy country may be eligible to receive mostfavorednation treatment. (B) such country may participate in any progam of the Government of the United States which extends credits or credit guarantees or investment guarantees. or (C) the President may conclude a commercial agreement with such country only after the President has submitted to the Congress a report indicating that such country is not in violation of paragraph (1). (2). or (3) of section 2. Such report with respect to such country shall include information as to the nature and implementation of emigration laws and policies and restrictions or discrimination applied to or against persons wishing to emigrate. The report required by this subsection shall be submitted initially as provided herein and. with current Information. semiannually thereafter so long as such treatment received. such credits or guarantees extended. or such agreement concluded pursuant to any separate Act of Congress is In effect. On September 28. 1972. I joined with my distinguished colleague. Congressman ROSENTHAL. and others in introducing the following House Joint Resolution (H.J. Res. 1315) expressing the sense of the Congress with respect to the foreign economic policy of the United States in connection with its relations with the Soviet Union and any other country which uses arbitrary and discriminatory methods to limit the right of emigration: Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled. That it is the sense of the Congress that the President should suspend all steps taken or contemplated to expand trade and other economic activities with the Soviet Union. and with any other country which uses arbitrary and discriminatory methods to limit the right of emigration. until the President determines that the Soviet Union. or such other country. as the case may be. Is no longer using such methods to limit emigration. "SEC. 2. The President shall report to the Congress. not later than thirty days after the date of enactment of this joint resolution and at least annually thereafter. on steps he has taken to carry out the first section of this Joint resolution. When we first learned of this Soviet price list on the education of their Jewish citizenry. I joined with my distinguished colleague. Congressman EILBERG. and others in sponsoring the following resolution dated September 11. 1972 condemning the Government and leaders of the Soviet Union for their new policy of demanding a ransom from educated Jews who want to emigrate to Israel: % Whereas the Soviet Union has been confiscating almost all of the possessions of those Jews who are permitted to go t Israel. and Whereas the Soviet Union has begun demanding a ransom of up to $25.000 for Jews who have an advanced education: Now. therefore. be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (The Senate concurring). That the Government and leaders of the Soviet Union should be condemned for creating a class of slaves in the t. entleth century by 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." Mr. Speaker. According to the last report I have received. the Soviet Jews have no schools of their own. their synagogues are closed. they are allowed no Hebrew cultural life. and they now have no opportunity to emigrate and be reunited with their families in Israel. The high fees are instituted supposedly to prevent the brain drain. but educated Jews who apply for visas are demoted or dismissedtheir energies denied to Soviet society by the Soviet Government. I know I speak for the residents of my Eighth Congressional District who believe in freedom throughout the world in fervent prayer for the lifting of this burdensome yoke that weights so heavily on the human and moral Integrity. dignity and rights of the Soviet Jews as people. We sincerely trust that this latest congressional action to look to changes in Americas present policy and extensively scrutinize new trade relations with the Soviet Union will reverse the Soviet Governments vicious circle of persecution of their citizenry of Jewish heritage. Just prior to the Jewish holidays and before the imposition of this new head tax by the Soviet Union. I was privileged to join the late Congressman William F. . Ryan of New York in the following telegram to Mr.