Mr. Speaker. I am today introducing a sense of Congress resolution relating to the restrictive emigration policies of the Soviet Union. Specifically. my resolution calls upon the President to "take immediate and determined steps to persuade the Soviet government to permit its citizens the right to emigrate to the countries of their choice without the imposition of more than a nominal emigration fee" by utilizing formal and informal contacts with Soviet officials. by raising in the U.N. General Assembly the Soviet Unions transgression of the right to emigrate as affirmed by the Declaration of Human Rights. and by focusing world attention on the Soviet Governments restrictive emigration policies and excessive fees. The resolution further affirms the right of the Congress to withhold final action on any legislation which would extend special trade benefits to any nation which denies its citizens the right to emigrate. Mr. Speaker. last August the Soviet Union imposed a harsh new "education tax" on its emigrating citizens. ranging from $4.000 to $25.000. depending on their level of educational attainment. This was correctly interpreted as being aimed at Soviet Jews since they do comprise the largest number of emigrants as well as being a highly educated class of citizens. This is but one more instance of the Soviet Unions persecution of religious minorities. and these abuses of human and minority group rights continue to be a real sore point between the United States and U.S.S.R. at a time when we are attempting to improve relations. At this point in the RECORD.
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emigrate emigration emigrating emigrants