Speech #930008425

Speaker. today I am full of hope for the oppressed Jewish citizens of the Soviet Union. It now appears that the U.S. Congress will take firm and direct action to end the outrageous education tax exit visa fees that have been imposed since last August upon Soviet Jews wishing to emigrate. Two hundred fiftyone Representatives have now sponsored Congressman VANiKs Freedom of Emigration Act. This bill will prevent the granting of most favored nation trading status. or other trade. privileges. to any nationparticularly the Soviet Unionwhich does not allow Its citizens the right to freely emigrate with only a nominal charge. Seventyfive Members of the Senate have sponsored a similar bill. introduced by Senator JACKSON. it is particularly appropriate that we should speak out against the Soviet Unions emigration policies at this time. For a little more than 3 weeks ago the Government of the Soviet Union. defying the pressures of world opinion. published an official decree on the subject of the notorious education tax. This decree reads as follows: Citizens of the U.S.S.R. who leave for permanent residence abroadexcept for those moving to socialist countriesare required to repay the government expenditures for their training in an institution of higher education. postgraduate studies. medical internship and advanced military education and for the award of corresponding academic degrees. I am sure that most of my colleagues are familiar with the outrageous exit visa fee system. In addition to a fee of 400 rubles-$480for a visa to a nonCommunist country and 500 rubles$600fee automatically added for renouncing Soviet citizenship. prospective emigrants are required by this law to reimburse the Soviet State for the costs of their education. This socalled reimbursement charge starts with a fee of 3.600 rubles--$4.320for a graduate of a trade institute. The normal fee for a university graduate is 12.500 rubles$15.000.