Dr. Sakharov spoke up to remind us that the Soviet Union is not a safe environment for those who value their human rights. We in the Congress were well aware of this whenwedeclared our support for the Freedom of Emigration Act. We must never lose our awareness of this fact. In spite of temporary easings of the restrictions against Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union. most notably when Chairman Brezhnev visited the United States last June. it is still virtually impossible to get out of the Soviet Union if you are anything more than a laborer or clerk. Take the case of Valery Panov. the gifted dancer. as an example. Mr. Panov has. for the past several years. asked permission to emigrate to Israel. He feels that. both as a Jew and as an artist. it is impossible for him to survive in the Soviet Union. The Russian Government responded by not only denying him permission to emigrate. but by also denying him the right to work as a dancer. He could not perform. he could not even practice. After an international outcry by his colleagues in the performing arts. the Soviet Government let it be quietly known that it would grant Panov permission to emigrate at the beginning of September if he were not made the object of so much publicity. Thus. statements on his behalf by artists and political leaders ceased. When Panov went to reapply for his passport a few days ago. he was turned down again. Panov is only one of many stories. He has become wellknown in the West because of his stature as a performing artist. But there are so many others. both those who have applied for visas. and those who would like to apply but are too afraid of government reprisals. who are looking to us in the Congress for help. When we gave our names in cosponsorship of the Freedom of Emigration Act. we made a promise to hundreds of thousands of men. women. and children in the Soviet Union. We promised them nothing short of freedom. No matter how important it is to the prestige of the administration to win a major reform of the trade laws and to expand trade with the Soviet Union. it is still more important for our Nation to act morally and responsibly.
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emigrate emigration visas Emigration