All of these despicable and repressive acts are occurring at a time when the House Ways and Means Committee is considering extending mostfavorednation status to the U.S.S.R. How. in good conscience. can this country grant special treatment to a nation which continues to engage in such reprehensible policies which represent a standing affront to the family of free nations and defy countless international agreements protecting individual civil liberties and human rights? I remain convinced that granting mostfavorednation status to the Soviet Union will be interpreted throughout the world as tacit approval for the continuation of the poorlyconsidered campaign to deny freedom of movement and emigration to Soviet Jews and to stifle free speech and expression. As an original cosponsor of the MillsVanik Freedom of Emigration Act I am deeply troubled that some compromise is being attempted in the Ways and Means Committee. This is an issue on which there simply can be no compromise. Under one alternative which has been proposed the U.S.S.R. would still be able to deny its citizens the right to emigrate. regardless of promises made by the Soviet leadership or supposed protections which the plans affords. It would be pure folly to cave in to various pressures at this point and permit the President to have the authority to grant mostfavorednation status while the Russians are waging an intensive campaign against dissidents and Jewish citizens. Although an attempt toward detente with the Soviet Union is being made we must maintain our vigilance and no effort can be spared In removing the restrictions on the free movement of people or permitting people the right to openly discuss and take issue with their governments policies.
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emigrate emigration Emigration