Chairman. the next few days are critical for Soviet Jews and for freedom in the Soviet Union. Tomorrow the House Ways and Means Committee will be considering the provisions of H.R. 6767. the Trade Reform Act of 1973. that deal with the administrations proposal to grant mostfavorednation trading status to the Soviet Union. Also under consideration will be the socalled JacksonVanikMills provision. which I have cosponsored. which would prevent the granting of MFN treatment to the Soviet Union unless that nation allowed its citizens the right to freely emigrate. Clear majorities of both Houses of Congress have sponsored this legislation. but in the face of concerted administration pressure its fate in the Ways and Means Committee remains uncertain. I hope that the JacksonVanikMills provision will prevail in the committee. and I hope as well that its acceptance will provide a lesson to the leaders of the Soviet Union that the people and the Congress of the United States will Insist now and in the future that the Soviet Union abide by the basic human rights and freedoms enumerated In the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rightsprinciples upon which genuine friendship and harmony among the civilized community of nations must be based.
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emigrate