Mr. Speaker. as an American who is deeply committed to the attainment of human rights for all people. I feel compelled to emphasize that emigration from the Soviet Union is restrictive and far from free. Alexander Lerner. a leading Soviet scientist in the field of cybernetics. and a former member of the Communist Party. believed that Jews would assimilate into Soviet society. But the Soviet requirement to have a nationality listed on ones identity papers. the rise of discrimination against Jews in the academic field. and the assertion of Jewish national consciousnes displayed by defendants in the Leningrad trials changed his mind. In September 1971 Lerner applied for an emigration permit to Israel. One month later. he was dismissed from his position at the Institute of Control Problems in Moscow. He was also expelled from the Communist Party. Alexander Lerner has been waiting for an exit visa for 2 years. The reason given for the delay is that he needs security clearance. This rationale is rejected by Lerner who asserts that the classified work he did 15 years is no longer secret.
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emigration visa