Mr. Chairman. I rise in support of the Vanik amendment on freedom of emigration and in opposition to the amendment to strike title IV. including the Vanik language. I would point out to the Members of this body that the Soviet Union in 1969 signed the Convention on Racial Discrimination. a binding treaty guaranteeing in article 5 the right of any citizen to leave his country. They have never honored it. and. in my view. this is no time to put economic expediency above the right to emigrate or human rights. I commend the position the gentleman has taken. I urge my colleagues to support inclusion of the Vanik language. including the denial of credits and credit guarantees to any nation whichFirst. denies its citizens the right to emigrate. Second. imposes more than a nominal tax on emigration or on the visas or other documents required for emigration. or Third. imposes more than a nominal tax. levy. fine. fee. or other charge on any citizen as a consequence of the desire of such citizen to emigrate to the country of his choice. We have seen the hardship that such a policy causes to hundreds of thousands of citizens. Let us do what we can. as representatives of the American people. to bring an end to this policy of repression and discrimination.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration visas