Speech #930181883

For this crime. he was imprisoned in Russia. I am deeply grateful to be introducing this legislation not only for myself. but for 50 cosponsors who have joined me in thiseffort. I include my concurrent resothis point: Whereas Simas Kudirka. a Lithuanian seaman. attempted to seek asylum in the United States while his ship was moored beside a United States Coast Guard vessel in United States territorial waters. and Whereas Simas Kudirka was forcibly seized from the United States Coast Guard vessel and returned by Soviet authorities to a Soviet vessel. and subsequently imprisoned in the Soviet Union. and Whereas American citizens are increasingly concerned about this flagrant violation of human rights. and . Whereas his continued imprisonment and the..inability to learn of his welfare raise among American citizens an impediment to -the improvement of relations between the Soviet Union and the United States: Now. therefore. be it Resolved by the Hose of Representatives (the Senate concurring). That it is the sense of Congress that the President of the United States direct the Secretary of State to bring to the Immediate attention of the Soviet Government . the deep and growing concern among citizens of the United States over the plight of Simas Kudirka and to urge his release from Imprisonment and his return to his family.