Mr. Chairman. I am gratified that section 2(c) of H.R. 16168. the State Department Authorization Act for fiscal year 1975. authorizes $40 million for the resettlement of Soviet Jewish refugees in Israel. Senator EDMUND MUSKI. and I were the principal sponsors of the original authorizing legislation for this highly successful program in 1972. Our legislation was incorporated as section 101(b) of Public Law 92352. and an additional authorization was enacted in 1973. The provisions in the bill before us today will allow the Department of State to continue to provide this important humanitarian assistance for these new citizens of Israel. There should be no doubt that these funds are desperately needed by the Israeli Government. The flow of refugees emigrating from Russia to Israel. though lower than last year. has continued in 1974 at a rate of more than 1.500 a month. There is every indication that marked increases in the rate of Jewish emigration from the U.S.S.R. are quite possible in the immediate future as a result of intense negotiations between the Congress. President Ford. and the Soviet Government in connection with the trade bill. It is estimated that more than 150..000 Soviet Jews have applied for exit visas. A relaxation of restrictions on emigration and harassment of those who apply could result in a sharp upturn in the number of emigrants which Israel will have to resettle. and I share the hopes of people all over the world that this will happen. The costs of resettlement are staggering. In 1973. Israel received 54.700 immigrants. more than 60 percent of whom were from the Soviet Union. at an estimated resettlement cost of $550 million. Obviously the U.S. Government is only contributing a modest portion of that amount. but our assistance is extremely important.
Keywords matched
emigration immigrants emigrating visas emigrants refugees