Speech #930345654

Mr. President. it has been 2 years since I first offered an amendment to the trade bill conditioning eligibility for trade concessions on respect for the right to emigrate. Mr. President. after a long and often difficult road. I am pleased that an agreement has been reached on emigration from the Soviet Union that should do much to advance the cause of human rightsto reaffirm on the part of the American people the commitment to individual liberty that has made this nation a symbol to men and women everywhere. I believe that we have reached a fair and productive compromise. We have agreed upon an unprecedented measure to bring the blessings of liberty to those brave men and women who have asked only for the chance to find freedom in a new land. We have acted on behalf of those of all faiths. of all religionson behalf of artists and dancers. workers and students. the educated and the unskilled. The agreement we have reached. which is contained in an exchange of letters between myself and the Secretary of State and printed in the Senate Finance Committee report on the trade bill. should signal an end by the U.S.S.R to punitive actions against persons wishing to emigrate. It provides that no unreasonable impediments will be placed in the way of persons wishing to emigrate. It stipulates that applications for emigration will be processed in order without discrimination on the basis of race. religion. national origin. professional status. or place of residence. It promises sympathetic and expeditious processing of hardship cases. It provides that persons imprisoned. who. prior to their imprisonment. expressed an interest in emigrating will be given prompt consideration for emigration upon their release. and it states that sympathetic consideration may be given to the early release of these unfortunate persons. The agreement is based on. and the Secretarys letter conveys. the assumption that the rate of emigration from the U.S.S.R. will begin to rise promptly from the 1973 leveland that it will continue to rise to correspond to the number of applicants. And as my letter to the Secretary states: We would consider a benchmarka minimum standard of initial complianceto be the issuance of visas at the rate of 60.000 per annum. and we understand that the President proposes to use the same benchmark as the minimum standard of initial compliance. If the agreement is implemented in good faith. the actual number will exceed 60.000 per annum since there is abundant evidence of a current backlog in excess of 130.000. new applications are submitted daily. and the agreement calls for the number to rise to correspond to the number of applicants. The agreement provides that the Soviet leadership will give "sympathetic consideration and response" in the event that we have indications that these criteria and practices are not being applied.