Speech #960086270

But I am confident that National Captive Nations Week has the strong support of the millions of Americans who have loved ones in those Communist countries. who are fearful every time the mail ceases to arrive. and who must organize just as we are organizing today to bring religious. political and human rights to these captive nations. I have long supported efforts such as these. and such as effective congressional action to bring relief to the individual cases that become known to us of victimization by the Communist state behind the Iron Curtain. I am a cosponsor of numerous bills to ask the Soviet Government to put .a halt to its harassment of Soviet Jews. and to allow them to emigrate to Israel and the United States. Last Friday. in preparation for National Captive Nations Week. I introduced legislation to urge the Communist nations to release a number of Christian political prisoners who have been incarcerated because of their religious or cultural beliefs. or because of their nationalistic activities in favor of freedom for the captive nations.