Speech #960121960

Speaker. all of the nations which signed the Helsinki Final Act. including the Soviet Union. pledged to do everything possible to reunite families separated by political boundaries. Because the Soviet Union is not living up to that promise. Members of Congress are conducting a vigil on the House floor entitled "Shatter the Silence" on behalf of Soviet Jewish families and individuals who are being forcibly detained in the U.S.S.R. as a result of the Soviet Governments repressive immigration policy. Today. I would like to bring the plight of Saul and Hana Gorelik to the Members attention. The Goreliks have been alone since 1976 when their sons. Alexander and Moshe were allowed to emigrate to Israel. The Goreliks first applied for permission to emigrate to Israel more than 5 V2 years ago and their requests for exit visas have been consistently denied. Their desire to emigrate to Israel so that they may be reunited with their sons is especially heightened at this time due to Hana Goreliks declining health. It is my belief that the granting of exit visas by the Soviet Union to the Goreliks would not only indicate to the world that countrys compliance with the Helsinki accords. but would also affirm its desire to ameliorate relations between our two great nations. In addition. such action would demonstrate the Soviet Unions humanitarian concern by allowing the Goreliks to spend their remaining years with their sons. I am deeply concerned over the Soviet Unions disturbing treatment of its Jewish citizens and ask that it abide by its international commitments by relaxing restrictions on immigration policies. I look forward to the day when there is no longer any need for such pleas--the day when families can be reunited in Israel.*