A second major concern addressed in this resolution focuses attention on a new and farreaching change in Soviet law regarding that nations claims of citizenship. Under the new Soviet law which became effective on July 1. 1979. the Soviet Government will not recognize the foreign citizenship of any of its current or former subjects. The Soviet Government has declared that a Soviet citizen is anyone who was born in the Soviet Union. naturalized as a Soviet citizen. or who is the child of parents who were Soviet citizens at the time of the childs birth irregardless if that birth took place outside Soviet territory. The effects of this law apply to millions of Americans who have fled Russia to seek freedom in the West as well as those who are nativeborn citizens of the United States from Russian parents. Such broad reaching claims of citizens that would include millions of Americans who have been naturalized or born in this country is a cause for alarm. With a history of harassment and disregard for the rights of the individual to freely immigrate. this new law can only be seen as a further attempt to control the free movement of peoples. With the upcoming 1980 Olympics in Moscow. the potential for Soviet abuse and harassment is ever present. House Concurrent Resolution 200 expresses deep concern over Soviet citizenship claims on millions of Americans.
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immigrate naturalized