Speech #960318659

Mr. Speaker. surely all of us here in Congress are aware of the lack of concern for human rights in the Soviet Unionparticularly for Soviet Jews. whose cultural and religious expression is so repressed. One of the most painful violations of human rights for Soviet Jews. however. must be the denial of the right to emigrate and to join family members in Israel. the United States. and other countries. One would think that the Soviet Union shares this countrys view on human rights and emigration as both countries signed the Helsinki Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. This act affirmed that "applications for the purpose of family reunification which are not granted may be renewed at the appropriate level and will be reconsidered at reasonably short intervals." But now. Soviet authorities in Kharkov. a city considered to be a "bellweather" of Soviet immigration policies. have imposed new restrictions on Soviet Jews seeking to emigrateJews who are denied visas must now sign statements saying that they understand their emigration refusal is final and that they have no right to reapply. This new policy is in addition to restrictions implemented in 1979. In mid1979. Soviet authorities curbed Jewish emigration by accepting affidavits only from first degree relatives living in Israel. This policy. with others. has resulted in a drastic cutback in emigration by Jews from the Soviet Union. Fifty thousand Jews were allowed to leave the Soviet Union in 1979but only 15.000 have been allowed to leave during the first 8 months of this year. And. the Soviets new restrictions on visas can only result in a further decrease in Jewish emigration. To express opposition to the renewed repression of Soviet Jews. I have introduced a resolution deploring the Soviet Unions heightened restrictions on Jewish emigration. It is my firm belief that we cannot idly stand by and permit this abdication of human rights to continue. I strongly urge all of my colleagues to support our resolution. as only a strong protest from both the House and the Senate will convince the Soviet Union of our alarm over their new emigration policy for Soviet Jews. In addition. I urge that the rights of Soviet Jews be thoroughly discussed at the upcoming international review of the implementation of the Helsinki Final Act in Madrid in November 1980. The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows: H. Con. Res. 438 Concurrent resolution relating to the recent curtailment of Jewish emigration by the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics Whereas the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantees the right of everyone "to leave any country. including his own". Whereas the Soviet Union is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Whereas the signatories of the Helsinki Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe agreed that "applications for the purpose of family reunification which are not granted may be renewed at the appropriate level and will be reconsidered at reasonably short intervals". Whereas the Government of the Soviet Union is a signatory of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Whereas we welcome the commendable rate of 50.000 in 1979 of Jewish emigration from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics has been drastically cut back in 1980 as a result of administrative measures which have severely restricted the eligibility of applicants. ignoring emigration procedures which were in effect for over ten years. Whereas Soviet authorities in Kharkov are refusing to reconsider the application of any Jew who has once been denied permission to emigrate. Whereas Soviet authorities in Kharkov are requiring Jews denied permission to emigrate to sign statements that they understand that their emigration refusals are final and that they have no right to reapply. and Whereas the policy of the Soviet authorities in Kharkov is considered by many Jewish activists in the Soviet Union to be a bellwether of Soviet emigration policies: Now. therefore. be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring). That the Congress(1) deplores the recent curtailment of Jewish emigration from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the establishment in Kharkov of further restrictive policies. (2) urges the President. the Secretary of State. and other appropriate executive branch officials to express at every suitable opportunity and in the strongest terms the opposition of the United States to such repression of human rights. and (3) urges the President to instruct the United States delegation to the upcoming review meeting in Madrid. Spain. of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe to seek an explanation of Soviet emigration policies in light of commitments made by the Government of the Soviet Union pursuant to the Helsinki Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation and to protest violations of the family reunification provisions of such Final Act if such provisions are still in effect at the time of such meeting. Sec. 2. The Clerk of the House of Representatives shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the President with the request that he transmit a copy of such resolution to the Ambassador of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics to the United States.*