I am particularly proud to be a cosponsor of House Concurrent Resolution 50 which passed the House today. Never has It been more important for those of us fortunate enough to live in a democracy to voice our support for those who must suffer the consequences of tyranny. While our actions today cannot force the Soviet Union to permit the emigration of Dr. Brailovsky and his family. while it cannot force them to give him adequate medical care or humane treatment. it does forcefully inform Soviet officials that we do care and we are watching. It says in the clearest possible way that we in the Congress will not permit the abridgement of human rights anywhere in the world to go unnoticed. Dr. Brailovsky first began speaking out against Soviet harassment of Jews wishing to emigrate in 1972. Like many before it. his application to leave with his family was denied. As usual in such cases. his knowledge of scientific secrets was cited as the reason for denial of his exit visa. Brailovsky then began working on "Jews in the U.S.S.R.." an unofficial journal devoted to Jewish history. culture. and religion in the Soviet Union. Israel. and around the world. He became active in the refusenik program and was a leader of the Moscow Sunday seminar created to facilitate discussion of scientific and other matters among Soviet Jews who had been prevented from emigrating. When the Soviet Union finally granted him permission to leave in 1976 they engaged in even greater cruelty. They denied his wife permission to leave with him.
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emigrate emigration emigrating visa