I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. it gives me great pleasure to speak in behalf of House Joint Resolution 373 as amended. a resolution expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of the Soviet Union should respect the rights of its citizens to practice their religion and to emigrate. and that these matters should be among the issues raised at the 38th meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights this month. House Joint Resolution 373. sponsored by our distinguished colleague from Colorado. PATRICIA SCHROEDER. was passed unanimously by the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Human Rights and International Organizations on February 3. and by the full Foreign Affairs Committee on February 25. The resolution has wide bipartisan support. and includes 102 cosponsors. House Joint Resolution 373 is a particularly welcome resolution at this time because it instructs the U.S. delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Commission to carry our message of concern about Soviet violations of Jewish rights to emigration and freedom of religion to its current meeting in Geneva. The year 1981 marked an unprecedented decline in human rights in the Soviet Union. Jewish emigration fell to its lowest point since emigration began in 1970. Harassment of Jewish study groups. confiscation of Jewish literature. and jailings and persecution of Hebrew teachers have increased. I would like to take this opportunity to again call upon the U.S.S.R. to honor their commitments under the 1975 Helsinki Final Act.
Keywords matched
emigrate emigration