Speaker and Members. we are here because an important decision is pending and we recently got unfortunate news. and I hope that the action of this House today may persuade the Soviet leadership to alter a decision which appears just to have been taken. Lidla Vashchenko. one of these people. went on a hunger strike. risking her health and her life. to try and get across to the leadership of the Soviet Union the depth of her commitment. She went to a hospital. and at first we were a little encouraged because she was allowed to leave the hospital in the Soviet Union. return to Siberia and apply for exit visas for herself and her six coreligionists. her family and one other family. At first we thought that would be helpful. and we all in a spirit of responsibility refrained from polemics. There were on our side no efforts from the U.S.