Speech #970234973

Speaker. I rise to point out to my colleagues the plight of Valery Lerner. a Soviet Jew who has been repressed by the totalitarian regime in the U.S.S.R. Lerners parents and brother emigrated to Israel in 1971. At that time. Lerner and his wife and son also decided to leave the U.S.S.R. for Israel in order to keep the Lerner family together. During this time. Lerner was employed as an engineer and economist in the finance and planning department of a tool factory. He resigned from this position when he and his wife applied for an exit visa to Israel in order to avoid a rejection based on the confidential nature of the position. In 1976. after waiting the required 5 years from his resignation date at the factory job. Lerner and his wife applied for a permit to go to Israel. They were denied the permit. Eleven years have passed since Lerner and his wife began attempts to emigrate to Israel. Lerners numerous appeals to various Soviet authorities have been in vain. and he and his wife have since been dismissed from their jobs. The situation for Soviet Jewry is desperate. Along with 46 of my colleagues. I have joined the 97th Congressional Class for Soviet Jewry. which aims to recognize the plight of Prisoners of Conscience who are seeking to emigrate from the Soviet Union. Despite the fact that the Soviets are a signatory to the Helsinki accords. they have been flagrant in their violation of human rights. I believe it is important to bring this tragic case to the attention of my colleagues.9