Speech #970234992

Like many of the tens of thousands of Jewish refuseniks. Mr. Kochubievski has been denied the right to family reunification guaranteed by the Helsinki accords. which the Soviet Union has signed. He has two sons in Israel. Like many of his fellow refuseniks. he was dismissed from his job for his desire to emigrate. And like many other refuseniks. he may serve a prison sentence. possibly in a hard labor camp. for speaking out on behalf of his cultural and civil rights. Against this backdrop of deepening despair. it is heartening that the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Human Rights today approved House Concurrent Resolution 336. legislation which I introduced earlier this year to urge the Soviets to adopt a more humane emigration policy. The Human Rights Subcommittee staff and the National Conference on Soviet Jewry deserve special thanks for their diligent efforts to get this resolution passed. This resolution. which also calls upon the President to discuss Soviet Jewry at upcoming summit talks. grain and trade negotiations. and other appropriate opportunities. is a modest step toward reversing the dismal plight of Soviet Jews. I hope that the full Foreign Affairs Committee and the House will now act quickly to approve this resolution. It is hard for those of us who take our freedom for granted to understand the ruthless repression which Jewish refusenks must bear. They are systematically denied academic and career opportunities. and enjoy no freedom of religion. emigration. or cultural expression. We in Congress must continue to speak out on behalf of these brave people. who cling to their cultural heritage in spite of the consequences. And we must continue to press the Soviets to pursue a more humane and civilized emigration policy.$