Speech #980142301

I strongly support House Concurrent Resolution 63. as amended. As all of you know. this concurrent resolution expresses the sense of the Congress concerning the compliance by the Soviet Union with certain international agreements on human rights. Let me briefly review the sad situation in the Soviet Union today regarding emigration. The Soviet Union has essentially closed its borders to Jewish emigration. Those rates are at their lowest level since 1970. Thousands of people seeking to leave that country have little hope of ever getting out. Several hundred refuseniks. those who have applied but have been refused. have lost their jobs. They may have their academic degrees revoked. and may be subjected to assault and other forms of harassment. Under the Andropov regime. the Kremlin has taken an unreasonable stand on the question of emigration. and the cultural integrity of Jews. A number of new antiSemitic publications have been circulated by the government. Cultural seminars have been broken up. and Hebrew classes have been stopped.