Mr. Speaker. during the past 5 years. the emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union has declined to a virtual halt. Last year. the exodus of Soviet Jews totaled just 896. compared to a total of 51.333 in 1979. This signals a return to the Soviet policy of severely limited emigration. This policy became prevalent in postWorld War II Russia. when Stalin maintained that all Soviet citizens must concentrate on turning Russia into an industrialized nation. Therefore. few people were permitted to leave the U.S.S.R. Presently. the Soviet Union is doing all in its power to literally close the door on emigration for all Soviet minorities. Life in the Soviet Union for Jews is one hardship after another. A campaign of antiSemitism has run rampant in the statecontrolled press for several years. portraying Jews as criminals and conspirators. Higher education for Jews has become increasingly restricted. and enrollment has dropped 50 percent over the past 15 years. The Soviet Union has made it extremely difficult for Jews wishing to leave the country. Simply applying for an exit visa may result in harassment or punishment. Visa applications must be renewed every 6 months. and an invitation from abroad must be included with each application. In addition. each person who applies for a visa loses his or her job. making the troubles of the Soviet Jew even more burdensome. Some have waited nearly a decade in hopes of obtaining a visa. This oppression and persecution of Soviet Jews is a most distressing human rights violation. With the signing of the Helsinki accords in 1975. 35 nationsincluding the Soviet Unionagreed to honor certain human rights and freedoms. Among these are freedom of movement and the right to family reunification. Soviet compliance with these agreements is highly questionable. We. as men and women living in the free world who believe in basic freedoms for all people. must continue to support the cause of the Soviet Jews and to fight against the religious and ethnic persecution they are forced to endure.*
Identified stereotypes
Portraying Jews as criminals and conspirators.