I am proud to participate in the Third Congressional Fast and Prayer Vigil for Soviet Jewry. The coalitions goals are quite straight forward. We want to express to Soviet officials that we will not accept the 1984 emigration rate which allowed only 900 Soviet Jews to leave the country. We also want to highlight to our constituents and to our colleagues in other nations that we abhor and oppose the religious persecution and harassment of the 2.5 million Jews remaining in the Soviet Union. Although relations may be warming with the Soviets in the field of arms control. we must keep in mind the plight of the Soviet Jews when considering any legislation affecting the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union. Today. I would like to bring to your attention my concern over the treatment of Evgeny Lein and his family in Leningrad. After applying for permission to emigrate to Israel. the Lein children were forced to leave school and both parents have had trouble finding employment. Recently. we learned that Mr. Lein and his 20yearold daughter were both brutally beaten by unknown men.
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emigrate emigration