Speaker. for the past several months many of my colleagues have been responding to a congressional "Call to Conscience" and speaking out on the plight of Soviet Jewry. In doing so. this Congress has persistently reminded the world and the Soviet Government that systematic violation of human rights will not be ignored by this country. The Soviets. as signators to the Helsinki accords. are pledged to uphold human rights and permit free emigration. They have never fully lived up to this commitment. but in recent months and years they have become brazen in their disregard. Increasingly. we hear reports of official Government action taken against Jews who practice their religion. People have been arrested for such "antiSoviet" activities as teaching Hebrew. Jewish emigration has been slowed to a trickleit is likely that fewer than 1.000 Jews will be granted exit visas this year.
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emigration visas