I commend Representative MRAZEK for organizing this special order and I sincerely hope that our words will be heeded. The Soviets have recently announced that they will allow over 200 individuals to reunite with their families in the United States. This is a welcome announcement. the sort we should expect. considering that the Soviets are obligated under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to guarantee the right of emigration. Unfortunately. however. this is not the case. Not only are families left divided by restrictive Soviet emigration policies. but many Jews who seek to go to their ancestral homeland have been denied this opportunity. In 1985. only 1.140 Soviet Jews were allowed to leave. The Soviets claim that the majority of the Jews who wanted to emigrate have already left. citing the over 250.000 Jews who have left since 1968. Authoritative sources. however. state that there are still over 400.000 Soviet Jews who are prevented from emigrating. In addition to limiting emigration. the Soviet government has increased persecution of those who attempt to practice their religion or exercise cultural rights. Evidence of governmentsponsored films. books. and articles which blatantly feature antiSemitic themes abound. Thosle who apply to emigrate suffer punishment ranging from loss of job to harassment and. in some cases. imprisonment. I would like to share with our colleagues a story with which many of you are familiar. With great sadness.
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emigrate emigration emigrating