Speech #990249630

That is. the plight of the Soviet Jews. The want and need to be with ones family and to be able to practice religious and moral convictions seems to be a reasonable exercise of ones basic human rights. unless you are a citizen of the Soviet Unionparticularly a Jewish citizen of the Soviet Union. Massive emigration from the Soviet Union began in 1975 after the signing of the Helsinki accords. In 1979. the number of people emigrating from the Soviet Union gradually rose to 50.000. which was to be its all time maximum. Since then the number has diminished to a trickle. even though the number of people requesting visas remains high. The Jews in the Soviet Union are persecuted. harassed. have their jobs terminated. and some are even tortured for requesting a visa. All Jews connected with the state in any manner are considered dangerous because they may known classified information and therefore are denied visas. In all actuality. classified information may be the simple knowledge of the way life really is in the Soviet Union. The Soviet Jews situation grows worse every day. but we can make a difference. I have cosigned numerous letters to the Soviet Union pleading for basic human rights that most of us take for granted. This type of effort has proven to be effective in helping an individual emigratesometimes it even saves livesbecause the Soviet Government is reluctant to continue with cases of repression once they become the subject of widespread public attention. It is very important that we continue with all efforts to help these struggling people. Mr.