Speech #990252411

Mr. President. I rise today as part of the Congressional Call to Conscience Vigil which has for the last 10 years focused attention on a travesty of freedom. justice. and dignity: The Soviet Unions denial of religious freedom and emigration to Soviet Jews. Ironically. the Congressional Call to Conscience began shortly after the Soviet Union committed itself to uphold internationally recognized standards of human rights and freedoms. There was reason for optimism following the acceptance of the Helsinki accords as Soviet restrictions on emigration eased during the years 197679. But a precipitous decline in exit visas in the 1980s reversed this trend. At the apex in 1979. the Soviets granted 51.320 exit visas to Soviet Jews. but by 1985 the number had dropped to 1.140. Equally distressing are the antiSemitic sanctions to which Jews remaining in the U.S.S.R. are subject. Indeed. their strength and perseverance testifies to the overriding desire for men and women to be free.