Speech #1000133856

PORTER. for organizing todays special order. This years vigil takes place at a particularly appropriate time. The ReaganGorbachev summit will take place next week. and the American Soviet Jewry community is mobilizing for the "summit rally for Soviet Jews." We are all hopeful that during the summit President Reagan will be able to convince General Secretary Gorbachev to make a change in Soviet policy to allow free emigration and to end the harassment of Soviet Jews. We are pleased that some progress has been made in the Soviet Unions emigration policies. In 198186. less than an average of 1.000 Jews a year were allowed to emigrate. During 1987. 7.000 Jews have left the Soviet Union. However. many of the recent emigrants have been wellknown cases. Approximately 400.000 Jews still wish to leave the Soviet Union. Many are afraid to apply for an exit visa because they fear demotion or dismissal from their jobs. the loss of academic degrees. and other acts of harassment. Furthermore. it is still extremely dangerous for the Jewish people of the Soviet Union to learn Hebrew and to practice their religion. Secretary General Gorbachev recently stated in an interview with Tom Brokaw that the Jews who have been denied exit visas were denied permission because they possessed state secrets. Earlier this year. Secretary General Gorbachev told a congressional delegation that denying an exit visa on the basis the applicant has been in possession of state secrets should be a relevant concern for only 5 or 10 years. Many Soviet refuseniks have been refused on the basis of their supposed possession of state secrets. Yet. most of these individuals have not had contact with their supposed secrets for more than 5 or 10 years. By General Secretary Gorbachevs own criteria. they should be allowed to emigrate. Mr. Speaker. many of these cases are not well known and therefore do not guarantee the Soviet Union and thus do not provide an opportunity to receive favorable press attention. For exame. in 1977. one of my constituents was forcedto divorceher husband so that she and her son could emigrate. Her husband. Gregory Solomonsvich Gimpelson. was not allowed to emigrate because of his supposed access to sensitive information. Although his employment and supposed access ended 14 years ago. his requests for an exit visa has been repeatedly denied. Mr. Speaker. I sincerely hope that the upcoming summit will result in a change in the basic Soviet human rights policies that will grant the Gregory Gimpelsons of the Soviet Union their freedom. Todays vigil sends a strong signal to the Soviet Union that the United States will continue to press for emigration reform in the Soviet Union. Today. we reaffirm our commitment to the cause of Soviet Jewry and leave no doubt that we will continue to be the voice for these people who are allowed no voice.