Speech #1000143947

Mr. President. we in Congress who have worked for the right of Soviet Jews to freely emigrate from the Soviet Union and to freely practice their religion within the Soviet Union have been encouraged by the increased level of Soviet Jewish emigration this year and by the freeing of a number of prominent refuseniks and prisoners of conscience. Despite these promising signs that Soviet General Secretary Gorbachevs policy of glasnost will bring real improvement in the area of human rights. too few Soviet Jews are being allowed to emigrate. too many Soviet Jews are being denied exit visas on the specious provision of "state secrets." and too little has been done by Soviet authorities to reform a system where antiSemitism is the norm and psychiatry is maliciously used as a means to punish dissenters. Secretary Gorbachevs recent comments on the subject of emigration give cause for skepticism as to his understanding of the plight of Soviet Jews and other repressed minorities in his country. It is unfortunate that the Soviet Governments concept of human rights extends only to the right to be told where to live. where to work. and what to say. Secretary Gorbachevs visit here last week no doubt opened his eyes to the American peoples understanding of human rights and to their concern about the Soviet Unions human rights record. The mass rally in support of Soviet Jews the Sunday before the summit was an inspiring display of the commitment of American Jews and all Americans to keeping the International spotlight on the plight of those Soviet Jews who dream of one day emigrating. President Reagan and congressional leaders made it clear in their talks with General Secretary Gorbachev that human rights is a priority of the American people and that it will be high on the agenda of talks between our two nations. Our calls for an improvement in human rights in the Soviet Union will not be muted by select exhibitions of humanity staged by Moscow. We celebrate the release of those heroic refuseniks. such as Natan Scharansky and Ida Nudel. who tirelessly fought oppression and won their freedom. But we will not lose sight of the thousands of other Soviet Jews who are denied exit visas by new. restrictive emigration laws. who are separated from loved ones. and who are harassed for practicing their religion and for preserving their cultural heritage. Many of us anticipate that the improved relations between our country and the Soviet Union. highlighted by the signing of the INF Arms Control Agreement. will bring freer emigration and greater liberties for all religious and ethnic groups within the Soviet Union. and we look forward with determination to continuing our efforts to promote human rights.