Speech #1010023450

Mr. Speaker. first. let me commend my colleagues Congressman KOSTMAYER and Congressman JOHN MILLER for organizing this very important effort to focus on the plight of prisoners of conscience and other persons who are seeking freedom and emigration from the Soviet Union. There is no human right more precious than freedom and we in Congress have an obligation to speak out on behalf of those who are oppressed by their governments. Soviet emigration policies have long been a sore point in United StatesSoviet relations. Despite our calls for the contrary. the emigration of Soviet Jews has always been erratic and permission to leave the Soviet Union has been awarad on a seemingly arbitrary basis. More than 2.000 Soviet Jews. including family members. are currently being denied exit visas because they are in possession of state secrets. Medical emergencies among Soviet Jews are not cause for a more swift application and visa allocation process. And tragically. families who apply to emigrate are sometimes not allowed to leave the country together. There are now 20 family reunification cases pending in the Soviet Union involving 48 separate individuals. In addition. Soviet Jews who apply for exit visas face incredible obstacles and severe penalties. It is unconscionable that Jews who wish to leave the Soviet Union should lose their jobs and their standing with the community. should be harrassed by Soviet agents. and should face the possibility of incarceration on trumpedup charges. For these reasons. I think we must view current emigration levels with skepticism. While the overall numbers have increased. from 896 Soviet Jews in 1984 to 18.965 in 1988. thousands of refuseniks remain. and many of them are longterm refuseniks. The Union of Councils for Soviet Jews estimates that there are at least 3.000 refuseniks and we can only guess how many Soviet Jews are considering departure under the present favorable climate.