Question 3: Why introduce this legislation now? Answer: As the debate over a JacksonVanik waiver intensifies. some hardline interest groups will deny any United States interest in expanding trade with the Soviets no matter what. Others will continue to argue that the JacksonVanik amendment properly makes the EBB and flow of Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union both the starting and ending point of any United States policy innovation. In contrast. my bill offers the President the opportunity to still respond. albeit in a small. Incremental manner. to the striking changes taking place in many nonmarket economies while simultaneously lending tangible support to cooperative movements in Communist countrieswhich I believe is in our and their best interestsand keeping a stick with which to prod Soviet authorities on emigration practices should they they not live up to the expectations of codified reforms. Indeed. this legislation with the additional flexibility it provides should be welcomed by the President as he tackles such important and difficult issues. If this year passes without any serious and positive response from the United States with regard to United StatesSoviet trade. we may be missing important and historic opportunities.
Keywords matched
emigration