Mr. President. recent statistics from the United States Department of State and the National Conference on Soviet Jewry show that for the past few years the number of Jews emigrating from the Soviet Union has been rapidly increasing. During the early 1980s emigration for Soviet Jews dropped as low as approximately 1.000 emigrants a year. Since that time. new thinking in the Soviet Union. brought about by General Secretary Gorbachevs programs of perestroika and glasnost as well as continued pressure from the West. have opened the way for substantial improvement in the areas of Soviet human rights. It is expected that an unprecedented 60.000 Jews will emigrate from the Soviet Union this year. In spite of these encouraging statistics. I believe that we must continue to pressure the Soviet leadership to release the 200.000 Jews whose applications for emigration have yet to be approved. I commend my fellow colleagues and those individuals and organizations throughout the United States who also have spoken out on behalf of Soviet Jews wishing to emigrate. Although. our efforts are showing signs of success. we must continue to pressure the Soviet Government. Mr. President. today I once again join the Congressional Call to Conscience Vigil on behalf of one Soviet Jew who has not been allowed to emigrate. Anatoly Genis. Possessing a doctorate degree in mathematics from Moscow University.
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