Mr. Speaker. 17 years ago. Carmella and Vladmir Raiz applied for exit visas to leave the Soviet Union and settle in Israel. They knew Israel would welcome them and would let them practice Judaism freedly and openly. without fear of harassment. discrimination. or imprisonment. Today. the Raiz family remains captive in the boundaries of the Soviet Union. They are refused permission to emigrate because of state secretsstate secrets that Vladmir Raiz was allegedly privy to in a position he held 25 years ago. Over the years. the Raiz family has been promised permission many times. but it has never become reality. Today bureaucratic complications hinder the release. So. today. if you go to the Soviet Embassy here In Washington. you will see something unusual. You will see Carmell Raiz and her son Moshe holding a vigil at Sakharov Plaza. Carmella and her son are here on a tourist visa. Her husband and her son. Shaul. remain in the Soviet Unionhostages to the oppressive system to ensure that Carmella and Moshe return to their legal residence. Amidst Members of Congress. religious organizations. and thousands of supporters from across the country. you will see Carmella Raiz pleading for the just release of her family. As the spirit of glasnost ripples through Russia. we must wonder when it will cr :se being words and well wishes for some. ind commence action and assistance for all. It was with tremendous relief that we witnessed the mass emigration of thousands of Jews this past year to Israel and America. We have been jubilant over the numbers. but it is not enough. There are still longterm refusniks pleading for relief.
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