Speech #1010140867

Mr. Speaker. I would like to again commend my colleagues Congressman KOSTMAYER and Congressman JOHN MILLER for organizing this very important annual commemoration. and for their continued vigilance on behalf of those seeking to emigrate from the Soviet Union. Additionally. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Bay Area Council for Soviet Jews for their tireless wotk on behalf of Soviet Jewry. and in particular. for their deep commitment to the reunification of families arbitrarily separated by the Soviet Government. Despite President Gorbachevs policies of perestroika and glasnost. freedom continues to remain elusive for many Soviet Jews. Soviet Jewish emigration to Israel has been set back this year by protest from the Arab community which contributed to the breakdown of negotiations between the two countries for direct air flights. and led to a brief hiatus in flights from Budapest to Israelthe only exit route now open. For those who wish to emigrate to the United States. the picture is no rosier. Once again. the number of Soviet Jews wishing to enter the United States far outnumbers the number of visas available. And. since this years visas have been especially earmarked for the hundreds of Soviet Jews still stranded in Italy. the long waiting lines for exit visas in Moscow have only become worse. At a time of growing antiSemitism and increased threats of programs by the Soviet ultranationalist organization Pamyat. it Is increasingly important that we rededicate ourselves to the cause of freeing Soviet Jews. As part of that effort. I would like to bring the case of Joseph and Alia Roginsky to the Houses attention. Joseph Roginsky. his wife Ala. and daughter Janna. are residents of Leningrad. They first applied to emigrate in May of 1989 but were refused only 3 months later by the Soviet Government for reasons of regime con. sideration. This arbitrary decison by the Soviet government now separates Joseph and AIls Roginsky from the rest of their family. all of whom now reside in the United States. The Roginsky family has not given up hope. In January. they again applied for an exit visa. Now is the time for us to act to help reunite this family. Please join me in appealing to the Soviet Government for a prompt and positive response to the Roginskys application.