Speech #1020087146

Mr. President. I rise today to express my support for the KastenInouye legislation which provides United States loan guarantees to Israel to assist in that countrys historic absorption of Soviet Jewish Immigrants. The controversy surrounding these guarantees in recent weeks has. in my view. obscured the essence and importance of this issue. Loan guarantees to Israel are the fulfillment of a commitment made by this Congress more than a decade and a half ago with the passage of the JacksonVanik legislation. Since that time. the free emigration of Soviet citizens has been a central tenet of United States foreign policy toward the Soviet Unionone that nearly every Member of this Chamber has fought for in some manner. In my view. it is most unfortunate that the moral obligation associated with this humanitarian endeavor has become embroiled in the political conflicts of the day. Mr. President. I am especially proud and gratified that my efforts on behalf of Soviet refusenik families may have contributed to the freedom that so many of those families now find in Israel. The 350.000 Soviet immigrants now living in Israeland the nearly 100.000 Soviet immigrants coming to this countrywere allowed to leave the Soviet Union in large measure because of United States pressure and perseverance. As such. I truly believe the United States has a responsibility to follow through with its commitment to free emigration. Loan guarantees are the most costeffective way for the United States to provide a helping hand and a brighter future for these new immigrants. Guarantees are not grants. nor are they loans. A United States guarantee will simply allow Israel to receive more favorable lending terms on the private market and thereby allow the Israeli economy time to reap the benefits of this highly educated and talented wave of immigrants. Just last week I expressed these sentiments to Deputy Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger in his testimony on refugee policy before the Judiciary Committee. At that time. Secretary Eagleburger stated that the United States has a "clear responsibility with regard to those who emigrate from the Soviet Union. either to the United States or to Israel." He went on to say that. "it is also clear that the United States recognizes we have an obligation to assist Israel in the absorption of those Soviet Jews." Mr. President. I welcome the statements of Secretary Eagleburger. It is my hope that the administration will not allow political disagreementsor issues surrounding the Middle East Peace Conferenceto stand in the way of the stated United States obligation to Soviet immigrants. I. therefore. urge my colleagues to support the KastenInouye legislation.