Speech #1020148217

I rise today to join in the Congressional Call to Consciences vigil for Jewish refuseniks. Despite all the positive changes we have seen since the collapse of Soviet communism. things remain frustratingly constant for many Jews trapped in Russia. Although Jewish emigration has reached record levels in recent years. thousands of refuseniks are still forced to stay in a country they desperately want to leave. I want to take a moment to highlight the case of Igor Gopp. a resident of St. Petersburg who has been blocked by authorities from starting a new life. Because of allegations that Mr. Gopp had access to secret information through his job as a computer software designer at the Leningrad OpticoMechanical Amalgamation. his application to leave Russia for the United States was rejected. Apparently Russian authorities are following a wellworn path. denying an exit visa to a Jew on the vague basis of state secrecy. Mr. Gopps wife and young child have received permission to emigrate. but they refuse to leave without him. And so the three of them remain in St. Petersburg. Mr. President. there is still an urgent need for greater freedom of emigration for Jews in Russia and the other republics. As I said before. many Jews have been able to leave already. and a new immigration law will take effect in 1993. There have also been substantial improvements in official religious tolerance. But dark undercurrents of antiSemitism continue to run through Russian society.