Speech #1020208950

MD. She was a tireless champion of human rights and friend to many. Irene served as president of the Washington Committee for Soviet Jewry from 197378 and was the national president of the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews from 197980. a year of unprecedented Jewish emigration. During her tenure as president of the Washington Committee for Soviet Jewry. Irene Initiated the Congressional Call to Conscience Vigil. which became one of the major voices of the refusenik community and in which many of my colleagues in this Chamber participated for statements. Irene Manekofsky was also instrumental in working with the Congress in establishing the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europethe Helsinki Commissionwhich I now chair. She worked very closely with DANTE FASCELL. former chair of the Helsinki Commission and now chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. as well as former Congresswoman Millicent Fenwick and former Senator Scoop Jackson. She was instrumental in pushing for passage of the 1974 JacksonVanik trade amendment which linked mostfavorednation trading status with Communist countries to their performance with the right to emigrate. However. those of us who have been active in the Soviet Jewry movement over the years will remember Irene Manekofsky for her tireless energy and dedication on behalf of the refuseniks and prisoners of conscience of the former Soviet Union. Her diligent efforts on behalf of Natan Shcharansky helped raise public and congressional awareness of the human rights abuses in the Soviet Union.