Speech #1020236882

Now. as we approach the national elections. the administration has expressed support for the loan guarantees. At this point. it is incumbent on Congress to act promptly to ensure that we do not delay the guarantees 1 minute longer. In Israel. unemployment of refugees is extremely high. and a national housing crisis has reached alarming proportions. These crises also threaten the ability of Jews In Eastem Europe and the Soviet Republics to flee to Israel. The current situation in Eastern Europe and the Republics of the former Soviet Union is reason for grave concern. The changes in those regions. including growing economic difficulties. have reignited longsimmering ethnic rivaldes and prejudices. including virulont antiSemitism. Throughout Europe. political movements espousing extreme nationalism and prejudice have won substantial popular support. and neoNazi movements are on the rise. While many Soviet Jews have been able to emigrate to Israel in recent years. hundreds of thousands continue to live in fear of intimidation. harassment. and outright violence. Many of these Jews want to emigrate to escape these Intolerable conditions. but they are afraid to do so unless Israel makes better progress on providing jobs and housing. As the undisputed leader of the free world. the United States should do everything possible to help facilitate the emigration of Individuals in this region who are threatened by ethnic or religious violence. That means passing this legislation right away. Mr. Speaker. the loan guarantees will not cost American taxpayers one cent. Instead. they will provide urgently needed humanitarian assistance to refugees who have been the victims of brutal oppression for years on end. We must approve the loan guarantees immediately if we are to be able to hold up our heads and say that we stand for freedomnot just in words. but in actions. To do otherwise would be to abandon hundreds of thousands of refugees as they are seeking to start new lives of freedom. Mr. Speaker. let us now give the loan guarantees our stong approval. recognizing that they are in our best Interests and the best interests of the world.