The Senate Finance Committee today unanimously approved the Trade Reform Act with its article embodying the Jackson/ Mills-Vanik legislation on Soviet emigration. The J/M-V provision is identical with the measure approved 11 months ago by the House of Representatives which adopted it 319-80, a 4-1 margin.
The Senate is not expected to vote on the Trade Bill until after Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger appears before it Dec. 3 to respond to questions on his letter to Sen. Henry M. Jackson (D.Wash.) in which he gave Soviet assurances that it would no longer prevent Soviet Jews and others from emigrating or harass those who apply for emigration. Kissinger’s appearance was requested by Sen. Harry Byrd (Ind., Va.) and the committee approved it.
Under the exchange of letters between Jackson and Kissinger, the J/M-V measure as it applies to the Soviet Union will be waived for 18 months while the Soviet government proves its good faith on allowing Soviet citizens to emigrate if they so wish. The fact that the Senate committee’s measure and the House bill are identical means that the legislation can go automatically to the President for signing into law if the Senate does not alter any of the language.
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