The House Foreign Affairs Committee this weekend reported cut a watered-down version of a Senate concurrent resolution, eliminating from the enacting clause the specific reference to Jews as victims of Soviet anti-religious and anti-cultural discrimination. Introductory clauses were substantially the same as contained in the Senate measure adopted May 14.
The Senate resolution declared “that it is the sense of the Congress that per section of any persons because of their religion by the Soviet Union be condemned, and that the Soviet Union in the name of decency and humanity be urged to cease executing persons for alleged economic offenses, and to permit fully the free exercise of religion and the pursuit of culture by Jews and all others within its borders.”
The House Committee’s version, as submitted to the House, altered the Senate measure to read that “It is the sense of the Congress that the persecution of any persons because of their religion by the Government of the Soviet Union and the governments of other Eastern European countries be condemned, and that such governments be urged to cease such persecution and to permit full and free exercise of religion and related cultural pursuits by all thier sons within their countries. It is further the sense of the Congress that the attention of the United Nations should be drawn to this resolution and that the United Nations should continue in its efforts on behalf of freedom of religion.”
However, in the preface to the resolution, the House Committee’s version adds references absent from the Senate measure. The Committee cites the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights and Articles 124 and 125 of the Soviet Constitution pertaining to religious freedom. The House preface is strengthened by addition of a “whereas” clause absent in the Senate version, pertaining to general anti-religious policies in Communist nations. It is expected that the differences between the Senate and House versions will be reconciled either when the resolution is before the House by amendment or in conference.
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