    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [June 3, 1991]
    [Page 595]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on Trade With the Soviet Union
    June 3, 1991

        The President submitted to the Congress his recommendation to extend
    the waiver authority granted under the Jackson-Vanik amendment (Section
    402) to the 1974 Trade Act. In doing so, the President has determined
    that extension of the authority and of the waiver for the Soviet Union
    granted in December 1990 will promote the objectives of the agreement,
    free emigration.
        The President made this decision in view of the fact that the Soviet
    Government has substantially reduced barriers to emigration for Soviet
    citizens. Numbers of Soviets emigrating rose from 2,000 in 1986 to over
    370,000 in 1990. The administration believes that this positive trend
    will continue.
        The President's action will permit the Soviet Union to remain
    eligible for export credit guarantee programs of the Commodity Credit
    Corporation of the Department of Agriculture and of the Export-Import
    Bank. The waiver is for 1 year.