[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.