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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions of Remarks E780 HON E780 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 10, 2006 this capacity since May 2004 and he will soon our visit many of the incarcerated had been brain cancer after waiting years for Soviet au- be accepting command of the 6th Marine released and by 1991 the camp had emptied thorities to give her permission to leave the Regiment at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. out completely in the closing chapter of the Soviet Union for specialized treatment abroad, Through his assignment as the Marine USSR. As Co-Chairman of the Helsinki Com- a reminder of the personal costs to human Corps Liaison Officer to the House, Colonel mission, I can vividly recall that glimpse into rights activists and their families under a cruel Simcock has been an invaluable link between life in the Soviet GULag, both a memorable regime. Members of Congress and the Marine Corps. and sobering experience. But the Helsinki spirit lived on. In the West, He has coordinated and accompanied con- I mention that trip because Friday of this supporters and sympathizers demonstrated on gressional delegations to places such as Iraq week, May 12, will mark the 30th anniversary behalf on imprisoned Helsinki Monitors. The and Afghanistan, organized and contributed to of the founding of the Moscow Helsinki Group, cases of imprisoned or exiled Helsinki Mon- meetings between Members of Congress and a leading human rights organization devoted itors were often raised at diplomatic meetings key leaders of the Marine Corps, and worked to monitoring the Kremlin’s adherence to the between the United States and the Soviet au- to ensure that Members are kept fully in- Helsinki Final Act of 1975. The Helsinki Final thorities. In the Soviet Union itself, enlightened formed of the programs vital to the Corps’ Act was signed by the United States, Canada leaders began to understand that repressive operability. and thirty-three European countries, including governments may squelch the voices of dis- As Chairman of the House Armed Services the Soviet Union. While much of this docu- senters for a time, but their message will Committee, I have worked directly with Colo- ment was focused on military security, eco- heard by other means. nel Simcock on many Committee-related nomics and trade, there were important provi- And on February 14, 1987, less than 5 issues. We have come to rely on his candid il- sions on human rights and humanitarian years after the Moscow Helsinki group was lustrations and knowledge of the Marine Corps issues, such as freedom of conscience and forced to suspend its activities, a small item in and, over the last two years, Colonel Simcock family reunification, which the Soviet Govern- ‘‘Izvestiya’’ announced the possibility of certain has been an important part of our efforts to ment and the other signatories promised to prisoners being released from labor camp. It identify the priorities and address the chal- uphold. was the beginning of the end for the repres- lenges facing the Corps. At a May 12, 1976, Moscow press con- sive Soviet system. Mr. Speaker, the men and women of the ference organized by Nobel Peace Prize Lau- In July 1989, the Moscow Helsinki Group Marine Corps have been called to action and reate Dr. Andrei Sakharov, the Moscow Hel- was reestablished by several longtime human tasked with confronting unconventional adver- sinki Group announced that it would collect in- rights activists: Larisa Bogoraz, Sergey saries in the operational theaters of the global formation and publish reports on implementa- Kovalev, Viatcheslav Bakhmin, Alexey war on terrorism. In Iraq, they are fighting cou- tion of the Helsinki Accords by the Soviet Gov- Smirnov, Lev Timofeev, and Boris Zolotukhin. rageously and continue to provide developing ernment. The initiator of this effort was Dr. Today, Ludmilla Alexeyeva, who had been ex- security forces with quality instruction and Yuri Orlov, a physicist who had already been iled to the United States by Soviet authorities training. However, as the Marines have ad- repressed by the Kremlin and the KGB for his for her earlier work, now chairs this respected justed and developed new tactics to success- human rights activism. Orlov was joined by ten organization. fully combat the Iraqi insurgency, Congress other founding members; with time others Mr. Speaker, 30 years after its founding and has responded by ensuring these brave men joined in the group. 15 years after the collapse of the Soviet and women have the operating and protective As might be expected, the Soviet Govern- Union, the re-established Moscow Helsinki equipment necessary to accomplish their mis- ment did not welcome this initiative. Members Group remains active in speaking out in de- sion. In doing so, we have utilized the insight were threatened by the KGB, imprisoned, ex- fense of human rights, civil society, and rule of of Colonel Simcock and his ability to open ef- iled or forced to emigrate. The Soviet press law in Russia. I congratulate the members of fective communication channels between Con- went into full-scale attack mode, accusing the the Moscow Helsinki Group for their achieve- gress and the Marine Corps. Moscow Helsinki Group of being subversive ments in the past and pledge my support for Colonel Simcock is greatly respected as an and charging that some members were on the their vital ongoing work. officer and leader who possesses a deep and payroll of foreign intelligence services. I might f abiding passion for what it means to be a Ma- mention that a thinly veiled version of this ca- rine: unquestionable devotion to duty; impec- nard against the group was recently resur- RECOGNIZING JARED GOEDE cable integrity; and sound character. His ef- rected by a representative of the KGB’s suc- forts will have a long lasting impression on the cessor, the FSB, on national television. HON. SAM GRAVES Marine Corps and I know he will serve the 6th Arrests of members of the Moscow Group OF MISSOURI Marine Regiment with the same level of dedi- began within a year of its founding. In 1978, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Dr. Orlov himself was sentenced to 7 years cation and selflessness he demonstrated while Wednesday, May 10, 2006 serving this House. labor camp and 5 years internal exile. In 1986, Mr. Speaker, it is with the greatest sense of he was brought back to Moscow, put on a Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise to appreciation that I salute Colonel Simcock for plane and deported to the United States in ex- recognize Jared Goede of Kansas City, Mis- his tireless work and outstanding leadership change for a Soviet spy. Other Moscow Hel- souri. Jared will be honored with the Billy on such important issues and I wish both him sinki Group members found themselves at the Mitchell Award and Second Lieutenant Bars and his wife, Mary, continued success in their notorious Perm Labor Camp complex that I as a member of the Platte Valley Civil Air Pa- future endeavors. mentioned earlier. For his criticism of the 1979 trol. He has been a member of the Civil Air f Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Dr. Sakharov Patrol since 2004 and has been involved in was exiled to the closed city of Gorky begin- the color guard since 2005. THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ning in January 1980. His wife and Moscow As a member of the community, Jared has FOUNDING OF THE MOSCOW HEL- Helsinki Group member, Dr. Elena Bonner, been active in 4–H, the North Kansas City SINKI GROUP joined him there in 1984 after having been High School Scholar Bowl Team, the Amer- convicted of ‘‘anti-Soviet agitation and propa- ican Heartland Theatre, and his church. Addi- HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH ganda.’’ Founding member Anatoly Marchenko tionally, he has pursued many academic ac- OF NEW JERSEY died while on a hunger strike at Chistopol tivities outside of his regular schoolwork. He IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Prison in December 1986, has studied at Truman State University’s Jo- By the end of 1982, less than 7 years after seph Baldwin Academy for Eminent Young Wednesday, May 10, 2006 the group’s founding, it appeared that the KGB Scholars, studied hydrodynamics at a West- Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, 17 and the Soviet Government had triumphed minster College summer camp, and partici- years ago, my dear friend and colleague, Rep. over the small band of idealists who pressed pated in the Students in Academically Gifted FRANK WOLF, and I traveled to the Soviet their leaders to live up to the promises made Education program through the North Kansas Union, to visit the notorious Perm Labor Camp at Helsinki. With only three members at liberty City School District. No. 37, located in the shadows of the Ural and those under intense KGB pressure, the Jared has already enlisted into the United Mountains. There were three camps in the Moscow Helsinki Group was forced to sus- States Army Reserves as a Civil Affairs Spe- Perm labor camp complex that had been set pend its activities. By 1986, only one member cialist. Upon graduating from North Kansas up specifically in 1972 for political prisoners of the group, Naum Meiman, continued to City High School in May of 2006, Jared will and others whom Moscow considered ‘‘espe- meet with foreign visitors and Western cor- enter boot camp in June of 2006 and then cially dangerous.’’ Fortunately, by the time of respondents. Meiman’s wife, Irina, died of defer his active duty status until he completes VerDate Aug 31 2005 06:31 May 11, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A10MY8.028 E10MYPT1 jcorcoran on PROD1PC62 with REMARKS May 10, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E781 his college studies.
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