The Jackson-Vanik Amendment (1974)

The trade law that tied U.S. trade benefits to the freedom to emigrate.

Trade for freedom

The Jackson-Vanik amendment, part of the Trade Act of 1974, denied normal trade relations to non-market economies that restricted emigration. Its sponsors had the Soviet Union, and especially Soviet Jews who were refused permission to leave, firmly in mind.

Legacy

The amendment became a symbol of American human rights diplomacy during the Cold War. Its application to Russia ended in 2012. See also The Soviet Union.