Cooper-Church amendment
Encyclopedia
The Cooper-Church Amendment was introduced in the United States Senate
during the Vietnam War
. The proposal of the amendment was the first time that Congress had restricted the deployment of troops during a war against the wishes of the president.
The amendment sought to:
The amendment was presented by Senators John Sherman Cooper and Frank Church
and attached to a major bill, the Foreign Military Sales Act (HR 15628). After a seven week filibuster and six months of debate, the amendment was approved by the Senate by a vote of 58 to 37 on 30 June 1970. The bill failed in the House of Representatives
, which opposed inclusion of the amendment by a vote of 237 to 153. President Richard M. Nixon threatened to veto the bill if it contained the Cooper-Church provisions, and the foreign assistance bill was subsequently passed without it.
A revised Cooper-Church amendment, Public Law 91-652, passed both houses of Congress on 22 December 1970, and was enacted on 5 January 1971, although this version had limited restrictions on air operations and was attached to the Supplementary Foreign Assistance Act of 1970. By that time, U.S. ground forces had already officially withdrawn from Cambodia, while U.S. bombing missions in Cambodia (Operation Freedom Deal
) continued until 1973. The Nixon administration denounced all versions of the amendment, claiming that they harmed the military effort and weakened the American bargaining position at the Paris peace talks
.
Author David F. Schmitz stated that the amendment was a landmark in the history of opposition to the war, congressional initiatives to bring the fighting to an end, and efforts to control executive power in foreign policy.
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. The proposal of the amendment was the first time that Congress had restricted the deployment of troops during a war against the wishes of the president.
The amendment sought to:
- End funding to retain U.S. ground troops and military advisors in CambodiaCambodiaCambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
and LaosLaosLaos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
after 30 June 1970 - Bar air operations in Cambodian airspace in direct support of Cambodian forces without congressional approval
- End American support for Republic of Vietnam forces outside territorial South Vietnam.
The amendment was presented by Senators John Sherman Cooper and Frank Church
Frank Church
Frank Forrester Church III was an American lawyer and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as a United States Senator from Idaho from 1957 to 1981....
and attached to a major bill, the Foreign Military Sales Act (HR 15628). After a seven week filibuster and six months of debate, the amendment was approved by the Senate by a vote of 58 to 37 on 30 June 1970. The bill failed in the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, which opposed inclusion of the amendment by a vote of 237 to 153. President Richard M. Nixon threatened to veto the bill if it contained the Cooper-Church provisions, and the foreign assistance bill was subsequently passed without it.
A revised Cooper-Church amendment, Public Law 91-652, passed both houses of Congress on 22 December 1970, and was enacted on 5 January 1971, although this version had limited restrictions on air operations and was attached to the Supplementary Foreign Assistance Act of 1970. By that time, U.S. ground forces had already officially withdrawn from Cambodia, while U.S. bombing missions in Cambodia (Operation Freedom Deal
Operation Freedom Deal
Operation Freedom Deal was a U.S. Seventh Air Force interdiction and close air support campaign waged in Cambodia between 19 May 1970 and 15 August 1973, during the Vietnam War...
) continued until 1973. The Nixon administration denounced all versions of the amendment, claiming that they harmed the military effort and weakened the American bargaining position at the Paris peace talks
Paris Peace Accords
The Paris Peace Accords of 1973 intended to establish peace in Vietnam and an end to the Vietnam War, ended direct U.S. military involvement, and temporarily stopped the fighting between North and South Vietnam...
.
Author David F. Schmitz stated that the amendment was a landmark in the history of opposition to the war, congressional initiatives to bring the fighting to an end, and efforts to control executive power in foreign policy.
See also
- McGovern-Hatfield AmendmentMcGovern-Hatfield amendmentThe McGovern–Hatfield amendment was a proposed amendment in 1970 during the Vietnam War that, if passed, would have required the end of United States military operations in the Republic of Vietnam by December 31, 1970 and a complete withdrawal of American forces halfway through the next year...
- Case-Church AmendmentCase-Church AmendmentThe Case-Church Amendment was legislation approved by the U.S. Congress in 1973 that prohibited further U.S. military activity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. This ended direct U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War, although the U.S. continued to provide military equipment and economic...
- Opposition to the Vietnam WarOpposition to the Vietnam WarThe movement against US involvment in the in Vietnam War began in the United States with demonstrations in 1964 and grew in strength in later years. The US became polarized between those who advocated continued involvement in Vietnam, and those who wanted peace. Peace movements consisted largely of...