Case-Church Amendment

The Case-Church Amendment was a piece of legislation that prohibited U.S. military activity in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia without Congressional authorization, thus ending U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War. It is named for its principal co-sponsors, Senators Clifford P. Case (R-NJ) and Frank Church (D-ID). The Amendment was defeated 48-42 in the U.S. Senate in August 1972, but revived after the 1972 election. It was reintroduced on January 26, 1973 and approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on May 13. [http://www.bluehampshire.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=469] When it became apparent that the Amendment would pass, President Richard Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger lobbied frantically to have the deadline extended. [ Karnow, Stanley "Vietnam: A History," p. 671. (1991).] It passed the United States Congress in June by a margin of 278-124 in the House, and 64-26 in the Senate. cite web
title =The Vietnam War The Bitter End 1969 - 1975 (timeline)
work =The history place
url =http://historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1969.html
accessdate=2006-09-05 ] Both of these margins were greater than the two-thirds majority required to override a presidential veto. Although U.S. ground forces had been withdrawn earlier under a policy called Vietnamization, bombing continued until August 15, 1973, the deadline set by the Amendement.

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*Opposition to the Vietnam War