policy - The Black Vault

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in Cambodia. That bill was vetoed but the effect of this pressure was to
force Nixon to compromise with the Congress at a later date. In December
1969, the Senate passed the Church proposal which was incorporated into the
defense appropriations bill of December 1969 by a vote 73-17.
barred the introduction of US
Congress was
The proposal
combat troops into either Laos or Thailand.
soon disappointed to find that they had chosen the wrong
countries as Nixon ordered US
troops to Cambodia to clear enemy sanctuaries.
Nevertheless, when this bill was finally signed into law, it marked
a major shift in congressional politics regarding the war. With the
incursion into Cambodia in the spring 1973,
numerous aotiwar proposals were
introduced in the Senate, and although they were not passed into law, the
congressional call for disengagement was becoming more pronounced. 54/
Antiwar sentiment in Congress had been growing, but it was not until the
summer of 1973 after the January ceasefire agreement that Congress could
unite to vote to end tk, war.
Congress attached to a supplemental appropriations
bill the provision that US military operations in Indochina be
ceased officially on 15 August.
After considerable debate, involving the
C3rgress and the executive branch, the bill was passed and signed into law,
thereby setting the date for the war's end.
Although US troops had withdrawn from South Vietnam in 1973, congressional
opponents of the war argued convincinqly -- .ongress against provision
of increased military aid to Vietnam in 1974. The one billion
dollar ceiling imposed by Congress on aid to Vietnam was $600-million short
of the administration's request.
Congress had achieved general agreement
that less rather than more aid to Vietnam was desirable. Congress again
used the power of the purse in 1975 by rejecting President Ford's request
for $300 million for Vietnam.
4. An Era of Congressional Restriction of the Presidency
Congressional hearings on war powers commenced on March 8, 1971.
The hearings culminated in the passage of the War Powers Act on November 7,
1973 over President Nixon's veto.
Congressional isolation from the decision-making process on the
use of US troops abroad was ended. The War Powers Act limited to 60 days
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