The Case–Church Amendment was proposed as an amendment to several appropriations bills funding various departments of the

United States Government The Federal Government of the United States of America (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the Federation#Federal governments, national government of the United States. The U.S. federal government is composed of three distinct ...

in 1972 and 1973. The first version actually to become law, passed by both houses of the Congress on June 29, 1973, and signed by President

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until Resignation of Richard Nixon, his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican ...

on July 1, read: "None of the funds herein appropriated under this Act may be expended to support directly or indirectly combat activities in or over

Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...

Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...

North Vietnam North Vietnam, officially the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV; ; VNDCCH), was a country in Southeast Asia from 1945 to 1976, with sovereignty fully recognized in 1954 Geneva Conference, 1954. A member of the communist Eastern Bloc, it o ...

and

South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam (RVN; , VNCH), was a country in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975. It first garnered Diplomatic recognition, international recognition in 1949 as the State of Vietnam within the ...

or off the shores of Cambodia, Laos, North Vietnam and South Vietnam by United States forces, and after August 15, 1973, no other funds heretofore appropriated under any other act may be expended for such purpose." This ended direct U.S. military involvement in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...

, although the U.S. continued to provide military equipment and economic support to the governments of Cambodia, Laos, and South Vietnam. 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. When it became apparent that the amendment would pass, President

and Secretary of State

Henry Kissinger Henry Alfred Kissinger (May 27, 1923 – November 29, 2023) was an American diplomat and political scientist who served as the 56th United States secretary of state from 1973 to 1977 and the 7th National Security Advisor (United States), natio ...

, lobbied frantically to have the deadline extended. However, under pressure from the extreme scrutiny of

Watergate The Watergate scandal was a major political scandal in the United States involving the administration of President Richard Nixon. The scandal began in 1972 and ultimately led to Nixon's resignation in 1974, in August of that year. It revol ...

, Republicans relented on support for South Vietnam, and the amendment passed the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

in June 1973 by a margin of 325–86 in the House, 73–16 in the Senate. Both of these margins for the amendment's passage were greater than the two-thirds majority required to override a presidential veto, and Nixon signed it on July 1, 1973. The last U.S. forces had been withdrawn from South Vietnam in March 1973 pursuant to the Paris Peace Accords. U.S. bombing had ended on January 28 in Vietnam and in April in Laos, though bombing intensified in Cambodia. US bombing in Cambodia, the only form of US combat action that had continued in any part of Indochina after April, ended on August 15, 1973, the deadline set by the amendment.Berger, Carl, ed., ''The United States Air Force in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973: An Illustrated Account''. Office of Air Force History, 1984, pp. 119, 147. Airlift of munitions and food to Cambodia and South Vietnam continued until April 1975.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Case-Church Amendment Congressional opposition to the Vietnam War Political history of the United States Vietnam War

See also

References