A Sorry Record

The Boland Amendment forbidding U.S. attempts to overthrow the government of Nicaragua is the latest in a long series of congressional efforts to legislate highly specific restraints on presidential conduct of foreign policy. The movement picked up most of its steam in the 1970s, out of congressional revulsion from the Viet Nam War and the "imperial presidency." But the results have been mostly ineffective or worse. Notable items:

> The War Powers Resolution of 1973 required the President to notify Congress within 48 hours if he sent U.S. forces into any situation in which they faced "imminent" danger of being involved in combat and to withdraw them within 60 days unless Congress approved their mission. Presidents have complied with its letter without really involving Congress in military decisions. For example, Jimmy Carter formally notified Congress of the mission to rescue the hostages in Iran after it had been launched, had failed and been scrubbed.

> The Jackson Amendment of 1974 made a Soviet-American trade agreement conditional on Kremlin pledges to ease restrictions on Jews leaving the U.S.S.R. It caused Moscow to repudiate a trade agreement already in effect, thus helping to kill detente, and did nothing whatever to ameliorate the plight of Soviet Jews.

> The Nelson-Bingham amendments, attached to a series of foreign assistance acts beginning in 1974, allowed Congress to veto major arms sales negotiated by the Administration. They have led to knock-down political brawls over several major deals, notably the sale of F-15 fighters and later AWACS planes to Saudi Arabia. But in the end, Congress has approved every sale that has been put to a vote.

>The Turkish Arms Embargo of 1975 was aimed at punishing Turkey for its invasion of the island of Cyprus. While the embargo was being debated, Turkey expanded the area of Cyprus that it controlled from 25% to 40%.

> The Clark Amendment of 1976 forbade U.S. aid to "military or paramilitary operations in Angola." Proponents claim it kept the U.S. from getting bogged down in an African Viet Nam. Foes assert that it facilitated a Marxist takeover of Angola.

Despite this generally sorry record, Congress intends to keep trying. Says Republican Senator William Cohen of Maine: "We do have a heavy hand when a surgeon's hand is required. But we simply are not prepared to let the President commit the country to a policy that is not sound." This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.