THE COOPER - CHURCH AMENDMENT TO THE FOREIGN ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1971

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79-00957A000100050001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 11, 2006
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: July 15, 1974
• Content Type: MFR

Approved For Release 2006/10/11: CIA-RDP79-00957A000100050001-3
OLC 74-154r7-
15 July 1974
SUBJECT: The Cooper-Church Amendment to the Foreign Assistance
Act of 1971
1. The Cooper-Church amendment, now section 656 of
Public Law 92-226, restricts the number of Americans and American-
sponsored third-country nationals who can be in Cambodia at one time.
2. The Cooper-Church amendment was submitted to the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee as an amendment to the Administration's
Foreign Assistance Act of 1971. An amendment with similar intentions,
but with different figures, was submitted by Senator Clifford P. Case
(R. , N. J.). The amendment, as introduced, imposed a ceiling of 200
on the number of United States c ivilians and military personnel who cari
be in Cambodia at any time. The 200 did not include U. S. military
personnel involved in air operations, either combat or supply, originating
outside of Cambodia. There were 56 U. S. civilian and 87 military
personnel stationed in Cambodia in late 1971. The amendment and
Committee action were in reaction to news reports that this U. S.
contingent of 143, already up from 12 people in April 1970, was to be
considerably expanded by the Dcense Department in the following year.
3. The original amendment also imposed a ceiling of 50 on the
number of third-country nationals working in Cambodia whose
compensation could be paid, even only partially, by the United States.
This provision was added in an attempt to prevent reported Administration
intentions to evade the 200 limit by recruiting and paying advisors and
technicians from other countries to serve in Cambodia.
Approved For Release .2006/10/11: CIA-RDP79-00957A000100050001-3
 Approved For Release 2006/10/11: CIA-RDP79-00957AO00100050001-3
Approved For Release 2006/10/11: CIA-RDP79-00957AO00100050001-3