SENATE BILL SEEKS A REIN ON THE U.S. IN LATIN AMERICA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000606790005-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 20, 2010
• Sequence Number: 5
• Publication Date: March 13, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/08/20: CIA-RDP90-00552R000606790005-0
ARTICLE APPEARED
ON PAGE'
SENATE BILL SEEKS
A REIN ON THE U.
NEW YORK TIES
13 MARCH 1982
question; -on this issue- the American
eo
le a
h
d
p
p
e a
ea
of of Congress Mr.
Tsongas said. "We- think ? there's 'a
,momentum here. -
The sense of concern has produced a
number of proposals on Capitol Hill.
of
:West Vbginia, has proposed.an am
tight]
IN LATIN C I m
p e. wails-
Dodd and Tsongas' Urge Prior
[,.-Congressional Approval for"
:'. Milita Moves in Area.,,-,.
quires the President to obtain Congres
sional- approval within 60 -days. of send..
lag combat troops to a troubled region.
The Byrd amendment would require
prior approval.
And last week the House overwhelm-
ingly passed a resolution urging a politi-
r;-, cal solution in El Salvador, where the .
... BgSTT:VEN V.ItOBERTS -~ American-backed junta is battling left-
sstro r.rr~.oAn t wing; guerrillas. A somewhat tougher
statement is pending in the Senate.
WASHINGTON. March 12- 'Calling t :...
the Reagan. Administration'spolicy on Human Rights in El Salvador
Central America "confused and danger- 1,. Under the present law, the President
ous," two Democratic Senators pro-
posed legislation today to require prior
Congressional approval for military ac-
tion and covert intelligence operations
inther-ion
The Senators, Paul E:' Tsongasof E. Studds, Democrat of Massachusetts,
then introduced a bill to reverse it. On
Massachusetts and Christopher J_ Dodd
of Connecticut, said they would try to at-Thursday the House Foreign Affairs
tack their bill to. President Meagan's Committee postponed consideration of
Caribbean Basin Initiative ;or: to any the measure
other legislation that offered'.a chance - TheWar Powers Act, approved by
forqulckactl&i. ?'"' .Congress over' President -Richard M.
The measure is the most comprehen=,Nixon's veto, was. aimed in part at has
sive introduced so far with the aim of -tening the end of the Vietnam War, and ?'
giving Congress. greater'control"over contained a- -specific -,prohibition' on
Administration moves in Central Amer- American military activity in Indochina,
ica. It reflects a growing determination after-Aug. 15, 1973. It also contains Ian
on Capital Hill to check any active inter. 'guage calling on Presidents to "con
vention by the United States before it suit'.' with Congress "in every possible
goes toofarintheviewoflegislators- instance" before sending-armed forces
- K+Y -+ :. . a'., rs aY: into hostilities. rY
Favorable Political Ctimate 'c Later, the Ford Administration corn
plied with the War Powers Act by notify-
The two freshman Senators admitted ing Congress in 1975 that. it was. taking
that "wider -normal: circumstances" steps to-. recover the. Mayaguez,.,- an
can merchant ship, seized by
such restrictive legislation. would stand' Ameri
little chance of success;.Btit they-said Communist forces off the coast of Cam-
they were counting on the political clt. bodia.
- While . fatal detatls aresUII` being
"A vote. against this would be later drafted, an-
nounced the proposed amendment an today would apparently change
, preted as a vote for U.S..intervention in, existing law in at least three ways. --?
El Salvador," Senator. ?Tsongas .said. The clause, in the War Powers Act;.
"That would be very difficult to do in an which gives the Administration a 60-day
electionyear.'.':= iv:''*;-j 'grace-.period before seeking -Congres
In recent weeks,` .Iawmers, sional approval for armed intervention,
would.be eliminated for. Central Amer-
have said' they .detected: agrowing ice
alarm armmd the country over the' Ad., ..The Administration would be barred
minstration's policy toward the region, from -using funds in. the region. not
particularly its vows to protect El Sal- specifically, earmarked, by Congress.
I vador 4Gommunistincursions:`:No Undercurrent law the:Administratio
has a variety of discretionary accounts
that can .be tapped without specific au
? thorization;`.and the White- House
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Gently used one to send' $55. million in
special military aid to replace El Salva-.
dor's battered helicopter force.
A Rein on the C.I.A.
Covert intelligence operations would
be subject to some sort of Congressional
approval, but the mechanism for that
review has not yet been drafted. One,
idea would be to give veto power to se-:
lected.: committees,.. incltiding Intelli-
gence,- Foreign Affairs and Appropria-
tions.. Now the : Central: Intelligence
Agency is - merely required to inform
Congress of - covert . operations. "in a ,
timely. manner," and the lawmakers'
have no veto power: - - - .;
The proposed amendment also says
that foreign military-sales, economic
support funds and the training of Cen-
tral American forces would be subject to
Congressional approval. But the law-
makers have review power over most of
those activities already.
".We want to provide a'rnethanism
that gives the Administration pause be-
fore it goes ahead ahd does something,',,
Senator-TSOngas said.."
Even if the bill does not pass, the law-
makers feel that its mere existence
serves a purpose. "We are creating.a de-
bate environment," Senator. bodd said.
A.' We are keeping the feet of theAdminis~
tration to the fire.".
Shooting Down 'Trial Balloons'
The two Senators said they decided to
.move'now because they were alarmed
b}f recent reports* that the Administra.
tion was financing covert operations in
Nicaragua. They said they wanted to
shoot down any "trial balloons" for fu-
ture American intervention. '
. Mr. Dodd conceded. that "there is -a
connection" between the Soviet Union
and Nicaragua, but he argued that, in=
stead of pursuing a policy of military in-
tervention, the United States should
"offer a better deal" than the Russians
through economic and political coopera-
tion.
"Rather thandestabilize4the Govern-'
ment, why not try to build a.relationship
there?'. Mr Dodd said. '
must certify that the junta is improving
its human rights policy before El Salva-
dor c a n receive American aid. - ..1. '
Mr. Reagan made such a certification
last month, but Representative Gerry