Tonkin Gulf Resolution: What's Up With the Closing Lines?
Tonkin Gulf Resolution: What's Up With the Closing Lines?
Never ones to go out with a bang, Congress ends this resolution simply by telling us when and how the order will cease to exist:
Section 3. This resolution shall expire when the President shall determine that the peace and security of the area is reasonably assured by international conditions created by action of the United Nations or otherwise, except that it may be terminated earlier by concurrent resolution of the Congress.
Since the President has been granted unlimited power and resources to fight in Vietnam, we need to know when that power will be shut off (just to make sure no one gets any crazy ideas about military dictatorships…).
There are two ways this resolution ends: one, the President says that peace and security has been created in Southeast Asia; or two, Congress cuts off the power by a vote.
And that's all, folks.