Senate Rejects Hatfield-McGovern Amendment on Vietnam Withdrawal
The U.S. Senate voted against the Hatfield-McGovern amendment, which proposed setting a deadline for the withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam by the end of 1971. The amendment was defeated with 55 votes against and 39 in favor. Republican Leader Hugh Scott criticized the amendment as mischievous, while Senate Democratic Leader Mike Mansfield argued that rejecting it would amount to praise for a military withdrawal that has yet to take place. The amendment's defeat is seen as a triumph for the Nixon administration, which has faced criticism for its Vietnam policies. Senators George McGovern and Mark Hatfield, who sponsored the amendment, stated that the vote demonstrated national discontent with the ongoing conflict in Southeast Asia. 
