IA 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. J. RES. 81 
Recognizing the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge during World 
War II. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 16, 2019 
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. SIRES) submitted the following 
joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge 
during World War II. 
Whereas the battle in the European theater of operations 
during World War II known as the Battle of the Bulge 
was fought from December 16, 1944, to January 25, 
1945; 
Whereas the Battle of the Bulge was a major German offen-
sive in the Ardennes forest region of Belgium and Lux-
embourg which took Allied Forces by surprise and was 
intended to split the Allied Forces in Europe by breaking 
through the Allied lines, crippling the Allied fuel supply 
lines, and exacerbating tensions within the alliance; 
Whereas 600,000 American troops, joined by 55,000 British, 
Belgian, Canadian, and other Allied Forces defeated Ger-
many in the Battle of the Bulge, overcoming numerous 
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disadvantages in the early days of the battle that in-
cluded fewer numbers, treacherous terrain, and bitter 
weather conditions; 
Whereas the Battle of the Bulge resulted in over 89,000 
United States casualties, including 19,000 soldiers killed, 
47,500 wounded, and more than 23,000 captured or 
missing-in-action; 
Whereas the worst atrocity involving Americans in the Euro-
pean theater during World War II, known as the 
Malmedy Massacre, occurred on December 17, 1944, 
when 86 unarmed American prisoners of war were 
gunned down by elements of the German 1st SS Panzer 
Division; 
Whereas American, British, Belgian, Canadian, and other 
forces overcame great odds throughout the battle, includ-
ing most famously the action of the 101st Airborne Divi-
sion in holding back German forces at the key Belgian 
crossroads town of Bastogne, thereby preventing German 
forces from achieving their main objective of reaching 
Antwerp as well as the Meuse River line; 
Whereas the success of American, British, Belgian, Canadian, 
and other forces in defeating the German attack made 
possible the defeat of Nazi Germany in May 1945; 
Whereas thousands of United States veterans of the Battle 
of the Bulge have traveled to Belgium and Luxembourg 
in the years since the battle to honor their fallen com-
rades who died during the battle; 
Whereas the peoples of Belgium and Luxembourg, symbol-
izing their friendship and gratitude toward the American 
soldiers who fought to secure their freedom, have gra-
ciously hosted countless veterans groups over the years; 
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Whereas Luxembourg has erected over 90 monuments and 
plaques commemorating the liberation of Luxembourg by 
United States Armed Forces during World War II; 
Whereas section 204 of the Veterans Benefits Act of 2002 
(38 U.S.C. 2409 note) authorized the Secretary of the 
Army to place in Arlington National Cemetery a memo-
rial marker honoring those who fought in the Battle of 
the Bulge; 
Whereas the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in 
2019 will be marked by many commemorative events by 
citizens of the United States, Belgium, Luxembourg, and 
many other nations; and 
Whereas the friendship between the United States and both 
Belgium and Luxembourg is strong today in part because 
of the Battle of the Bulge: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
That Congress— 
(1) recognizes the 75th anniversary of the bat-
tle in the European theater of operations during 
World War II known as the Battle of the Bulge, 
which began with a German surprise attack in the 
Ardennes forest region of Belgium and Luxembourg 
and ended with an Allied victory that made possible 
the defeat of Nazi Germany four months later; 
(2) honors those who gave their lives during the 
Battle of the Bulge; 
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