,,ia  #aafth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,h4 ,j4 ,,res4 #ha  ,,in ,,the ,,house  
,,of ,,representatives  ,december #af1  
#bjai,mr4 ,smith of ,new ,jersey 7for   
himself and ,mr4 ,sires7 submitted the  
following joint resolution2 which was   
referred to the ,committee on ,foreign  
,affairs  ,,joint ,,resolution          
,recognizing the #geth anniversary of   
the ,battle of the ,bulge during ,world 
,war ,,ii4  ,whereas the battle in the  
,european theater of operations during  
,world ,war ,,ii known as the ,battle of
 the ,bulge was fought from ,december   
#af1 #aidd1 to ,january #be1 #aide2     
,whereas the ,battle of the ,bulge was a
 major ,german offensive in the         
,ardennes forest region of ,belgium and 
,luxembourg which took ,allied ,forces  
by surprise and was intended to split   
the ,allied ,forces in ,europe by       
breaking through the ,allied lines1     
crippling the ,allied fuel supply lines1
 and exacerbating tensions within the   
alliance2 ,whereas #fjj1jjj ,american   

troops1 joined by #ee1jjj ,british1     
,belgian1 ,canadian1 and other ,allied  
,forces defeated ,germany in the ,battle
 of the ,bulge1 overcoming numerous     
disadvantages in the early days of the  
battle that included fewer numbers1     
treacherous terrain1 and bitter weather 
conditions2 ,whereas the ,battle of the 
,bulge resulted in over #hi1jjj ,united 
,states casualties1 including #ai1jjj   
soldiers killed1 #dg1ejj wounded1 and   
more than #bc1jjj captured or           
missing-in-action2 ,whereas the worst   
atrocity involving ,americans in the    
,european theater during ,world ,war    
,,ii1 known as the ,malmedy ,massacre1  
occurred on ,december #ag1 #aidd1 when  
#hf unarmed ,american prisoners of war  
were gunned down by elements of the     
,german #ast ,,ss ,panzer ,division2    
,whereas ,american1 ,british1 ,belgian1 
,canadian1 and other forces overcame    
great odds throughout the battle1       
including most famously the action of   
the #ajast ,airborne ,division in       

holding back ,german forces at the key  
,belgian crossroads town of ,bastogne1  
thereby preventing ,german forces from  
achieving their main objective of       
reaching ,antwerp as well as the ,meuse 
,river line2 ,whereas the success of    
,american1 ,british1 ,belgian1          
,canadian1 and other forces in defeating
 the ,german attack made possible the   
defeat of ,nazi ,germany in ,may #aide2 
,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 comrades   
who died during the battle2 ,whereas the
 peoples of ,belgium and ,luxembourg1   
symbolizing their friendship and        
gratitude toward the ,american soldiers 
who fought to secure their freedom1 have
 graciously hosted countless veterans   
groups over the years2 ,whereas         
,luxembourg has erected over #ij        
monuments and plaques commemorating the 
liberation of ,luxembourg by ,united    

,states ,armed ,forces during ,world    
,war ,,ii2 ,whereas section #bjd of the 
,veterans ,benefits ,act of #bjjb 7#ch  
,u4,s4,c4 #bdji note7 authorized the    
,secretary of the ,army to place in     
,arlington ,national ,cemetery a        
memorial marker honoring those who      
fought in the ,battle of the ,bulge2    
,whereas the #geth anniversary of the   
,battle of the ,bulge in #bjai will be  
marked by many commemorative events by  
citizens of the ,united ,states1        
,belgium1 ,luxembourg1 and many other   
nations2 and ,whereas the friendship    
between the ,united ,states and both    
,belgium and ,luxembourg is strong today
 in part because of the ,battle of the  
,bulge3 ,now1 therefore1 be it  ,that   
,congress-- 7#a7 recognizes the #geth   
anniversary of the battle in the        
,european theater of operations during  
,world ,war ,,ii known as the ,battle of
 the ,bulge1 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 later2  7#b7 honors those   
who gave their lives during the ,battle 
of the ,bulge2  7#c7 authorizes the     
,president to issue a proclamation      
calling upon the people of the ,united  
,states to honor the veterans of the    
,battle of the ,bulge with appropriate  
programs1 ceremonies1 and activities2   
and  7#d7 reaffirms the bonds of        
friendship between the ,united ,states  
and both ,belgium and ,luxembourg4