118 SRES 487 ATS: Commemorating the centennial of the American Battle Monuments Commission. U.S. Senate 2023-12-06 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

III118th CONGRESS1st SessionS. RES. 487IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESDecember 6, 2023Mr. Moran (for himself and Mr. Tester) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed toRESOLUTIONCommemorating the centennial of the American Battle Monuments Commission.

Whereas the American Battle Monuments Commission, also known as the “ABMC”, was founded by Congress on March 4, 1923, to commemorate the service and sacrifice of the United States Armed Forces through perpetually maintained cemeteries and memorials;Whereas the American Battle Monuments Commission, for 100 years, has maintained the vision of General of the Armies John J. Pershing that time will not dim the glory of their deeds;Whereas, in 1927, then-Major Dwight D. Eisenhower, of Abilene, Kansas, was assigned to the American Battle Monuments Commission and helped compose A Guide to the American Battle Fields in Europe, which he later helped to revise and expand to American Armies and Battlefields in Europe: A History, Guide, and Reference Book, a guidebook for Americans traveling overseas to visit battle sites, cemeteries, and memorials of World War I;Whereas, in 1928 and 1929, during the revision and expansion of that guidebook in Paris, France, then-Major Eisenhower gained critical geographic and cultural knowledge of Europe that would prove crucial during World War II;Whereas, in 1944, during World War II, the temporary American St. Laurent Cemetery was established as the first American cemetery on European soil, eventually becoming the Normandy American Cemetery, which is the most visited cemetery maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission;Whereas, in 2023, the American Battle Monuments Commission celebrates 100 years of service to members of our Armed Forces and their families;Whereas the workforce of the American Battle Monuments Commission is comprised of dedicated civil service professionals and locally engaged staff in countries around the globe;Whereas the American Battle Monuments Commission administers, operates, and maintains 26 permanent American military cemeteries and 32 Federal memorials, monuments, and markers, which are located in 17 foreign countries and territories, primarily commemorating the American war dead from World War I and World War II;Whereas approximately 124,000 American war dead are buried in cemeteries operated by the American Battle Monuments Commission, and more than 94,000 Americans who were lost, missing in action, or buried at sea during World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War are remembered by name on stone tablets at cemeteries and memorials maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission; andWhereas the American Battle Monuments Commission seeks to educate the public on the history and sacrifices of members of the Armed Forces of the United States honored at cemeteries and memorials around the world: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate—(1)recognizes the century of service by the American Battle Monuments Commission and their personnel who have worked to honor the service and sacrifices of our fallen warriors and those who fought at their side;(2)commends the work done by the American Battle Monuments Commission to oversee and execute commemorative events at cemeteries and memorials, especially for the benefit of veterans and families who return to those sacred grounds on milestone anniversaries or dates of personal significance;(3)supports the efforts of the American Battle Monuments Commission to educate the coming generations, young Americans, and young people from around the world on the sacrifices made by those American soldiers, sailors, aviators, Marines, and members of the Coast Guard who died during military service and are buried or memorialized on the sacred grounds they steward;(4)encourages all people of the United States to visit and pay their respects to those interred in cemeteries maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission overseas who died fighting against tyranny;(5)lauds the continued mission carried out with excellence by the American Battle Monuments Commission; and(6)wishes the American Battle Monuments Commission continued success for another 100 years and beyond.