[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 199 (Thursday, December 12, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7033-S7034]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




HONORING THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE FOUGHT DURING 
                              WORLD WAR II

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 326, S. Con. Res. 23.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the concurrent 
resolution by title.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 23) honoring the 75th 
     Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge fought during World 
     War II, recognizing the valiant efforts of the Allied Forces 
     in December 1944, and remembering those who made the ultimate 
     sacrifice, all of which contributed to the Allied victory in 
     the European Theater.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution, which had been reported from the Committee on 
Foreign Relations, without amendment, and with an amendment to the 
preamble as follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 23

       Whereas the Battle of the Bulge was the last major German 
     offensive in Western Europe during World War II, designed to 
     split the Allied Forces, regain the initiative in the West, 
     and pressure the Allies to seek a negotiated peace;
       Whereas, in the Ardennes region of Belgium and Luxembourg, 
     more than 650,000 troops from the United States, Great 
     Britain, Belgium, Canada, and other Allied Forces defeated 
     Germany in the Battle of the Bulge, which began December 16, 
     1944, and ended January 25, 1945;
       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 Allied Forces overcame formidable obstacles 
     that included being greatly outnumbered by the German Army, 
     harsh weather conditions, and the treacherous and unknown 
     terrain of the Ardennes Forest region of Belgium and 
     Luxembourg;
       Whereas, on December 17, 1944, during one of the worst 
     atrocities of the war in Europe, the Malmedy Massacre, 84 
     unarmed American prisoners of war were shot by troops of the 
     1st SS Panzer Division;
       Whereas 11 African American soldiers of the 333rd Field 
     Artillery Battalion were massacred by SS troops near Wereth, 
     Belgium, and were identified as James Stewart of West 
     Virginia, Due Turner of Arkansas, Curtis Adams of South 
     Carolina, Mager Bradley of Mississippi, George Davis, Jr. of 
     Alabama, Thomas Forte of Mississippi, Robert Green of 
     Georgia, James Leatherwood of Mississippi, Nathaniel Moss of 
     Texas, George Moten of Texas, and William Pritchett of 
     Alabama;
       Whereas the impressive leadership of Lieutenant General 
     George S. Patton of the Third Army accelerated the success of 
     the Allied Forces during the Battle of the Bulge;
       Whereas, although Belgium lost more than 74,000 civilians 
     during the war, in addition to many more having suffered 
     through other atrocities that come with war, the people of 
     Belgium persevered through the difficult period of time and 
     rebuilt their lives the best they could after the war ended;
       Whereas the success of the Allied Forces in beating back 
     the German attack in the Battle of the Bulge made possible 
     the final defeat and surrender of Nazi Germany in May 1945;
       Whereas the citizens of Belgium and Luxembourg have 
     generously hosted thousands of United States veterans and 
     kept the memory of the Battle of the Bulge alive through 
     numerous memorials and museums, including the Henri-Chapelle 
     American Cemetery and Memorial, the Ardennes American 
     Cemetery and Memorial, the Luxembourg American Cemetery, the 
     Battle of the Ardennes Museum, the Bastogne War Museum, and 
     the Bastogne December Historic Walk; and
       Whereas, after the Battle of the Bulge ended, British Prime 
     Minister Winston Churchill said, ``This is undoubtedly the 
     greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be 
     regarded as an ever-famous American victory.'': Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That the Senate--
       (1) commemorates, on December 16, 2019, the 75th 
     Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II;
       (2) recognizes the valiant efforts of the various Allied 
     Forces; and
       (3) remembers the individuals who made the ultimate 
     sacrifice, which contributed to the Allied victory in the 
     European Theater.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed

[[Page S7034]]

to; that the committee-reported amendment to the preamble be agreed to; 
that the Cramer amendment at the desk to the preamble be agreed to; 
that the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; and that the motions to 
reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 23) was agreed to.
  The committee-reported amendment to the preamble was agreed to.
  The amendment (No. 1256) to the preamble was agreed to as follows:

               (Purpose: To add language to the preamble)

Between the seventh and eighth whereas clauses in the preamble, insert 
                             the following:

       Whereas, the heroic defense of Bastogne by the 101st 
     Airborne Division became personified by General Anthony 
     McAuliffe's reply to the German request to surrender with one 
     word: ``Nuts!'';



 =========================== NOTE =========================== 

  
  On page S7034, December 12, 2019, first column, the following 
appears: The amendment (No. 1256) to the preamble was agreed to as 
follows: (Purpose: To add language to the preamble) Whereas, the 
heroic defense of Bastogne by the 101st Airborne Division became 
personified by General Anthony McAuliffe's reply to the German 
request to surrender with one word: ``Nuts!'';
  
  The online Record has been corrected to read: The amendment (No. 
1256) to the preamble was agreed to as follows: (Purpose: To add 
language to the preamble) Between the seventh and eighth whereas 
clauses in the preamble, insert the following: Whereas, the heroic 
defense of Bastogne by the 101st Airborne Division became 
personified by General Anthony McAuliffe's reply to the German 
request to surrender with one word: ``Nuts!'';


 ========================= END NOTE ========================= 


  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution with its preamble, as amended, read as 
follows:

                            S. Con. Res. 23

       Whereas the Battle of the Bulge was the last major German 
     offensive in Western Europe during World War II, designed to 
     split the Allied Forces, regain the initiative in the West, 
     and pressure the Allies to seek a negotiated peace;
       Whereas, in the Ardennes region of Belgium and Luxembourg, 
     more than 650,000 troops from the United States, Great 
     Britain, Belgium, Canada, and other Allied Forces defeated 
     Germany in the Battle of the Bulge, which began December 16, 
     1944, and ended January 25, 1945;
       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 Allied Forces overcame formidable obstacles 
     that included being greatly outnumbered by the German Army, 
     harsh weather conditions, and the treacherous and unknown 
     terrain of the Ardennes Forest region of Belgium and 
     Luxembourg;
       Whereas, on December 17, 1944, during one of the worst 
     atrocities of the war in Europe, the Malmedy Massacre, 84 
     unarmed American prisoners of war were shot by troops of the 
     1st SS Panzer Division;
       Whereas 11 African American soldiers of the 333rd Field 
     Artillery Battalion were massacred by SS troops near Wereth, 
     Belgium, and were identified as James Stewart of West 
     Virginia, Due Turner of Arkansas, Curtis Adams of South 
     Carolina, Mager Bradley of Mississippi, George Davis, Jr. of 
     Alabama, Thomas Forte of Mississippi, Robert Green of 
     Georgia, James Leatherwood of Mississippi, Nathaniel Moss of 
     Texas, George Moten of Texas, and William Pritchett of 
     Alabama;
       Whereas the impressive leadership of Lieutenant General 
     George S. Patton of the Third Army accelerated the success of 
     the Allied Forces during the Battle of the Bulge;
       Whereas, the heroic defense of Bastogne by the 101st 
     Airborne Division became personified by General Anthony 
     McAuliffe's reply to the German request to surrender with one 
     word: ``Nuts!'';
       Whereas, although Belgium lost more than 74,000 civilians 
     during the war, in addition to many more having suffered 
     through other atrocities that come with war, the people of 
     Belgium persevered through the difficult period of time and 
     rebuilt their lives the best they could after the war ended;
       Whereas the success of the Allied Forces in beating back 
     the German attack in the Battle of the Bulge made possible 
     the final defeat and surrender of Nazi Germany in May 1945;
       Whereas the citizens of Belgium and Luxembourg have 
     generously hosted thousands of United States veterans and 
     kept the memory of the Battle of the Bulge alive through 
     numerous memorials and museums, including the Henri-Chapelle 
     American Cemetery and Memorial, the Ardennes American 
     Cemetery and Memorial, the Luxembourg American Cemetery, the 
     Battle of the Ardennes Museum, the Bastogne War Museum, and 
     the Bastogne December Historic Walk; and
       Whereas, after the Battle of the Bulge ended, British Prime 
     Minister Winston Churchill said, ``This is undoubtedly the 
     greatest American battle of the war and will, I believe, be 
     regarded as an ever-famous American victory.'': Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That the Senate--
       (1) commemorates, on December 16, 2019, the 75th 
     Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II;
       (2) recognizes the valiant efforts of the various Allied 
     Forces; and
       (3) remembers the individuals who made the ultimate 
     sacrifice, which contributed to the Allied victory in the 
     European Theater.

                          ____________________