[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 23 (Friday, February 4, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E112-E113]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 DESIGNATION OF DEFENSE ACCESS ROADS AROUND TRAVIS AND BEALE AIR FORCE 
                                 BASES

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN GARAMENDI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, February 4, 2022

  Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, today I introduce legislation that 
would designate vital roads around Travis and Beale Air Force Bases in 
northern California, under the Defense Access Road Program. I thank my 
colleague, Congressman Doug LaMalfa (R-CA01), who represents the 
neighboring Congressional district, for being the bill's original 
cosponsor.
  Military installations play important roles in communities around the 
country, but also pose unique challenges by increasing traffic and 
subjecting civilian roadways to harsh use by moving heavy military 
equipment. In California, Travis and Beale Air Force Bases were built 
with an infrastructure to support the size of the communities and the 
bases at the time. But over the decades, both the civilian and military 
populations have outgrown the current roads providing base access at 
the gates.
  The Defense Access Road Program exists to support communities in 
precisely this situation, allowing the U.S. Department of Defense and 
service branches to pay for maintenance, upkeep, or upgrades of roads 
surrounding military installations. This ensures that communities 
hosting bases have the infrastructure needed for civilian life and to 
support the military installation. Travis and Beale Air Force Bases 
each have some roads already designated under the Defense Access Road 
Program. My legislation would simply designate the remining access 
roads for each base under the program. As the communities surrounding 
Travis and Beale Air Force Bases continue to grow, the military should 
pay its

[[Page E113]]

fair share for roadway improvements for better base access and to 
lessen traffic congestion.
  As chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee, I continue working to 
secure forward-looking investments to expand Travis and Beale, while 
ensuring that the Air Force remains a good neighbor. I plan to make 
these Defense Access Road designations a major priority for the 
National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2023.
  Travis and Beale Air Force Bases and the surrounding areas must have 
the world-class infrastructure needed to carry out their mission. The 
legislation I introduce today would ensure just that.

                          ____________________