[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 15663-15664]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   IN RECOGNITION OF TRAVIS CREDIT UNION ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 60TH 
                              ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN GARAMENDI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 14, 2011

  Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, Representatives George Miller and I rise 
today in honor of Travis Credit Union, which has served Solano County 
and its surrounding communities for 60 years. Originally opening as the 
Travis Air Force Base Federal Credit Union in the autumn of 1951, 
Travis Credit Union has grown to be the 13th largest credit union in 
California, and with $1.8 billion in assets, among the top 100 in the 
country.
  To the charter members of Travis Air Force Base Federal Credit Union, 
the cost of living in 1951 was likely a major reason they decided to 
create their own financial alternative to banks that made it easier for 
them to borrow and save money. When the credit union first opened, it 
was in a makeshift base office

[[Page 15664]]

and served only military and civilian personnel at the base.
  In December of 1951, Travis Air Force Base Federal Credit Union had 
68 members and $2,015 in deposits. In 1954, the credit union made its 
first house trailer loan and then moved into the Passenger Terminal 
Building in April of 1955. At the end of 1961 TAFB FCU had 5,0432 
members and $1.39 million in deposits. Membership was expanded to 
include military and U.S.-sponsored civilian personnel stationed 
overseas in 1964 and in 1965 the Executive Committee was created 
establishing a president, vice president, treasurer and secretary.
  The Travis Air Force Base Federal Credit Union changed its name to 
Travis Federal Credit Union in 1974 and in 1977 construction of the 
first off-base branch in Fairfield was completed. Today, the credit 
union has 22 branches located throughout the region in the cities of 
Fairfield, Vacaville, Dixon, Suisun City, Benicia, Vallejo, Davis, 
Woodland, Napa, Concord, Antioch, Clayton, Merced and Atwater; and is 
known as Travis Credit Union after a board approved switch to a state-
chartered credit union took place in 2000.
  Travis Credit Union serves 180,000 members in the communities of 
northern California and has $1,020,037,614 in loans to these 
communities. Travis Credit Union provides a critical service to our 
community by offering higher rates on deposits, lower rates on loans, 
lower fees on services, convenient access and friendly service, and all 
while working to ensure their long-term viability as a not-for-profit 
banking alternative.
  Mr. Speaker, we are truly honored to pay tribute this important 
community institution as it celebrates 60 years of service. We ask our 
colleagues to join with us in thanking Travis Credit Union for its long 
and dedicated service to the citizens of Solano County and northern 
California, and in offering our best wishes for its continued success 
in the years ahead.

                          ____________________