WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John Garamendi (D-Walnut Creek, CA), a Member of the House Armed Services Committee, and Congressman George Miller (D-Martinez, CA), Chair of the Democratic Policy Committee, today are pleased to report that the House of Representatives approved $387,000 in funds to begin moving forward on construction at Travis Air Force Base, as requested by the congressmen, following the House’s passage of H.R. 5822, the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations Act (MilCon). Services for veterans and military personnel were also greatly improved under the legislation.

Travis Air Force Base will receive $387,000 for the construction of new Base Civil Engineer (BCE) maintenance and supply facilities to allow 270 Travis Air Force Base personnel to accomplish their work in a more secure and efficient manner. With leaky roofs, cracked foundations and degraded exteriors and parking surfaces, these facilities are presently not energy efficient and do not meet modern facility or seismic codes.

"This is a great step forward for Travis employees. These funds will start the process of modernizing Travis’ facilities to improve efficiency and safety while creating jobs," Congressman Miller said.

"Solano County’s largest employer has too many buildings in need of modernization. This funding will put area residents back to work, reduce Travis’ burden on the energy grid, and make sure our brave men and women in uniform have the facilities they need to do their jobs," Congressman Garamendi said.

Fairfield’s Army Reserve Center also will receive $26 million from MilCon for needed improvements and services for Army Reserve units.

About MilCon:

The fiscal year 2011 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill invests in projects and programs of critical importance to America’s veterans and military troops and their families, including veterans benefits and healthcare, and military family housing, barracks and mission critical facilities.

The bill provides $56.8 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and $64.0 billion for mandatory VA programs, $18.7 billion for military construction and family housing, and $1.3 billion in emergency appropriations for military construction projects in support of the war in Afghanistan.  In addition, the bill provides $50.6 billion in advance appropriations for VA medical accounts.

The investments in the bill address several significant priorities, including:

• Maintaining advance funding for veterans health benefits to ensure stable and uninterrupted services;
• Processing newly eligible VA claims for Agent Orange presumptive disabilities;
• Providing new family caregiver benefits for disabled veterans;
• Strengthening the VA workforce to tackle claims backlogs and to process new educational benefits;
• Accelerating the Army’s program to modernize troop housing for trainees;
• Addressing critical unfunded construction requirements of the Guard and Reserve;
• Expediting environmental cleanup on closed military bases.