CELEBRATING THE CITY OF BARSTOW'S 75TH ANNIVERSARY Speaker: Congressman Jay Obernolte Publication: Congressional Record Date: 30 September 2022 Topic: United States Numbered Highways

  Mr. OBERNOLTE. Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the 75th 
Anniversary of the City of Barstow, California. This city, home to 
25,415 residents in California's 8th District, serves as a unique 
pillar of the High Desert culture and a crossroads of opportunity 
within our desert community.
  Barstow had its beginnings in 1947 as the Mojave Desert hub of Route 
66 and the U.S. railroad system. Today, the city still serves a 
critical role in our nation's transportation and logistics systems as 
home to the BNSF Railyard with the potential for great expansion and 
growth in our future that could forever change the landscape of this 
High Desert community.
  Barstow also plays a critical role in supporting our military and 
military families. The city is home to the only veterans home in the 
Inland Empire and High Desert region. It also serves as a 
transportation hub for the U.S. Marine Corps with Marine Corps 
Logistics Base Barstow located just up the street and supports the U.S. 
Army as the closest town serving the National Training Center at Fort 
Irwin, where almost every soldier deployed to Afghanistan has trained.
  Furthermore, the city remains a critical waypoint as the last major 
town travelers pass on their way from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. The 
city's work to preserve this unique cultural input as we approach the 
100 anniversary of historic Route 66 has helped to keep California 
culture and American history alive and strong.
  As we celebrate Barstow's 75th Anniversary, I am proud to partner 
with local officials, including Mayor Paul Courtney, to help shepherd 
in economic growth, and the potential for a new golden age. 
Congratulations to the City of Barstow on its rich history and long 
future ahead.