Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base is at the heart of the 49th Congressional District.  Approximately 42,000 Marines and sailors call Camp Pendleton home – with thousands of visitors each day.

Improving the quality of life for our Marines and servicemembers continues to be a top priority.  Camp Pendleton has undergone significant housing improvements over the last decade.   When I first toured the base as its Representative in 2001, the condition of on-base housing was appalling, with Marine families assigned to worn out housing with mold contamination and other health hazards.

Today, thanks to an innovative public-private partnership, Marines now enjoy state of the art Bachelor Enlisted Quarters (BEQs) and new family homes have been built to replace dilapidated housing dating back to World War II.  In 2010, the new Wounded Warrior Campus was completed to provide care to returning Marines in addition to a new 147,000 square foot PX.  A new Naval Hospital broke ground in 2010 – set to be completed in the fall of 2014, and all five on-base public schools have been remodeled.

I am proud of the improvements at Camp Pendleton that support the quality of life for our Marines and the readiness of our force.  As a veteran and representative of the base in Washington, I work diligently to ensure our servicemembers and their families receive the best care and benefits possible.  Changes to healthcare and benefits will be approached cautiously and deliberately.