Tennessee Congressman Lincoln Davis and Alabama Congressman Bud Cramer praised local leaders during an economic development summit here Thursday for their persistence and foresight when it comes to matters of growth.

The two congressmen hosted the summit with leaders from Northern Alabama and Southern Tennessee in the first meeting of its kind to ensure that the coming Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission relocation is a smooth transition for all and to help further economic efforts throughout the Tennessee Valley region.

"Congressman Cramer and I are committed to working together with local partners in a regional partnership on finding ways of expanding infrastructure and recruiting new industry to the Tennessee Valley," Davis said.

Davis noted that County Executive Jerry Mansfield and Fayetteville Mayor John Ed Underwood have been very active in BRAC efforts, as well as endeavors to bring industry to the area.

"This summit is the first of what will be hopefully be many fruitful meetings to come," Davis said.

BRAC recommendations designate more than 4,700 direct jobs to the Redstone Arsenal. Thousands of workers, primarily from northern Virginia, will move to the Tennessee Valley area, Congressman Cramer said following the summit. He noted that about 80 percent of the jobs would be engineering related. The phasing in of jobs will start in approximately one year.

Among the reasons many relocated workers will choose to live in Tennessee are less expensive living costs, fewer miles to travel and the quality of life offered here, Davis said.

The relocation will create jobs and enhance retail sales, he added, noting this region will be a destination for industries looking for individuals with high tech skills.

Davis pointed out that in the past 50 to 60 years, the workforce has been changing in rural Tennessee and Alabama, which was known then for its sewing industry.

In 2005, the BRAC Commission submitted its recommendations for realignment and base closures. Among the recommendations was the repositioning of thousands of government jobs from Northern Virginia to the Tennessee Valley. The number is expected to grow significantly when additional contractors are considered.

Prior to the summit, Cramer and Davis have met with officials throughout the Tennessee Valley to learn more on how communities could further complement each other.

Davis and Cramer stressed the value of working together to maintain and enhance relationships with existing business and to recruit new industries to areas on both sides of the Alabama-Tennessee border.

Davis’s and Cramer’s congressional districts border one another in a number of counties. In sum, their districts are home to Arnold Engineering Development Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Redstone Arsenal, automobile assembly and supplier plants and many other manufacturing facilities and small businesses.

The congressmen plan to chair more meetings with leaders in communities that "zig zag across Southern Tennessee and Northern Alabama," Cramer said.