Memorial Day is traditionally a time to pay tribute to America's veterans and to spend some time around the barbeque pit with family and friends.  In the Tennessee Valley it is also the time each year that a group gathers to meet, plan and apply our strategy for technology growth and economic development in the 21st Century.

For the ninth consecutive year, I participated in the Tennessee Valley Corridor Summit on Technology and Economic Development.  This year's meeting was held in Huntsville, Alabama and was hosted by my colleague and good friend Congressman Bud Cramer (D-AL). 

As I attend this great event each year, I am reminded of what constitutional scholar Os Guinness told me years ago, "The power to convene is greater than the power to legislate." The goal of these Summits is to bring people together for the greater good of our region.  By putting government, business and educational leaders in the same room to discuss their current projects, great things are bound to happen! 

More than 400 participants from across the "valley corridor," which runs from Huntsville through Tennessee and into Virginia,  came to hear from experts with the NASA Marshal Space Flight Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the U.S. Department of Defense and the University of Tennessee, just to name a few.

Economic development in the region was the main discussion during a session entitled, "Investing in our Infrastructure Today to Grow the Jobs of Tomorrow." Tennessee Valley Authority Chairman Glenn McCullough laid out the future economic development plans for TVA while Anne Pope, the federal co-chairwoman of the Appalachian Regional Committee, spoke about investing wisely now to attract high-tech companies and jobs in the years ahead.

Deputy Secretary of Energy Kyle McSlarrow laid out President George W. Bush's plan for the "hydrogen economy" and the Freedom CAR (Cooperative Automotive Research) initiative which will help improve our environment as we reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Mr. McSlarrow believes that the Tennessee Valley Technology Corridor will play a role in the research and development of these new transportation systems because Tennessee and Alabama are both very active in automobile production and because the nearby research institutions are extremely capable in this type of advanced technology.

NASA Shuttle Commander Eileen Collins gave us an update on the space launch initiative and NASA's plan to resume shuttle missions in the near future following the Columbia tragedy.  Commander Collins is expected to be the Commander of the next space shuttle mission and her enthusiasm for the space program inspired us all.  

Homeland Security was a very popular topic of this year's Summit with presentations from experts at the University of Tennessee and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. As a Member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, I gave an overview of the federal government's plan in Homeland Security and spoke about the ways that the Tennessee Valley is uniquely qualified and capable to develop the technology needed in the war of terrorism and to improve our homeland security.  Cutting-edge discoveries in radiation detection equipment and robotics have been made in Oak Ridge with limitless applications for helping to protect our country and its allies.

The Summit also included a dinner session entitled, "National Leadership through Regional Cooperation," where Four Star General Paul Kern, commanding general of the U.S. Army Material Command, discussed ways the corridor region can better support the priorities of the Army Material Command.  General Paul Kerns also gave us an overview of the role of the Red Stone Arsenal and other national security missions in the post-war Iraq. 

We will continue to work, as we have for the past nine years, to improve the quality of life in the Tennessee Valley by creating more jobs, investing in technology and infrastructure and protecting our homeland.  Over the years, billions and billions of dollars have been invested in research and development from Huntsville to Oak Ridge and our region is progressing very well. We must continue to work together to ensure this "generational legacy" succeeds at creating economic opportunities for all citizens of the Tennessee Valley.