Addressed Tennessee Valley Corridor Conference
This week, I had the opportunity to speak to business and civic leaders from Alabama, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina—the states that comprise the Tennessee Valley Corridor. As a historically underdeveloped region with little access to resources, our communities have been forced to rely on ingenuity and teamwork to survive in an evolving economic climate. Out of necessity, we have built exceptionally strong and proactive regional development organizations, like AdvantageWest, the Southwestern Commission, and the Land-of-Sky Regional Commission in my district—and like the Tennessee Valley Corridor. I am proud to have played a role in getting North Carolina included in the Tennessee Valley Corridor organization. At the conference, I expressed my tremendous pride in the progress and potential of our region. Appalachia looked profoundly different fifty, or even twenty, years ago, and I know that the coming years will bring even more economic development and advancement opportunities. It will be up to us and organizations like the Tennessee Valley Corridor to take advantage of those opportunities. The world is watching what America is doing to grow and succeed, and the South is looking to this Corridor, including Western North Carolina, for the same direction and inspiration.
In Congress
The House voted on a number of items related to the Defense Authorization Act this week. Providing for the care and support of our men and women in uniform, as well as our veterans, is a high priority for me. I have consistently voted to support our military and our veterans.
Voted to Protect Jobs in Western North Carolina
One amendment in the Defense Authorization Act package was to continue funding GE’s competition with Pratt and Whitney to make engines for our military’s F136 fighter jets. More than 2,500 American jobs depend on GE’s F136 engine development. Unison Engine Components (a subsidiary of GE Aviation), employs 335 people in the Asheville area. Striking F136 funding would cause a loss of jobs at the Asheville plant and at the three other GE facilities that produce F136 competitive engines or components throughout North Carolina.
Competition is proven to keep defense costs down. In the 1980s, the “Great Engine War” over the F-16 fighter demonstrated that competition gave American taxpayers a 21 percent cost savings. Congress has funded the F136 engine for 15 years. I voted to continue funding GE’s research and development because I am confident that it will keep thousands of American jobs secure and will ultimately save taxpayer money.
Voted to Honor the Requests of our Military Leaders
There was also a vote on repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy in the military. I have the utmost confidence in the ability of our military leaders to set the policies and procedures that will best serve our men and women in uniform, and our country. A Department of Defense review of the “Don’t ask, don’t Tell” policy is under way and is expected to be completed by December 1, 2010. The Joint Chiefs of Staff for the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines have all urged Congress not to act until that review is completed. In my mind, this is not an unreasonable request. For me, this question is not one of access to serve, but of how we can best honor the requests of our military leaders.
I wish all our veterans, service members and their families and happy and meaningful Memorial Day. You have my utmost respect and gratitude always.
