WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following the request of Congressman Comer, Kentucky’s First District officially joined the Tennessee Valley Corridor (TVC), an award-winning, non-profit, regional economic development organization. The TVC seeks to leverage existing federal missions in its service area to support economic development and private sector job growth by connecting people, ideas and opportunities.
“I’m proud to officially have the First District as part of the TVC. My constituents are committed to the continual development and prosperity of their communities and are eager to work with TVC to attract economic investment and support innovative research throughout the region,” Congressman Comer said.
The First District of Kentucky boasts two major defense and energy assets that complement the TVC’s mission of advancing science and technology research and economic development. First is the U.S. Army Installation at Fort Campbell, KY, which hosts the Army's only Air Assault Division and is home to over 25,000 active duty soldiers and their families. Second is the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, a site owned by the Department of Energy and created in 1952 to produce enriched uranium, first for national defense and later for commercial power plants. The site now employs approximately 1,200 people to support its critical environmental remediation and depleted uranium conversion projects.
“The Board unanimously voted to include Congressman Comer’s district as the 13th district of the TVC. We are particularly excited about Fort Campbell being a part of the federal mission and we’re delighted that Virginia Gray will be joining the board,” Mike Arms, Chairman of the TVC Board of Directors, stated.
Virginia Gray, the Government Relations Manager for the Tennessee Valley Authority, will serve as Congressman Comer’s representative on the TVC Board of Directors. “Virginia will be a wonderful asset on TVC’s Board of Directors. My staff and I have worked closely with her on many important projects for the First District. As my representative on the TVC Board, I am confident that she will succeed in advancing economic opportunities for communities throughout the region,” Congressman Comer said.
“This opportunity is not only personally exciting, but also exciting for communities surrounding Fort Campbell and Paducah. I fully intend to capitalize on this new network for the betterment of the First Congressional District of Kentucky,” Gray said.
The First District of Kentucky joins TVC’s 10 other congressional districts spanning five states – Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia and North Carolina. You can find more information on TVC here.