Yesterday Senator Warner kicked off a two-day conference between federal agencies and manufacturers at NASA Langley in Hampton. The conference’s focus was advanced composite materials and Hampton Roads’ modeling and simulation infrastructure. Senator Warner and NASA Langley director Lesa Roe believe that use of modeling and simulation might be able to cut the development time for composites – and create high-value manufacturing jobs in the region.

"Here's an asset that is creating good intellectual capital in an area where America still has a competitive edge: aviation," Senator Warner said to Bill Bartel of the Virginian-Pilot. "How can we exploit that?"

After the conference, Senator Warner spoke at the Apprentice School at Newport News Shipbuilding, which will break ground on a new facility later this week. The Senator spoke to students about the debt and deficit, and the effect of possible budget cuts on the armed forces.

“I’m not freaking out yet but I'm concerned,” Senator Warner said. “While we have seen a $487 billion cut over ten years, chances are we're going to see more than that. We have to be concerned about the potential of the sequester cuts which will be devastating to both shipbuilding and ship repair.”

Finally, Senator Warner drove up to the Middle Peninsula for a town hall at Daffodil Gardens Senior Apartments in Gloucester. He spoke to residents, employees and community leaders about health care, the deficit, and dysfunction in Congress – which now has a 90% disapproval rate.

“Let me assure you," Senator Warner said, "that I am in the 90 percent."