Senator Warner started off a couple of days of travel by observing National POW/MIA Recognition Day at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond. The Senator was joined by about 30 middle school students from Chesterfield County and Phyllis Galanti, former chair of the National League of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia, and the wife of former Vietnam War POW Paul Galanti, who currently serves as the Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Veterans Services.

Senator Warner spoke later at the Creative Economy Conference in Abingdon, which brought together SWVA leaders to talk about the next steps for the region. In his keynote speech, Senator Warner discussed the importance of working together across localities to jointly market Southwest Virginia’s tourism opportunities.

“What I’m talking about is the continued regional investment in the improvement and development of Appalachia’s naturally existing assets,” Senator Warner said. “It includes authentic bluegrass and traditional American music, and unique crafts and agricultural products. It also includes your remarkable outdoor recreation assets, such as our state parks, mountain trails, white-water rafting, and hunting,” Sen. Warner said.

The Senator dropped by Feeding America Southwest Virginia in the afternoon to tour the facility and hold a roundtable with on issues affecting local food banks, including the $40 billion in SNAP cuts passed by the House, which will likely force more people to rely on the limited resources of food banks. Senator Warner promised to take the concerns of local hunger advocates with him back to Capitol Hill.

Finally, Senator Warner delivered opening remarks at the Rhythm and Roots Reunion music festival opening ceremony in Bristol. He'll tour the Birthplace of Country Music Museum later tonight before heading to Virginia Tech tomorrow to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Hokies being admitted to the ACC.