LEBANON, Va. – As part of an ongoing three-day tour across Southwest Virginia, U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) stopped by Lebanon, Virginia, Monday to meet and talk with elected officials and community leaders from Dickenson, Wise, and Russell counties.
At the start of the meeting, Warner explained he had been held up in Buchanan County, talking to residents and walking through the damage caused by the recent flooding. Warner called out what he called the unfair damage valuation process laid out by FEMA, which undervalues rural communities.
"People rightfully had a lot to say about the flooding, and I thought it was really important to go out and see some of the homes and some of the businesses," Warner said. "It's just, it is not a fair process, where rural communities get the short end of the stick."
Senator Warner believes the FEMA rules need to be changed.
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"You could have had the exact same number of homes in a wealthier area, and that would have qualified for individual assistance," Warner said. "The law needs to change."
In terms of the three-day tour, Warner is glad to be back in Southwest Virginia and is already feeling the positive energy and enthusiasm.
"I love Southwest Virginia. Every time I've been involved in politics, all my campaigns have started here," Warner said. "I think there's a lot of energy. I think there's a lot of enthusiasm in the region."