ICYMI: Davids Talks Rising Costs, Healthcare, Voting Access, Support for Kansas Families on Up To Date

Yesterday, U.S. Representative Sharice Davids joined KCUR's Up To Date to discuss the issues she’s hearing most from Kansans: the rising cost of living and the need to focus on practical solutions rather than chaotic policies.

During the interview, Davids highlighted her work to lower costs for families, protect healthcare access, support Kansas agriculture, and ensure Kansans can make their voices heard at the ballot box. She also raised concerns about the impacts of Medicaid cuts, rural hospital closures, rising prices driven by tariffs, and the lack of a clear strategy in the escalating conflict with Iran.

Listen to Davids’ full interview HERE or read excerpts below:

On Johnson County Early Voting Site Closures

“Voting should be simple and accessible… There was one piece of the decision that I was glad to see, which is new locations in De Soto and Spring Hill, but closing early voting sites in busy parts of the county is going to make it harder for folks to participate… If voting location changes are going to happen, that's something that needs to be done out in the open with clear data, with community input. And that is not what it looks like happened here. And that's a huge concern.”

On Lowering Healthcare Costs

“Healthcare is one of the biggest pressures on families… I was so proud to be able to support and push for allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices… [and to cap] the cost of insulin at $35 for our seniors, putting real money back in people's pockets… The ACA tax credits are one of the key pieces of helping Kansans afford coverage because after they expired, we saw a lot of premiums spike immediately.”

On Medicaid Cuts

“Right now, unfortunately, what we're trying to do is stop all these cuts from taking place in Medicaid… Tons of people are getting ripped off of their healthcare. So, what I propose and what I am fighting for is that instead of trying to score political points by talking about ripping away healthcare from people, that we actually try to figure out how to make sure people can afford their prescription drugs.”

On Rural Hospital Closures

“Kansas is losing rural hospitals at an alarming rate. We need to be focused on improving things and not just tearing things down. And unfortunately, especially on this topic, the president and too many of my Republican colleagues have been focused on trying to destroy the Affordable Care Act… and it [has] real devastating impacts on people's everyday lives.”

On the Farm Bill and Nutrition Assistance Cuts

“Kansas farmers and ranchers have been getting squeezed from every single direction… I supported the bipartisan farm bill that came out of the House… There are policies in there that are going to strengthen rural economies… and, at the same time, that does not mean that I am not livid about the cuts [in] the budget bill that the Republicans passed out of the House that made cuts to nutrition assistance.”

On Tariffs and Rising Costs

“We need America to be competitive on the global scale, and if we continue to see chaotic, reckless approaches to tariffs, that absolutely cuts against the goal of lowering costs. These tariffs have raised costs for hardworking families. It has forced businesses to close. It is putting more pressure again on the agricultural sector… And instead of prioritizing the families and the farmers, the president continues to enact policies that are going to benefit massive corporations and his billionaire buddies.”

On the Iran War

“Every single person in an elected position's priority should be protecting American lives and our national security. And every bit of what we're seeing right now, the president's lack of strategy, the president's lack of communication, the lack of congressional approval. Right now, decisions are being made without a clear strategy, and it has cost us service members' lives… We need to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. And reckless escalation without a plan is not going to make Americans [safer].”