In the News
Rep. Sharice Davids joined several regional officials and business leaders — including Overland Park Mayor Curt Skoog, left, and JD Grom, right, a senior adviser to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce — at a roundtable Tuesday morning at Johnson County Community College.
The group discussed how the recent federal CHIPS and Science Act could affect manufacturing locally and help support workforce development in the Kansas City area.
A legislative effort to boost support for U.S. military veterans pursuing a new chapter as entrepreneurs now heads to the U.S. Senate — buoyed by broad partisan support and championed by two members of Kansas City’s congressional delegation.
TOPEKA — U.S. Reps. Sharice Davids of eastern Kansas and Mark Alford of western Missouri secured U.S. House approval of legislation designed to make it easier for veterans to use federal resources to start a business after completing military service.
The number of veterans who own businesses in the United States has declined from 50% in the post-World War II era and 40% in the post-Korean War period. The latest estimate indicated 4.5% of 3.6 million veterans who served in uniform since Sept. 11, 2001, had launched a company.
There are several programs that help veterans start small businesses.
Rep. Mark Alford, a Missouri Republican, rattled some of them off at the Capitol on Wednesday morning: The Boots to Business program, Veterans Business Outreach Centers and the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business program.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday night co-led by Kansas democrat Sharice Davids and republicans Mark Alford of Missouri and Nick LaLota of New York.
The elected leaders said the vote shows there is unity and cooperation in Washington, D.C. — a city often under a cloud of partisan dysfunction.
The SERV Act, co-sponsored by Kansas City-area Reps. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas) and Mark Alford (R-Missouri), will study the challenges to service members starting a business. The legislation passed the U.S. House with bipartisan support.
Following World War II, nearly 50% of veterans went on to become business owners — but today that number is less than 10%.
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas) visited Gardner Edgerton High School earlier this month, meeting with USD 231 Superintendent Dr. Brian Huff.
Davids’ appearance occurred not long after a recent visit from U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) last month.
Huff said the district was fortunate to host Davids and Moran.
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids (D-Kansas) recently met with a Gardner city official during her open office hours at her Overland Park office.
Gardner City Administrator Jim Pruetting said he met with Davids on Oct. 31 to discuss the city’s projects and community needs.
Veterans who return to the workforce as entrepreneurs face unique challenges when exiting full-time military life, said Brian Newton. A bipartisan push by two members of Kansas City’s delegation to the U.S. House could ease the transition for veterans-turned-small business owners.
Rep. Sharice Davids (she/her) is currently serving Kansas’s 3rd Congressional District in Congress. Sharice was raised by a single mom who spent more than 20 years serving in the US Army. She worked her way from Johnson County Community College to Cornell Law School, juggling multiple jobs to put herself through school. Sharice went on to work in economic and community development on Native American reservations, helping tribes to create programs and initiatives for growth.