Davids Highlights Federal Funding for Public Health and Public Safety Projects in Kansas’ Third District
Today, Representative Sharice Davids visited the University of Kansas Medical Center's (KUMC) imaging center and the Shawnee Fire Department to tour three projects she sponsored for federal funding. The three local projects, along with 12 others, have been approved for funding by the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. Eight projects have passed the House thus far.
"My job is to listen to Kansans and advocate for their priorities in Washington," said Davids. "The three projects I visited today were submitted alongside our state and local officials, passed detailed reviews, and met significant standards for return on investment. I'm excited to see how they help make our communities safer, healthier, and better equipped to keep up with our growing, diverse population."
Rep. Sharice Davids at the University of Kansas Medical Center's Imaging Center.
"Research into disease and treatments increasingly relies on non-invasive imaging to understand structure, function and metabolism of the human body without taking physical samples of tissue," said Bill Brooks, Ph.D., Director of Hoglund Biomedical Imaging Center. "The requested magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scanners will provide world-class capabilities to understand Alzheimer's, lung, liver, and kidney disease, cancer, obesity, and substance use. This state-of-the-art technology will allow Kansans to participate in the latest clinical trials and provide training for the next generation of students to continue the great discovery efforts of the region. On behalf of the University of Kansas Medical Center, we would like to express our gratitude to Representative Davids for her continued support of medical innovation."
"We are always focused on safety as our utmost priority at the Shawnee Fire Department," said Rick Potter, Shawnee Fire Chief. "We place a huge priority on sustainability and innovation as well, so having the opportunity to install more solar panels to promote green energy and save taxpayers' money is an amazing step forward for Shawnee."
The House Appropriations Committee approved Davids' request for KUMC to purchase two new scanning machines at their Hoglund Biomedical Imaging Center (HBIC), a research-based imaging facility on KUMC's campus. The new CT scanner would allow researchers to obtain 3-D reconstructions of internal organs, a technology the Medical Center currently lacks, and the MRI scanner would provide increased access to new medical research studies.
The Appropriations Committee also approved Davids' request for the City of Shawnee to install solar panels at two Shawnee Fire Department locations during future renovations. The Fire Station Headquarters and Fire Station 73 would each be upgraded to include solar panels meant to lower energy costs for the city.
Rep. Sharice Davids at the Shawnee Fire Department Headquarters.
More details on the KUMC's request can be found here and here, and details on the City of Shawnee's request can be found here. The latest Appropriations Committee reports can be found here. Each of the 15 Davids-requested projects was submitted in conjunction with local officials and selected for its potential to improve health and safety in the community, tackle climate change, and bring economic opportunity to the Third District. Appropriations requests are subject to strict transparency and accountability rules, which can be found here.