Davids Joins Kansas City Business Leaders to Discuss New Federal Manufacturing and Supply Chain Laws

KANSAS CITY, KS – Today, Representative Sharice Davids hosted a roundtable discussion with Kansas City business leaders to discuss how to continue attracting federal investments from the bipartisan infrastructure law and recently-passed manufacturing legislation to the Kansas Third. Roundtable participants also discussed the importance of workforce development, as they convened at Kansas City Kansas Community College's Technical Education Center, where Davids has helped fund equipment for the automation engineering program.

"We've made huge strides in creating jobs, unsticking our supply chain, and bringing manufacturing jobs home through recent, bipartisan laws," said Davids. "I'm excited to work with our business leaders to ensure that the Kansas Third is best positioned to take advantage of these successes, and that we are continuing to work on important issues like workforce and inflation."

"With companies moving into the area, such as Panasonic North America, needing thousands of skilled workers, KCKCC is collaborating with other regional community colleges and high school technology centers to create customized curriculums to meet specific industry needs. And students who complete our new Automation Engineering Technology program, supported with the assistance of Representative Davids, will start at wages around $70,000 – $80,000 per year, and can be making more than $100,000 per year in less than five years," said Dr. Greg Mosier, President of Kansas City Kansas Community College. "Today's manufacturing is not the manufacturing of the past and companies need hundreds of skilled technicians to work with highly technical, precision equipment and KCKCC is proud to be part of the solution to filling these workforce needs."

"Panasonic coming to De Soto is a success for the community and the region. By utilizing the regional transportation infrastructure and investing in additional transit connections to Panasonic, we believe more workers from Wyandotte county and surrounding areas will be able to access those jobs," said Monica Brede, Senior Director of Business Retention & Workforce Solutions, Wyandotte Economic Development Council.

Participants discussed the recently-passed bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, forwhich Davids served as a House negotiator. The new law helps boost domestic manufacturing of advanced materials like semiconductors and invests in workforce development and STEM education to fill those new manufacturing jobs. It also includes support for small- and medium-sized manufacturers, a Davids-led priority to ensure funding is distributed beyond large corporations.

Davids also discussed the bipartisan infrastructure law's impact on supply chains and the rising cost of doing business. The law includes funding for ports, rail, and roads to help unstick supply chains and lower the cost of shipping—including a just-announced investment to speed up movement through America's largest port. Roundtable participants pointed to the Kansas City area's strong logistics and trucking industry as an opportunity to continue growing through these funds.

Along with Davids, roundtable participants included:

• Greg Mosier, Kansas City Kansas Community College President
• Carlos Gomez, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Kansas City President
• Kim Randolph, Heartland Black Chamber of Commerce Founder
• Kristen Storey, International Express Trucking Business Development Manager
• Mindy Rocha, CJ Industries CEO
• Monica Brede, Senior Director of Business Retention & Workforce Solutions, Wyandotte Economic Development Council