{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/14-davids-community-project-requests-included-fy26-budget-bills", "14 Davids\u2019 Community Project Requests Included in FY26 Budget Bills", "2025-08-13", "2025", "2025-08", "Democrat", "House", "KS", "Sharice Davids", "D000629", "davids.house.gov", "davids", "https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Today, Representative Sharice Davids announced that 14 community projects she submitted from Kansas\u2019 Third District have been included in the Fiscal Year 2026 U.S. House Appropriations Committee bills. These locally driven requests \u2014 totaling $11,857,146 \u2014 focus on rebuilding aging roads and bridges, strengthening public safety and law enforcement response, expanding water access during extreme weather, and addressing other urgent community needs.\n\n\u201cMy job is to be a voice for Kansas\u2019 Third District in Washington and make sure our community\u2019s priorities are front and center,\u201d said Davids. \u201cThese projects, developed in partnership with local leaders, will strengthen our communities by improving road safety, ensuring cleaner water, enhancing public safety, and driving economic growth. I\u2019ve always fought for smart, fiscally responsible investments \u2014 and these initiatives reflect that commitment while making a meaningful difference for Kansans.\u201d\n\nThese projects still must pass the House and Senate before being sent to the President to be signed into law. Davids is urging bipartisan cooperation to keep the government open this fall and ensure this critical taxpayer funding makes it back to Kansas. She emphasizes that the only way to achieve this is for both parties to come together to deliver real results for Kansas families.\n\nEach of the 14 Davids-requested projects was submitted in tandem with local officials and selected for their potential to improve health and safety in the community and bring economic opportunity to the Third District. Appropriations requests are subject to strict transparency and accountability rules, which can be found here.\n\nRead more about how each project will improve lives in our community here or below:\n\nRoads and Bridges\n\nKansas Avenue Bridge Project ($1,200,000): To reconnect the Kansas City region and connect the urban freight corridor crucial to the many local industrial and manufacturing businesses in the Kansas City metropolitan region.\n\nSpring Hill Intersection Improvements ($850,000): To construct a safety upgrade and modernization for the intersection of US Highway 169 and 191st Street to provide safety improvements for motor vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists.\n\nPublic Safety\n\nOverland Park Police Department (OPPD) Body Camera Replacement ($1,031,000): To purchase body cameras for all OPPD officers and improve video systems to increase safety, transparency, and trust.\n\nNew Century AirCenter Air Traffic Control Tower ($2,000,000): To build a new, safer air traffic control tower, replacing an operationally obsolete tower, making flights safer and more efficient.\n\nOverland Park Street Signal Replacement ($1,300,000): To replace the traffic signal and sidewalk at Metcalf Avenue and I-435 westbound, Metcalf Avenue and I-435 eastbound, and Metcalf Avenue and 110th Street.\n\nWater\n\nBonner Springs Sewage ($1,092,000): To build new sewer lines to prevent overflows, as the current system is already at capacity, and better serve the 3,500 residents and local businesses.\n\nOlathe Sewer Rehabilitation ($884,466): To replace old, worn-out sewer pipes and manholes in Olathe to prevent leaks and protect the health and safety of Kansas families.\n\nPrinceton Stormwater Improvements ($610,680): To improve Princeton\u2019s storm drainage system to prevent flooding and support future business and job growth in the area.\n\nEducation\n\nK-State Olathe Manufacturing Equipment ($1,039,000): To buy lab equipment so students can train for high-tech, good-paying supply chain research and advanced manufacturing jobs as domestic manufacturing grows in Kansas City.\n\nEnergy and Utilities\n\nBPU Electric Grid System Improvements ($250,000): To construct three additional feeders from the new Rosedale Substation to the University of Kansas Medical Center campus.\n\nJohnson County Building Security Upgrades ($850,000): To modernize county building security panel access systems. By modernizing existing security technology, this project enhances security for all citizens, public employees, and elected officials throughout the system of county buildings.\n\nPublic Spaces\n\nOsawatomie John Brown Park Refurbishment ($250,000): To refurbish aged infrastructure and allow space for improved public engagement and historical education opportunities.\n\nPrairie Village Municipal Complex Modernization ($250,000): To upgrade driveways, sidewalks and curbs, underground retention, drainage pipes, fencing, pavement markings, landscaping, retaining walls, covered carports, and utilities.\n\nUG Mount Marty Park Refurbishment ($250,000): To update park wayfinding signage, lighting, resurfacing of the roadway into Marty Park, trail work, structural repairs, sidewalk installation, and landscaping.\n\nWhat they are saying:\n\n\u201cReliable infrastructure is the foundation of strong communities, and this funding brings us one step closer to strengthening our resilience as an electric utility,\u201d said Jeremy Ash, General Manager, Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (BPU). \u201cWe\u2019re grateful to Rep. Davids for championing public power and investing in tools that help us serve Wyandotte County where they need it the most with safety, reliability, and care.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe applaud Representative Davids\u2019 continued appreciation of the importance of maintaining our sewer system,\u201d said John Bacon, Mayor, City of Olathe. \u201cHelping return some of our federal tax dollars allows us to best meet this fundamental responsibility, and it makes a difference to all of Olathe.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe City of Princeton appreciates the efforts of Representative Davids to help our small community,\u201d said Paul Bean, Executive Director, Franklin County Development Council. \u201cInfrastructure is an ongoing challenge for small rural communities and federal assistance is needed.\u201d\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the Unified Government, I want to thank Congresswoman Sharice Davids for delivering critically needed federal funding to our community,\u201d said Tyrone Garner, Mayor, Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. \u201cI, alongside local officials, strongly advocated for the needs of our residents. The planning and design of the Kansas Avenue Bridge repair and the refurbishment of Mount Marty Park are essential to the safety, connectivity, and quality of life in Wyandotte County. We are deeply grateful for this results-driven collaboration.\u201d\n\n\u201cNew Century AirCenter contributes $1.1 billion annually to the local and regional economy,\u201d said Mike Kelly, Chairman, Johnson County Board of County Commissioners. \u201cUpgrading the Air Traffic Control Tower is essential to maintaining the safety, efficiency, and economic value the airport brings to Johnson County and the entire region. We appreciate Rep. Davids\u2019 support for this vital infrastructure investment.\u201d\n\n\"Upgrades at 191st Street and US 169/K-7 will improve safety for daily commuters and prepare the intersection for the growth ahead along the K-7 corridor,\u201d said Lane Massey, City Administrator, City of Spring Hill.\u201cRep. Davids has visited the site with us, taking time to learn about our community and the regional impact of this project. We\u2019re grateful for her advocacy in seeking federal support for this costly, high-priority project that meets Spring Hill\u2019s needs while advancing connectivity across the metro.\"\n\n\u201cWe appreciate Representative Davids' support for our municipal civic center improvement,\u201d said Eric Mikkelson, Mayor, City of Prairie Village. \u201cThis significant Prairie Village project addresses aging and failing infrastructure, provides improved working conditions for police and city staff, and creates adequate space for public meetings and future growth. By planning ahead, we will ensure that we have a functional, modern facility to benefit current residents and future generations.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T14:57:50Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/14-davids-community-project-requests-included-fy26-budget-bills"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3468998949974775, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}