{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases/part-her-america-250-week-davids-visits-john-brown-park-highlights-federal", "As Part of Her America 250 Week, Davids Visits John Brown Park, Highlights Federal Investments in Kansas History", "2026-06-18", "2026", "2026-06", "Democrat", "House", "KS", "Sharice Davids", "D000629", "davids.house.gov", "davids", "https://davids.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "OSAWATOMIE, KS \u2014 Today, as part of her America 250 Week, Representative Sharice Davids visited John Brown Park in Osawatomie to highlight federal funding she secured to refurbish the site and her ongoing efforts to strengthen Kansas\u2019 history amid cuts from the current administration.\n\n\u201cAmerica 250 is about recognizing the places and stories that shaped our country, and Kansas has played a central role in that history,\u201d said Davids. \u201cJohn Brown Park is tied to the struggle over slavery and civil rights, and it deserves investment and care so future generations of Kansans and tourists can learn from it. I\u2019m proud to have secured federal investments to help restore and improve this space, and I\u2019ll keep fighting to protect Kansas history and the communities that preserve it.\u201d\n\nDuring the visit, Davids toured John Brown Park, a historic site located in Osawatomie that sits on the grounds of the Battle of Osawatomie and serves as a key cultural and recreational destination for the community. She highlighted $3.81 million she secured for infrastructure refurbishment at the park, including improvements to aging streets, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and sewer systems, as well as enhancements to public engagement and historical storytelling spaces. Part of the funding was a joint request with U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS).\n\nDavids also highlighted her work to protect and restore funding for the Freedom\u2019s Frontier National Heritage Area, which spans eastern Kansas and western Missouri and preserves sites tied to the Civil War era and the struggle over slavery and freedom in the region. Last year, Davids and Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO-05) successfully pushed for the release of delayed federal funding for the Heritage Area after concerns that withheld funds were disrupting staffing, preservation work, and educational programming.\n\nIn 2023, Representative Davids, alongside Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Roger Marshall (R-KS), urged the National Park Service (NPS) to assess the feasibility of designating John Brown Park as a national park unit. This is the first step in the federal process for potential National Park System inclusion. If advanced, it could lead to additional surveys by the NPS and subsequent congressional action to establish the site as an official unit of the National Park System.\n\nPartner Quotes:\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the people of Osawatomie, I want to thank Congresswoman Sharice Davids and Senator Jerry Moran for their bipartisan leadership,\u201d said Nick Hampson, Mayor, City of Osawatomie. \u201cThese investments will drive tourism, create economic opportunity, and help us tell our story for generations to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cBleeding Kansas was the crucible where the question of who we are as a nation was first forced into the open,\u201d said Mike Scanlon, John Brown Foundation. \u201cSenator Moran and Congresswoman Davids \u2014 across party lines, much like the unlikely alliances of 1856 \u2014 show Kansas still knows how to lead.\u201d\n\n\u201cInvesting in our region\u2019s past is a bet on its future,\u201d said Lucinda Barnhart Adams, Executive Director, Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area. \u201cBy securing funding for John Brown Memorial Park and Museum, Rep. Davids has strengthened a key Freedom\u2019s Frontier partner site and preserved an important chapter in our nation\u2019s history. This investment will help attract visitors and tourism dollars from across the region and beyond, generating economic benefits that extend far beyond a single destination to communities throughout Freedom\u2019s Frontier.\u201d\n\n\u201cI grew up hearing about John Brown and his legacy that he left for our community,\u201d said George Pretz, Chair, Miami County Commission. \u201cWith the support of Senator Moran and Congresswomen Davids, the John Brown Foundation is carrying this legacy forward for our future generations. Not as a relic but as a living commitment to the ideals that made Kansas free.\u201d", 1, "2026-06-27T21:44:12Z", "2026-06-27T22:11:26Z"]], "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/part-her-america-250-week-davids-visits-john-brown-park-highlights-federal"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5934181865304708, "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"}