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Dennis Moore, former Congressman, remembered

State officials have released statements after hearing of the death of former Congressman Dennis Moore, D-3rd Dist.

Moore, 75, died Nov. 2 in Overland Park, Kansas. He served in office from 1999 through 2011.

A native of Anthony, Kansas, Moore received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas, and a juris doctor degree from Washburn University School of Law. He served as assistant Kansas attorney general, and he also served as Johnson County district attorney from 1977 to 1989.

Gov. Laura Kelly has ordered flags in Kansas to fly at half-staff from sunup Nov. 3 to sundown Nov. 7 in memory of Congressman Moore.

“I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of Congressman Dennis Moore today,” Gov. Kelly said. “Congressman Moore was a fierce and tenacious advocate for children, first as Johnson County District Attorney and then as a Member of Congress. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Amber Alert system, in Kansas and nationwide.

“A veteran himself, Moore is also remembered for his commitment to our Armed Forces. Following the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, Moore led the effort to raise death gratuity benefits from $12,000 to $100,000 for the families of fallen service members.

“Beyond his policy contributions, Congressman Moore will be remembered by all who knew him as a kind, pragmatic, common-sense leader who cared deeply about the people he represented. My thoughts are with his wife Stephene, their children and grandchildren,” Gov. Kelly said.

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., also released a statement:

“I am very saddened to hear of the passing of Dennis Moore, and my heart goes out to Stephene and his family. Dennis was a dedicated, gracious, and principled leader who will be remembered for his service to the 3rd District and the state of Kansas. To say he left big shoes to fill is an understatement—he leaves a legacy of fighting tirelessly for what is good and right and decent for the people he represented.

“As we mourn his loss, I’m reminded of the first time I met the Moores in person. I brought with me the pocket U.S. Constitution that I had carried with me all through law school—a pocket Constitution with an official label from the Office of Congressman Dennis Moore. After a good laugh about how on Earth I had managed to hold on to it all those years, he offered to sign my copy and gave me advice on my campaign. For his humor, his thoughtfulness, his dedication to public service (and his guitar playing skills): he will be missed.”

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas, this afternoon spoke on the U.S. Senate floor in memory of former Congressman Dennis Moore. To see his video, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LJFs0k9PZs.

Sen. Moran’s office also issued a statement:

“Congressman Dennis Moore, above all, was a kind man. He was a doting father and grandfather, and I am very saddened to learn of his passing. He served six terms on behalf of Kansans, and in our many years of working together I always had the upmost respect for him and the way he served the people of the 3rd District.

“That respect only grew when I witnessed the way he and his wife, Stephene, faced his battle with Alzheimer’s with a determination to use their experience to help others. One area where we always agreed was the need to invest in finding a cure for Alzheimer’s, and in 2014, Dennis shared his experience with this devastating disease in front of my Senate subcommittee. His legacy will be the way in which he gave others battling Alzheimer’s courage and hope.

“Robba and I extend our heartfelt condolences to Stephene and their family.”

Kansas House Democratic Leader Tom Sawyer issued a statement:

“I am saddened to hear of Congressman Dennis Moore’s passing. His work in local, state, and national politics continues to influence the work we do today. As president of the Blue Dog Coalition in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman Moore was at the forefront of change. I’m grateful for his tireless work in Kansas and in Washington. I send my condolences to his family and friends.”

Project Eagle receives $3.4 million grant

Today, during National Head Start Awareness Month, U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., announced the Department of Health and Human Services awarded a renewal of $3,481,376 to the University of Kansas Medical Center Research Institute’s Early Head Start projects, known as Project Eagle.

The renewed funding will be used to prepare vulnerable children in Wyandotte County for life inside and outside of the classroom through programs focusing on early learning, health, and family well-being. Children who participate in Head Start programs receive benefits that appear immediately and last a lifetime, a spokesman stated.

The COVID-19 pandemic greatly impacted the education, health, and nutrition of all young children, but at a disproportionate rate for students of color, the spokesman stated. Head Start programs around the country work daily to emphasize children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.

Project Eagle will use this grant to ensure access to education and health programs for Wyandotte County pregnant women, young children and their families through comprehensive screening and referral services, high quality early childcare, and home visiting programs, the spokesman said.

“The first few years of a child’s life are critical for healthy development, and no one understands that quite like the folks at Project Eagle,” Rep. Davids said. “We are already starting to witness the pandemic’s adverse effects on our children, making these funds more important than ever before to keep them on a path for success. KU Med Center’s work truly improves lives—children who participate in Head Start are healthier, have better social skills, and are more likely to graduate high school and achieve further education. I cannot wait to watch them help even more children with this new funding.”

“This federal support allows us to serve more than 400 children annually, providing essential home visiting services and early childhood education services in our Educare Center to families and children ages 0-5 at no cost to the family,” said Lisa London, director of Project Eagle. “Being a part of the Head Start community and the Educare Early Network provides opportunities for the children and families in Wyandotte County they may not have had access to otherwise.”

In order to curb child poverty and support early childhood development, Rep. Davids also voted for the American Rescue Plan which expanded and improved the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to deliver a new tax cut to middle- and working-class families with children. Not only will the CTC directly impact 77% of the children in the 3rd District, research finds that increasing family incomes has concrete positive outcomes for children, including higher test scores, higher graduation rates, improved health outcomes, lower rates of incarceration and higher future earnings, the spokesman stated.

Ground broken on $539 million levee project

Ground was broken on Wednesday for a $539 million levee project to reduce flooding along the Missouri and Kansas rivers. (Photo from U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids’ office)

Ground was broken today on a $539 million levee project that is expected to reduce flooding and improve infrastructure along the Missouri and Kansas rivers in the Kansas City area.

The project is scheduled to be completed in 2026, according to officials.

When finished, the project will improve 17 miles of levees along the Kansas and Missouri rivers, protecting 32 square miles of residential, industrial and commercial areas containing 100,000 jobs, 7,000 structures and $25 billion in investments.

The $529 million project received federal funding through the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. The collaboration of local communities including Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Kaw Valley Drainage District led to the effort to get the funding legislation passed in Congress.

“Bolstering the levee system in Wyandotte County and surrounding communities is critically important,” Mayor David Alvey said. “These improvements have and will protect the safety of persons who live and work near and behind the floodwalls and levee system, protecting homes, businesses, and billions in property and infrastructure. Improving its reliability and resiliency now ensures these systems perform in future flood events, minimizing the impact on life and property. Moreover, levee enhancements can also act as a catalyst to connecting people, providing new bike and hike paths along the river that expand recreation opportunities and improve quality of life in our communities.”

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, vice chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, attended the groundbreaking.

“Kansans and all those who live along the Missouri and Kansas rivers know just how much devastation floods can cause in our communities – and it’s only gotten worse in recent years,” Rep. Davids said. “This new project will invest in our levee infrastructure resulting in safer neighborhoods and new and permanent economic development opportunities for local communities. I am excited for both the immediate and long-term benefits that will follow.”

The Weather Channel has ranked Kansas City the fifth most vulnerable U.S. city to the effects of climate change, particularly flooding. Rep. Davids has advocated for flood safety at the federal level, securing funding for the national levee safety initiative in the FY 2020 appropriations bill and outlining potential solutions to the challenges communities in Kansas are facing in response to extreme weather. Most recently, Rep. Davids, in partnership with local governments, successfully secured the maximum amount of federal funding for the Upper Turkey Creek levee project.

More than 27,000 residents and 2,700 businesses and structures benefit from the reduced risk of potential flooding produced by approximately 32 miles of existing levees and floodwalls along the Kansas and Missouri Rivers in Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri, according to a UG spokesman.

This system of levee units, which protects the safety and economic vitality of the Argentine, Armourdale, and Central Industrial District (CID) levee units, among others, will be further strengthened by improvements that began construction in 2019.

The levee improvements stem from a 1993 flood event during which water crested near the top of many local levees and floodwalls. This highlighted the need to improve flood infrastructure and reduce risk throughout Greater Kansas City, the UG spokesman stated.

Levee improvements already have taken place in three of the seven local levee units: Fairfax-Jersey Creek, North Kansas City and East Bottoms. Additional improvements will be constructed through 2026 in the Argentine, Armourdale and CID levee units.