Hi John.

Happy Halloween!

Before everyone gets ready to tick-or-treat later this evening, I wanted to share an update about an exciting economic development that’s headed for the Kansas Third District.

Panasonic announced earlier this summer that they’ll build a new electric vehicle battery plant in De Soto. I was glad to work closely with Governor Kelly, and leaders in both parties like Senator Jerry Moran, to help attract this new $4 billion investment to our region. This facility will help support up to 20,000 new jobs right here in the Kansas Third District.

Panasonic's $4 billion investment is a game changer for our community. But we must make sure our public systems, from housing to education, are ready to support this growth.

That’s why I was glad to check-in with local leaders in De Soto late last week. I’m partnering with them at the federal level so we can better support our communities as we move into this exciting future.

Click here to learn more about how we’re working to prepare for this economic development.

It was great to have a conversation with De Soto Mayor Rick Walker (left) and De Soto City Administrator Mike Brungardt (right). They have put in a lot of hard work to make this project a reality. Now we need to keep preparing for the growth the new battery plant will mean for our community.

The Kansas Department of Commerce estimates this facility will support 20,000 new jobs. These are good-paying jobs at the facility itself, in construction, supplier and community business jobs, and more.

To keep up with this job growth, Johnson County and De Soto must now update and invest in their community’s systems, from education to business to housing to infrastructure. In the U.S. House of Representatives, I’m partnering with local leaders to make sure we are making the right preparations now so we’re ready.

Bringing more manufacturing home to the U.S. is a major priority of mine – particularly as we work to address inflation.

The Panasonic facility is expected to produce lithium-ion batteries for electric automakers, helping lower production costs and boost vehicles' driving range. Panasonic Energy is already the #1 lithium-ion battery supplier in the global market for hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and full-electric vehicles. This project will expand its U.S. capacity and result in an additional $2.5 billion in economic activity per year in Kansas.

This is a terrific example of how we can build a better future – by focusing on bipartisan and concrete solutions to rebuild our economy with more jobs and lower prices. And I am going to keep pushing for further progress, including by voting to pass bipartisan laws like the CHIPS and Science Act that invests in U.S. manufacturing. We have to secure U.S. supply chains and stand up to China to help bring down inflation.

Please feel free to forward this message to anyone you know so they can learn about this great news too.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful Halloween this evening. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

My warmest regards,

Sharice L. Davids
Member of Congress

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