U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) marked Startup Day Across America on Thursday, Aug. 29, by visiting with entrepreneurs and innovators in Kansas City’s

growing Startup Village. As Washington continues to debate the best path to create jobs for Americans, Sen. Moran believes conversations with entrepreneurs on the ground brings a better understanding of the challenges emerging businesses face: an arcane tax code, a burdensome regulatory environment, limited access to capital, and a global battle for talent.

“Building personal relationships with entrepreneurs is especially important for policymakers because our conversations offer insights into the health of our economy that cannot be combed from raw data,” Sen. Moran said. “In today’s new economy, one no longer needs to travel to Silicon Valley to meet those on the front lines of economic growth. The success of startups like those located in Kansas City’s Startup Village lead to technological advancement, economic growth and job opportunities across America. A startup-considerate Congress is apt to produce the smarter policies our country needs and Washington has long been looking for.”

Sen. Moran visited with the owners of the following Startups located in the Kansas City Startup Village: Leap2, Local Ruckus, FormZapper, Handprint, Eye Verify, Squareoffs, Lantern, Traveling Nuker, Rocket Fuel and RFP365.

Since his first trip to SXSW in 2012, Sen. Moran has emerged as a leader on technology and innovation issues in the U.S. Senate as the author of Startup Act 3.0. Startup Act 3.0 creates both Entrepreneur and STEM Visas to allow highly-educated and entrepreneurial immigrants to stay in the United States where their talent and new ideas can fuel economic growth and create American jobs. The legislation also modifies the tax code to encourage investment in new businesses, accelerates the commercialization of university research that can lead to new ventures, and seeks to improve the regulatory process