More than 465,000 New Jobs Needed in Missouri & Kansas To Revive and Grow the Economy

U.S. Chamber's Campaign for Free Enterprise Heads to the Midwest

KANSAS CITY, MO—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's American Free Enterprise. Dream Big. campaign traveled through the Midwest today, making a stop in Kansas City, Missouri to meet with the state's top legislators and business leaders at the Missouri State Chamber of Commerce's Annual Meeting. As part of the legislative action seminar, campaign officials discussed the need to create 20 million jobs nationwide—more than 444,000 in Missouri and 23,000 in neighboring Kansas—over the next decade to bounce back from the recession and keep the economy strong going forward.

"The people of Missouri and Kansas know firsthand the effects of economic downturn," said Brian Gunderson, managing vice president for the Campaign for Free Enterprise. "They also know that the free enterprise system is the only system capable of turning this economic slump around. We launched the American Free Enterprise. Dream Big. campaign to bring together the millions of Americans who believe in the free enterprise system and want to make it stronger. That's the only way to jumpstart the economy and create jobs for hardworking Americans."

Nationwide, the U.S. Chamber estimates 20 million jobs will be needed in the next decade to keep America competitive—to compensate for the more than 7 million jobs lost in the recession, and 13 million to accommodate new workers entering the workforce. A series of events will take place across the country in the coming months to announce state-by-state job growth goals and to cultivate discussions about how to meet the 20 Million Job Challenge. Plans are also underway to showcase the role of individual business leaders through an online video contest and the DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year award.

The American Free Enterprise. Dream Big. campaign this week also joins the Missouri-based Ewing Marion Kaufman Foundation in celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week, a weeklong celebration that honors innovation and creativity and applauds the millions of entrepreneurs around the world who have taken risks and made dreams come true every day.

"Across this nation and right here in Missouri, entrepreneurship thrives," said Dan Mehan, president and CEO of the Missouri State Chamber of Commerce. "That's because we place the highest value on initiative, hard work, and freedom of choice—in fact, these are the values that built this great nation. We applaud the Kauffman Foundation for their efforts to empower entrepreneurs to dream and to unlock the full potential of the free enterprise system."

For fact sheets on each individual state, please visit:

Missouri Fact Sheet

Kansas Fact Sheet

American Free Enterprise. Dream Big. is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's comprehensive, multiyear campaign to support free enterprise through national advertising; grassroots advocacy; citizen, community, and youth engagement; and research and ideas leadership.

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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