Congresswoman Lauren Underwood serves Illinois’ 14th Congressional District and was sworn into the 116th U.S. Congress on January 3, 2019. Congresswoman Underwood is the first woman, the first person of color, and the first millennial to represent her community in Congress. She is also the youngest African American woman to serve in the United States House of Representatives.
"Protecting the environment is essential for our community's health and quality of life. Our kids are counting on us to leave them a world with clean water to drink and clean air to breathe. And the longer we wait to tackle climate change head-on, the more severe the economic and environmental consequences will be."
The science is clear: we are on an alarming trajectory in which our climate is changing, presenting an existential threat to our environment, our national security, our health, and our economy. Congress has a responsibility to address these consequences. Congresswoman Underwood supports a comprehensive approach to energy policy that expands investment and deployment of renewable energy products and public transportation. As one of our most critical public health agencies, she is an advocate for a fully funded and appropriately staffed Environmental Protection Agency with the authority to regulate, monitor, and enforce clean air and water standards, and other safeguards to that protect public health. She is supportive of policies that promote clean energy solutions, support good-paying American jobs, and maintain national security. She is also focused on protecting Illinois and the Great Lakes region from invasive species and other environmental threats and supports conservation policies that preserve America's national treasures—our beautiful wildlife and public lands—for generations to come.
Congresswoman Underwood has introduced H.R. 3819, the Climate and Health Protection Act, to help state and local governments prepare for the public health impacts of climate change. You can learn more about this legislation here (link to one-pager).
Illinois' 14th Congressional district has seen unprecedented flooding over the past years and due to climate change, we can only expect things to get worse. Flooding has caused millions of dollars in damage to businesses, homes, farms, and infrastructure. Congresswoman Underwood is committed to supporting our communities as they rebuild and recover from flooding and finding long-term solutions to the issue.
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"Every child deserves a high-quality education at safe and supportive schools. Teachers and administrators deserve to have the resources they need to educate the next generation, and parents deserve the security of knowing their schools are preparing their children for a successful future."
Every child in Illinois's 14th District deserves a high-quality education. Congresswoman Underwood serves on the House Committee on Education and Labor and knows that continued investment in our public schools will pay off for our kids. She is proud that her district is home to the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, and has seen firsthand how important it is to expand educational opportunities in STEM fields, and especially encourage women and girls to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Congresswoman Underwood is a proud cosponsor of H.R. 865, the Rebuilding America's Schools Act of 2019, which would invest more than $100 billion in our nation's public schools to help address critical physical and digital infrastructure needs. You can learn more about this important legislation here.
We must also provide teachers and administrators with the resources they need to educate the next generation. Congresswoman Underwood has helped introduce legislation, H.R. 3108, the Teachers are Leaders Act, which would expand professional development and leadership growth opportunities to help retain teachers and boost student achievement.
Congresswoman Underwood has heard from countless families in her district about the student loan crisis. On the Education and Labor Committee, she is working to help make college more affordable, expand access to community college, and provide relief for those struggling with student loan debt. She is working hard to hold the Administration, including Secretary DeVos accountable for the education students deserve.
"Gun violence is a public health epidemic. Workers should not fear for their lives at work, and every person deserves to go into a house of worship without fearing violence, and our kids should be able to feel safe at school. Addressing gun violence with meaningful action is a moral obligation that is long overdue."
Congresswoman Underwood believes that gun violence prevention is a public health issue, and that Congress must respond accordingly with data-driven, evidence-based policies. Less than two months after Congresswoman Underwood took office, five people were killed and six were wounded by a mass shooter in the 14th District. That tragedy in a workplace in Aurora took place just one day after the eleven-year anniversary of another mass shooting at Northern Illinois University.
Congresswoman Underwood vowed to never forget the law enforcement and first responders who rushed toward the violence, undoubtedly saving countless lives, and honors the victims with action. Eleven days after the shooting, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019 (H.R. 8), legislation co-sponsored by Congresswoman Underwood that requires a background check on every gun sale or transfer, including unlicensed gun dealers, with limited exceptions for family gifts, hunting and target shooting, and self-defense.
Congresswoman Underwood supports universal background checks for all gun sales to ensure that criminals don't have access to dangerous weapons. She supports efforts to limit access to guns for domestic abusers, stalkers, and others with existing legal actions regarding threats of violence, and because over half of gun deaths are suicides, she is fighting for policies that improve access to suicide prevention services and mental health care. She is also working to remove roadblocks to federal funding of research into how to best prevent gun violence.
Congresswoman Underwood is a member of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force.
"As a nurse, I have always considered access to quality, affordable health care fundamental to my practice. I carry this with me in Congress and I consider protecting access to care for people with pre-existing conditions and making health care and prescription drugs more affordable among my most essential priorities."
Congresswoman Underwood believes all Americans should have high-quality, affordable health care. In Congress, she is focused on protecting people with pre-existing conditions, lowering health insurance premiums and drug prices, and expanding access to mental health care.
One of her very first bills, H.R. 1010, protects patients by banning "junk" insurance plans that don't have to cover pre-existing conditions or health benefits people rely on like hospital services, maternity care, or prescription drugs. This bill was passed by the House of Representatives on May 16, 2019, and is awaiting consideration by the Senate. Congresswoman Underwood has also passed legislation to protect people with pre-existing conditions, allow people up to 26 years old to stay on their parents' health insurance, and help make quality health care more affordable.
She has also introduced the Health Care Affordability Act (H.R. 1868), which would ensure that no one who buys insurance on their own has to pay more than 8.5 percent of their income for health insurance premiums. This would reduce premiums by hundreds or thousands of dollars for more than 17,000 people in Illinois's 14th Congressional District and make lower-cost options available to 22,000 uninsured people in the district.
Congresswoman Underwood believes women should have access to the full spectrum of reproductive health care options. She supports investing in nursing, mental health, and other providers to increase access to care.
Congresswoman Underwood is focused on retirement security, so that seniors who worked hard their whole lives have the comfortable and dignified retirement they have earned. She supports improving Social Security benefits and strengthening the program through the Social Security 2100 Act (H.R. 860), which is the most important source of retirement income for 4 out of 5 seniors. She introduced H.R. 2005, the Women's Retirement Protection Act, which would extend critical protections to women's retirement security and ensure women can better prepare for retirement.
For more information concerning work and views related to Health Care & Social Security, please contact our office.
"My most important job is keeping our community and our country safe and doing so in a way that reflects American values, not fear and hate."
As a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, maintaining the safety and security of Illinois communities is Congresswoman Underwood's number one priority. On the Homeland Appropriations Subcommittee, she brings her background in emergency response and preparedness to help protect America from natural disasters and emerging threats in the areas of cybersecurity and bioterrorism.
Congresswoman Underwood has introduced bipartisan legislation, H.R. 3526, the Counter Terror Network Act, to strengthen U.S. border security and counterterrorism efforts.
Congresswoman Underwood believes in fixing our nation's broken immigration system with policies that protect American jobs and communities while aligning with our moral values. She has traveled to the U.S.–Mexico border multiple times to observe and provide oversight of the inhumane, unacceptable humanitarian crisis, and strongly opposes to the Administration's family separation policy.
In response to what she learned at the border, Congresswoman Underwood introduced the U.S. Border Patrol Medical Screening and Standards Act (H.R. 3525) to ensure migrants apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border are appropriately and consistently screened for treatable conditions. Furthermore, H.R. 3525 instructs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish an electronic health record (EHR) system to streamline the medical screening process and to allow medical information to be easily shared across all DHS components.
Sign up for Congresswoman Underwood's updates on these issues and more here. You can also share your views with Congresswoman Underwood by emailing her here.
"Economic security and opportunity are at the heart of my agenda in Congress. Whether it's protecting access to health care, investing in local infrastructure, supporting our small business community, or improving our schools and universities, ensuring people in our district have the tools they need to live fulfilling lives is my highest priority."
Congresswoman Underwood's legislative agenda is centered on economic security and opportunity for the working families of the 14th District. She demonstrates this commitment by championing legislation to undo the damage done by the 2017 Republican tax law, specifically by allowing middle class taxpayers to avoid double taxation by deducting the amounts paid for state and local taxes (SALT) against their federal taxable income.
Congresswoman Underwood supports a broad approach to job creation and introduced legislation that would reduce health insurance premiums for people who purchase health care on their own, providing more people the flexibility to start their own businesses. She advocates for strategic investments in local transportation infrastructure, from highways to Metra commuter rail, to make the 14th a more convenient place to live and to stimulate job growth.
Congresswoman Underwood also champions legislation to increase federal funding for biomedical and scientific research, which supports Illinois' Technology and Research Corridor and tens of thousands of high-paying 21st Century jobs in our communities.
"Illinois families deserve safe roads and bridges and good paying jobs. We need to invest in 21st century infrastructure that makes critically needed improvements and spurs economic activity."
The 14th District needs federal, state, and local support to build, maintain, and improve infrastructure in a way that meets the demands of the 21st century. Congresswoman Underwood supports expanding Metra commuter rail in DeKalb and Kendall counties, increasing broadband access in rural parts of the 14th District including McHenry County, rehabbing our deteriorating water infrastructure, and improving our roads and bridges. These investments will expand economic and educational opportunities and create jobs.
Congresswoman Underwood has testified on northern Illinois infrastructure priorities in front of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. In Congress, she serves on the Rural Broadband Task Force.
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"Veterans and servicemembers sacrifice to ensure all Americans have a chance to thrive, and I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to serve them by improving their quality of life, economic opportunity, and health care through my work on the Veterans' Affairs Committee."
Veterans and servicemembers honor our country with the highest form of service, and fighting to improve their lives is a top priority for Rep. Underwood. As a Member of the Veterans' Affairs Committee, she is focused on improving veterans' health care, especially mental health services and women's health services, as women are the fastest growing veteran population. She has introduced legislation, the Veterans' Care Quality Transparency Act, to ensure that veterans who receive mental health care and suicide prevention services through the Veterans' Health Administration are receiving high-quality, effective care. This legislation passed unanimously in May 2019.
If you are a veteran living in the 14th Congressional District and would like help accessing services or care, please call the Congresswoman's Office at 630-549-2190. If you are a veteran who needs immediate assistance call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1 to talk to a mental health professional.
Sign up for Congresswoman Underwood's updates on these issues and more here. You can also share your views with Congresswoman Underwood by emailing her here.
Congresswoman Lauren Underwood's Leadership in Times of Crisis: A Comprehensive COVID-19 Strategy
A Comprehensive Plan to Stop the Spread of the Coronavirus: As a registered nurse, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood knows that to contain COVID-19, save lives, and get back to normal, we need to follow the science. Since the onset of the pandemic, Underwood has listened to our nation’s medical and public health experts, taking the lead to advance policies that will stop the spread of the coronavirus. To safely reopen our society, we must:
Protecting Lives and Livelihoods in Our Community: COVID-19 is a once-in-a-century health crisis that has touched every aspect of our lives. Some of our neighbors have been hit the hardest, and that’s why Underwood is fighting to make sure everyone in the 14th District gets the support they need during this pandemic:
