Lauren Underwood: 2024 candidate for U.S. House 14th District representative
Bio
Party: Democrat
Office Sought: U.S. House 14th District
City: Naperville
Age: 38
Occupation: Registered Nurse, Member of Congress
Previous offices held: U.S. Representative for IL-14 since 2018
What must be done to achieve a consistent national policy on immigration, not just in terms of what such a policy should be but also in terms of getting a policy through the Senate?
Since our America’s founding, immigrants have been vital to our cultural vibrancy and economic success. Our immigration system must honor and recognize the value and dignity of all of our immigrant communities.
This current system is deeply broken – we need comprehensive immigration reform that secures our borders, protects our workers, unites families and offers hardworking immigrants a pathway to citizenship. Comprehensive immigration reform will strengthen and grow our economy, update an asylum program that has been inundated with applicants, and invest in border security solutions that will keep Americans safe from transnational criminal organizations and terrorist threats.
In Congress, I’ve supported bipartisan legislation to protect and provide a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who spent most of their lives in the United States. I voted for bipartisan immigration legislation that modernizes and streamlines our nation’s temporary agricultural program to ensure business across northern Illinois have access to the experienced workers they need so that food prices won’t continue to rise. Undoubtedly bills like the Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Worker Modernization Act will offer relief to families, workers and small business owners across the 14th District. But our immigration policies must work for all of us – and to do that we need to enact comprehensive immigration reforms, like those outlined in the U.S. Citizenship Act, which will improve border security and improve our immigration system, offering clarity, efficiency, and better facilitate trade and commerce.
As of this spring, I serve as the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee. As an appropriator, I have proudly worked with colleagues across the aisle to advance necessary federal funding to secure the border – and we have been able to get these funding bills signed into law, despite the daily chaos of MAGA extremism in the House of Representatives and the complete dysfunction in the United States Senate.
In fact, we have reached bipartisan agreement and secured significant increases in funding to support border security operations every year. Our bipartisan success in appropriations is how I know that it is possible to get comprehensive immigration reform across the finish line – we can do it!
I firmly believe that bipartisan progress is possible – despite the despicable partisan power play initiated by former President Trump and implemented by Speaker Mike Johnson earlier this year. Their actions preventing the advancement of the tough senate bipartisan border security bill reflects the worst of our current political environment. It's inexcusable.
Playing politics with the border, denying the American people the reforms we all know are needed, and underfunding border operations is not leadership. We can and must do better.
Do you believe the nation's election system and those of the individual states are secure and fair? If not, what must be done to improve them?
Yes, elections throughout the United States are secure. In 2016, Illinois voter files were accessed by Russian cyber criminals and since then, the Congress has invested billions of dollars to bolster our election infrastructure.
However, we remain vulnerable to foreign interference from adversaries like Russia, China and Iran, and their associated criminal enterprises, who are running new, increasingly sophisticated influence campaigns seeking to undermine American confidence in our democracy, governmental institutions and our election system. They are aided by former President Trump, who continues to advance dangerous lies that also undermine trust in the fairness of our election system. We must remain clear-eyed about the severity of these threats and resist the attempts by MAGA extremists like Speaker Mike Johnson to cut funding needed by the agencies responsible for security of our elections – agencies like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Election security is an essential component of a healthy democracy. However, to protect our democracy and defend our freedoms, we must fully restore our voting rights. I support the swift passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, two essential bills to restore our voting rights, which continue to be eroded as MAGA extremism, the senate filibuster, dangerous plans like Trump’s Project 2025 stand in the way of a strong and healthy democracy.
What responsibilities does the United States have toward achieving peace in the Middle East? Do you support a two-state solution?
The United States has deep national security interests in a stable, peaceful Middle East. I strongly condemn the brutal attack on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas killed thousands of Israelis and captured hundreds of hostages. My constituents across the 14th District are terrified for loved ones in Gaza and Israel, devastated by the disproportionate effects of this violence on children, and worried about our community being targeted here at home.
In my district, we continue to grieve the death of Wadee Al Fayoumi, the 6-year-old Palestinian American boy who was killed in his home in Plainfield last October. And across northern Illinois, we have seen the unacceptable rise in both antisemitism and islamophobia. Without a doubt, the violence in Gaza has got to stop. I fully support the Biden-Harris Administration as they continue to seek an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza, including the release of all hostages. I support U.S. diplomatic leadership to facilitate permanent peace and security in the region, which will require a two-state solution, including the full realization of freedom and rights for the Palestinian people.
Do you think the United States is providing adequate support for Ukraine? Should the U.S. support Ukraine’s efforts to join NATO?
Putin’s unprovoked war against the sovereign nation of Ukraine violates international law and is an ongoing threat to global peace and security. As a founding member of NATO, the United States must uphold its commitments to the transatlantic alliance. NATO stands above all others as our most important ally. I support America’s continued leadership to defend Ukrainian sovereignty, assist the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom, and hold Putin accountable.
Extreme MAGA Republicans continue to do Putin’s bidding and have jeopardized America’s ability to continue to stand strong in support of the Ukrainian people. It's despicable. Our support for our allies and our commitment to global democracy cannot waver in this moment.
As a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, I have supported security, economic and humanitarian aid for Ukraine, temporary protected status for Ukrainian nationals in the United States, and steep economic sanctions on Russia. I have repeatedly stood strong to block efforts by pro-Putin Republicans in Congress to block assistance to Ukraine.
In February of this year, I joined a Congressional Delegation to the Munich Security Conference to meet with counterparts in the German Bundestag.
Throughout the 3 days of bilateral meetings, panels, and discussions, I emphasized the importance of America’s continued support for our allies in Europe and our commitment to global security and peace. As Putin’s brutal war in Ukraine continues, there is no doubt that authoritarians around the world are taking notes.
I was proud to be part of this delegation to deepen our relationships with other international leaders and reaffirm America’s dedication to our transatlantic partnerships.
How do you perceive the financial health of Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid? To the degree you may see problems with these programs, what should be done about them?
We must protect and defend Social Security and Medicare. These critical earned benefits are the foundation of America’s retirement system. Social Security has allowed generations of Americans to retire with dignity and remains a financial lifeline for seniors across the 14th District. That’s why Trump's Project 2025 is such a betrayal – the former President and his extremist allies in the Congress are trying to cut benefits and raise the retirement age, thereby ending Social Security and Medicare as we know them.
I support legislation like Social Security 2100 to expand benefits for current retirees and protect the program for future generations. This legislation would increase the monthly payments for seniors by requiring the highest income earners to pay their fair share into Social Security.
Importantly the legislation would also eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, two provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for many seniors in our community.
To strengthen Medicare we must expand the list of products eligible for price negotiation. I was so proud to vote for the Inflation Reduction Act – an important new law that allows seniors on Medicare to access life-saving insulin for just $35 a month and finally allows Medicare to negotiate prescription drug costs.
As we continue to lower prescription drug costs for seniors by expanding the list of medications subject to price negotiation, we must also protect seniors from extreme Republican plans to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act and these critically important protections.
Finally, to strengthen Medicaid, I support legislation requiring mandatory year long postpartum coverage for all states. The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any high-income country and significant disparities in outcomes, and since the pandemic, this crisis is getting worse.
But there is hope: the data show that 80% of America’s maternal deaths can be prevented. Year-long postpartum coverage compliments the historic investments in my Momnibus Act, the only legislation in Congress that will comprehensively address America’s maternal health crisis and save moms’ lives.
How do you assess the state of the national economy? What should be done to make it stronger or more stable?
In Congress, I’m focused on lowering costs for families across northern Illinois and working together to grow the middle class.
I am fighting inflation to lower health care costs for working families in northern Illinois. I was proud to write the Health Care Affordability Act which was signed into law in 2021 and saves families an average of $2,400 a year on health care premiums. This policy change means 4 in 5 consumers can find a health care plan for $10 or less per month, and we have recently seen the lowest numbers of uninsured Americans in history!
My commitment to lowering health care costs also extends to prescription drug savings – I voted to cap insulin at $35 a month for seniors and now Medicare can finally negotiate prescription drug costs.
Lowering costs for working families also means we must address the rising costs of housing across northern Illinois. The cost of rent, and purchasing a home has risen out of reach for too many people and I support legislation to increase affordable housing in our community, offer financial incentives and down-payment assistance to purchase homes and reform the way property taxes are deducted from federal taxes.
To grow the middle class, we must advance legislation to address the rising price of childcare, cut taxes for working families by expanding the Child Tax Credit, and finally enact comprehensive paid leave for all workers.
In partnership with the Biden-Harris Administration, I have worked to usher in the fastest economic recovery in history, with unemployment near a record low and we've added nearly 16 million jobs since 2021. Simply having a job is not enough – I understand that we must continue to focus on policies that offer true economic opportunity, policies which will allow more Americans to build wealth and leave a legacy to the generations behind us.
That is why I support student debt cancellation, which has erased over $169 billion for nearly 5 million Americans. I proudly voted for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that has already jump-started hundreds of projects across our community, including those that will increase resilience to climate change and extreme weather, create jobs, and make our communities safer. From road projects like fixing I-55 and I-80 in Joliet, and safety improvements at the DeKalb Municipal Airport, to cleaning up radium pollution in Ottawa, the infrastructure investments are creating good union jobs all across the 14th District.
What personal qualifications do you bring that would make you an effective congressional representative in dealing with the issues the country will face in the next two years?
I have proudly served the 14th District since I was first elected in 2018, and have upheld my commitment to be the most accessible, transparent, and accountable Congresswoman this community has ever seen. From writing 18 bills that have been signed into law under both President Trump and President Biden, hosting dozens of townhall meetings, and securing billions in much needed federal resources, I remain focused on showing up for families across the 14th District, working with my colleagues across the aisle to get things done, and making sure our shared values are heard in the Congress.
As a registered nurse and public health expert, I’m so proud of the great progress we’ve made to lower out of pocket health care costs for families. My legislation lowering the cost of health care coverage was signed into law and thanks to these new tax credits we recently saw the lowest number of uninsured Americans in U.S. history!
I’m committed to standing up for working families and protecting our freedoms – which means I will continue to fight for our full reproductive rights, work to end our nation’s maternal health crisis, and do everything I can to keep our kids safe from gun violence. We must stand strong against extremist agendas like Trump’s Project 2025 which call for a nationwide abortion ban, plus dangerous bans on contraception and fertility services like IVF. And together we will stand up to the gun lobby to pass strict background checks, and finally to help keep assault weapons out of the hands of hateful fanatics.
Together, we have more work to do to reject MAGA extremism and lower costs for working families. I’m working hard to bring down costs, grow the middle class, and defend our fundamental freedoms.