Lauren Underwood: 2026 candidate for the 14th Congressional District
Bio
Office sought: 14th Congressional District
Party: Democrat
City: Naperville
Age: 40
Previous offices held: U.S. Representative, Illinois District 14
Q&A
What is your view on the role of tariffs in the American economy? Do you support the president’s policies on setting tariffs on goods from other countries?
Without a doubt, Donald Trump's tariff policy has been a complete failure, driving up costs for Americans and pushing our economy into a slump. The tariffs have especially hurt our farming communities in Northern Illinois: higher business costs, higher taxes on fertilizer and seeds, and the loss of export markets because of retaliatory tariffs from China and Canada.
Tariffs are taxes, and Article I of the U.S. Constitution gives the Congress the authority to levy taxes. It is disgraceful that Speaker Mike Johnson has completely neutered the 119th Congress, preventing it from exercising this constitutional responsibility in the face of such a catastrophic economic policy. Trump's unlawful tariffs must be repealed immediately.
As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I’ve secured funding increases for trade promotion and enforcement agencies and offices, giving them the resources and authority to pursue foreign actors abusing U.S. trade policies. With diplomacy and thoughtfully deploying tools like tariffs, only when they protect American workers, we can restore our global standing and advance our economic and foreign policy goals.
What should Congress do to protect Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid? Will Congress act in time to prevent significant cuts in Social Security benefits?
When Democrats win back the House majority in November, we will need to act swiftly to restore the promise of Social Security benefits for America’s seniors and reverse the Medicare cuts enacted by the Republicans’ Big Ugly Bill.
I support legislation like Social Security 2100 to expand benefits for current retirees and protect the program for future generations. And because women deserve the same economic opportunity as men throughout their lifetimes, including retirement, I introduced the Women’s Retirement Protection Act (H.R. 5060).
In 2024, I was proud to vote for the Social Security Fairness Act to increase benefits for many retired public servants (like teachers and firefighters) and their spouses—helping an estimated 3.2 million seniors.
We must strengthen and expand Medicare. That begins by reversing the $500 billion cut in the Big Ugly Bill. We can also expand Medicare to cover hearing, dental, and vision care. We must also increase the number of medications subject to price negotiations. And finally, significant reforms are needed to Medicare Advantage - the prior authorizations are not only cumbersome but can delay necessary life-saving medical care.
How do you rate the state of health care in America? In particular, what are your views on the Affordable Care Act and the concept of Medicare for All?
I believe that health care is a human right. As a registered nurse, ensuring all Americans can access affordable health care has been my life’s work. My biggest priority is passing my Health Care Affordability Act, legislation that makes the Affordable Care Act tax credits permanent and makes health care coverage affordable for Illinois families. Under these tax credits, 4 in 5 Americans could purchase high-quality health care coverage for $10 or less per month. Thanks to these tax credits, more than 24 million people signed up for coverage - including nearly 466,000 Illinoisans.
Since the ACA tax credits expired this year, health care coverage losses have been staggering. The Trump Administration is even encouraging health insurance companies to offer customers loans because many can’t afford premiums that have doubled or tripled.
We have seen bipartisan agreement that these tax credits must be extended. If the ACA tax credits are not addressed in an end-of-year package, we will file the Health Care Affordability Act and work to pass it in the first days of a Democratic Congress.
How would you describe the working relationships in the U.S. House today? What can be done to promote more effective government in Congress, and what will you do personally to work toward this goal?
The U.S. House of Representatives is an intergenerational workplace that requires a robust understanding of personalities, backgrounds, and relationships. I was first elected to Congress at age 32, becoming the youngest Black woman ever to serve. As a millennial and woman of color, I couldn't always connect with colleagues who shared my background or experiences. Instead, I learned to build bipartisan coalitions with my colleagues based on shared values and policy goals. These relationships have paid off—I have now had 19 pieces of legislation signed into law under both President Trump and President Biden.
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, our election infrastructure is secure and fair. I call on my opponent, who believed and amplified Trump’s Big Lie and still, to this day, promotes the falsehood that Trump won the 2020 election, to do the same.
If elected, what will you do to help make Congress more effective?
Democrats must flip the House of Representatives. Under our leadership, Congress will resume its role as a separate co-equal branch of government, as outlined in Article I of the Constitution. We will pursue an agenda focused on affordability and accountability.
To truly fix the Congress, we need to reclaim the power of the purse -specifically by reaffirming that presidents are required to spend all congressionally authorized funds. Similarly, we need to crack down on presidents' use of private funding for government projects so that they cannot bypass the appropriations process or accept donations from those who pose potential conflicts of interest.