Name: Lauren Underwood

What office are you seeking: U.S. House of Representatives, IL-14

What is your political party? Democrat

What is your current age? 39

Occupation and employer: U.S. Representative, IL-14

What offices, if any, have you previously held? U.S. House of Representatives, IL-14

City: Naperville

Campaign website: underwoodforcongress.com/

Education: Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Michigan

Master of Science in Nursing from Johns Hopkins University

Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University

Community involvement:

Marital status/Immediate family: N/A

What are the biggest factors driving the cost of living for Illinois families, and what specifically would you do in Congress to make housing, food, health care and other necessities more affordable?

I am fighting for an affordable America that lowers the cost of housing, gas, groceries, health care, and child care for working families. As Donald Trump has spent the last 20 months advancing one failed economic policy after another, I have been clear that the war in Iran must end, allowing for a normalization of shipping throughout the Strait of Hormuz and stabilizing the supply and cost of fuel, oil, and fertilizer. This would mean lower gas prices at the pump and, at the same time, much-needed relief for farmers and rural communities this upcoming harvest season.

Reversing the Trump Tariffs would also lower costs for working families, specifically lowering the rising costs of groceries and goods. With a Democratic majority, we can assert our Article 1 constitutional authority over tariffs and taxes, and I look forward to voting to reverse, block, and refund the disastrous Trump Tariffs.

Similarly, I support reversing the cuts made to SNAP, a critical food program that feeds hungry people across our community, including thousands of children and seniors. Because I believe that health care is a human right, I also support reversing the health care cuts that Trump and the Republicans in Congress enacted in their Big Ugly Bill. Taking $1 trillion out of Medicaid, $500 billion out of Medicare, and letting the popular Affordable Care Act tax credits expire has been a complete disaster for families across northern Illinois. Local hospitals are already closing essential units like pediatrics and labor and delivery, and with these deep funding cuts scheduled to take effect in January, we can expect more closures. We know our fragile long-term care infrastructure will also be gutted by these Medicare and Medicaid cuts -- with Illinois set to experience the largest number of nursing home closures in the country.

Supporting working families also means making sure that families can access affordable child care. I have voted for legislation that would cap out-of-pocket child care costs at 7% of a family’s income, while also investing in growing our early childhood education workforce.

Finally, tackling the affordability crisis also means addressing rising housing costs across northern Illinois. Rent and home prices have 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 buy homes, and reform how property taxes are deducted from federal taxes.

These common-sense actions -- restoring access to food assistance and life-saving healthcare, helping families afford rent and down payments to buy a home, and ensuring affordable childcare across IL-14 -- can all be paid for by making corporations and the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share. Tax reform should put working families and small businesses first, and ending the Big Ugly Bill’s tax giveaways to billionaires will provide the revenue Illinois families need for greater economic security.

What role, if any, should the federal government play in regulating artificial intelligence?

The federal government must act quickly to regulate artificial intelligence and protect the safety and security of the American people. Strict, mandatory guardrails must be put in place to address issues like data privacy, deepfakes, disinformation, utility affordability, environmental impacts, transparency, copyright, and intellectual property.

Given the enormous present and projected economic impact of artificial intelligence -- including how Wall Street is deeply invested in AI and related tech companies, the potential for mass unemployment across many sectors and industries, and more -- I believe everyday Americans must benefit financially from AI growth, and that the financial benefits cannot be limited to the elite tech CEOs.

What federal funding priorities would you advocate for this district, including infrastructure needs like roads, As artificial intelligence and other technologies drive demand for new data centers, how should policymakers balance the economic and technological benefits of these facilities with their impact on local communities, energy prices and the electric grid? What role, if any, should the federal government play in regulating or encouraging data center development?, broadband, and transit?

Investing in infrastructure has been a priority throughout my time in Congress, and I have secured hundreds of millions of federal dollars to rebuild roads, bridges, broadband, railways, and airports across our region. I support expanding transit like Metra commuter rail stops in DeKalb and Kendall Counties, and I will continue to prioritize improving our drinking water infrastructure as several communities undergo major projects to bring Lake Michigan water into IL-14. My congressional office has extensively funded infrastructure projects including:

• Water main replacements, water tower upgrades, construction of water receiving stations, and water pipe replacements in several communities across our district;
• The construction of a new Fire & Ambulance station in Ottawa, IL.
• Updates and improvements made to fencing, runways, and staging areas at both the DeKalb and Joliet regional airports.
• Investments in electric buses for both the Plainfield and Aurora PACE bus systems to grow their fleets and serve our community.

Recognizing the rapid growth of data centers across our community, I recently introduced a bill to address resident concerns around utilities and affordability: the Data Center Water and Transparency Act. This bill would require disclosures of water and energy consumption and costs to the local communities where data centers are to be located. This would give local leaders and residents clear data on local resource strains and utility cost impacts, helping them to make informed decisions about what’s best for their communities.

I also support legislation like the Power for the People Act, which would require data centers to pay for any power line or electric grid upgrades instead of passing the cost on to consumers, and the Stopping Hikes in Electricity from Large Load Demands (SHIELD) Act to incentivize data centers to use zero-emission electricity and energy-efficient measures.

The federal government must continue to fund and regulate infrastructure investment for the health and well-being of all Americans, improve our quality of life and public safety, and create more good-paying union jobs.

What role should the federal government play in promoting childhood vaccination, addressing vaccine hesitancy and responding to outbreaks?

Vaccines are safe and effective and essential to public health, helping keep all of us healthy. The misinformation and disinformation that is being spread by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Trump Administration is causing irreparable damage to our public health, safety, and security.

Policies that discourage vaccination place the health of children, seniors, pregnant women, and vulnerable populations at risk. RFK Jr. is the number one public health threat in our country. He has limited the country’s access to key public health measures, spread misinformation, and ostracized scientists and key public health experts. He has turned our federal agencies - once recognized as the very best in the world for public health research and communications - into an arm of his MAHA movement.

Our public health infrastructure is significantly weakened, our food safety system is in shambles, and anyone can plainly see that we are not prepared for another pandemic. RFK Jr. has disgraced the office he holds and should resign.

What is your view of the federal government’s role in food safety, and would you support changes to how these agencies are funded or how the food supply is regulated?

The federal government must protect public health by ensuring our nation’s food supply is safe. This critical work must remain rooted in science and public health principles, and it should be expanded to restore trust in the safety of the food people put on their kitchen tables each day.

In Congress, I serve on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Related Agencies, and I have consistently voted to keep the FDA and the United States Department of Agriculture fully funded and operational to maintain food safety inspections and prevent public health epidemics.

The American people have witnessed the harm that RFK Jr. has caused to the safety of our food in this country – we had 26 food-related FDA-issued recalls just this past August. Secretary Kennedy is unfit to serve and should be removed from his position.

What should the federal government’s priorities be when it comes to immigration enforcement, detention centers and what limits, if any, should Congress place on how ICE operates?

Immigrants have been vital to America’s cultural fabric and economic success since our nation’s founding. Our policies must honor and recognize the value and dignity of all of our immigrant communities, and I strongly condemn the divisive rhetoric and cruel, violent anti-immigrant policies that have become commonplace under the Trump Administration.

Donald Trump is using immigration to divide us -- mass deportations, ineffective border walls, and unspeakable cruelty are not a comprehensive solution. We need comprehensive immigration reform that grows our economy, benefits working families, and reflects our values as Americans. Specifically, comprehensive immigration reform must include pathways to citizenship and permanent legal protections for those on DACA.

Instead, we have an Administration that has weaponized immigration enforcement to target American citizens -- threatening to deploy ICE at polling places, racially profiling black and brown communities, and surveilling everyday Americans as we drive to work and school.

The American people have had enough. We will not tolerate immigration enforcement that lies about their actions; strips us of our constitutional rights; breaks the law; invades our cities, bringing extensive surveillance and violence to our neighborhoods; terrifyingly snatches people at schools, churches, and hospitals; and kills US citizens.

All immigration funding from the Big Ugly Bill must be clawed back, including the $75 billion to ICE for more agents, more detention, and more surveillance tools for them to track immigrants and U.S. citizens; the $65 billion for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to conduct more interior enforcement as we saw during Operation Midway Blitz; and the $10 billion for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to use as an unrestricted slush fund. All immigration funding from their second reconciliation bill must also be rescinded, including the additional $70 billion for ICE, CBP, and DHS.

I have made it a point to conduct oversight visits to DHS facilities every Congress, including border patrol stations, CBP processing centers, and ICE detention facilities. Detention conditions should reflect our values as Americans, including access to attorneys and qualified medical professionals. Detention centers should not operate for profit. Detention centers should not be inaccessible black boxes, where people disappear or are unreachable by their loved ones. Detainees certainly should never die in ICE custody -- and this year has been the deadliest on record. This spring, ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons resigned hours after my questioning about deaths in custody.

It is clear that our federal immigration enforcement system is broken. I do not support any additional funding for federal immigration enforcement (including ICE, CBP, Border Patrol, and Homeland Security Investigations) until meaningful, fundamental reforms are enacted. These agencies are completely out of control and betray the important work of keeping our country safe and securing our borders.

What is your view of current U.S. tariff and trade policy, and what approach would you support going forward?

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. Donald Trump then announced an increase in beef imports from Argentina instead of prioritizing U.S. cattle ranchers and dairy farmers. UNBELIEVABLE!

Tariffs are taxes, and Article I of the U.S. Constitution gives the Congress the authority to levy taxes. It is disgraceful the way Speaker Mike Johnson has completely neutered the 119th Congress 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, such as USTR, so they have the resources and authority to pursue foreign actors abusing U.S. trade policies. I also support significant, consistent federal investment in U.S.-based manufacturing and technology development to ensure the U.S. auto sector can compete globally. The US doesn’t need to be a bully on the world stage. 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 changes, if any, would you support to put Social Security and Medicare on a sustainable path while protecting current beneficiaries?

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.

I support legislation like Social Security 2100 to expand benefits for current retirees and protect the program for future generations. This legislation would increase monthly payments for seniors by requiring the highest-income earners to pay their fair share into Social Security. 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), which would help address the retirement gap and strengthen women’s financial security.

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.

President Trump pledged no cuts to Social Security, but we’ve now seen layoffs throughout the Social Security Administration and the closing of field offices—meaning delays and disruptions for our seniors. I cosponsored the Keeping Our Field Offices Open Act to block the Trump Administration from closing SSA field offices until January 2029.

These are the types of Social Security improvements that I support. Sadly, my opponent calls Social Security a “Ponzi scheme” and would rather dismantle this critical program.

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 significant reforms are needed to Medicare Advantage - the prior authorizations are not only cumbersome but can delay necessary life-saving medical care.

What ethical and legal standards should apply when a president or members of the president’s family stand to financially benefit from decisions made by the administration?

The pervasive culture of corruption throughout the Trump family has propelled the President’s personal wealth to increase by an estimated $2.2 billion since his second term began. From Barron Trump’s crypto schemes and his father’s pay-to-play Rose Garden dinners to Don Jr. and Eric Trump’s expansive business deals with the Saudis, the Trump family has violated every existing legal and ethical standard. It’s disgraceful. These crooks must be held accountable.

The President of the United States and his family should be held to the VERY highest ethical standard - taking every effort to limit any related business interests and offering proactive, transparent disclosure of any financial benefit. Additionally, it will be important to codify constitutional prohibitions on foreign and domestic emoluments to prevent the President from profiting off foreign influence or public office at the expense of the American people. Finally, the President should be prohibited from accepting, including through a Presidentially owned business, payments from pardon recipients or presidential appointees to prevent corrupt “pay-to-play” schemes.

What changes, if any, would you support to campaign finance, lobbying rules or disclosure requirements?

As Donald Trump continues to govern with an authoritarian mindset, our democracy continues to be weakened by rulings like the disastrous Callais decision from the Supreme Court.

Accordingly, Congress must act to strengthen and protect our democracy by fully restoring the Voting Rights Act. 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. Similarly, DC Statehood is essential, as it would allow full representation in our democracy.

Additionally, Congress must pass campaign finance reform to push big money out of politics and let the voters’ voices be the loudest in our democratic discourse. Corporations, special interests, and wealthy donors have drowned out regular Americans’ voices for far too long. I support a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and rein in dark money in our elections.

What do you believe are the most important issues facing Illinois that are not receiving enough attention in Washington, and what would you make your top priorities if elected?

Elected officials should serve only the American people’s interests. They should not use their positions to enrich themselves. However, too many Illinoisans have lost confidence in their elected officials because of the widespread self-dealing and self-enrichment emblematic of Springfield and Washington. Because of this deeply held belief, I do not own or trade individual stocks. I support a stock trading ban for members of Congress and their spouses that would include cryptocurrencies, betting, and prediction markets. It’s time to get serious about cleaning up corruption, and that must begin in-house.

Do you believe Congress has given up too much power to the presidency, and what would you do to assert or preserve the legislative branch’s role?

Yes, Democrats must flip the House of Representatives and elect Hakeem Jeffries as Speaker of the House. Under his 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 re-affirming 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.

What is the first bill you would file, should you win the election?

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. They proved to be incredibly popular! In 2025, more than 24 million people signed up for coverage - including nearly 466,000 Illinoisans.

Since the ACA tax credits expired, 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 -- after successfully filing a discharge petition in December 2025, the House of Representatives passed my bill to extend the tax credits in January 2026. 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.

Will you accept the result of the election, regardless of the outcome?

Yes. I call on my opponent, who believed Trump’s Big Lie and still, to this day, believes that the 2020 election was stolen, to do the same.

What is your view of US intervention abroad, specifically with regards to Iran, Ukraine and Israel?

The United States has deep national security interests in a stable, peaceful Middle East. Donald Trump disrupted this stability by initiating an unconstitutional war in Iran. So unbelievably reckless. This war in Iran must end, and I have consistently voted for the removal of U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran pursuant to the War Powers Resolution. Similarly, I have opposed any funding increases to support the war.

The violence in Gaza must end. I support the Block the Bombs Act to block weapon sales to Israel. More broadly, 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.

Putin’s unprovoked war against the sovereign nation of Ukraine violates international law and is an ongoing threat to global peace and security. I support America’s continued leadership to defend Ukrainian sovereignty, assist the Ukrainian people in their fight for freedom, and hold Putin accountable. My opponent doesn’t believe we should support Ukraine in their fight against Russia.

What are your top 3 priorities? (Check 3 boxes)

Affordability, Health Care, Corruption