Lauren Underwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lauren Underwood
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Official portrait, 2018
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| Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 Serving with Dean Phillips (2023), Veronica Escobar, Lori Trahan
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| Leader | Hakeem Jeffries |
| Preceded by | Debbie Dingell Matt Cartwright Ted Lieu |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 14th district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Randy Hultgren |
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Lauren Ashley Underwood
October 4, 1986 Mayfield Heights, Ohio, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of Michigan (BSN) Johns Hopkins University (MSN, MPH) |
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Lauren Ashley Underwood (born October 4, 1986) is an American politician and a registered nurse. She serves as a U.S. representative for Illinois's 14th congressional district. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Her district includes areas like DeKalb, Joliet, and Oswego.
Lauren grew up in Naperville, Illinois. She studied nursing at the University of Michigan. She also earned two master's degrees from Johns Hopkins University. In 2014, she started working in government. She helped with health policy during the Obama administration.
In 2018, Lauren Underwood was elected to the United States House of Representatives. She became the youngest Black woman to serve in Congress. In 2022, she was chosen as a co-chair of an important House committee. This made her the first Black woman to hold such a leadership role since Shirley Chisholm in the 1970s. A big part of her work in Congress focuses on healthcare. She especially cares about improving health for mothers.
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Early Life and Education
Lauren Underwood was born on October 4, 1986, in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. When she was three, her family moved to Naperville, Illinois. She grew up there and went to Neuqua Valley High School. She graduated in 2004. Lauren was a Girl Scout from kindergarten and is still a member today.
When she was eight, Lauren was diagnosed with a heart condition called supraventricular tachycardia. This health issue later helped her understand why good health policies are so important. From 2003 to 2004, she worked on a housing commission in Naperville.
In 2008, she earned her nursing degree from the University of Michigan. At Michigan, a class on nursing politics greatly influenced her. It made her want to work in healthcare policy. She also joined the sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha. In 2009, she earned two master's degrees from Johns Hopkins University.
Her Career Before Congress
In 2014, Lauren Underwood became a senior advisor. She worked at the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Her job was to help put the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into action. This law aimed to make healthcare more affordable for many Americans.
Starting in 2017, Lauren worked as a Senior Director at Next Level Health. She also taught at the Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Running for Office
2018 Election
In August 2017, Lauren Underwood announced she would run for Congress. She wanted to represent Illinois's 14th congressional district. Her main goals were to improve healthcare, create more jobs, and fix roads and bridges. She also supported paid time off for new parents. In March 2018, she won the Democratic primary election. She received 57% of the votes against six other candidates.
In the main election, Lauren ran against the current Republican representative, Randy Hultgren. During a public debate, Lauren explained why she decided to run. She said it was because Randy Hultgren voted to change the Affordable Care Act. Lauren has a heart condition, which is a "pre-existing condition." This means she had a health issue before getting insurance. She worried that the changes would make it harder for people like her to get affordable healthcare.
Lauren believes that healthcare is a "human right." She won the election on November 6, 2018, with 52.5% of the votes.
Later Elections
Lauren Underwood was reelected in 2020. She won a very close race against state senator Jim Oberweis. In 2022, she ran for reelection again after her district's boundaries changed. She won that election with 54% of the votes. In 2024, she was reelected again.
Her Work in Congress
Lauren Underwood has been very active in Congress. During the presidency of Donald Trump, she voted with Trump's ideas only a small percentage of the time. However, she voted with President Joe Biden's ideas 100% of the time in the 117th Congress.
In her first term, she wrote four bills that became laws. In 2019, Time magazine included her in their "Time 100 Next" list. This list highlights rising leaders.
In 2019, during a meeting about the Department of Homeland Security's budget, Lauren spoke about how migrants were being treated. She said that the way families were separated and children died was "cruel and inhumane." She believed these actions were "a policy choice being made on purpose." Her strong words caused some debate at the meeting.
In the 118th Congress, Lauren Underwood was chosen for an important leadership role. She became a co-chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee. She shares this role with Veronica Escobar and Dean Phillips.
What Committees She Serves On
For the 118th Congress, Lauren Underwood serves on the:
- Committee on Appropriations
- Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Subcommittee on Homeland Security
Groups She Belongs To
Lauren Underwood is also a member of these groups in Congress:
See also
- List of African-American United States representatives
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
