Candidate · November 3, 2026
Lauren Underwood
On the ballot for U.S. House · Illinois's 14th District
- raised through Oct 14, 2026
- $2.8M
- cash on hand
- $1.2M
- issues with public statements
- 12
- outside spending for or against
- $61K
§1On the ballot
Why this matters: This is exactly how the candidate appears on your ballot, from the state's official candidate list.
| Office | U.S. House · Illinois's 14th District1 |
|---|---|
| Party on the ballot | Democratic1 |
| Status | Incumbent — Currently represents Illinois's 14th District in the U.S. House.2 |
| Also on the ballot |
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§2Who they are
Why this matters: Background and experience help you judge how someone might do the job. These come from public records and the candidate's own materials.
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
Her campaign website says Lauren Underwood is a registered nurse and public health expert who worked at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, first as a career civil servant helping implement the Affordable Care Act and then as a senior advisor appointed by President Obama.3 It says she earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Michigan and a master of science in nursing and a master of public health from Johns Hopkins University.3 She was first elected to the U.S. House in 2018, and the site says she serves on the House Appropriations Committee, where she is ranking member of the Homeland Security subcommittee, and co-chairs the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee.3
Service in Congress since 2023
Websites and accounts
- Official websiteunderwood.house.gov2
- X (Twitter)x.com/RepUnderwood4
- Campaign websiteunderwoodforcongress.com5,
6 - Facebookfacebook.com/UnderwoodForCongress6
- X (Twitter)x.com/laurenunderwood6
- Instagraminstagram.com/laurenunderwood6
- YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRt8xXwHsMn6dPtY4J1Tc1g6
§3What they've said on the issues
Why this matters: These are positions the candidate has stated publicly — on their campaign website or in public statements — summarized in plain words with a link to where they said it. Issues they haven't spoken about publicly are left out.
Drafted by AI from the public sources cited. Each sentence links to its source.
Each issue has its own range of views. A position is marked on that range only when the candidate's own statement clearly matches one option; there is no overall left–right score.
Abortion and Reproductive Health
Her campaign website says she voted for key legislation to codify Roe and supports women's rights to the full range of reproductive health services, including safe, legal and affordable abortions.7
- A national law making abortion legal in every state, at least until viability, as under Roe v. Wade
- Leave abortion law to each state
- A national law limiting abortion (for example, after 15 weeks of pregnancy)
Her campaign website says she supports women's rights to the full range of reproductive health services without restrictions, including access to safe, legal and affordable abortions.7
Her campaign website says she voted for key legislation to protect access to contraception, supports legislation to ensure nationwide access to fertility services like IVF, and says services like IVF should be affordable and covered by health plans.7
- Guarantee access to both in federal law, including insurance coverage for IVF
- Lower IVF costs, such as through cheaper drugs and optional employer benefits, without a new federal right or coverage requirement
- No new federal law; leave current federal and state rules in place
- Let states limit some methods, such as by giving embryos legal protection
Health Care
Social Security and Medicare
Her campaign website says she voted for the Inflation Reduction Act, which it says includes provisions finally allowing Medicare to negotiate prescription drug savings.9
Guns
Her campaign website says she supported House passage of the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and the Enhanced Background Checks Act to establish universal background checks for all gun sales.10
- Require checks for all gun sales, including private sales (with exceptions such as gifts between family members)
- Require checks for private sales at gun shows and online, but not other private sales
- Keep current law, with checks required only for sales by licensed dealers
Immigration
Her campaign website says she strongly supports comprehensive immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship, and that she voted for the American Dream and Promise Act to protect Dreamers and holders of Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure.11
- No new legal status, including for people brought here as children
- Legal status only for people brought here as children, such as DACA recipients
- Legal status, but not citizenship, for most who pass background checks and pay a fine
- A path to citizenship for most who meet requirements such as background checks
Agriculture and Rural Life
Her campaign website says she voted for the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which it says modernizes and streamlines the temporary agricultural workers program so local businesses have the workers they need without the red tape and extreme financial burden of the current system.11
- Make the program easier and cheaper for farms, including for year-round work like dairy
- Keep the program as it is
- Raise required wages and worker protections
Taxes and Budget
Her campaign website says she supports legislation to reform the way property taxes are deducted from federal taxes.9
Housing
Her campaign website says she supports legislation to offer financial incentives and downpayment assistance to purchase homes.9
Technology, Privacy and AI
Her campaign website lists strategic infrastructure investments like rural broadband, improved public transit and clean energy among the proposals she has advanced.9
Veterans
Her campaign website lists writing the VA Nurse and Physician Assistant RAISE Act, signed into law in March 2022, to reduce the workforce shortage within the VA.12
§4Popular bills that never got a vote
Why this matters: Many bills with wide support from both parties never reach a vote, so no member of Congress is ever on record for or against them. Signing on as a sponsor or cosponsor is the only public record of support.
While Lauren Underwood served, these bills had broad support from both parties but never reached a floor vote. No officeholder ever had to vote on them. Lauren Underwood sponsored or cosponsored 18 of the 52. How bills die without a vote.
See all 52
- Lets combat-disabled veterans get full military retirement pay plus disability pay (H.R. 2102, 119th Congress · 340 cosponsors)13Cosponsored
- Ends pay reductions for combat-disabled military retirees with under 20 years of service (H.R. 1282, 118th Congress · 326 cosponsors)14Cosponsored
- Sets electronic prior-approval and reporting rules for Medicare Advantage plans (H.R. 3514, 119th Congress · 308 cosponsors)15Cosponsored
- Expands and revises the low-income housing tax credit for affordable rental housing (H.R. 3238, 118th Congress · 273 cosponsors)16Cosponsored
- Expands federal anti-soring rules for show horses and raises penalties (H.R. 3090, 118th Congress · 248 cosponsors)17Cosponsored
- Bans slaughtering horses and other equines for human food (H.R. 1661, 119th Congress · 238 cosponsors)18Cosponsored
- Sets new federal care standards for dogs kept by commercial dog dealers and breeders (H.R. 1624, 118th Congress · 237 cosponsors)19Cosponsored
- Permanently bans slaughtering horses and other equines for human food (H.R. 3475, 118th Congress · 236 cosponsors)20Cosponsored
- Targets crimes against postal workers; authorizes money for more secure mailboxes and keys (H.R. 1065, 119th Congress · 231 cosponsors)21Cosponsored
- Adds Medicare coverage of blood tests to screen for early Alzheimer's disease (H.R. 6130, 119th Congress · 231 cosponsors)22Cosponsored
- Bans most animal testing of cosmetics and sales of cosmetics developed with it (H.R. 5399, 118th Congress · 227 cosponsors)23Cosponsored
- Restores fines for charging veterans unauthorized fees for help with VA claims (H.R. 1139, 118th Congress · 221 cosponsors)24Cosponsored
- Requires health plans to cover birth defect care for the eyes, ears, teeth, mouth or jaw (H.R. 3277, 119th Congress · 214 cosponsors)25Cosponsored
- Sends False Claims Act fraud recoveries to the Crime Victims Fund through 2029 (H.R. 8061, 118th Congress · 210 cosponsors)26Cosponsored
- Authorizes CIA payments to former Air America employees and survivors for 1950-1976 work (H.R. 2192, 119th Congress · 178 cosponsors)27Cosponsored
- Adds military spouses to a tax credit for employers who hire from certain groups (H.R. 1277, 118th Congress · 170 cosponsors)28Cosponsored
- Expands and revises the low-income housing tax credit for affordable rentals (H.R. 2725, 119th Congress · 168 cosponsors)29Cosponsored
- Funds research on firefighter protective gear made without PFAS chemicals (H.R. 3184, 119th Congress · 150 cosponsors)30Cosponsored
- Allows Medicare to cover multi-cancer early detection screening tests (H.R. 2407, 118th Congress · 319 cosponsors)31Did not cosponsor
- Ends waiting periods for disability benefits and Medicare for metastatic breast cancer (H.R. 549, 118th Congress · 272 cosponsors)32Did not cosponsor
- Ends disability benefit and Medicare waiting periods for metastatic breast cancer (H.R. 2048, 119th Congress · 271 cosponsors)33Did not cosponsor
- Requires new vehicles to include AM radio as standard equipment (H.R. 3413, 118th Congress · 270 cosponsors)34Did not cosponsor
- Extends the parks maintenance fund and adds higher park fees for foreign visitors (H.R. 9250, 119th Congress · 263 cosponsors)35Did not cosponsor
- Expands Medicare telehealth coverage by removing location limits and other restrictions (H.R. 4206, 119th Congress · 248 cosponsors)36Did not cosponsor
- Requires employer health plans to allow exceptions to step-therapy drug rules (H.R. 2630, 118th Congress · 235 cosponsors)37Did not cosponsor
- Sets electronic prior-approval and reporting rules for Medicare Advantage plans (H.R. 8702, 118th Congress · 231 cosponsors)38Did not cosponsor
- Bars insurers from discriminating against living organ donors (H.R. 2923, 118th Congress · 225 cosponsors)39Did not cosponsor
- Lets businesses deduct research costs right away instead of over five years (H.R. 2673, 118th Congress · 223 cosponsors)40Did not cosponsor
- Keeps paying military members and support staff during a shutdown in fiscal 2026 (H.R. 5401, 119th Congress · 210 cosponsors)41Did not cosponsor
- Raises Medicare physician fee schedule payments by 6.62% for April through December 2025 (H.R. 879, 119th Congress · 198 cosponsors)42Did not cosponsor
- Orders a study of Holocaust education in public schools across the states (H.R. 603, 118th Congress · 183 cosponsors)43Did not cosponsor
- Lets surviving military and veteran spouses keep benefits after remarrying (H.R. 1004, 119th Congress · 183 cosponsors)44Did not cosponsor
- Raises the tax credit for maintaining short line railroad track (H.R. 516, 119th Congress · 183 cosponsors)45Did not cosponsor
- Expands Medicare coverage to all services chiropractors provide (H.R. 1610, 118th Congress · 180 cosponsors)46Did not cosponsor
- Expands U.S.-Israel military cooperation on counter-drone and emerging technology (H.R. 1229, 119th Congress · 178 cosponsors)47Did not cosponsor
- Expands Medicare coverage to all services chiropractors are licensed to provide (H.R. 539, 119th Congress · 174 cosponsors)48Did not cosponsor
- Ties yearly Medicare physician payment increases to the Medicare Economic Index (H.R. 2474, 118th Congress · 172 cosponsors)49Did not cosponsor
- Requires FHA mortgage notices to compare costs with VA home loans (H.R. 4335, 118th Congress · 169 cosponsors)50Did not cosponsor
- Gives new-car dealers through 2025 to restock 2020-21 inventory without triggering tax (H.R. 700, 118th Congress · 169 cosponsors)51Did not cosponsor
- Requires employer health plans to offer exceptions to step therapy drug rules (H.R. 5509, 119th Congress · 169 cosponsors)52Did not cosponsor
- Counts recovery from organ donation surgery as a serious health condition for family leave (H.R. 4582, 119th Congress · 168 cosponsors)53Did not cosponsor
- Bars insurers from discriminating against living organ donors (H.R. 4583, 119th Congress · 168 cosponsors)54Did not cosponsor
- Extends U.S.-Israel defense, energy and development cooperation programs (H.R. 3792, 118th Congress · 163 cosponsors)55Did not cosponsor
- Lets 529 education savings plans pay for aviation mechanic and pilot training (H.R. 1818, 118th Congress · 162 cosponsors)56Did not cosponsor
- Requires nursing homes and similar facilities to let essential caregivers see residents (H.R. 6766, 119th Congress · 160 cosponsors)57Did not cosponsor
- Requires annual VA reports and studies on preventing veteran suicide (H.R. 4157, 118th Congress · 159 cosponsors)58Did not cosponsor
- Doubles the amount of profit from selling a primary home that is exempt from tax (H.R. 1340, 119th Congress · 159 cosponsors)59Did not cosponsor
- Requires VA clinicians to certify a veteran's death within 48 hours (H.R. 4398, 119th Congress · 158 cosponsors)60Did not cosponsor
- Directs a Justice Department grant to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (H.R. 3381, 118th Congress · 156 cosponsors)61Did not cosponsor
- No-down-payment, federally insured mortgages for first responders and teachers (H.R. 2094, 119th Congress · 154 cosponsors)62Did not cosponsor
- Lets 529 education savings pay for job certifications and other credentials (H.R. 1477, 118th Congress · 150 cosponsors)63Did not cosponsor
- Bans betting on animal fights and allows private lawsuits over animal fighting (H.R. 3946, 119th Congress · 150 cosponsors)64Did not cosponsor
§5Money
Why this matters: Campaigns report where their money comes from and how much they have left. Outside groups that spend on their own, without coordinating with the campaign, report that too.
Reported to the Federal Election Commission for the 2025–2026 election cycle, through October 14, 2026.65
| Raised | $2,848,042 |
|---|---|
| Spent | $2,747,287 |
| Cash on hand | $1,155,856 |
Where the money came from
Outside spending
Groups spending independently reported $60,568 supporting and $0 opposing Lauren Underwood this cycle, primary and general combined, in the 24- and 48-hour reports the law requires for larger expenditures, filed through October 13, 2026.66
| Group | Supporting | Opposing |
|---|---|---|
| American Association of Nurse Anesthetists Separate Segregated Fund (CRNA-PAC) | $60,568 | — |
Smaller expenditures that appear only on a group's regular monthly or quarterly report aren't in these totals, so the full amounts can be somewhat higher. When a group amends a report, only its latest version is counted.
§6Financial disclosures
Why this matters: Federal candidates and members of Congress must report their assets, income, debts and outside jobs, and members must report stock trades. These filings show possible conflicts of interest.
- Annual financial disclosure report67filed May 13, 2026
- Annual financial disclosure report68filed Aug 7, 2025