Congresswoman Lauren Underwood represents Illinois’s 14th Congressional District. In 2018, she flipped this seat from red to blue in a historic fashion, defeating a four-term Republican incumbent. In 2020, she became the first Democrat ever to be re-elected in IL-14. She was
reelected in November 2024 to her fourth term.
When elected in 2018, Congresswoman Underwood was the first person of color, the first woman, and the first millennial elected to represent her district. When she was sworn into office in 2019, she became the youngest Black woman to ever serve in Congress. In 2023, Lauren conquered another first – she became the first Black woman since Shirley Chisholm in 1977 to be elected to Democratic House Leadership. She currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee.
Congresswoman Underwood has proven herself to be a hard worker and an effective leader for her community. Lauren has had 19 pieces of legislation enacted into law by both Democratic and Republican administrations, making her one of the most effective legislators in the House of Representatives. She also serves as Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security.
A registered nurse and public health expert, Congresswoman Underwood brings a critical perspective to Congress. She has made access to high-quality, affordable health care one of her signature issues. President Biden’s American Rescue Plan included her bill, the Healthcare Affordability Act.
During her tenure in Congress, Congresswoman Underwood co-founded the Black Maternal Health Caucus to combat the historical health disparities and unacceptably high death rates among Black mothers. Alongside colleagues in the House and Senate, she introduced a package of 13 bills to save moms’ lives: the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act. She is also a member of the Congressional Black Caucus.
Before her first election, she worked to implement the Affordable Care Act as a career civil servant at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). She was later appointed by President Obama to serve as a Senior Advisor at HHS, where she helped communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to public health emergencies, bioterror threats, and other disasters.
Congresswoman Underwood received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan
and two master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins University, in Nursing and Public Health.
Meet Lauren in Tucson and Phoenix!
She will provide us with insight into what is at stake with the Trump Agenda and how to fight back.
Join our community. Make change in Arizona.
Let’s keep up the fight–together.
Tucson
Sunday, September 21, 2025
4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Don Martini Club314 E Congress St Tucson, AZ 85701
Phoenix
Monday, September 22, 2025
8:30 AM to 10:00 AM
Address provided on RSVP