EXPERIENCE

Underwood has extensive experience in the health care sector. She was a senior advisor in the Obama Administration instrumental in the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. She worked as Policy Coordinator and Senior Advisor in the Department of Health and Human Services; a research nurse at Johns Hopkins University; a policy analyst in Chicago for the Medicaid program; and a Fellow at the National Institutes of Health. She has an MSN/MPH from Johns Hopkins University and a BS in Nursing from University of Michigan. She has represented Illinois 14 since 2019. Underwood is the first woman, the first person of color, and the first millennial to represent her district.

 

 

UNDERWOOD ON THE ISSUES

• ” I believe in women’s right to the full range of reproductive health services…” 

 

• Supports regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and labor unions

 

• Supports expanding federal funding for Social Security and Medicare.

 

• Supports government funding to develop renewable energy and supports federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions

 

• Supports gun control legislation

 

• Opposes lowering corporate taxes to stimulate the economy

 

• “During my first year serving on the Appropriations Committee, I was proud to secure investments in programs that will create jobs and improve the quality of life here in the 14th District of Illinois and across the country. These investments will create jobs and get people back to work while addressing today's urgent national needs like climate change, public health, and gun violence prevention." (justfacts.votesmart.org, 7/30/21

 

​• "With the leadership of President Biden, Vice President Harris, and my colleagues in Congress, the American Rescue Plan saved our economy and it spared us from even worse hardship. But we have important work ahead: we need the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan to create a brighter economic future for all Americans. “(justfacts.votesmart.org, 7/7/21

 

• Opposes repealing the ACA

 

• Opposes restriction of personal liability in civil lawsuits against public officials including law enforcement officers

 

• 100 % ratings include: Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice, Food Policy Action, ACLU, NAACP, NEA, AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees.

 

• According to VoteView, Underwood has the 16th most liberal voting record in the 116th Congress.

 

 

POLITICS IN ILLINOIS AND THE DISTRICT

• First elected in by defeating an Incumbent Republican by 4%, Underwood was re-elected in 2020 by a slim margin of 1.34 % - the 7th closest Congressional election in the 2020 cycle. The results were called nine days after election day.

 

• Illinois 14 is located in northern Illinois including the outer northern and western suburbs of Chicago. It is 89.9% urban and 10.1% rural; 79.3 white, 11.6 Hispanic; 4.3% Asian; 3.2 % Black and 1.7 % Other.

 

• Illinois is losing one Congressional seat with the 2020 Census and reapportionment. The General Assembly drafts the redistricting plan which, if vetoed by the Governor, goes to a Commission. AXIOS reports Democrats can use this process to their advantage and redistricting is seen as likely to help Underwood in 2022.

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