Media

WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Underwood (IL-14) continued her work to strengthen small businesses' cyber infrastructure and secure U.S. elections at a House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing. Underwood questioned Jen Easterly, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) about CISA's strategy to share cybersecurity resources, including by hosting more workshops to help small and medium businesses, along with local governments, effectively identify and respond to malicious cyber activity.

WASHINGTON – Today, in a House Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) questioned the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough on VA's priorities following the department's Fiscal Year 2023 budget request.

WASHINGTON – In response to policy changes secured by Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Chairwoman Lucille Roybal-Allard, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced major improvements to the Department's medical and public health efforts. Due to a provision in the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus secured by Rep. Underwood and Chairwoman Roybal-Allard, DHS will be reorganizing its medical and public health efforts into a single new executive management office led by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO).

WASHINGTON – Today, Representatives Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Alma Adams (NC-12) and Robin Kelly (IL-02) led 81 Members of Congress urging Senate Majority Leader Schumer to prioritize investments to address the U.S. maternal health crisis in the next reconciliation package. The Members are pushing for the inclusion of permanent yearlong postpartum Medicaid coverage in every state and Underwood's Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act to eliminate preventable maternal mortality and end racial and ethnic maternal health disparities.

WASHINGTON – Today, Representatives Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Jaime Herrera Beutler (WA-03) introduced the bipartisan NIH IMPROVE Act. This legislation would fund a critical National Institutes of Health (NIH) research program, the Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) Initiative. NIH launched the IMPROVE Initiative to better understand factors that lead to adverse maternal health outcomes and inequities. However, the research program lacks a sustained funding source.

WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswomen Lauren Underwood (IL-14) and Nikema Williams (GA-05) led a group of more than 70 Members of Congress in urging Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) to include provisions in reconciliation legislation to permanently lower out-of-pocket health premium costs and extend Medicaid coverage to people in states that have refused to expand the program.

NAPERVILLE – Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) joined U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy to discuss youth mental health and how the U.S.

WEST CHICAGO – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) will host an April town hall series in Geneva, Huntley, and Naperville. These town halls serve as an opportunity for Underwood to share updates on her work in Congress, including the country's record economic recovery, the $10.5 million Underwood secured in community project funding, and how the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and American Rescue Plan are benefitting northern Illinois. The town halls are also a forum where residents of the 14th District can share their perspectives and ask questions.