Media

WEST CHICAGO— Yesterday, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) hosted a virtual civics class to provide a resource to educators and students learning and teaching remotely during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. During the virtual event, Professor Richard Kiefer from Waubonsee Community College joined Underwood to discuss the roles of federal, state, and local governments in responding to a crisis like the coronavirus pandemic.

WASHINGTON— Today, Representatives Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Jason Crow (CO-06), and Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) introduced new legislation to establish the "Health Force." The Health Force and Resilience Force Act would recruit, train, and employ Americans to expand our public health workforce to respond to the coronavirus pandemic and strengthen America's long-term public health infrastructure. In addition to helping solve our public health worker shortage, the bill would help provide jobs for thousands of recently unemployed Americans and support the country's recovery efforts.

WASHINGTON— Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Vice Chair of the Homeland Security Committee, led a virtual panel discussion on health care disparities during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic with Representatives Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), and Al Green (TX-09). During the event, members discussed the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19 on communities of color as well as steps that our country can take to reduce health disparities in a future pandemic.

WASHINGTON— Today, Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) led 33 members of the House of Representatives in an effort urging House leadership to include robust emergency funding for state and local public health departments in the next coronavirus relief package. In the letter, Members emphasized that without adequate funding, public health departments will not be able to fully execute their urgent work to help states reopen safely.

WEST CHICAGO— Yesterday, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) continued her work to support Illinois small businesses impacted by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In a virtual meeting with the Illinois District Director for the Small Business Administration (SBA) Robert "Bo" Steiner, Underwood and Steiner provided an update on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Additionally, Underwood provided meeting participants with the opportunity to ask questions and hear directly from the SBA.

WASHINGTON— Today, Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14) joined a bipartisan effort to help seniors remain connected to loved ones and health care providers during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by cosponsoring the Advancing Connectivity during the Coronavirus to Ensure Support for Seniors (ACCESS) Act (H.R. 6487).

WASHINGTON— Today, in a Committee on Education and Labor virtual forum, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) continued her fight to expand access to quality, affordable health care during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. In the forum, Underwood highlighted the urgent need for the next coronavirus relief package to include policies like her Health Care Affordability Act (H.R.

WASHINGTON— Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) announced that hospitals and health care providers across Illinois will receive more than $1.4 billion from initial Health Provider Relief Fund distributions to support their responses to the novel coronavirus pandemic. The funding has been made available by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which Underwood strongly supported in Congress and was signed by the President in March.