116th Congress
WASHINGTON— Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Vice Chair of the Homeland Security Committee, questioned U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf on the Department's efforts to prepare and respond to the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19). During the hearing, Underwood questioned Acting Secretary Wolf on the steps DHS has taken to ensure the safety of its employees and their work to coordinate efforts with the Centers for Disease Control as well as state and local public health departments.
WASHINGTON— Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded Educare of West DuPage $1,037,300 for the expansion of early head start child care programs. Educare of West DuPage is a part of a national network of schools partnered with Early Head Start funding to ensure more children in the state of Illinois have access to early education.
WASHINGTON— Today, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) introduced her new women's economic agenda to ensure equal opportunity, support, and security for women. Underwood's agenda includes steps Congress should take to improve health care for women, enhance educational opportunities, promote workplace equality, support families, and ensure stability for secure retirements.
WASHINGTON— Following a House Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie on the VA's FY 2021 budget priorities, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) urged Secretary Wilkie to conduct proactive risk communication to veterans in response to growing public health threats of the coronavirus in the United States.
WASHINGTON— Rep. Lauren Underwood (IL-14) today held a conference call with local public health officials and health care providers to discuss coronavirus preparedness, response, and how the public can best protect themselves from infection. Underwood, a public health nurse who worked at the Department of Health and Human Services on the Department's responses to Zika, Ebola, and the Flint water crisis, has first-hand appreciation for the essential role of local public health and health care providers.
WASHINGTON— Today, in a House Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) questioned the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie on the VA's priorities, and how it will work to improve the quality of care veterans receive following the department's Fiscal Year 2021 budget request. In her questioning, Underwood expressed concern that the VA's budget request may not be sufficiently targeted to address ongoing gaps in care for women veterans.
WASHINGTON— Ahead of the April 15 tax deadline, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) continues her work to help Illinois communities unfairly hurt by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). The Republican tax law enacted in 2017 applied a new 21% tax on parking and transportation benefits that tax-exempt organizations, including houses of worship and charities, provide to their employees.
WEST CHICAGO— Today, following the passage of the legislation in the House of Representatives to remove the deadline to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), Congresswoman Lauren Underwood (IL-14) held a press conference to discuss the importance of the ERA. The legislation, H.J. Res. 79, would facilitate timely ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) to the U.S.