In Illinois, a minimum wage worker would have to work nearly 70 hours a week to afford a one-bedroom apartment. Congress must create regulations to prevent private equity firms and hedge funds from buying so many homes and driving up housing costs.

Sometimes I wake up, drink some tea, and think I’m going to have a good day. Then I remember that Republicans’ trillion-dollar cuts to Medicaid are causing nine rural hospitals in Illinois to close their doors for good.

Check out these Team Underwood alums running for office in Illinois — I am so excited to see these young leaders stepping up in this moment ⬇️⬇️

🧵America lost a Giant. Rev. Jesse Jackson was an icon and a hero to kids like me growing up here in Illinois. His fight for justice extended from the civil rights era to the present day, as we continue to build the multiracial democracy he embraced through the Rainbow Coalition.

The affordability crisis didn’t happen overnight. It was engineered by Republican lawmakers and their billionaire donors to enrich themselves at your expense.

👀 Did you see the news? I introduced two new pieces of legislation! The Farmers to Families Act & New Markets for Farmers and Families Act would expand opportunities for farmers to sell their products and increase our community’s access to healthy, fresh, and local food.

Your utility bill went up because Trump and Republicans have sabotaged the clean energy industry. They’ve made it harder to build clean energy infrastructure, even though it’s cheaper for consumers…leaving you and our planet paying the price.

Republicans KNOW they’re unpopular. The only way they can hold onto power is by rigging the system and changing the rules. That’s why they just passed the SAVE America Act to try to stifle your voice. I voted NO, and I’ll NEVER support legislation that limits your right to vote.

Over 73,000 people are now detained by ICE, including a two-month-old baby and thousands of children. This is what Trump has made a fiscal priority. Not SNAP, not Medicaid, and not Medicare, but family separation and prison-like conditions for children.

I just secured over a million dollars to expand access to medical, dental, and behavioral health services in Mendota, IL. This funding will save lives, save jobs, and fill a major health care gap in the Illinois Valley.

Consider us all in for re-electing @laurenunderwood.bsky.social! Since winning her seat in 2018, she's been a standout star in the Democratic caucus. When we have a great candidate like Lauren in office, we need to keep them there. Can you chip in any amount to support her re-election today?

Our kids deserve a future where they can breathe easy and drink clean water. The environment isn’t a political issue — it’s a survival issue.

Let’s be real. Rising prices aren’t happening in a vacuum — Trump’s tariffs & reckless economic agenda are making life harder for everyday people. When politicians play games with the economy, working families pay the price. And right now, everything costs more because of Trump.

Health care is a human right — no one should ever have to choose between seeing a doctor, paying rent, or putting food on the table. The fact that Trump and Republicans in Congress don’t see that is appalling. In the richest country in the world, we can, and we must do better.

Our democracy only works when everyone can participate. Voting should be easy, accessible, and protected — and I will never stop fighting to make it so.

The Kendall County Food Pantry is such an important resource for our community. That’s why I’m so thrilled I was able to secure $765,000 for upgrades to their space so they can continue to serve everyone here in need.

Public education is the foundation of opportunity. We need to fund our schools, support our teachers, and invest in our children's futures.

Not going to the doctor can lead to worse health outcomes, especially for new mothers. This bill would make Community Health Centers more accessible for new parents so that they can get the care they need.

When I say “health care is a human right,” that means *everyone* must have access to high-quality, affordable care — no matter your race, zipcode, or tax bracket. No one should have worse health outcomes because of their backgrounds.

Groceries cost more. Rent costs more. Utilities cost more. Gas costs more. Life is more expensive — because of Trump, and the Republicans who back him.

This Martin Luther King Day, I spent some time volunteering at the Kendall County Food Pantry. I also got to check on the progress of our project! We secured $765,000 for much-needed improvements to the facility, and I’m so excited to hear they’re about to start construction.💪🏾

If advanced nursing degrees are no longer classified as professional, we’ll witness an even greater shortage of health providers — meaning higher costs and less access to care for patients. The Trump Administration MUST reconsider this disastrous decision.

I just got off of the floor after voting NO on the Homeland Security funding bill. What ICE is doing in our communities — violently detaining U.S. citizens, separating children from their families, and causing chaos — with ZERO accountability is unconscionable.

Prices rose across the board in 2025 💡 Electricity, 6.7% ⬆️ 🔥 Natural gas, 10.8% ⬆️ 🛢️ Fuel oil, 7.4% ⬆️ 🩺 Medical care, 3.5% ⬆️ 🍝 Restaurant food, 4.1% ⬆️ 🎟️ Movies, concerts, theater tickets, 6.7% ⬆️ 🏠 Home insurance, 7% ⬆️ A direct result of the GOP's policy choices

Too many moms are dying from preventable causes; it's absolutely unacceptable. Everyone in this country deserves accessible and affordable maternal care, and I’m not going to stop working until that becomes a reality.

Many corn and soybean farmers had it even worse, including the farmers right here in Northern Illinois. My bipartisan Strong Farms, Strong Futures Act would ensure our hard-working farmers can be paid for their climate-smart practices.

Everyone deserves access to affordable, high-quality health care. Republicans are deliberately trying to make that impossible.

Things Trump has done instead of lowering costs: -Demolished the East Wing -Defunded Planned Parenthood -Attacked birthright citizenship -Dismantled Dept. of Education -Erected a 12-foot golden statue of himself holding a Bitcoin -Cut childhood cancer research

Food costs were vastly more expensive last month than they were in December 2024…. and we’re supposed to believe that Donald Trump’s tariffs are making our lives more affordable.

I’ll always fight to make lives easier for working families across this country. That’s why I introduced 24 pieces of legislation last year, from the Baby Changing on Board Act to the Health Care Affordability Act and Prioritizing Rural Hospitals Act.

Because of Republicans' trillion-dollar cuts to our health care system, people are facing higher premiums, higher deductibles, and fewer options for their health care coverage. It’s a total disgrace.

A country that claims to value freedom shouldn’t force anyone to carry a pregnancy against their will.

In case you were wondering who Trump’s first year benefited most, here’s a refresh:

Happy Founders’ Day to all my AKA sisters! Here’s to 118 years of service and sisterhood 🩷💚

I am SO pumped that my bill, the three-year extension of the ACA tax credits, passed the House. The time is always right to do the right thing.

My bill, the three-year extension of the ACA Tax Credits, PASSED THE HOUSE!! Health care is a human right, and I am so grateful for the determination of House Democrats to fight for our working-class families and their affordable care.

To our community — whether you’ve signed your name to help me get on the ballot, gone to a town hall, volunteered, donated, or simply called my office, I’m grateful for you. As we enter the start of this new year, I feel so lucky to have you on this journey with me.

Last year, we introduced 24 pieces of legislation — that's the most we've ever done in one year! Our work isn't slowing down. In 2026, I'll keep introducing new bills to help make life better for working families in Northern Illinois and across the country.

Health care is a human right. That's why House Dems are working so hard to protect the ACA tax credits — and why I was SO HAPPY our discharge petition forcing a vote to extend them for 3 years reached 218 signatures. Mike Johnson: DO YOUR JOB and call the vote!

In 2026, Democrats MUST take back the House. As a DCCC Recruitment Co-Chair, I’m doing everything I can to make sure we have strong, energetic candidates who will fight for working families and lower their costs when they flip their districts from red to blue. 💪🏾

2025 was full of wins for Democrats, including here in IL-14! I was so thrilled when all 25 of our Farm Team PAC-endorsed candidates won their elections back in April. These community leaders are fighting to lower costs and protect our freedoms – I have the utmost faith in them.

From beating my record for most bills introduced in one year to joining folks across IL-14 for important conversations, I’m thankful to look back at everything we’ve accomplished. 2025 may be ending, but our work isn’t. Get some good rest, and I’ll see you in January!

This year, we hosted 13 (!) town halls, with one in every county. Getting to meet you and listen to your stories is an honor I don’t take lightly. Thank you to everyone who took the time to join me at a town hall. Our voices are so powerful when we come together as a community.

Joining millions of Americans from across the country in protesting the Trump Administration’s abuse of power was so affirming -- we CAN protect our democracy. Together, our voices are impossible to ignore.

Pride is one of my favorite celebrations of the year, and I’m so grateful I got to spend it with our communities in Aurora, DeKalb, and Plainfield. Honoring the voices, strength, and resilience of LGBTQIA+ Illinoisans is so critical, not just in June but year-round.

Merry Christmas! I hope you're spending today celebrating and relaxing with loved ones. 2025 has been such a hard year, but I wanted to remind us of some bright spots as we reflect & look forward to 2026. Thank you for putting your trust in me to serve you — happy holidays ❤️

All parents deserve a clean, safe environment to change their baby, so it’s simply unacceptable that many Amtrak trains have no changing tables. My bill, the Baby Changing on Board Act, would fix this issue. This year, it passed the House and is one step closer to becoming law!

2025 was a hard year, but we’ve accomplished a lot that’s worth celebrating. So I’m recapping my highlights from the year (in no particular order), starting with a moment that gets me every time. Being sworn in as your representative is an honor I’ll never take for granted.

So grateful for our community this holiday season & every season 🎄

If you've been holiday shopping, it's impossible not to notice how expensive everything is. Prices are up on groceries, gifts, clothes & more, forcing working folks to dip into savings or resort to "buy now, pay later" options. This is Trump's economy.