U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood talks social security, healthcare, student debt in DeKalb

DeKALB – Congresswoman Lauren Underwood responded to questions about social security, health care, women’s reproductive rights and student debt DeKalb, kicking off a month long trek through her congressional district.

Underwood, D-Sandwich, said this month of the year is known as the August work period, so she is using that time to host town hall meetings in all seven county’s located inside Illinois Congressional District 14. According to Underwood’s office, she will hold a town halls in La Salle County on Aug. 7, Will County on Aug. 9, Kane County on Aug. 10, Kendall County on Aug. 14, Putnam County on Aug. 17 and in Bureau County on Aug. 28.

DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes moderated Thursday night’s town hall at DeKalb High School, where members of the public were given an opportunity to ask Underwood any question they’d like.

John Cole, a DeKalb resident who teaches at Naperville North High School, asked Underwood where she stands on the Windfall Elimination Provision of Social Security, an aspect of the legislation that can reduce social security benefits for individuals who pay into social security and a civil service pension throughout their career.

Underwood told him she’s a cosponsor of House Resolution 82 – the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 – which would end the windfall elimination provision policy.

“I support provisions to protect and expand social security,” Underwood said. “I do not support any kind of policy changes that would reduce social security benefits. So in addition to cosponsoring that legislation, I’m cosponsoring a bill called Social Security 2100. What that legislation does is that it insures that the social security program will be around for future generations. So millennials like me, and Gen-Z behind us, are able to feel confident the social security program will be there.”

Kevin Gordon, a family physician out of Plainfield, told Underwood – a registered nurse – he’s finding it more and more difficult to take care of his patients because he believes the country’s health care system “is broken and is wrong.”

“Decisions are being made by people I think have no medical background, who are just counting dollars and cents, and I cannot take care of my patients the way they deserve to be taken care of,” Gordon said. “After 30 years I finally decided to say something.”

Underwood, who currently is serving her third term in Congress, said she has championed prescription drug reforms, such as a $35 monthly cap on insulin and free vaccines for all Medicare beneficiaries.

“We took on big pharma and we got it done, to allow medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices,” Underwood said. “Now, I’m just going to say this. I don’t know if y’all get these Spotify ads, like I do, from pharma that are trying to say how much of a threat the prescription drug price negotiation is – it’s ludicrous. This is going to save seniors money in our community, and we can’t allow it to be overturned.”

Erika Cole, a rising senior at DeKalb High School and John Cole’s daughter, told Underwood she’s concerned about student debt forgiveness, as well as how she’ll be able to afford college after her mother died from a rare form of leukemia in late 2022.

Underwood said she supported President Joe Biden’s student debt relief plan that was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this summer. Underwood said she believes it’s for critical low-income earners to have a pathway toward debt forgiveness or elimination.

Like her father, Erika Cole, 17, said she considers herself an independent, but found a new level of respect for the congresswoman after Thursday’s town hall.

“I met Lauren Underwood this past month, and I was kind of questioning her beliefs because I come from a family that’s very political – and a family that’s very focused on building up your own ideas and building up knowledge on political topics. But today really affirmed that she is looking out for the best interests in District 14. And I really appreciate that, as someone who has lived in DeKalb my entire life. This is my community even if I don’t always want to say it, so I’m proud to say I really respect her after tonight,” Erika Cole said.

Underwood, who has sponsored 14 pieces of legislation that were signed into law under either Biden or former President Donald Trump, began her DeKalb town hall with a Pledge of Allegiance lead by Girl Scout Troop 444.

“I think it’s really cool that we get to meet a woman of Congress because she has laid the way for all of us other women,” said McKenna Foster, a Girl Scout from Troop 444.

Kim Foster, one of the Troop 444 leaders, said the activity wasn’t on the troop’s summer bucket list, but when they were asked to lead the pledge she and the girls in the troop were happy to oblige.

Brooke Dallas said she thought it was an awesome opportunity for her and the troop “because women have always kind of been over looked by men, and I think it’s really nice.”