August 6, 2025
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — 314 Action today announced that Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) joined the Guardians of Public Health campaign as a National Co-Chair. She will work alongside Hawaii Governor Dr. Josh Green to help 314 Action elect 100 new doctors and health care professionals to federal, state, and local offices across the country.
“As a registered nurse and public health expert, Representative Lauren Underwood has done what too many in Congress have failed to do — actually deliver lifesaving health care reforms,” said Shaughnessy Naughton, President of 314 Action. “At a time when misinformation is killing people and extremists are deadset on dismantling our health care system, her leadership isn’t just important—it’s essential.
“Health care will define the 2026 midterms, and the stakes couldn’t be higher: millions of American lives, jobs, and basic rights are on the line. That’s why the Guardians of Public Health is mobilizing a national, pro-science movement to elect experts like Rep. Underwood who will fight for truth, protect health care and build a system that works for everyone—not just the powerful and those who can afford it.”
Since launching earlier this year, the Guardians of Public Health initiative has inspired hundreds of doctors, nurses, health care workers, and public health experts to step up and say: it’s our turn to lead. Building on the energy and success of our work to elect doctors, 314 Action is now rallying an even broader coalition of frontline professionals to run for office and bring real-world experience to the halls of power. 314 Action is encouraging nurses, health care professionals, and public health experts to join the movement and run for office.
“With 17 million Americans set to lose their health care and hundreds of rural hospitals on the verge of closing, it’s more urgent than ever to elect public health experts to office. That’s why I’m honored to join 314 Action’s Guardians of Public Health as a National Chair,” said Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14). “We need elected officials across the nation who understand the gravity of these attacks on health care and will stand up for their communities. I’m excited to join 314 Action in flipping crucial Republican-held seats and replacing them with doctors, nurses, and public health experts.”
314 Action is the only national organization working to recruit, train, and elect Democratic scientists across all levels of government—from the Senate down to local school boards. The organization is powered by a grassroots community of over six million people supporting scientists and health care professionals who will use science and facts to address the most urgent issues facing our generation.
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