The 14th District encompasses nearby communities like Naperville and Plainfield, but it now includes Joliet following redistricting in 2020.
The award is for demonstrating excellence in services such as constituent support, assistance with federal agencies, and responsiveness to the community’s needs.
In just four years she has been in the House of Representatives, Underwood has closed 5,573 cases; recovered $24,628,317 on behalf of constituents; and hosted close to 20 virtual workshops guiding constituents through interactions with the federal government and providing best practices for issues such as signing up for Medicare, filing taxes, or achieving a small business certification, according to Haley Wint, Underwood’s press secretary.
Underwood was not available for comment since she is in Washington as Congress is trying to raise the nation’s debt ceiling and avoid a possible default that economists fear could have disastrous economic consequences. Congress had not voted on the measure as of press time.
The award is called the “Oscars for Congress” and it is presented by the Congressional Management Foundation. Ten legislators were chosen as finalists for the Democracy Awards, which recognizes non-legislative achievement and performance in congressional offices and by members of Congress. This marks the sixth year the non-partisan foundation has presented awards. Winners will be announced at a later date.
“Americans usually only hear about Congress when something goes wrong,” said Bradford Fitch, CMF president and CEO. “These members of Congress and their staff deserve recognition for their work to improve accountability in government, modernize their work environments and serve their constituents.”
House and Senate personal offices can nominate themselves for the award. The foundation then conducts interviews and determines who advances to the Selection Committee phase of the process as finalists. mmayer@thetimesweekly.com
