Lauren Underwood becomes youngest ever black woman to be sworn in to Congress

Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-Ill.) has become the youngest ever black woman to be sworn in to the House of Representatives.

The 32-year-old registered nurse took the oath of office in the House chamber on Thursday afternoon. 

Underwood’s career in politics first began in 2014 as a policy professional in the Obama administration, shortly after earning two master’s degrees from Johns Hopkins University, according to The Chicago Tribune.

Here we go, #IL14! pic.twitter.com/OGsq2OBONc

— Lauren Underwood (@LaurenUnderwood) January 3, 2019

The Illinois Democrat became senior adviser at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) two years later, where she reportedly helped work to implement the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA).

{mosads}She announced her run for Illinois’s 14th congressional district in August 2017 and reportedly ran on a platform that included improving the ACA and bringing more job opportunities to her district. 

Underwood unseated incumbent Republican Randy Hultgren in the midterm elections in November after winning 52.5 percent of the vote.

When pressed by a reporter on Thursday about whether or not she was “excited to make history,” Underwood reportedly replied: “A moment in history.”