Spotted at the Capitol on Tuesday: Angelina Jolie.
The actress and activist met with senators, including Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, to urge the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and to advocate for the rights of women and children.
Her rep issued a statement from her in which she said, “I’m in DC leading up to the VAWA reauthorization, FBI reforms, and other important protections and rights. I’ve met with experts for years now, learning about best practices including non-biased forensic evidence collection, and advocating for improvements. I’m grateful for these timely and valuable meetings with Senators, especially focused on provisions for children’s health.”
The Violence Against Women Act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1994 and sponsored by then-Senator Joe Biden, included provisions for federal level prosecution of interstate domestic violence and sexual assault crimes, as well as support for shelters, rape crisis centers and community organizations. It was last reauthorized in 2013 but expired in 2019.
Jolie is seeking provisions to better protect children during domestic violence and during the judicial process.
Schumer tweeted, “Thank you to Angelina Jolie for coming in today to talk about the fight to reauthorize VAWA in the Senate and how we can help support research on diagnosing injuries from domestic violence and child abuse to help survivors.”
Thank you to Angelina Jolie for coming in today to talk about the fight to reauthorize VAWA in the Senate and how we can help support research on diagnosing injuries from domestic violence and child abuse to help survivors. pic.twitter.com/PeYvmzbVVl
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) September 14, 2021
