30 celebrities who have testified before Congress

The hearing on "objectionable" rock lyrics was one of the most widely publicized committee hearings in Senate history, Insider's Anthony L. Fisher wrote.

Denver spoke about his opposition to censorship and how his song "Rocky Mountain High" was banned by radio stations because of supposed drug references.

"This was obviously done by people who had never seen or been to the Rocky Mountains and also had never experienced the elation, the celebration of life, or the joy in living that one feels when he observes something as wondrous as the Perseides meteor shower, on a moonless and cloudless night, when there are so many stars that you have a shadow from the starlight, and you're out camping with your friends, your best friends, and introducing them to one of nature's most spectacular light shows for the very first time," he said. "Obviously a clear case of misinterpretation."

He continued, "Mr. Chairman, what assurance have I that any national panel to review my music would make any better judgment?"

Ultimately, however, "objectionable" records were given a warning label reading "Parental Advisory."

Both Ali and Fox were diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Ali's wife, Lonnie, spoke on his behalf at the hearing.

"Time is of essence," she told lawmakers. "People with Parkinson's don't have any time to waste. This tragic underfunding may lead to missed opportunities to better treatment or even for a cure."

There is still no cure for Parkinson's, but the National Institutes of Health dedicated $130 million to Parkinson's research in 2020.

"Having an HIV/AIDS vaccine would be of great benefit to women of all ages because it could reduce their chances of becoming infected," Judd said. "As there is no vaccine to prevent the abuse of girls and women, however, there is nothing more important in this struggle against this virus and its diseases, than reversing destructive social norms, cultural practices, traditions, myths, beliefs, superstitions, religious ideas, and the flat-out ignorance that perpetuates our economic disempowerment, lack of status in society, and general gender inequality."

"To be clear, I ask you what will be done — not what can be done, for that question has been asked ad nauseam and contains within it connotations of powerlessness and surrender," Cheadle said in his testimony. "What will be done is a very different question. Rather than succumbing to the monster of despair, 'What will be done?' presupposes that there are indeed answers, solutions, actions to be taken that yet remain dormant. This is the appropriate question for Darfur and for the committee members convened here today."

Moore spoke about living with type 1 diabetes and the need for continued clinical research into a cure.

"We are here to remind you of the urgency of your efforts to increase research dollars and to show that we will continue to do our part to remain your partner," Moore said. "I am here to ask you to look into the eyes of these beautiful kids and show them through your actions that you care about their future."

"I hope you all will consider what we've said today and remember the stories of people like me who have been so influenced and so helped by those art teachers, those arts councils, that help nurture us and raise us into the human beings that we are today," Legend said.

Quaid's newborn twins nearly died after an accidental overdose of the blood-thinning drug heparin, a mix-up that occurred due to the similar packaging of 10-unit bottles and 10,000-unit bottles. Quaid sued the pharmaceutical company that produces the drug, and he wanted to ensure others' rights to do the same.

"My family blessedly survived a huge drug error, triggered by the misconduct of a drug manufacturer," Quaid said in his testimony. "Others are not so fortunate. If they are denied access to our courts, they will have no compensation for their injuries, and society will lose one of the most effective incentives for safer drugs."

"I want to help increase awareness about the impact of sexual assault and to help raise money to support rape crisis centers around the country," she said. "I also speak to girls in college about what happened to me, and my goal is to never hear anyone say 'me too' after I tell them I was raped. I will use my voice to speak out against rape for as long as it's needed."

The Violence Against Women Act was originally passed in 1994 and most recently reauthorized in 2022.

Jonas lives with type 1 diabetes, having been diagnosed at age 13.

"With the help of Congress, I'll only have to wait a little bit longer for a cure," Jonas said in a nod to the Jonas Brothers song "A Little Bit Longer."

Penn described underfunded, crowded hospitals and rampant disease in the aftermath of the catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

"As Americans, we can call on the government of Haiti and our own government to acknowledge a state of emergency still exists," he said.

"America's farms are far too dependent on immigrant labor to pick our fruits and vegetables," he said, speaking in his "The Colbert Report" persona. "Now the obvious answer is for all of us to stop eating fruits and vegetables. And if you look at the recent obesity statistics, many Americans have already started. Unfortunately, my gastroenterologist has informed me in no uncertain terms that they are a necessary source of roughage. In evidence I would like to submit a video of my colonoscopy into the congressional record."

Court documents alleged that Rooney's stepson bullied him, misused his money, and blocked his access to mail, food, and medications, Reuters reported.

"If elder abuse happened to me, Mickey Rooney, it can happen to anyone," he said.

The Elder Justice Act was signed into law in 2010, as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, but it was missing provisions related to the justice system.

The Elder Abuse Victims Act aimed to fill that gap, but it did not reach a vote when it was introduced in 2009, nor when it was reintroduced in 2011 and 2016.

Sheen joked about playing the president of the United States on "The West Wing" before delving into the subject at hand: drug courts that offer treatment and rehabilitation instead of jail time.

"Imagine for a moment the impact we could have if Drug Courts were available to all 1.2 million addicted individuals who would be best served by Drug Courts if one were available," Sheen said. "Imagine the impact of 1.2 million people making up for lost time in their community and serving their families and their country."

Clooney described bombing attacks on civilians by the Sudanese government, which the government denied, according to CNN.

"These are not military targets," Clooney said. "They are innocent women and children. That is a fact."

Pinkett Smith was joined by Will and Willow Smith, as well as survivors of human trafficking.

"Fighting slavery doesn't cost a lot of money," Pinkett Smith said. "The costs of allowing it to exist in our nation and abroad are much higher. It robs us of the thing we value most: our freedom. We know what that freedom is worth."

"After forgetting who she and her loved ones were, my mother-in-law, a teacher for 35 years, then forgot how to speak, feed herself, dress herself, and go the bathroom herself. All by the age of 60," Rogen said in his testimony. "Lauren's father and a team of caregivers dedicate their lives to letting my mother-in-law be as comfortable as she can. They would love to do more, but can't, because unlike any of the top 10 causes of death in America, there's currently absolutely no way to prevent, cure, or even slow the progression of Alzheimer's Disease."

Rogen's wife, Lauren Miller Rogen, shared the news of her mother's death from the disease in February 2020.

"There is a window of opportunity before us — a window through which we can very clearly see the end of AIDS — within my lifetime," the longtime AIDS activist said. "We cannot afford to let that window close."

Lauper shared her own experience of homelessness at age 17 and stories from her nonprofit, True Colors United.

"Basically, the kids come out and they get thrown out, or they run away because they feel unsafe or unwanted," Lauper told lawmakers. "And I ask you, is that acceptable? I say no. No young person should be left without a home because of their sexual orientation or their gender identity."

Affleck's testimony focused on economic development programs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but he couldn't resist making a "Batman" reference, as well.

"I would be remiss not to recognize my co-star in 'Batman,'" Affleck joked, referencing Senator Patrick Leahy's cameo in "The Dark Knight Rises." "Your role was marginally smaller than mine, but I understand you are quite good."

Mirren starred in "Woman in Gold," a 2015 film about a Jewish woman who fights to reclaim art stolen from her family by the Nazis.

"Art is a reflection of memories that are shared across familia and cultural lines," she said in a joint hearing of the Constitution Subcommittee and the Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts Subcommittee. "When the Jewish people were dispossessed of their art, they lost, they lost their heritage. Memories were taken along with the art, they have no memories. It's like having no family. And that is why art restitution is so imperative. It gives Jewish people and other victims of Nazi terror the opportunity to reclaim their history, their culture, their memories and most importantly, their families."

The Holocaust Expropriated Art Recovery Act was signed into law in 2016.

Kutcher is the cofounder of Thorn, an organization that builds software to fight the sexual exploitation of children.

"Technology can be used to enable slavery, but technology can also be used to disable slavery," he said.

Robinson advocated for closing a legal loophole allowing digital radio companies to play songs recorded before February 15, 1972, without paying artists.

"I am here today to deliver a simple message: Musicians who recorded before February 15, 1972, deserve to be compensated the same way as those who recorded after that date," Robinson said. "The CLASSICS Act will fix the quirk in the law that created this loophole."

He continued: "An arbitrary date on the calendar should not be the arbiter of value."

Both the House and the Senate voted unanimously to pass the Music Modernization Act, which President Trump signed into law in 2018.

Wood told lawmakers that she wanted to use her position of power and privilege to bring a "human voice" to the 25 million survivors in the US who "experience inequality under the law."

"[This bill is] the recognition of basic civil rights for sexual assault survivors and serves as a first step," she said. "It's a safety net that may help save someone's life one day."

President Obama signed the Sexual Assault Survivors' Bill of Rights Act into law in 2016.

The fund provides financial assistance to first responders, victims, and their families who require medical care for health issues related to the aftermath of 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Stewart ripped into congressional lawmakers over their lack of support for 9/11 first responders and failure to ensure that funds to pay for their healthcare don't run out.

"I can't help but think what an incredible metaphor this room is for the entire process that getting healthcare and benefits for 9/11 first responders has come to ... behind me, a filled room of 9/11 first responders and in front of me, a nearly empty Congress," Stewart said.

The 9/11 Victims Fund was reauthorized a month later.

"I think we can all agree I'm the real hero," Stewart joked in a speech on Capitol Hill after Congress passed the bill, Vanity Fair reported. "This has been the honor of my life to work with the men and women behind me."

Danson spoke to lawmakers in 2009 about prioritizing ocean and coastal protection, in 2010 about the environmental and economic costs of overfishing, and in 2019 about plastic pollution in oceans.

"I come here not as a constitutional lawyer but as an American citizen, as an American woman, to advocate for what I feel is critical for our country," Arquette told members of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. "I come with the good will and faith that when we examine the reality of women in America today and remember the historic injustices women have faced in our country, we will all feel compelled to do what we must to ensure that women are afforded every legal right and equal protection in our country."

The ERA passed the Senate in 1972, but it was not ratified by enough states before its 1982 deadline. Recent efforts to revive the amendment, which states that "Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex," have not yet been successful.

"Over the years, the term 'refugee' has unfortunately become politicized despite the fact that refugees are real people with real stories — stories that are the most traumatic I've heard, especially as a father," Stiller, who is a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN High Commission for Refugees, said.

He continued, "Getting a chance to meet some of these people and hear their stories firsthand has been a privilege. Immediately it becomes clear what we all have in common. Though we come from different cultures and totally different worlds, we all want the same things — to provide a good environment for our kids to grow up in. To laugh and share experiences with family and friends. To see our children grow up and achieve their dreams."

The actress said during her testimony that she stands by her decision to have an abortion.

"Abortion is healthcare, and should not be treated as different from any other healthcare," Philipps said.

Most recently, Gere spoke to the Senate Committee on Finance in June 2020, encouraging lawmakers to pass the Tibetan Policy and Support Act and the Mongolia Third Neighbor Trade Act.

"I urge the United States, along with its true friends and allies, to continue to engage with China while standing strongly on the fundamental issues of reciprocity, basic human rights, freedom of expression and freedom of religion," Gere said.

Bush spoke about countering vaccine hesitancy.

"Medicine is not partisan. Science is not partisan," she said. "Public health must be supported — to the best of this nation's ability — by non-partisan political will."