Celebrities Who Testified on Capitol Hill (PHOTOS)
From Elmo to Ayn Rand, on topics from gun control to banning circuses, see the most famous people to give Congress a piece of their mind.
Scott J. Ferrell/Congressional Quarterly/Getty
Ben Affleck participates in the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 8, 2011.
Jason Reed/Reuters
George Clooney testifies at the Senate Foreign Relations Sudan and South Sudan: Independence and Insecurity hearing on March 14, 2012 in Washington, DC.
Paul Morigi/WireImage
Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, testifies at the Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law Subcommittee hearing on "Protecting America's Harvest" on September 24, 2010.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Nick Jonas testifies at the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing about Type 1 Diabetes Research on June 24, 2009. Children from the organization Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation sit in the foreground.
Larry Downing/Reuters
Fitness advocate Richard Simmons kisses Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., on the forehead as they talk before the start of the House Education and Labor Committee hearing on "Improving Physical Education and Reducing Childhood Obesity," on Thursday, July 24, 2008.
Bill Clark/Roll Call Photos
Hip hop artist Percy "Master P" Miller testifies before the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade, and Consumer Protection on Capitol Hill September 25, 2007 in Washington, DC. The subcommittee heard from testimony from mass media and recording company executives, hip hop artists and educators on the topic "From Imus to Industry: The Business of Stereotypes and Degrading Images."
Chip Somodevilla/Getty
Jewel Kilcher waits to testify during a hearing of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support on Capitol Hill June 19, 2007 in Washington, DC. Jewel experienced homelessness while a teenager in San Diego.
Brendan Smialowski/Getty for Virgin Mobile USA
U2 singer Bono makes a point during a Senate Appropriations hearing on AIDS programs and research, on May 18, 2004.
Jason Reed/Reuters
Joe Lamond, president and CEO of NAMM-International Music Products Association, testifies with Elmo, the Muppet character from television's Sesame Street, before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education to request $2 million in federal funding for music education programs. Elmo's first-ever appearance before Congress came about at the invitation of committee member Randy "Duke" Cunningham, R-Calif.
Scott J. Ferrell/Congressional Quarterly/Getty
Elton John prepares to testifiy on April 11, 2002 before the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions at a hearing called "Capacity to Care: In a world Living with AIDS" on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. John called on Congress to allocate more money for AIDS prevention and treatment.
Luke Frazza/AFP/Getty
Chairperson Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) smiles at actor Isaac Hayes July 11, 2001 prior to a hearing before the House of Representatives International Operations and Human Rights Subcommittee.
Alex Wong/Getty
Drummer Lars Ulrich testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on music on the Internet on July 11, 2000, as Roger McGuinn of the band The Byrds and Hank Berry, CEO of Napster, look on.
Joyce Naltchayan/AFP/Getty
The Price is Right host waits to testify before a congressional sub-committee on June 13, 2002. Barker is trying to gain support for a House bill that would ban the circuses from using elephants in their traveling performances.
Reuters
National Rifle Association President Charlton Heston testifies before the House Government Reform subcommittee, on November 4, 1999. Heston testified on Projet Exile, a zero-tolerance policy for gun crimes.
Reuters
Woody Allen testifying during Senate hearings on the colorization of films on May 27, 1987.
Bettmann/Corbis
Rock singer Dee Snider of Twisted Sister testifies before a Senate committee hearing concerning the possible government regulation of objectionable lyrics in rock music.
Ayn Rand testifies before Congress in 1947.
The future president gives his testimony before the House Committee on Un-American Activities on October 23, 1947. The group was conducting an investigation of Communist activities in the film capital.
AP
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