Here's Why Angelina Jolie Made an Appearance at the White House

Angelina Jolie

Atilgan Ozdil/Anadolu Agency, Getty Images

Angelina Jolie is a woman of many passions, but this week she's lasering in on one very important issue: the Violence Against Women Act, commonly referred to as VAWA. The actress, who has dedicated much of her life to being an activist and humanitarian, made a quick trip to our nation's capital on September 14th to speak with lawmakers about the health crisis victims of sexual assault, domestic and dating violence, and stalking are facing.

"It's a health crisis, what is happening," Jolie told reporters during a press briefing at the White House. "And it's going to be solved if we look at it as health and families and invest. ... And there is the harm within the families, especially for the children and getting the care early, and the prevention."

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

The following day, Jolie sat down with members of the White House senior staff including press secretary Jen Psaki to again discuss the importance behind reauthorizing this specific piece of legislation, which President Joe Biden has publicly supported. The actress told reporters she's leaving Capitol Hill feeling "encourag[ed]."

After their conversation, Psaki tweeted, "Met briefly this morning with the tireless and committed #AngelinaJolie this morning to talk about the importance of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act and the importance of continuing to fight for women, children and families around the world."

In addition to the VAWA reauthorization, Jolie brought attention to "FBI reforms, judicial training, and health equity including non-biased forensic evidence collection," according to a statement shared with CNN.