Tamara Tunie is a pretty effective lobbyist. Of course, it helps that she’s a famous actress promoting a cause that’s hard to argue with.

On Tuesday, the “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” star came to Capitol Hill to urge Congress to hold hearings on preventing child abuse and neglect. No sooner had she asked then Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) complied, announcing a House Ways and Means subcommittee hearing highlighting the findings of a Government Accountability Office report on child abuse.

The actress spoke at a briefing hosted by the National Coalition to End Child Abuse Deaths, which revealed stark statistics: At least 2,500 children die every year from abuse or neglect.

“Just being here today and hearing these stories, it takes everything in me to not burst into tears,” she said. “It became my mission to help all of these organizations in any way I possibly can.”