Three Celebrities on Capitol Hill for Three Reasons
Rob Thomas, Billy Hurley III and Huw Collins on why they came to D.C.
This week on Capitol Hill, a musician, an athlete, and an actor came out to lobby for causes specifically important to them.
Singer Rob Thomas came to discuss the challenges facing songwriters and federal regulations on licensing and was joined by other singers including Peter Frampton.
Golfer Billy Hurley III came to discuss the impact of golf on the economy and was joined by fellow athlete, speed skater gold medalist, Dan Jansen.
Actor Huw Collins came to support a bill, introduced by Florida Republican Vern Buchanan and supported by Oregon Democrat Earl Blumenauer, among others, that would permanently ban horse slaughter and prohibit the transport of American horses abroad for that purpose. He is also the son-in-law of New Hampshire Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen.
Rob Thomas, singer
Famous for: Lead singer, Matchbox 20
Lobbying with: The ASCAP Foundation
Why he’s here: “If I put out a record three years ago, the way that people are experiencing music has totally changed three years later… They just told me today that on Pandora, [my song] ‘Smooth’ was 24 million streams and I split that with another writer. I made a whooping $629 from that.
“It doesn’t seem like people can make the same money based on how your music performs. There is a set price that’s been set since 2001. The way that songwriters get paid was set before the iPod was invented.”
Billy Hurley III, athlete
Famous for: PGA golfer.
Lobbying with: WE ARE GOLF’s National Golf Day
Why here: “As a member of the PGA Tour, if people stop wanting to watch and play golf, I don’t have a job. So, it’s really growing the game and all the things that National Golf Day is trying to do is paramount to my career as a professional golfer. Obviously I have to go play well and perform, but growth in the sport helps everybody around me.”
Huw Collins, actor
Famous for: Freeform’s “Pretty Little Liars.”
Lobbying with: The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Why here: “Right now you, the members of Congress, and your congressional staff hold the power, you have the opportunity to support the SAFE Act. The process is not only a tragic and cruel one to the horses but it’s all exceptionally dangerous and detrimental to human health once the meat is consumed.”
