Sens. Mary Landrieu, D-La., Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Carl Levin, D-Mich., were among the members of Congress who attended the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute’s 13th annual Angels in Adoption Gala at the Ronald Reagan Building on Wednesday night. “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” star Nia Vardalos, who is an adoptive mother, was recognized for her efforts to help raise awareness about children in foster care.
“When Sen. Landrieu invited me to the Angels in Adoption Gala I was like ‘Yeah!’ I didn’t want to use our daughter as the poster child, so I went out front at events like this to raise attention to the other children waiting for homes,” the actress told Yeas & Nays. “Some people think you need to be as pretty as Angelina Jolie to adopt. As many producers and studio execs have told me, I am not. But anyone can adopt.”
While in town, Vardalos also managed to do some sightseeing. “I went to the Smithsonian and took a tour of Capitol Hill,” she told us. She even made her way to J&G Steakhouse at the W Hotel. “The chocolate cake was the bomb! That isn’t good to say in Washington,” she laughed. “But it was very good.”
Other VIPs in attendance at the gala were Cleveland Browns linebacker Scott Fujita and Fox News contributor and radio show host Laura Ingraham, who emceed the event.
