As her first official act as a citizen, the 40-year-old "Baywatch" alum joined PETA's vice president at the White House Correspondents' Dinner during the weekend, E! Online reported Tuesday.

"Being a citizen excites me not just because I can vote, but because I can crack the whip on Capitol Hill to defend animals," Anderson said. She was made a U.S. citizen last week.

While in Washington, Anderson also hand-delivered a PETA science report to the Department of Health and Human Services. The report condemned the U.S. government for lagging behind European nations in using modern technology and non-animal test methods rather than animal tests.