Waterston spending the day on Capitol Hill

WASHINGTON, July 29 (UPI) -- Actor Sam Waterston headed to Washington Wednesday to meet with lawmakers regarding campaign finance reform.

The star of television's "Law & Order" is expected to talk to lawmakers and the media about the benefits of a system of public financing for congressional races before Thursday's planned U.S. House hearing, during which the first bipartisan public financing of elections bill is to be considered, the Fair Elections Now Coalition said.

"(The) wisdom of the people, on which democracy depends, can't be heard -- and we can't change the results we've been getting -- without changing the way we fund our elections. Simple, voter-centered public financing will take the taint out of campaign donations and invite ordinary citizens into the political process," Waterston wrote in an opinion piece published April 30 in The Boston Globe, describing the Fair Elections Now Act.