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Bradley Cooper, David O. Russell Introduce Legislation to Congress, Meet With Biden

9:09 AM PST 2/8/2013 by Jordan Zakarin
Bradley Cooper David O. Russell AFI - P 2012
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Bradley Cooper, L, and David O. Russell

The actor and director of "Silver Linings Playbook" spent Thursday in Washington, where they rallied politicians for mental healthcare.

Taking a break in their quest for Oscar votes, Bradley Cooper and David O. Russell spent Thursday rallying to secure votes in congress.

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The director and star of Silver Linings Playbook visited Washington D.C. on the invitation of Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Debbie Stabenow, who are working to shore up the nation's mental healthcare system as part of a larger effort to reduce gun violence. Silver Linings Playbook, which earned six Oscar nominations, focuses on a bipolar man, played by Cooper, and his quest to rediscover balance and happiness. Russell has said that his own son's struggle with bipolar disorder Inspired him to make the movie.

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"I did it for my son, so he could feel less stigmatized," Russell said at the press conference of the film. "When your son is 11 and he has a mood disorder and he tells you that he's not so happy about this business called living, you would do anything for that child to turn it around."

The actor-director pair met with the vice president, who spearheaded President Barack Obama's push for gun control. They then met with Stabenow, a Democrat from Michigan, and helped her introduce the bipartisan Excellence in Mental Health Act to the senate.

According to The Hill, the bill would "expand access to federally qualified mental health centers and order the facilities to offer a standard range of services, including support for families and 24-hour crisis care."

Cooper previously met with Stabenow and former Rep. Patrick Kennedy, who has dealt with his own mental health issues, for a press conference on the topic at the Center for American Progress.

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