Britney Spears revealed on Wednesday (Feb. 16) that she was invited to join Congress members Charlie Crist (D-Fla.) and Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) in a meeting to discuss her experience in her 13-year conservatorship.
The star posted an official letter dated Dec. 1, 2021, from the Congress of the United States to Instagram, congratulating Spears on the termination of her conservatorship in November. “We wanted to personally invite you and your counsel to meet with us in Congress at a mutually convenient time to describe in your own words how you achieved justice,” the letter reads. “There is no doubt that your story will empower countless others outside the millions that are already inspired by you and your art. Please know that you have absolutely no obligation to do anything more but fight for yourself, but if you are willing we would appreciate learning more about the emotional and financial turmoil you faced within the conservatorship system.”
In the caption, Spears expressed how “flattered” she was about receiving the letter, though “at the time I wasn’t nearly at the healing stage I’m in now.”
“I’m grateful that my story was even ACKNOWLEDGED,” she wrote. “Because of the letter, I felt heard and like I mattered for the first time in my life !!! In a world where your own family goes against you, it’s actually hard to find people that get it and show empathy !!!!!’
She added that she’s “not here to be a victim although I’m the first to admit I’m pretty messed up by it all,” but she wants to “help others in vulnerable situations, take life by the balls and be brave!!!”
“I wish I would have been … I was so scared and nothing is worse than your own family doing what they did to me … I’m lucky to have a small circle of adorable friends who I can count on … In the mean time thank you to Congress for inviting me to the White House …,” she concluded.
Spears hadn’t confirmed whether or not she is planning on attending a meeting with Crist and Swawell. Billboard has reached out to the star’s reps, as well as the two Congress members for comment.
This isn’t the first time Spears has been invited to speak with Congress. In July 2021, after her revealing testimony in front of Los Angeles Superior Court, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) extended an invitation to the pop star to be heard in front of Congress.
Gaetz and fellow Republican Congress members — Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Burgess Owens (Utah) and Andy Biggs (Az.) — addressed a letter to Spears about how closely they’ve been following her conservatorship with “deep concern” and what they want to do to help.
A few weeks later, a bipartisan “Britney Bill” was introduced to Congress, designed to crack down on conservatorship abuse. Crist and South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace introduced the Freedom and Right to Emancipate from Exploitation Act, aka the FREE Act which would allow individuals who have a judge-appointed private conservator to petition to have that person replaced by a state-employed public guardian. See information about the FREE Act here.
