Joseph Cao RSS Articles

Cao Speaks on His LA HonorAir Resolution to Honor WWII Vets

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao (LA-2) passed his resolution, H.Res. 828, to designate October 24, 2009 as “Louisiana HonorAir Day” and honor the service of World War II Veterans to our Nation. The resolution passed the House by a voice vote.

TRANSCRIPT:

Mr. Speaker,

I rise today in support of H.Res. 828, to designate October 24, 2009 as “Louisiana HonorAir Day” and honor the invaluable service of World War II Veterans to our Nation.

October 24, 2009, marked the 20th chartered flight of World War II veterans from Louisiana to DC through Louisiana HonorAir to visit the National World War II Memorial.

Louisiana HonorAir’s mission is to provide every World War II veteran, who is physically able to travel, the opportunity to view their World War II Memorial for the first time.

World War II veterans are granted a chartered flight from Louisiana to Washington, D.C., for a day-long, all-expenses-paid trip to visit the National World War II Memorial, the Marine Corps Memorial, the Iwo Jima Memorial and other memorials, and to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The World War II Memorial was dedicated in 2004 for a generation whose youngest member is in their late seventies. Therefore, many of the men and women who fought and sacrificed for our country have not had the opportunity, or ability, to visit.

Sadly, a few of the World War II veterans scheduled to go on the October 24th flight passed away or became too ill to travel and were therefore unable to be properly honored for their tremendous sacrifices.

As Louisiana HonorAir prepares to fly its final flight on April 10, 2010, I am proud that its last three fall flights were out of New Orleans, Louisiana, home to the National World War II Museum.

Mr. Speaker, I had the great opportunity to welcome home several members of the veterans community on their flights back from Washington, DC three weeks ago, and I have to say that from the reception that I received and from the faces of the many members who came back from Washington, DC on that HonorAir flight, they were very grateful and honored to be able to participate in the program.

Under the leadership of T.D. Smith, the Louisiana HonorAir reminds our nations World War II veterans how indebted we are to them for service.

As the son of a war veteran, I consider it a personal honor to sponsor this legislation, and I strongly urge my colleagues to vote in favor of H.Res. 828.

Thank you, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Congressman Cao and Partners to Host AAA Health Fair and 1-Mile Fun Walk

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao (LA-2) will host his third AAA Health Fair on Saturday, November 7th from 9AM – 2PM CST.

Cao said: “Regular check-ups and screenings are excellent methods for avoiding, detecting, and/or treating serious health problems. I am inviting everyone in the 2nd Congressional District to come and take advantage of these free services and vital information.”
The Office of Congressman Cao has partnered with LaCHIP (Louisiana Children’s Health Insurance Program), State Department of Public Health, Department of Health and Human Services, City of Gretna, Gretna Police Department, and certified health officials to provide screenings, education, and referrals for the following:

Health and Fitness, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol and Diabetes (Glucose) Screening* (9am to Noon), Mammography and Self Breast Exam Information, Empathy Experience, LaCHIP enrollment, Prescription Drug Plans, Child ID and more.
*Free hepatitis and tetanus immunizations will also be provided for children and adults by the State Department of Public Health.

Who: Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao; Representatives from LaCHIP, Department of Health and Human Services, State Department of Public Health, City of Gretna, Gretna Police Department, and others.

What: AAA Health Care Day (Affordable. Accessible. Accountable.) / 1-mile Fun Walk

Where: Gretna Market, Huey P. Long and 3rd Street, Gretna, LA 70053

When: Saturday, November 7, 2009

Time: 9AM – 2PM CST

Additionally, the City of Gretna is coordinating a 1-mile Fun Walk as part of the AAA Health Care Day.

The walk begins at Huey P. Long and 3rd Street in Gretna at 8:30 am. Registration begins at 7:30 am with a warm-up at 8:15 am. For more information on the 1-Mile Fun Walk, please call (504) 483-2325.

Cao Office Delivers Health Care Bill to Local Libraries

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Soon, Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District will have better access to the new House health care bill, H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act.

By 3pm CST today, the Office of Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao (LA-2) will deliver the most recent version of the entire 1,990 page bill to the following 17 local libraries and 2 law schools.

Cao headed home from DC Thursday evening to digest the new bill. (SEE VIDEO HERE) He said: “I’m going to be spending my weekend reading every page of this bill to prepare for next week’s vote. The bill was just released yesterday and contains some major changes to the earlier proposals. I want to make sure that my constituents have an opportunity to read this bill, too because it will impact everyone.”

Orleans and Jefferson Parish constituents should be aware that the provided copies of the health care bill are reference documents only and cannot be removed from the institutions.

Congressman Cao has been extremely engaged in the national health care debate. He has met on several occasions with White House Health Care Czar, Nancy-Ann DeParle and hosted her during a public telephone town hall that went out to over 62,000 households. He has also had several briefings on the health care legislation from experts with the Congressional Research Service and hosted 11 health care town halls during August recess.

The bill is also available on his website at www.josephcao.house.gov .

Algiers Regional Branch
3014 Holiday Drive
New Orleans, LA, 70131
10 am - 7 pm, Mon. - Thurs.
10 am - 6 pm, Fri.
(504) 596-2641

Alvar Branch
913 Alvar Street
New Orleans, LA, 70117
10 am – 5 pm, Mon-Thurs & Sat
(504) 596-2667

Children's Resource Center
913 Napoleon Avenue
New Orleans, LA, 70115
10 am - 6 pm, Mon. - Thurs.
10 am - 5 pm, Fri.
1 pm - 5 pm, Sat.
(504) 596-2628

East New Orleans Branch
5641 Read Blvd
New Orleans, LA, 70127
10 am - 7 pm, Mon. & Wed.
10 am - 6 pm, Tues. & Thurs.
10 am - 5 pm, Sat.
(504) 596-0200

The Edith S. Lawson Library in Westwego
635 Fourth St.
Westwego, LA 70094
10 am – 6 pm, Mon-Sun
(504) 349-5912

Gretna Library
102 Willow Dr.
Gretna, LA 70053
(in library parking lot of the library building)
10 am - 6 pm, Tues-Thursday and Saturday
(504) 364-2716

Hubbell Branch
225 Morgan St.
New Orleans, LA 70114
504-366-0657

Jane O’Brien Chatelain
2751 Manhattan Blvd.
Harvey, LA 70058
9 am – 9 pm, Mon-Thurs
9 am – 5 pm, Fri-Sat
1 pm – 5 pm, Sun
(504) 364-2660

Lakeview Branch
6317 Argonne Blvd (at Harrison Ave)
New Orleans, LA 70124
10 am - 7pm, Tues., Wed. & Thurs.
10 am - 5 pm, Fri. & Sat.
(504) 596-2638

Latter Branch
5120 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA, 70115
9 am - 8 pm, Mon. & Wed.
9 am - 6 pm, Tues. & Thurs.
10 am - 5 pm, Sat.
12 pm - 5 pm, Sun.
(504) 596-2625

Live Oak Library
125 Acadia Dr.
Waggaman, LA 70094
11 am – 7 pm, Mon-Thurs
(504) 736-8475

Main Branch – Louisiana Division
219 Loyola Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70112
504-596-2560

Martin Luther King Branch
1611 Caffin Avenue
New Orleans, LA, 70117
10 am - 5 pm, Mon. - Fri.
(504) 596-2695

Mid-City Branch
330 N. Carrollton Avenue
New Orleans, LA, 70119
10 am - 7 pm, Mon. & Wed.
10 am - 6 pm, Tues. & Thurs.
10 am - 5 pm, Sat.
(504) 596-2654

Nix Branch
1401 S. Carrollton Avenue
New Orleans, LA, 70118
10 am - 7 pm, Mon. - Thurs.
10 am - 6 pm, Fri.
(504) 596-2630

Rosa Keller Branch
4300 S. Broad Street
New Orleans, LA, 70125
10 am. - 6 p.m., Mon. & Wed.
10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Tues. & Thurs.
10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sat.
(504) 596-2660

Terrytown Library
680 Heritage Ave.
Terrytown, LA 70056
10 am – 6 pm, Mon-Sat
(504) 364-2717


Law schools

Tulane Law School
Weinmann Hall
6329 Freret Street
New Orleans, LA 70118

Loyola Law School
526 Pine Street
New Orleans, LA 70118

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Cao Secures $500,000 for Audubon Institute in New Orleans

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao (LA-2) announced $500,000 that he secured for the Endangered Whooping Crane Propagation Facility at the Audubon Nature Institute in New Orleans, LA. The funding was included in the conference report for H.R. 2996, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2010.

The conference report must be voted on by the Senate before the bill proceeds to the President for his signature.

This funding will finance the construction of new breeding pens at the Audubon’ Center for Research of Endangered Species.

Cao said: “The Audubon Institute does great work for endangered species. New Orleans should be proud of their work, and I’ll continue to look for ways to promote them. They are a leader in protecting endangered species, and this funding will help promote the important work they’re doing to reestablish the Whooping Crane population in America. Unfortunately, several factors have contributed to their endangerment including the declining health of our wetlands. Our future quality of life depends on how we take care of our natural resources, and we have a moral duty to protect the biological diversity of our plants and animals.”

The Audubon Nature Institute is a 501(c)3 not for profit that operates a family of museums and parks dedicated to nature. These New Orleans facilities include:

• Audubon Park
• Audubon Zoo
• Woldenberg Riverfront Park
• Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
• Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center
• Entergy IMAX® Theatre
• Audubon Louisiana Nature Center
• Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species
• Audubon Wilderness Park
• Audubon Insectarium
• Audubon Nature Institute Foundation

Ron Forman, President and Chief Executive Officer for the Audubon Nature Institute, said: “Audubon Nature Institute is grateful for Congressman Cao’s leadership in securing this significant conservation funding that will ultimately return the Whooping Crane, a native Louisiana species, to its home. We are proud to contribute to the preservation of this invaluable national resource.”

CAO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS BILL PASSES THE HOUSE

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao (LA-2) announced House passage of S.1694, a bill to amend the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act. The legislation will extend the deadline for states to apply for funds to build and repair interoperable emergency communications systems from 2010 to 2012, assuring that the Gulf States have adequate time to apply for and receive the funding they need.

Cao first introduced his bills (H.R. 1819 and H.R. 3348) earlier this year to address the failings of many of the emergency communications systems in the Gulf Region after Hurricane Katrina. These failures severely inhibited rescue efforts in New Orleans, where many residents failed to evacuate because neither they nor the police had received the order. Since then, he combined his language with Congresswoman Jane Harman’s (D-CA) bill (H.R. 3633).

Given the prevalence of dangerous storms in the Gulf Coast, effective emergency communications systems are crucial to guaranteeing public safety. However, Louisiana needs time to develop infrastructure and training projects that will make them eligible for the funds.

Cao said: “It is extremely important that Louisiana have the necessary resources to protect their citizens during an emergency, and this extension gives our emergency personnel more time to improve and modernize their communications systems.”

Cao’s bill is a bipartisan effort with signatures from Representatives Jo Banner (R-AL), Mike Honda (D-CA), Don Young (R-AK), and Jim Oberstar (D-MN), as well as others from the Gulf Region and around the country.

The bill was also supported by a broad coalition of emergency management professionals including: the International Association of Fire Chiefs, National Emergency Management Association, and Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials.

Cao Calls for Loans to Chinese Drywall Victims; Attends Chinese Drywall Briefing

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao (LA-2) attended a Congressional Contaminated Drywall Caucus (CCDC) briefing about contaminated Chinese drywall.

Cao addressed a panel of government safety officials including representatives from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).

Cao expressed concern about the slow pace of government agency testing and pushed for the release of the results from a 50-house study that was initiated early last year. The results of this study would help identify the toxins in drywall and determine responsible manufacturers for these products.

As people sue manufacturers over Chinese drywall, Cao wants to know why the agencies cannot partner with private scientific labs to standardize the tests.

The safety agencies confirmed that they are working with their counterparts in China to develop test protocols of these toxins. Safeguards have been established to prevent any additional drywall from entering the United States.

“Chinese drywall contaminations have resulted in serious health problems for many people in our district who were sold tainted drywall after the Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” Cao said. “Congress and the federal government must act now to address this problem.”

This evening, Congressman Cao also spoke in favor of amendment 16 to H.R. 3854 which will allow homeowners who have been impacted by toxic drywall an option to apply for Small Business Administration loans to repair their homes. The amendment was adopted by the House by a voice vote.

The CPSC has chosen Louisiana as a test site and asks that all consumer complaints/questions be referred to their offices.

Toll-free Consumer Hotline: 1-800-638-2772 http://www.cpsc.gov/about/contact.html

Cao Launches New Website to Improve Constituent Communication

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Today, Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao (LA-2) announced the launch of his new congressional website that will allow constituents to follow his work in Congress and back home in Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional district.

“I want to be as accessible as possible to Orleans and Jefferson Parish,” Cao said. “With the development of my new website, constituents may sign up for my telephone town halls, e-newsletter, postal mailing list, and surveys. The site also provides more information about my community-based events such as the AAA health fairs and Service Academy Day. Most importantly, we’ve provided links to each bill that I have either sponsored or co-sponsored.”

Additionally, Cao’s new site provides information about federal grants, job postings, internships, and national legislation as well as his recent media appearances, and the latest press releases.

Cao Visits White House

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Today, I had a chance to speak with President Obama during a reception I attended at the White House to commemorate the passage and enactment of the Hate Crimes Bill, which I cosponsored.

I took advantage of the opportunity to pull the President aside and address him directly about some of the issues we face in Louisiana, especially the need for funding for Charity Hospital. President Obama and I have spoken several times about the need for comprehensive, bipartisan solutions to the problems we face, and I am optimistic that he will continue to support our state.

Stay tuned to this blog and my website for more news.

--Congressman Cao

Cao to Host Service Academy Day

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao (LA-2) will host a Service Academy Day for Orleans and Jefferson Parish Schools on Monday, October 26, 2009 at the Delgado Community College City Park Campus.

The informational event is open to high school students, their parents, guidance counselors, and school officials who are interested in learning about the requirements and procedures for seeking an appointment to a U.S. military academy.

Representatives from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Merchant Marine and Coast Guard academies will be on hand.

Students wishing to attend a service academy must meet high academic and physical standards and must be legal state residents, U.S. citizens, and at least 17 years old.

Cao said: “One of the privileges of serving in the United States House of Representatives is the opportunity to nominate outstanding young people from the 2nd Congressional District to be considered for admission to our nation’s service academies. Military service is an honor and a cornerstone of our great democracy. I encourage the high school students of Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional District to come and learn what a service academy is all about."

Who: Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao and Representatives from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Merchant Marine and Coast Guard academies

What: Congressman Cao’s Service Academy Day for Orleans and Jefferson Parish Schools

Where: Delgado Community College City Park Campus Student Life Center, 2nd Floor Conference Room (615 City Park Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119)

When: Monday, October 26, 2009

Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm CST

The Latest News Clips

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:00:00 GMT

Cao on MSNBC about Obama's Visit to New Orleans

Cao on WWL about Length of Obama Visit to New Orleans

Cao on FOX 8 about Obama Visit

Cao Addresses Charity Hospital Issue During Obama's New Orleans Visit

Cao on WDSU about Obama's Visit

Cao on WWL about the Obama Administration

HUD Secretary Cites Cao in Show of Bi-Partisanship

AAA HEALTH FAIR

WGNO Coverage of AAA Health Fair

WDSU Coverage of Cao AAA Health Fair