Congressman Cao is Sole Republican Vote in Support of Health Reform

After months of grassroots pressure, and months of indecision and wavering, Congressman Anh "Joseph'' Cao became the only Republican in the House of Representatives to vote in favor of the Democratic health care reform bill.

Grassroots activists in New Orleans, who repeatedly confronted Cao on this issue, deserve at least some of the credit for this vote. As the bill moves to the Senate, it's time for activists to keep the pressure on Senator Mary Landrieu, who has also been noncommittal on the issue.

Congressman Cao Addresses Health Care, Audience is Dissatisfied with his Answers

Last night, Congressman Cao faced hard questioning from a room of New Orleanians, and most of the smaller-than-expected crowd of about 60 was loudly dissatisfied with his answers.

Cao’s office apparently was nervous about public expressions of opinion they couldn’t control. In advance of the event, they attempted to forbid local organizers from passing out information about the state of health care in Louisiana.

The evening was dominated by questions about medical insurance, as one person after another tried to pin down the Congressman to a stance on the White House’s health care reform bill. Cao would only repeat that he was for reform, but not necessarily this bill. Questioners asked if Cao was more responsive to donors and supporters such as Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions than he was to his constituents.

One position that Congressman Cao did commit to was a stance against federal funding for abortions. In response, a woman in the audience gave an impassioned declaration that, as a man, he should not try tell women what to do with their bodies – to wide support from the room. Other audience members responded that, regardless of anyone’s opinion on the issue, the White House bill would not overturn the already-existing Hyde Amendment, which already prohibits such funding. Cao disagreed.

Finally, in response to a question from Tracie Washington of Louisiana Justice Institute, Congressman Cao declared that he would not support a health care reform bill that did not specifically prohibit federal funding for abortion. Many in the room expressed frustration and anger at his stance. One speaker declared that Cao was standing against the bill, but they did not see him standing for anything, especially Louisiana.

Health Care Advocates from Across the City will be Attending Congressman Cao's Forum, and Asking Hard Questions

Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao, who dodged last week’s Community Conversation on Health Care, has announced a public health care forum for tomorrow night. Congressman Cao apparently decided last week’s conversation – which filled a church in Gentilly - was not important enough for him to attend, but was still a good enough idea for him to present something very similar.

Tomorrow night’s forum, like last week’s event, features a panel of health care experts, including: Nancy Cassagne, CEO of West Jefferson Medical Center; Mary Joseph, Director of the Katrina Resource and Referral Project at the Children’s Defense Fund; and Judge Calvin Johnson. The panel will take questions from forum attendees, and be moderated by WBOK’s Gerod Stevens.

Anyone concerned about health care in New Orleans, and what our elected representatives are doing about it, should be there, and be prepared to ask Congressman Cao the hard questions he has been dodging. If anyone knows the need for health care reform, its residents of Louisiana; our state is number 50 in most measures of health care quality and access.

Local activist Eli Ackerman has listed some questions for Cao on his blog. As Ackerman says, “Congressman Cao has developed the habit of not taking positions on issues (think stimulus) before he votes the reactionary position with his Party's leaders. It is important that meeting attendees make a real effort to force Mr. Cao to explain what he believes, how he plans to vote, and why.”

Cao’s forum will be Thursday, September 3, at 6:00 p.m, at H.C. Schaumburg Elementary School, 9501 Grant Street – in New Orleans East. For some background, check out the Louisiana Justice Institute’s "Healthcare: Myths vs. Facts" Powerpoint and factsheet, here.