“Our district has made significant strides over the past nine months, and I am pleased to share the news. Having just commemorated the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, we were all reminded of the unwavering determination to rebuild that was evident in every citizen as they returned to New Orleans to jumpstart their communities."

--Congressman Anh "Joseph" Cao

REBUILDING OUR COMMUNITIES

The recovery of Orleans and Jefferson Parishes is Congressman Cao’s top priority. In his eight months in office, he has:

• Led the investigation of FEMA’s Gulf Coast Recovery Office resulting in its closure, and the release of nearly $183 million to Orleans and Jefferson Parishes.

• Facilitated the release of hundreds of millions of recovery and hazard mitigation dollars for public evacuation, public shelters, and search and rescue operations.

• Co-sponsored the FEMA Independence Act to establish FEMA as a cabinet-level independent agency in the executive branch, giving FEMA direct access to the President.

• Secured $750,000 in H.R. 2892 for the New Orleans Emergency Management Systems, the only 911 emergency service provider for the City of New Orleans.

• Secured over $139 million in H.R. 3183 for the Army Corps of Engineers for the Mississippi River navigation projects, levee construction, coastal area ecosystem restoration, and storm protection.

PROTECTING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS

Congressman Cao believes that when schools, businesses, civic organizations, and community volunteers partner with law enforcement, a powerful network is created to combat crime and provide safe neighborhoods to raise our children. In his eight months in office, he has:

• Secured $1.5 million in H.R. 2847 for the Greater New Orleans Crime Coalition to help our police officers keep our streets safe.

• Facilitated the release of $4 million to rebuild the NOPD District 7 Station House and the New Orleans Fire Station 36.

• Worked with attorneys, sheriffs, police chiefs, and the FBI on programs combating juvenile delinquency and gang activity.

REBUILDING OUR HOMES

Congressman Cao is fighting on behalf of Orleans and Jefferson Parish families to keep their homes during this time of crisis. In his eight months in office, he has:

• Secured a combined $1 million in H.R. 3288 and H.R. 3170 to restore neighborhoods that were destroyed by Katrina.

• Secured $550,000 in H.R. 3183 for the New Orleans chapter of Global Green USA to support building 23 units of green affordable housing in the Lower 9th Ward.

• Asked President Obama for a 90-day extension for the DHAP trailer rental program so area housing agencies could transition constituents to permanent housing.

PROVIDING ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE FACILITIES AND ADVOCATING PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE

Congressman Cao realizes that the rising cost of health care is an obstacle to the families of Orleans and Jefferson Parishes. He is pushing to reform our health care system that would improve treatment outcomes, limit waste, and make prescription drugs more affordable. In his
eight months in office, Congressman Cao has:

• Brought state, federal, and local leadership together to resolve the Charity dispute, due to the critical need for a public hospital.

• Facilitated the release of $129 million in block grants to benefit the five area hospitals (East Jefferson, Ochsner, Tulane, Touro, and West Jefferson) that have filled the void left by Charity’s closure.

• Secured $450,000 in H.R. 3293 to rebuild Methodist Hospital and re-establish acute care hospital services in New Orleans East and an additional $700,000 for community health centers at Dillard University and the Mary Queen of Vietnam Community Development Corporation.

• Promoted preventive health care, focusing on disease prevention:

-Hosted Representative Cao’s AAA Health Care Initiative in New Orleans, providing free disease screenings, information about discounted prescription drugs, and referrals from local medical specialists.

-Increased funding for State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) expanding access to children’s insurance.

-Joined his colleagues in the House to raise awareness of viral hepatitis and liver cancer prevention.

-Hosted free public hepatitis B & C screenings, including testing, counseling, and education.

-Co-sponsored the HEART for Women Act to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of heart disease in women.

-Secured $600,000 in H.R. 3293 for the Xavier University College of Pharmacy and the Tulane/RAND Center for Health and Society in Louisiana to provide resources for training of health officials and community health workers.

-Secured $500,000 in H.R. 3293 for the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) in Greater New Orleans to provide the elderly with more health care options.

LOWERING ENERGY COSTS AND PROTECTING OUR ENIRONMENT

Congressman Cao believes we all must protect our natural resources. In his eight months in
office, he has:

• Amended H.R. 2183, the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, to increase oversight of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and promote nuclear power as a cornerstone of clean & reliable energy policy.

• Secured $1,000,000 in H.R. 3183 for the Clean Power Energy Research Consortium (CPERC), a joint-venture between the University of New Orleans, Tulane University, Southern University, and Louisiana State University to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gases emissions in the U.S.

EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN

Congressman Cao is dedicated to ensuring that all children of Orleans and Jefferson Parishes have access to quality education. He believes that well-educated students are the key to ensuring our economic future by providing a highly trained workforce to compete in
the world marketplace. In his eight months in office, he has:

• Facilitated the release of over $34 million for St. Mary’s Academy, the first Catholic secondary school for African-American girls in New Orleans.

• Facilitated the release of over $3 million for Holy Cross High School in New Orleans.

• Hosted “An Artistic Discovery: Congressional Creative Arts Forum” for local high school students and awarded the 2009 Congressional Art Award to promote the incorporation of arts in education.

• Supported the Green Schools Act providing funding to make school facilities safe, healthy, energy efficient, environmentally friendly, and technologically up-to-date.

• Facilitated the release of over $95 million in reimbursements to Tulane University for damages to Tulane’s facilities caused by Hurricane Katrina.

• Facilitated the release of $10.8 million to cover increased repair costs to the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center’s (LSUHSC) Clinical Education Building.

• Supported the expansion of the following programs: TRIO (Science & Technology, Engineering, and Math), Upward Bound, and College Scholars.