Modern News

In a late night vote in the House of Representatives, HR 3962 with the Stupak-Pitts Amendment was passed 220-215.

Anh “Joseph” Cao was the only Republican vote for healthcare reform.  Pelosi crowed victory when the vote reached 218 and then Cao quietly submitted his “Aye” vote.  He had previously said that federally funded abortions was one of the issues for him.

In an interview with CNN, Cao stated that he felt that his decision to vote for healthcare reform was the right decision for his district, although it was not a popular decision for the party.  Cao has also been able to secure Obama’s promise of assistance for Hurricane Katrina victims but he says that did not influence his vote in favor of healthcare reform.

“The president and I, we have had a very good relationship, and I thank him and his administration for their hard work in helping me to rebuild my district after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina,” Cao said. “I’m pretty sure that if I were to vote no against the bill the president would still continue to work with me to address the needs of my district. But I felt it was important of me to support the president in this matter because, like I said before, based on my own conscience, it was the right decision for my district.” (Link to CNN Interview)

Cao is a Junior Congressman from Louisiana’s 2nd District.  He defeated nine-term Democrat incumbent William Jefferson to win the seat and become the first Republican to hold the seat in that District since 1890.  William Jefferson was the same Jefferson of the $90,000 in the freezer who was also convicted of 11 out of 16 indictments in August 2009.

Cao is the first Vietnamese-American and native of Vietnam to serve in Congress.  Louisiana’s 2nd District is a heavily Democratic district and with a Cook Partisan Voting Index of D+28, it is one of the most Democratic districts to be represented by a Republican in the United States.

Healthcare Reform is not the first voting departure from Republican party lines by this Junior Congressman.  Cao was one of five Republicans who voted in favor of HR 2346, Obama’s $106 billion supplemental appropriation for military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.  He was also one of seven Republicans who voted in favor of the resolution of disapproval for Joe Wilson; however, he will hold the dubious distinction of the lone Republican to vote in favor of healthcare reform all on his own.