[StBernard] The Issues that Matter: Health Care, Education, and the Economy

[Westley Annis]

Join me for my AAA Health Care Initiative!
Affordable. Accessible. Accountable.

July 1, 2009 1PM – 6PM 
Grace Episcopal Church
3700 Canal St.
New Orleans, LA 70119

SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED:

High Blood Pressure—Education & Screening
Mammography—Education & Referral
Diabetes—Education, Screening, & Referral
AIDS & HIV—Education & Screening
Immunization—Screening
Lung Function— Screening
Oral Cancer—Screening
Dental HIV—Screening

*Also, find out how to get discounts on prescription drugs.

$33 Million to Tulane University 

This week, I announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) release of over $33 million to Tulane University.  This funding is reimbursement for damages to Tulane’s facilities caused by Hurricane Katrina. Tulane is the largest employer in the city of New Orleans. 

This is a long time coming, and after months of questions by my staff and me. This is the progress my constituents have waited four years for.

Yvette Jones, Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President for External Affairs, Tulane University was quoted as saying: “We look forward to receiving these FEMA reimbursements for costs associated with rebuilding Tulane University in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and we sincerely appreciate Rep. Cao’s efforts on Tulane’s behalf and we are pleased to continue to work with his office and FEMA to settle all of our hurricane-related claims.”  

Tulane has had more constructive dialogue in the last five months than the two previous years. This announcement is great, but we still have a long way to go. I will work to ensure the remaining obligations are satisfied and that our institutions of higher learning have the necessary resources for educating our students.  

Supporting the New Orleans Economic Development Council, Inc. 

Yesterday, I announced that the New Orleans Economic Development Council (NOEDC) finally received 501(c)(3) non-profit status enabling them to receive funds from the public and private sectors. 

The NOEDC is a public/private partnership created to improve economic development in New Orleans by consolidating all efforts under one roof. This will be run by a seventeen member board composed of businesses and community leaders. 

Current IRS backlogs of six to eight months delayed the non-profit approval process for the NOEDC. 

With this announcement, the NOEDC may now accept pledges of $2.4 million ($400,000 in private funds and $2 million from the City of New Orleans). 

Belinda Little-Wood, the Economic Development Director for New Orleans, contacted my office for assistance. At the time, their application had been at the IRS for 5 months. 

Little-Wood said: “To have an affirmative response [from the IRS] this quickly, is a huge deal. We were seeking 501(c)(3) status approval for economic development purposes. That particular designation is typically pretty difficult to obtain. For us to acquire it this quickly was pretty significant. Congressman Cao responded very quickly. His office has been incredibly helpful, and I was kept informed as they continued to press on the issue. I was very impressed with Congressman Cao’s expediency, efficiency, and professionalism.” 

The NOEDC informed me that it wants to rebrand and remarket the city post Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. New Orleans officials need to be able to tell investors that New Orleans is open for business.
 
BILLS CO-SPONSORED THIS WEEK

I co-sponsored the following bills this week.  

1. H.R. 1362 - National MS & Parkinson’s Disease Registry Act: This Act amends the Public Health Service Act to establish a national surveillance system for multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, and other neurological diseases and disorders.  It is the creation of a system for collection and storage of data on these diseases.  The information will be available to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Department of Defense (DOD).

2. Mobile Mammography Promotion Act:  This Act allows mammovans to purchase fuel without being required to pay the federal excise tax.  Mammovans tend to travel to underserved rural and urban areas where women do not have access to the early detection services needed to discover and successfully treat breast cancer.  

3. H.R. 2799 – Celebrate the 225th Anniversary of the U.S. Marshals Service in 2014: This Act requires the Secretary of the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the 225th anniversary of the establishment of the nation's first law enforcement agency, the United States Marshals Service

4. H.R. 775 – Military Surviving Spouses Equity Act: This Act requires the Secretary of the military department concerned to pay an annuity to a member's dependent children when there is no eligible surviving spouse. 

5. Go Zone Low Income Housing Tax Credit Bill: This Act allows the Go Zone LIHTCs to be monetized under the provisions in the stimulus bill. The Disaster State Economic Recovery Act amends the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to clarify that Go Zone LIHTCs returned in 2009 are eligible for the new grant program.

6. H.R. 1207 – Federal Reserve Transparency Act: This Act directs the Comptroller General to complete, before the end of 2010, an audit of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and of the Federal Reserve Banks, followed by a detailed report to Congress.

CONNECT WITH
ME 

 <http://josephcao.house.gov/Components/Redirect/r.aspx?ID=18306-3468870>      <http://josephcao.house.gov/Components/Redirect/r.aspx?ID=18307-3468870>      <http://josephcao.house.gov/Components/Redirect/r.aspx?ID=18308-3468870>  

The Official Website of Congressman Joseph Cao <http://josephcao.house.gov/Components/Redirect/r.aspx?ID=18309-3468870> 




TELL A FRIEND 

Please feel free to share this email newsletter with your friends by visiting my web site. <http://josephcao.house.gov/Components/Redirect/r.aspx?ID=18310-3468870> 



Don't forget to...
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR UPDATES! <http://josephcao.house.gov/Components/Redirect/r.aspx?ID=18311-3468870>