socialmedian: Joseph Cao: Voting For Health Reform Was "A Decision Of Conscience" (VIDEO)

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Joseph Cao: Voting For Health Reform Was "A Decision Of Conscience" (VIDEO)

Source: The Huffington Post | Full News Feed

Nov 08, 2009

Summary

The one House Republican to support health care reform said on Sunday that his decision to back the bill was driven by his conscience and the needs of his district and not back-room dealing with the White House or Democrats.

Rep. Joseph Cao (R-La), appearing on CNN, said that he cast his vote in favor of reform only after an amendment greatly restricting the coverage of abortions was allowed to come to a vote. Once that hurdle was clear, Cao said, "I called the White House and said I could possibly support the bill."

The subject of a fierce, late-in-the-game, lobbying effort between Democrats and Republicans, Cao ultimately voted yea because, as he put it, "I had to make a decision of conscience based on the needs of the people in my district."

"I had to make a decision and I felt that last night's decision was the right decision for my district," he added. "Even though it was not the popular decision for my party."

The first-term Republican, who hails from a very Democratic district in New Orleans, insisted that he did not consider possible electoral ramificatio

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