The Honorable Anh "Joseph" Cao, U.S. House of Representatives (LA-2), New Orleans, LA

U.S. Representative Anh “Joseph” Cao joined the 111th Congress on January 6, 2009 representing the 2nd district of Louisiana. He was born in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam. His father, an officer with the South Vietnamese Army, was imprisoned by the Communists. At the age of eight, Joseph escaped to the United States with two of his siblings. He learned English, thrived in school, and earned a degree in physics from Baylor University.

Representative Cao first arrived in New Orleans in 1992. He left to earn a graduate degree in philosophy from Fordham University, returning to Loyola University to teach philosophy and ethics. Afterwards, he attained a law degree from Loyola Law School. In Washington, DC, he became an advocate for refugees, future Americas who embody a can-do spirit and strong work ethic. In 2002, he was chosen by Archbishop Alfred Hughes to become a member of the National Advisory Council of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, addressing women's rights in the Catholic Church, social justice, child abuse, and the Catholic response to Hurricane Katrina.

Congressman Cao is the first Vietnamese American to serve in the U.S. Congress.