James T. Walsh
| Jim Walsh | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 25th district |
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| In office January 3, 1989 – January 3, 2009 |
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| Preceded by | George Wortley (27th district) Sherwood Boehlert (25th district) |
| Succeeded by | Dan Maffei |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 19, 1947 Syracuse, New York |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | DeDe Walsh |
| Residence | Syracuse, New York |
| Alma mater | St. Bonaventure University |
| Occupation | college professor |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
James Thomas "Jim" Walsh (born June 19, 1947) is an American Republican politician from Syracuse, New York. In 2009, he retired after representing a portion of Central New York, that is now known as the state's 25th Congressional District, in the United States House of Representatives for twenty years.[1]
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Early life, education, and early career [edit]
Walsh was born in Syracuse, New York and graduated from St. Bonaventure University. He served in the Peace Corps in Nepal 1970–72. Walsh's father, William F. Walsh, served as Mayor of Syracuse (1961–69) and represented Central New York and the Finger Lakes region in the U.S. House of Representatives (1973–79).
James Walsh was a Social Services case worker and telephone company executive. He served as Director of the Telecommunication Institute at SUNY (State University of New York) SUNY Utica-Rome and taught telecommunication policy. At the same time, he served on the City Council in Syracuse, N.Y. as a member and President.
U.S. House of Representatives [edit]
Elections [edit]
He ran as a Republican and won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1988 in what was then the 27th District, handily defeating state Public Service Commissioner Rosemary Pooler.
Walsh was re-elected nine times, usually by fairly comfortable margins. The district, which was renumbered as the 25th District after the 1990 census, swung heavily to the Democrats during the 1990s at all levels. He faced a reasonably well-financed challenge from Cortland attorney Marty Mack and was held to only 53 percent of the vote. In 2006, however, he was nearly defeated by former congressional aide Dan Maffei, winning by only a 51% to 49% margin. Only a strong showing in the more rural areas of the district allowed Walsh to keep his seat.
With Maffei priming for a rematch against Walsh in 2008, Walsh announced that January that he would not run for an 11th term.[2] Maffei won the seat in November.[3]
Tenure [edit]
Walsh is a member of the Republican Main Street Partnership and Republicans for Environmental Protection.
He is a firm supporter of the Destiny USA project in Syracuse. Walsh has been a firm advocate of stem cell research, although he is opposed to using embryos as a source of the stem cells for such research.[4]
Walsh is considered an influential figure in the sustaining of Syracuse University (SU). He has helped get funding for many projects run by SU, including Chancellor Nancy Cantor's Connective Corridor project.
Walsh is a staunch advocate of a federal prohibition of online poker. In 2006, he cosponsored H.R. 4411, the Goodlatte-Leach Internet Gambling Prohibition Act[5] and H.R. 4777, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act.[6]
On September 10, 2007, Jim Walsh stated that he now favors a gradual withdraw of American forces from Iraq. This announcement came months after Walsh opposed President Bush's troop surge, and the Congressman claims that it was a result of personally going to Iraq and finding that the Iraqi government and military have not done enough on their end. Walsh stated, "We've done enough. No country has done more than we have for Iraq. The question I kept coming up with is how much do we have to give Iraq to make things work? I think we have given enough." [7] Walsh supports a bipartisan bill that would set a withdrawal date for American troops.
Walsh was a prominent endorser of Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign. He said of the candidate:
I know what Rudy Giuliani can do. I was proud to work with Rudy while he was Mayor and I’ve seen the direct results of his actions and his demands for accountability and high standards. When times are tough, he’s the leader you want, and I’m proud to support him for President.[citation needed]
Committee assignments [edit]
Despite the growing Democratic trend in his district, Walsh was able to hold onto his seat due to his long tenure on the House Appropriations Committee. He was chairman of the Subcommittee on the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies from 2001 to 2007, thus making him one of the so-called "Cardinals" of the House. It is considered very difficult to unseat an Appropriations Committee member, especially if he or she is a "Cardinal."
- Appropriations Committee
- Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
- Co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Hearing Health Caucus
- Co-Chair of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Ireland
Retirement [edit]
After retiring from the U.S. House, Walsh became a lobbyist for K&L Gates in Washington, DC.
Awards [edit]
In June 2003, The Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems (an industry group) presented Congressman Walsh with the Syracuse University Willis H. Carrier Award. This award serves to honor Walsh for his years of service and commitment to protecting the environment and for helping to foster an economic hub for environmental technology through his financial support of the Center of Excellence in Environmental Systems (CoE-ES) and the New York Indoor Environmental Quality Center (NYIEQ).
References [edit]
- ^ Map
- ^ CQ Politics | GOP Rep. Walsh Retires, Leaves Open Battleground New York District
- ^ http://collegedemsny.com/blog/?p=297
- ^ Jim's Journal-STEM CELL STATEMENT
- ^ Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4411
- ^ Thomas (Library of Congress): HR 4777
- ^ http://www.syracuse.com/poststandard/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1189501295103810.xml&coll=1
External links [edit]
- James T. Walsh at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- Federal Election Commission — James T Walsh campaign finance reports and data
- On the Issues — Jim Walsh issue positions and quotes
- Peace Corps biography of James Walsh news clips
- OpenSecrets.org — James T. Walsh campaign contributions
- SourceWatch Congresspedia - James Walsh profile
- Washington Post — Congress Votes Database: James T. Walsh voting record
| United States House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George C. Wortley |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 27th congressional district 1989–1993 |
Succeeded by Bill Paxon |
| Preceded by Sherwood Boehlert |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 25th congressional district 1993–2009 |
Succeeded by Dan Maffei |
