James T. Walsh

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James T. Walsh

Mr. Walsh is a government affairs counselor in the firm’s Washington, D.C. office. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives where he served from 1989 to 2009. During his tenure in Congress, Mr. Walsh served as a deputy Republican whip from 1994-2006. He was appointed as a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee where he served from 1993-2009. During that time he became Chairman of four House Appropriations Subcommittees: District of Columbia; Legislative Branch; VA, HUD and Independent Agencies (NASA, EPA, FEMA, NSF, Selective Service); and Military Quality of Life (included jurisdiction for Military Base Construction, the Defense Health Program, and Housing Accounts) and Veterans Affairs. He also served as ranking Republican member of the Labor, Health and Human Services Subcommittee on Appropriations. Earlier in his career in Congress Mr. Walsh served on the House Agriculture Committee, the Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families and on the House Administration Committee. 

Mr. Walsh served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Nepal from 1970-1972 as an agriculture extension agent in the Bara province. His work involved introducing Green Revolution varieties of wheat, corn and rice into local subsistence agriculture. Mr. Walsh traveled extensively in the Indian sub-continent and returned to India for official government business as a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. 

Upon his return to the United States, he worked as a social worker doing case work in Central New York State. Subsequently, he joined the New York Telephone Company/Verizon in Syracuse, New York where he served in a number of capacities, primarily in marketing, until 1988. 

His political career began when he was elected to the Syracuse Common Council where he served as Third District Councilman and was subsequently elected to the position of Common Council President where he served until his election to Congress. 

Prior to his election, Mr. Walsh served as Director/Executive in Residence at SUNY Institute of Technology, Telecommunications Institute, Marcy, New York from 1986-1988. His responsibilities included helping to establish a telecommunications degree program and developing an institute to enhance the student experience utilizing private sector contributions of equipment and other resources. He also worked very closely with the private sector in order to place telecommunications degree graduates. 

PROFESSIONAL/CIVIC ACTIVITIES 

  • Washington Ireland Program, Member, Board of Directors 
  • Co-operation Ireland, Member, Board of Directors 
  • Onondaga Environmental Institute, Member, Board of Directors 
  • U.S. Soccer Foundation, Member, Board of Directors 
  • U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress, Board Member, Treasurer 
  • Finger Lakes Land Trust, Member, Advisory Board 
  • Association of Government Relations Professionals, Board Member 

EDUCATION B.A., Saint Bonaventure University, 1970 

ACHIEVEMENTS 

  • Named one of the 2013 Top Lobbyists by the political publication The Hill 
  • John Philip Sousa Distinguished Service Award, Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery, Washington, D.C., 2007 
  • Exemplary Legislator Award, National Alliance on Mental Illness – Veterans Council, Washington, D.C., 2006 
  • Legislator of the Year, Congressional Fire Services Institute, Washington, D.C., 2004 
  • Ellis Island Medal of Honor, National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, New York, New York, 2002 
  • Distinguished Service Award, The American Ireland Fund, Washington, D.C., 2001 
  • Capital Award, National Council of La Raza, Washington, D.C., 2001 
  • Affordable Housing Champion, National Council of State Housing Agencies, Washington, D.C., 2000 
  • Flax Trust Award, Flax Trust, Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1997 
  • Co-Founder and Co-Chair, Congressional Hearing Health Caucus 

LANGUAGES 

  • Nepali 

MAJOR LEGISLATION 

  • Author: 
  • Erie Canal National Heritage Corridor Designation 
  • Universal Infant Hearing Screening Act 
  • Annual Appropriations Bills, 1995-2006 
  • District of Columbia, 1995-1996 
  • Legislative Branch, 1997-1998 
  • VA/HUD and Independent Agencies, 1999-2004 
  • Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs, 2005-2006