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![Official portrait of Rep. Walsh, Joe [R-IL-8]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/w000811_200.jpg)
United States · Official source
No stored named vote for this person. House roll-calls come from Congress.gov; Senate member lists come from senate.gov LIS XML.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2012
Condemns President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran for addressing the United Nations (U.N.) on Yom Kippur.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2012
Truth in Spending Act of 2012 - Requires the President's annual budget request to Congress to include the most recent reports of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regarding the difference between the actual costs and the estimated costs of direct spending legislation, including proposed legislative language, if any, in such reports. Requires OMB to submit annually for inclusion in the President's budget request reports (with follow-up reports every five fiscal years) on the total estimated cost and total actual cost of direct spending legislation for the then budget year and four outyears. Requires the President, within seven days after receiving an OMB report, to submit proposed legislative language, if any, set forth in the report to both chambers. Prescribes the procedure for fast track consideration of the legislation in both chambers. Prohibits the budgetary effects of such legislation from being entered on either PAYGO scorecard under the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2012
Air Travelers' Bill of Rights Act of 2012 - Directs the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration [TSA]) to: (1) establish an air travelers' bill of rights for air passengers screened at primary airports, and (2) post it on the TSA website and display signs and distribute brochures listing such rights to passengers before they are screened. Requires the air travelers' bill of rights to include, at a minimum, that a passenger has the right to: (1) presumed innocence before, during, and after screening; (2) be screened expeditiously if verified by the TSA as a low-risk or frequent traveler; (3) decline to be screened by a device that uses backscatter x-rays; (4) freedom from searches and screening procedures not implemented for cause or suspicion; (5) be screened by a method other than a pat-down; (6) accompany minor children through the screening process; (7) privacy of any image of the passenger generated during the screening process; and (8) peacefully express his or her concerns of mistreatment during the screening process to the supervisor of the individual conducting the screening. Transfers from the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security (DOT) to the Assistant Secretary the authority to approve any application of an airport operator to have the screening of passengers and property at an airport be carried out by the screening personnel of a qualified private screening company (security screening opt-out program). Requires the Assistant Secretary to approve all such applications. Directs the Assistant Secretary to take necessary actions to expand TSA's expedited screening initiative (PreCheck program). Directs the Assistant Secretary to increase the number of canines from the TSA's National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program, placed at commercial service airports with more than 2.5 million passenger boardings each year, to a number sufficient to ensure at least one canine team can be tasked exclusively for screening passengers. Prohibits the use of random computer-generated screening of air passengers at commercial service airports. Directs the Assistant Secretary to prescribe regulations to: (1) limit the screening of passengers through use of pat-downs; and (2) ensure that the screening of passengers wearing a prosthetic limb, a breast pump, adult diapers, a wheelchair, an insulin pump, or any other medical device is done in a private area out of view of other passengers if requested. Requires termination of any TSA or private security screener who commits a gross violation of the privacy of a passenger in a manner not supported by TSA policy. Amends the Support Anti-terrorism by Fostering Effective Technologies Act of 2002 to exclude from its liability protections against claims arising out of, or resulting from, an act of terrorism the manufacturers of advanced imaging technology or any technology developed or acquired after enactment of this Act for the screening of passengers. Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to take all appropriate actions to implement any elements of the air travelers' bill of rights that are not currently included in TSA policies and practices. Directs the Assistant Secretary to provide a Passenger Privacy Protection Award to an eligible airport and individual for improving the privacy of passengers at airports each year. Prescribes requirements for the distribution of unclaimed money recovered at airport security checkpoints.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2012
Supports the designation of a Small Business Saturday. Supports efforts to: (1) encourage consumers to shop locally, and (2) increase awareness of the value of locally owned small businesses and their impact on the U.S. economy.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2012
Member Pay Reduction and Responsibility Act of 2012 - Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to require that, if any sequestration under it takes effect for FY2013, the presidential order implementing the sequestration reduce the pay of the President, the Vice President, and Members of Congress by a percentage equal to the greater of 8.2% or the percentage by which accounts within the non-exempt, non-security category are reduced under the order.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2012
No Hungry Kids Act - Nullifies the rule published by the Department of Agriculture on January 26, 2012, establishing nutrition standards for the school lunch and breakfast programs. (This rule is summarized as requiring most schools to increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free and low-fat fluid milk in school meals; reduce the levels of sodium, saturated fat and trans fat in meals; and meet the nutrition needs of school children within their calorie requirements.) Amends the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture's minimum nutritional requirements for school lunches from being construed as establishing a calorie maximum for individual school lunches or prohibiting a child from eating a lunch provided by the child's parent or legal guardian.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2012
Defending American Taxpayers From Abusive Government Takings Act of 2012 - Amends the Federal National Mortgage Association Charter Act to prohibit the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) from purchasing any mortgage secured by a structure or dwelling unit located within a county that contains any structure or dwelling unit that secures or secured a residential mortgage loan that the state or any territory, including any agency or political subdivision, obtained during the preceding 120 months by eminent domain. Amends the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Act to prohibit the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) from doing the same. Amends the National Housing Act to prohibit the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from newly insuring any mortgage secured by a structure or dwelling unit located in such a county. Prohibits the Secretary from guaranteeing, making, or insuring a housing or small business loan for a residence located in such a county.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2012
Federal Election Integrity Act of 2012 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit the appropriate state or local election official from providing a federal election ballot to an individual who desires to vote in person unless: (1) the individual presents to the official a government-issued, current, and valid photo identification (ID), and (2) the election official verifies that the ID is of the individual who requests the ballot. Requires an individual who does not present such an ID to be permitted to cast a provisional ballot in such an election. Requires such individual, however, to present the required ID within 48 hours after casting the provisional ballot, or the appropriate state or local election official shall not determine the individual's eligibility to vote. Requires verification of the photo ID by the election official. Requires individuals who vote other than in person in a federal election (for example, by mail) to submit a copy of such a photo ID with a ballot, or the appropriate official shall not accept the ballot. Requires verification of the photo ID by the election official. Exempts from this photo ID requirement the absentee ballot of any eligible overseas military voter absent from the United States by reason of active duty or service. Prohibits the appropriate state or local election official from providing a ballott for voting other than in person to an individual who requests such a ballot in person unless: (1) the individual presents the official a government-issued, current, and valid photo ID; and (2) the election official verifies it. Requires states to establish a program to provide photo IDs in accordance with this Act to individuals who desire to vote but do not otherwise possess a government-issued photo ID. Prohibits any such photo ID from serving as a government-issued photo identification for purposes of operating a motor vehicle or any related purpose. Prescribes requirements for any state fee for providing such a photo ID. Requires the Election Assistance Commission to make payments to states to cover the costs incurred in providing photo IDs to individuals unable to afford the fee.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2012
Amends the Horse Protection Act (HPA) to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to prescribe regulatory requirements for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to license, train, assign, and oversee persons who are to be hired by the management of horse shows, exhibitions, sales, or auctions and are qualified to detect and diagnose sore horses or otherwise inspect horses at such events. (The soring of horses refers to the application of blistering agents, burns, lacerations, sharp objects, or other substances or devices to a horse's limb to produce a higher gait by making it painful for the horse to step down.) Replaces the current horse inspector appointment process under which the management of a horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction appoints inspectors with a new process requiring the Secretary to assign USDA-licensed inspectors after receiving notice that management intends to hire such inspectors. Specifies that the term "management" includes sponsoring organizations and event managers. Directs the Secretary to disqualify a horse the Secretary determines is sore for specified minimum time periods that increase after the first, second, and third instance. Prohibits a person from causing or directing a horse to become sore for the purpose of any horse show, exhibition, sale, or auction or allowing any such activity respecting a horse which is sore by the owner of such horse. Expands a list of activities designated as unlawful conduct under such Act to include a prohibition on showing, exhibiting, selling, or auctioning a Tennessee Walking, a Racking, or a Spotted Saddle horse with: (1) an action device; or (2) a weighted shoe, pad, wedge, hoof band, or other device or material if it is constructed to artificially alter the gait of such horses and is not strictly protective or therapeutic. Defines "action device" as any boot, collar, chain, roller, or other device that encircles or is placed upon the lower extremity of the leg of a horse in such a manner that it can: (1) rotate around the leg or slide up and down the leg, so as to cause friction; or (2) strike the hoof, coronet band, fetlock joint, or pastern of the horse. Increases the maximum criminal penalties and maximum civil liability penalties to the United States for certain HPA violations. Expands the categories of activities the Secretary may disqualify a violator of such Act from participating in to include: (1) transporting or arranging for the transportation of a horse to or from a show, exhibition, sale, or auction; (2) personally giving instructions to an exhibitor; (3) being knowingly present in a warm-up area, inspection area, or other area that spectators are not permitted; or (4) financing the participation of other individuals. Permits the Secretary to permanently disqualify a person with at least three violations after notice and an opportunity for a hearing.
United States · United States Congress · 11 September 2012
Disapproves of the rule submitted by the Office of Family Assistance of the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) relating to waiver and expenditure authority under the Social Security Act with respect to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. Declares that the rule shall have no force or effect.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2012
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009 was a "Bill for raising Revenue" under article I, section 7, clause 1 of the Constitution that did not originate in the House of Representatives.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2012
Repeal of Obamacare Act - Repeals the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, effective as of its enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by such Act. Repeals the health care provisions of the Health Care and Education and Reconciliation Act of 2010, effective as of the Act's enactment. Restores provisions of law amended by the Act's health care provisions.
United States · United States Congress · 9 July 2012
Total Repeal of the Unfair Taxes on Healthcare Act of 2012 or the TRUTH Act of 2012 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code, with respect to health care provisions added by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, to repeal: (1) the excise tax on the excess benefit from certain high cost employer-sponsored health coverage plans; (2) the excise tax on net investment income in the Medicare taxable base; (3) the prohibition against payments from health flexible spending arrangements, health savings accounts (HSAs), and Archer medical savings accounts (MSAs) for over-the-counter drugs; (4) the increased penalty on distributions from an HSA or Archer MSA not used for qualified medical expenses; (5) the limitation on annual salary reduction contributions by an employee to a health flexible spending arrangement under a cafeteria plan; (6) the increase in the income threshold for claiming an itemized deduction for medical expenses; (7) the excise tax on indoor tanning services; (8) the requirement that individuals maintain minimal essential health care coverage; and (9) the excise tax on medical devices. Repeals provisions of PPACA that require: (1) annual fees on branded prescription drug manufacturers and importers and on health insurance providers, and (2) a report by the Secretary of Veteran Affairs (VA) on the effect of fees assessed by such Act on the cost of medical care provided to veterans and on access by veterans to medical devices and branded prescription drugs.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2012
Supports the designation of a National Eagle Scout Day to commemorate the contributions made by Eagle Scouts of the Boy Scouts of America.
United States · United States Congress · 26 June 2012
No-Hassle Flying Act of 2012 - Grants the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security Administration [TSA]) discretion to determine whether checked baggage on a flight or flight segment originating at an airport outside the United States must be re-screened in the United States for explosives before it can continue on any additional flight or flight segment if the baggage has already been screened in the foreign airport in accordance with an aviation security preclearance agreement between the United States and the country in which the airport is located. Defines "aviation security preclearance agreement" to mean an agreement that delineates and implements security standards and protocols comparable to those of the United States and therefore sufficiently effective to enable passengers to deplane into sterile areas of U.S. airports.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2012
Government Employee Accountability Act - Sets forth guidelines for granting administrative leave to career employees of the Senior Executive Service (SES). Defines "administrative leave" as an absence from duty administratively authorized, for disciplinary reasons, of a period greater than 13 days and less than 91 days. Authorizes the head of a federal agency to: (1) place an SES employee on administrative leave, without loss of pay and without charge to annual or sick leave, only for misappropriation of funds, misconduct, neglect of duty, and malfeasance; or (2) place such employee on leave without pay if such employee's conduct is determined to be serious or flagrant. Requires an agency head to periodically review the investigation into the conduct of an SES employee placed on administrative leave and take certain actions with respect to such employee at the end of a period of administrative leave, including removal, suspension without pay, or reinstatement to duty. Grants an employee placed on administrative leave certain rights, including the right to answer charges, to be represented by an attorney, and to appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).
United States · United States Congress · 19 June 2012
Federal Election Integrity Act of 2012 - Amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to prohibit the appropriate state or local election official from providing a federal election ballot to an individual who desires to vote in person unless the individual presents to the official a federal or state government-issued, current, and valid photo identification (ID). Requires an individual who does not present such an ID to be permitted to cast a provisional ballot in such an election. Requires such individual, however, to present the required ID within 48 hours after casting the provisional ballot, or the appropriate state or local election official may not determine the individual's eligibility to vote. Requires individuals who vote other than in person in a federal election (for example, by mail) to submit a copy of such a photo ID with a ballot, or the appropriate official may not accept the ballot. Exempts from this requirement the absentee ballot of any eligible overseas military voter absent from the United States by reason of active duty or service. Requires states to establish a program to provide photo IDs in accordance with this Act to individuals who desire to vote but do not otherwise possess a government-issued photo ID. Prescribes requirements for any state fee for providing such a photo ID. Requires the Election Assistance Commission to make payments to states to cover the costs incurred in providing photo IDs to individuals unable to afford the fee.
United States · United States Congress · 18 June 2012
Disapproves and nullifies the rule relating to the health insurance premium tax credit submitted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and published in the Federal Register on May 23, 2012.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2012
Redefines "Member of Congress" under the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) with respect to the exclusion from the meaning of "Member" as any Member of the House of Representatives, including a Delegate or Resident Commissioner to Congress, who opts out of FERS, but only if he or she served as a Member before the enactment of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2004. Repeals the requirement of service before enactment of such Act. (Thus, allows Members to opt out of FERS benefits regardless of when they have been elected.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2012
Global Investment in American Jobs Act of 2012 - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) U.S. ability to attract inbound investment is directly linked to U.S. long-term economic prosperity, competitiveness, and security; (2) Congress and federal departments and agencies should consider potential impact upon U.S. ability to attract foreign direct investment when evaluating proposed legislation or regulatory policy; and (3) it is a top national priority to enhance U.S. competitiveness, prosperity, and security by removing unnecessary barriers to inward global investment and the U.S. jobs it creates and promoting policies to ensure the United States remains the premier destination for global companies to invest, hire, innovate, and manufacture their products. Amends the Foreign Direct Investment and International Financial Data Improvements Act of 1990 to direct the Secretary of Commerce to conduct an interagency review of U.S. laws and policies on foreign direct investment in the United States and develop recommendations to make the United States more competitive in attracting and retaining strong investment flows from abroad.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2012
Constitutional Amendment - States that the liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children is a fundamental right. States that neither the United States nor any state shall infringe upon this right without demonstrating that its governmental interest, as applied to the person, is of the highest order and not otherwise served. Prohibits this article from being construed to apply to a parental action or decision that would end life. Declares that no treaty may be adopted nor shall any source of international law be employed to supersede, modify, interpret, or apply to the rights guaranteed by this amendment.
United States · United States Congress · 31 May 2012
Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012 - Requires the President on July 9, 2012, to submit to Congress a detailed report on the implementation of certain discretionary reductions (in security and nonsecurity categories) and nonexempt direct spending reductions in the sequestration ordered by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) for FY2013 on January 2, 2013. (The Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act was amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011 to revise the discretionary spending limits and reduce the discretionary appropriations and direct spending specified in the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act unless a joint committee bill achieving an amount greater than $1.2 trillion in deficit reduction would be enacted by January 15, 2012.)
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2012
Commonsense Legislative Exceptional Events Reforms Act of 2012 - Amends the Clean Air Act to revise provisions concerning state petitions to exclude air quality monitoring data influenced by exceptional events from determinations of exceedences or violations of the national ambient air quality standards by requiring criteria used in determining if there has been a demonstration of an exceptional event to be stated with specificity in order to minimize the discretion of the Administrator in approving or disapproving such demonstration. Requires: (1) the Administrator to develop such criteria in conjunction with input from states, and (2) such criteria to reflect the technical expertise and resources available in state and local agencies and the availability of meteorological and other monitoring data in rural areas. Authorizes such criteria to vary with respect to different regions. Requires the Administrator, in developing such criteria, to consider using an expedited or streamlined approval process and conditions under which such demonstrations may be suitable for such process. Requires the Administrator: (1) to approve or disapprove an exceptional event demonstration within 90 days of such demonstration; or (2) if the Administrator requests additional information from a state regarding such demonstration, to approve or disapprove such demonstration within 90 days of submission of such information. Considers such demonstrations to be approved if the Administrator does not take action within such time frames. Requires: (1) such approval or disapproval to be based on a preponderance of the evidence, and (2) the Administrator to accord substantial deference to state findings on such demonstration. Authorizes the Administrator to develop and use analyses and consider evidence not provided by such demonstration. Considers such approval or disapproval to be final action subject to judicial review. Requires the Administrator to revise regulations concerning air quality monitoring data influenced by exceptional events to meet the requirements of this Act within 180 days of this Act's enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 7 May 2012
Renovate and Enhance Veterans' Meeting Halls and Posts Act of 2012 or REVAMP Act of 2012- Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to require the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to make grants, on a competitive basis, to eligible veterans service organizations for repairs and rehabilitation of their existing facilities. Defines "eligible veterans service organization" as: (1) a tax-exempt entity organized on a local or area basis; and (2) a local or area chapter, post, or other unit of a national, regional, statewide, or other larger entity of which local or area chapters, posts, or units are members (but not any such national, regional, statewide, or other larger entity itself). Prohibits an eligible veterans service organization from receiving such grant amounts, for any single fiscal year, in an amount exceeding the lesser of the cost of the proposed repair or rehabilitation or $250,000. Makes a grant recipient ineligible to receive another such grant until after five succeeding fiscal years. Prohibits the use of such grants for construction or acquisition of a new facility.
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