This Week in Congress: December 10, 2012

This week, the House will consider nine bills, ranging from defense to government accountability.

Legislation under consideration this week includes:

Motion to go to Conference on H.R. 4310: appoints conferees on the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which authorizes funding for Pentagon operations and war-related activities. The House passed the bill in May, and the Senate passed an amended version last week. Appointing conferees will allow the two different bills to be reconciled into one final package.

Asthma Inhalers Relief Act of 2012 (H.R. 6190): prohibits the EPA from preventing the distribution, sale, and consumption of over-the-counter inhalers that use a chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellant. These inhalers have been prohibited under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer since December 31, 2011.

Eliminate Privacy Notice Confusion Act (H.R. 5817): eliminates the requirement that financial institutions send annual privacy notices to their customers if their privacy policy has not changed, the institution does not share information with its affiliates, and it shares information with third parties in accordance with the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act.

No-Hassle Flying Act of 2012 (S. 3542): authorizes the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to modify screening requirements for checked baggage arriving from certain foreign airports (where the bags were already screened), thereby allowing those passengers to continue their travels without re-screening their bags upon arrival in the United States.

S. 1998: requires the Department of Homeland Security to develop a new financial management strategy to obtain an unqualified audit opinion and to improve the department’s financial accountability and management.

Frank Buckles World War I Memorial Act (H.R. 6364): creates a commission to oversee preparations for the U.S. centennial commemoration of World War I, and to establish a World War I Memorial on the National Mall.

H.R. 4053: requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to identify and report on federal programs at high risk for improper payments – including to individuals who are deceased – and to create a standardized methodology for estimating improper payments.

GAO Mandates Revision Act of 2012 (S. 3315): eliminates or modifies requirements for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to annually audit or issue reports regarding a variety of federal programs and activities. This includes eliminating certain audit and review requirements for the Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund and reducing the frequency audits of the U.S. Capitol Preservation Commission, the Senate Preservation Fund, and the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

D.C. Courts and Public Defender Service Act of 2011 (S. 1379): modifies the authorities of the DC Courts and Public Defender Service (PDS) to expand certain authorities and provide them with greater administrative flexibility. This includes authorizing the DC Courts to suspend or delay judicial proceedings in emergency situations and allowing the PDS to purchase liability insurance for its attorneys.