This Week in Congress: November 26, 2012

This week, the House will consider 15 bills, ranging from emergency preparedness to veterans.

Legislation under consideration this week includes:

Mandatory Operational Control Reporting and Performance Measures Act of 2012 (H.R. 6025): requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to include in its annual performance report the number of miles of the U.S.’s northern and southern borders that are under operational control. It also requires the department to include estimates of the number of individuals who illegally entered the U.S. that year, the number of individuals currently residing illegally in the U.S., and the number of people who voluntarily exited the U.S.

DHS Accountability Act of 2012 (H.R. 5913): establishes an independent advisory panel to assess the management structure and capabilities of the Department of Homeland Security and to make recommendations to improve the department’s efficiency and effectiveness.

Medical Preparedness Allowable Use Act (H.R. 5997): expands the Urban Area Security Initiative and State Homeland Security Grant Program funding to allow funds to be used for general emergency medical preparedness programs, including the development and maintenance of pharmaceutical stockpile, medical kits, and diagnostics to aid first responders and the immediate victims of a chemical or biological event.

Integrated Public Alert and Warning System Modernization Act of 2012 (H.R. 3563): requires the Department of Homeland Security to upgrade the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) to take advantage of improved technology for enhanced alerts and warnings. IPAWS is a national emergency warning system created in 2006 and designed to provide rapid, reliable, and effectice communication to the public in case of major emergencies.

Senate Amendment to Jaime Zapata Border Enforcement Security Task Force Act (H.R. 915): formally establishes a Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST) program to foster coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local border and law enforcement officials to protect U.S. border cities from transnational crime.

Clothe a Homeless Hero Act (H.R. 6328): directs the Department of Homeland Security to transfer unclaimed clothing recovered at airport security checkpoints to local veterans organizations or other charitable organizations.

H.R. __: designates the federal building currently known as Federal Office Building 8, located at 200 C Street Southwest in the District of Columbia, as the “Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr. Federal Building.”

H.R. 6374: designates the Department of Veterans Affairs facility located at 180 Martin Drive in Carrollton, Georgia, as the "Trinka Davis Veterans Village."

H.R. 5788: designates the post office located at 103 Center Street West in Eatonville, Washington, as the "National Park Ranger Margaret Anderson Post Office.”

H.R. 5738: designates the post office located at 15285 Samohin Drive in Macomb, Michigan, as the "Lance Cpl. Anthony A. DiLisio Clinton–Macomb Carrier Annex.”

H.R. 3892: designates the post office located at 8771 Auburn Folsom Road in Roseville, California, as the "Private First Class Victor A. Dew Post Office.”

H.R. 2338: designates the post office located at 600 Florida Avenue in Cocoa, Florida, as the "Harry T. and Harriette Moore Post Office.”

H.R. 3912: designates the post office located at 110 Mastic Road in Mastic Beach, New York, as the "Brigadier General Nathaniel Woodhull Post Office Building.”

H.R. 5954: designates the post office located at 320 7th Street in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, as the "Sergeant Leslie H. Sabo, Jr. Post Office Building.”

STEM Jobs Act (H.R. 6429): makes 55,000 visas available to individuals who graduate from a U.S. college or university with an advanced degree in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.