This Week in Congress: July 14, 2014

This week, the House is expected to consider at least 14 bills, ranging from expanding grants for STEM education to naming post offices. Legislation under consideration this week includes:

The STEM Education Act (H.R. 5031): This bill expands the definition of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education to include computer science. The measure expands the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program to bachelor's degree programs in teacher certification or licensing. Currently, only master's degree programs are eligible. Computer science degrees are also eligible under the scholarship program.

H.R. 1786: The National Windstorm Impact Reduction Act Reauthorization of 2014, which would reauthorize the program to improve the understanding of windstorms and their impacts, and encourage the implementation of mitigation measures to reduce these impacts.

H.R. 5035: To reauthorize the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and for other purposes.

The Research and Development Efficiency Act (H.R. 5056): This bill establishes a working group to review federal regulations affecting research and research universities and will make recommendations on how to harmonize, streamline and eliminate "duplicative" federal regulations and reporting requirements and how to minimize the "regulatory burden" on U.S. higher education institutions performing federally funded research.

The International Science and Technology Cooperation Act of 2014 (H.R. 5029): This bill establishes an entity to identify and coordinate international science and technology programs conducted by the U.S. government that can strengthen U.S. science and technology efforts, improve U.S. economic and national security goals, and support U.S. foreign policy goals.

H.R. 4185: This bill makes a number of small changes to regulations regarding the District of Columbia courts system.

H.R. 451: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 500 North Brevard Avenue in Cocoa Beach, Florida, as the "Richard K. Salick Post Office"

H.R. 606: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 815 County Road 23 in Tyrone, New York, as the "Specialist Christopher Scott Post Office Building"

H.R. 2223: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 220 Elm Avenue in Munising, Michigan, as the "Elizabeth L. Kinnunen Post Office Building"

H.R. 3534: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 113 West Michigan Avenue in Jackson, Michigan, as the "Officer James Bonneau Memorial Post Office"

H.R. 2802: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 418 Liberty Street in Covington, Indiana, as the "Fountain County Veterans Memorial Post Office"

H.R. 4355: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 201 B Street in Perryville, Arkansas, as the "Harold George Bennett Post Office"

H.R. 3027: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 442 Miller Valley Road in Prescott, Arizona, as the "Barry M. Goldwater Post Office"

H.R. 2291: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 450 Lexington Avenue in New York, New York, as the "Vincent R. Sombrotto Post Office"

H.R. 3085: To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3349 West 111th Street in Chicago, Illinois, as the "Captain Herbert Johnson Memorial Post Office Building"

H.R. 4416: To redesignate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 161 Live Oak Street in Miami, Arizona, as the "Staff Sergeant Manuel V. Mendoza Post Office Building"

H.R. 4193: To make certain changes the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).

H.R. 4195: This bill amends the Federal Register Act (PL 74-220) by replacing all references to "print" with "publish" and defining "publish" to mean circulate or distribute — thereby eliminating the requirement for printed copies of the Federal Register.

H.R. 4197: This bill extends a pilot program that permits federal whistle-blowers to file appeals outside of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Specifically, it extends the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) appeal provision for three years. The authority is currently set to expire Nov. 27.

H.R. 1192: To redesignate Mammoth Peak in Yosemite National Park as “Mount Jessie Benton Fre’mont”

Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2015 (H.R. 5016): appropriates $21.3 billion in FY 2015 discretionary budget authority for the Treasury Department (including the IRS); the federal judiciary; and executive agencies such as the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), General Services Administration (GSA), Small Business Administration (SBA), Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

H.R. 4719: To make permanent certain charitable tax deductions and introduce additional tax provisions.

Highway and Transportation Funding Act (HR 5021): This bill reauthorizes federal-aid highway and transit programs for eight months — through May 31, 2015 — and it transfers $10.8 billion in other federal funds to the Highway Trust Fund to cover projected trust fund shortfalls over that time.