The Evening Brief: Nov. 27, 2012

New in The Texas Tribune:

•   McCaul to Be Named Chairman of Homeland Security Committee: "U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, will be named the chairman of the powerful House Committee on Homeland Security later today, Republican sources have confirmed. The position will give McCaul, who is outspoken on border security and immigration, control over the committee charged with overseeing the tasks of the Department of Homeland Security."

•   Hutchison Co-authors Immigration Bill That Focuses on Minors: "Outgoing U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison on Tuesday introduced a bill that would provide legal status for immigrants brought to the country illegally as minors. She made clear that the proposal does not guarantee citizenship."

•   John Steen Named Texas Secretary of State: "John Steen, a lawyer from San Antonio, will be Texas' next secretary of state. He is replacing Hope Andrade, who resigned Friday. The appointment takes effect Tuesday."

•   Texas High School Graduation Rates Among Highest in U.S.: "According to new U.S. Department of Education data, Texas has the fourth-highest graduation rate in the nation."

Culled:

•  Dallas’ Jeb Hensarling to chair House Financial Services Committee, Austin’s Michael McCaul to lead Homeland Security panel (The Dallas Morning News): "Back in September, we told you it was all but decided that Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas, would chair the House Financial Services Committee in the next Congress. That’s the committee that writes legislation affecting banks, Wall Street traders, credit-rating agencies, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. House Speaker John Boehner’s office has just announced that Hensarling has, in fact, been recommended to chair the committee."

•   Mexico Shifts Focus From Drug War to Economy (The New York Times): "This more prosperous, parallel universe is what Mexico’s president-elect, Enrique Peña Nieto, plans to highlight when he meets with President Obama on Tuesday, part of his vow to shift relations with the United States toward improving the economy and loosening up trade."

•   Texas’ service sector cools in November (Austin American-Statesman): "Optimism waned among Texas retailers and other service-providing companies in November, as revenue growth slowed and economic and regulatory uncertainties lingered, according to a report released Tuesday by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas."