Small Businesses Short-Changed on U.S. Contracts for 10 Years   The U.S. government has missed its small-business contracting goal every year in the past decade, a sign of the continuing barriers facing companies seeking federal work. The government has a target of awarding 23 percent of… Read more »

Associated Press: Small Biz Contracting Leads House Committee Agenda By Joyce Rosenberg … Read more »

  House Committee Calls for Agencies to Justify Bundling of Private Contracts By Eugene Mulero and Danielle Parnass March 22, 2012 In response to growing concerns from small businesses, a House panel Thursday approved a bill that would require federal agencies to justify decisions on bundling contracts when considering bids from private firms. By voice vote, the Small Business… Read more »

OVERNIGHT HEALTH: Happy Birthday ACA March 22, 2012 By Julian Pecquet and Sam Baker Administration officials touted a report that found 49 states are implementing at least some parts of healthcare reform, though many Republican-led states have said they’ll hold back on their exchanges until the Supreme Court decides whether the law is… Read more »

Week Ahead for the Committee: March 5- 9  Committee to Hold Markup on Contracting Bills and Hearing on Rising Energy Costs WASHINGTON, DC – The House Small Business Committee, chaired by Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), today announced the schedule for the week of March 5, 2012. On Wednesday, March 7, 2012 the Committee on Small Business will conduct a markup of its Views and… Read more »

Lawmakers Demand Crackdown on U.S. Program Enriching Wealthy By Danielle Ivory, Elliot Blair Smith and Gopal Ratnam, Bloomberg Government February 22, 2012 Two top lawmakers on small business matters renewed calls for tougher enforcement of the rules in a program that steers government contracts to… Read more »

House Lawmakers Push for Additional Small Business Contracting Reforms By J.D. Harrison … Read more »

  GOP Appropriator Determined to Stop Proposed Revisions to Child Labor Law By Ellyn Ferguson, CQ   A senior Republican appropriator on Thursday vowed to stop the Labor Department from revising agriculture-safety rules for child workers, despite the agency’s decision to reconsider a proposal that farmers and rural lawmakers said could adversely affect family operations. “I… Read more »

Proposed DOL Child Labor Regs Draw Fire From All Sides Agripulse The Department of Labor is likely to be in the hot seat Thursday when a House subcommittee reviews proposed regulations that could restrict how children work on U.S. farms and ranches. The plan, which has generated more than 10,000 public comments, is drawing fire from… Read more »

Bonuses to Be Cut at Agencies Failing Small Business Under Bill By Nick Taborek, Bloomberg Government Thousands of federal government executives risk losing their bonuses under a bill that would establish the first penalties for agencies failing to meet small-business contracting goals. U.S. Representative Sam Graves, a Missouri Republican who chairs the House Small Business… Read more »