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This week in Washington focused on all things budget.  On Monday, President Obama unveiled his $3.7 trillion fiscal year (FY) 2012 budget, while the House of Representatives continues to debate a continuing resolution (CR) for the remainder of FY 2011 that would cut about $100 billion from last year’s spending level.

A year after its original proposed rulemaking, the U.S. Small Business Administration today published a package of final rules that will revise regulations to strengthen its 8(a) Business Development program to better ensure that the benefits flow to the intended recipients and help prevent waste, fraud and abuse.

Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) Tuesday filed an amendment to repeal the 3 percent withholding mandate during consideration of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund Reauthorization being considered by the Senate. 

Continuing Resolution Pending, Possibility of More Cuts Loom

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a hearing on how current and proposed rules and regulations are burdening job creation. 51���� recently sent a letter in response to Committee Chairman Darrell Issa’s (R-Calif.) request for specific issues 51���� believes could stifle job creation.

Not satisfied with the amount of reporting required of contractors receiving work from “direct” federal and federal-aid work, Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board Chairman Earl Devaney stated that it is time to expand current reporting requirements to capture stimulus project recipient awards at every level and has asked the Administration to implement that recommendation.

The Wage and Hour Division (WHD) of the U.S. Department of Labor recently created a YouTube video explaining the Davis-Bacon Act, the law that gives the department authority to determine the payment of local prevailing wage and fringe benefit payments for laborers and mechanics working under construction contracts with the federal government and the District of Columbia.   The 14-minute video includes an overview of the Davis-Bacon Act and its application to projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, and additional resources available to the public.

Today the House Budget Committee Chairman announced spending caps that will govern the continuing resolution to be considered in the House in mid-February.

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure chairman John Mica (R-Fla.) announced the chairmen for each of the subcommittees under him for the 112th Congress.

The extent of federal authority over construction work in “waters of the United States” is becoming even more confusing for the regulated community. Sources say the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are poised to release a new “guidance” document that would expand what constitutes federally-controlled waters, by revisiting U.S. Supreme Court rulings that have created competing tests to determine the scope of federal jurisdiction.