Republican lawmakers are pushing back on guidance from the White House saying that the federal government will reimburse defense companies' liability or litigation costs for not issuing legally mandated layoff warnings to employees this year as deep spending cuts loom, with the companies maintaining postelection they are comfortable with the advice and have no plans to issue the notices this year.
One construction company that won multiple awards of money under President Obama's 2009 stimulus program was delinquent on its federal tax bill to the tune of $700,000, even as a company executive was blowing hundreds of thousands of dollars at casinos.
More than 40 members of the conservative House Republican Study Committee have urged President Obama to withdraw a proposed executive order that would require applicants for federal contracts to disclose their political contributions.
A growing number of lawmakers from both parties is pushing back against a White House bid to force prospective federal contractors to disclose their political donations, arguing that it could stifle free speech.
