*** With the threat of a government shutdown looming, Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) are hoping the time is ripe for lawmakers to create a kind of autopilot for funding to end shutdowns once and for all. Their Prevent Government Shutdowns Act would create an automatic continuing resolution to fund government at current levels while putting restrictions on official travel and adding requirement to make sure lawmakers focus on spending bills while they operate under stopgap funding arrangements.
*** A Small Business Administration rule implementing legislation that changes the calculations to determine small business size standards takes effect on Jan. 6, 2020. The rule itself, which extends the period of average annual receipts from three years to five years for the purpose of determining size standards, was finalized Dec. 5.
"After this new size standard takes effect, small businesses will be able to make critical investments to grow their businesses without fearing that they will lose access to resources and contracting opportunities," Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a sponsor of the Runway Extension Act legislation, said in a statement.