Other Agencies Also Face Restrictions

Meanwhile, contracting restrictions also are in several other spending bills, including: HR-2360, the Department of Homeland Security appropriation, both versions of which would bar contracting out for work performed by the Immigration Information Officers at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; HR-2419, the Energy-Water appropriation, the House version of which would cut $2 million from the budget to conduct contracting-out studies there; and HR-2744, the Agriculture appropriation, the House version of which would bar contracting out of rural development or farm loan programs without specific authorization from Congress. President Bush already has signed a measure (P.L. 109-54) limiting the funds available for contracting-out studies at the Interior Department and Forest Service.