Congress axes offshoring provision

A tax bill awaiting President George Bush's signature no longer includes a provision that would have prevented agencies from contracting work to companies performing the jobs overseas.

The bill originally would have barred offshoring unless the head of the agency determined that the products or services were not available in the United States.

Contractors had lobbied Congress for removal of the provision from H.R. 4520, saying it is impossible for them to know the origin of every component they sell to federal agencies.