Women's contracting rule dogs acting SBA chief

Santanu Baruah has received some GOP support, but his stance on rule for a set-aside program for women-owned businesses continues to bog down his confirmation as administrator of the Small Business Administration, according to .Baruah was nominated June 26 and became acting adminstrator this week. He has the support of Sen. Olympia Snowe, Republican ranking member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entreprenuership. But she has tried to get Baruah to pledge the rule will be withdrawn or deferred. So far he has declined.Opponent of the rule say it will actually make it harder for women to win government contracts.