President Bush forwarded the Base Realignment and Closure Commission’s recommendations to Congress Sept. 15 without changes.

The president’s approval starts the clock on a 45-day period in which Congress may reject the recommendations. Congress has never overturned a BRAC commission report.

The commission recommended closing 22 major bases and realigning dozens of others.

Responding to rising gasoline prices, the Internal Revenue Service has temporarily increased the standard business mileage rate by eight cents to 48.5 cents a mile through the rest of this year. The 2006 rate will be determined later.

GSA followed suit by raising the reimbursement rate for use of personal vehicles to 48.5 cents.

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee has approved legislation that would allow the Veterans Affairs Department to resume job competitions under OMB Circular A-76.

On a tie vote, 7-7, the committee rejected an attempt to strip the competitive sourcing amendment from the Veterans Health Care Act. VA has been barred from conducting competitions since 2003, when the department’s general counsel concluded that no money could be used for that purpose without congressional approval.

The Federal Acquisition Regulation councils have proposed amendments related to the management and disposition of government property in the possession of contractors.

“The new language reflects a life-cycle, performance-based approach to property management and permits the adoption of more typically commercial business practices,” the councils said.

The proposed rule is FAR case 2004-025. Comments are due by Nov. 18.

The Defense Department has adopted as final an interim rule regarding multi-year contracts. The rule implements Section 8008 of the 2005 Defense Appropriations Act and Section 814 of the 2005 Defense Authorization Act.