Contractor 'blacklisting' rule arrives before Bush does.

The Clinton administration is playing beat the clock with a new regulation that empowers federal contracting officers to block contracts to companies that, in their judgment, do not have a "satisfactory" record of compliance with federal laws.

The regulation is scheduled to become effective Jan. 19--the day before George W. Bush is inaugurated president.

The outgoing Democratic administration says the new rule promotes "contractor responsibility," but business groups and their Republican allies call it "blacklisting."

They fear businesses will be denied contracts on the basis of accusations alone, and that labor unions will use this threat as …