End Government Shutdowns Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 797 To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for automatic continuing resolutions. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 25, 2019 Mr. GROTHMAN (for himself and Mr. LOEBSACK) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations A BILL To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for automatic continuing resolutions. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘End Government Shut- 4 downs Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. AUTOMATIC CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS. 6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 13 of title 31, United 7 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1310 8 the following new section: 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:08 Feb 02, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H797.IH H797 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 797 IH ‘‘SEC. 1311. CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS. 1 ‘‘(a)(1) If any appropriation measure for a fiscal year 2 is not enacted before the beginning of such fiscal year or 3 a joint resolution making continuing appropriations is not 4 in effect, there are appropriated such sums as may be nec- 5 essary to continue any program, project, or activity for 6 which funds were provided in the preceding fiscal year— 7 ‘‘(A) in the corresponding appropriation Act for 8 such preceding fiscal year; or 9 ‘‘(B) if the corresponding appropriation bill for 10 such preceding fiscal year did not become law, then 11 in a joint resolution making continuing appropria- 12 tions for such preceding fiscal year. 13 ‘‘(2)(A) Appropriations and funds made available, 14 and authority granted, for a program, project, or activity 15 for any fiscal year pursuant to this section shall be at a 16 rate of operations not in excess of the lower of— 17 ‘‘(i) the rate of operations provided for in the 18 regular appropriation Act providing for such pro- 19 gram, project, or activity for the preceding fiscal 20 year; 21 ‘‘(ii) in the absence of such an Act, the rate of 22 operations provided for such program, project, or ac- 23 tivity pursuant to a joint resolution making con- 24 tinuing appropriations for such preceding fiscal year; 25 or 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:08 Feb 02, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H797.IH H797 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HR 797 IH ‘‘(iii) the annualized rate of operations provided 1 for in the most recently enacted joint resolution 2 making continuing appropriations for part of that 3 fiscal year or any funding levels established under 4 the provisions of this Act. 5 ‘‘(B) If this section is in effect at the end of a fiscal 6 year, funding levels shall continue as provided in this sec- 7 tion for the next fiscal year. 8 ‘‘(3) Appropriations and funds made available, and 9 authority granted, for any fiscal year pursuant to this sec- 10 tion for a program, project, or activity shall be available 11 for the period beginning with the first day of a lapse in 12 appropriations and ending with the date on which the ap- 13 plicable regular appropriation bill for such fiscal year be- 14 comes law (whether or not such law provides for such pro- 15 gram, project, or activity) or a continuing resolution mak- 16 ing appropriations becomes law, as the case may be. 17 ‘‘(b) An appropriation or funds made available, or au- 18 thority granted, for a program, project, or activity for any 19 fiscal year pursuant to this section shall be subject to the 20 terms and conditions imposed with respect to the appro- 21 priation made or funds made available for the preceding 22 fiscal year, or authority granted for such program, project, 23 or activity under current law. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:08 Feb 02, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H797.IH H797 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •HR 797 IH ‘‘(c) Expenditures made for a program, project, or 1 activity for any fiscal year pursuant to this section shall 2 be charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, or au- 3 thorization whenever a regular appropriation bill or a joint 4 resolution making continuing appropriations until the end 5 of a fiscal year providing for such program, project, or 6 activity for such period becomes law. 7 ‘‘(d) This section shall not apply to a program, 8 project, or activity during a fiscal year if any other provi- 9 sion of law (other than an authorization of appropria- 10 tions)— 11 ‘‘(1) makes an appropriation, makes funds 12 available, or grants authority for such program, 13 project, or activity to continue for such period; or 14 ‘‘(2) specifically provides that no appropriation 15 shall be made, no funds shall be made available, or 16 no authority shall be granted for such program, 17 project, or activity to continue for such period.’’. 18 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 19 of chapter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended 20 by inserting after the item relating to section 1310 the 21 following new item: 22 ‘‘1311. Continuing appropriations.’’. VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:08 Feb 02, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6211 E:\BILLS\H797.IH H797 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 5 •HR 797 IH (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 1 this Act shall take effect on October 1, 2019, and shall 2 apply beginning with fiscal year 2020. 3 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:08 Feb 02, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H797.IH H797 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS