[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 136 Engrossed in House (EH)]


  1st Session

                             H. J. RES. 136

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION

Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1996, and 
                          for other purposes.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 136

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1996, and 
                          for other purposes.

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled,

                                TITLE I

 AID TO FAMILIES WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN AND FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION 
                               ASSISTANCE

    The following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any money in the 
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and out of applicable corporate or 
other revenues, receipts, and funds, for the several departments, 
agencies, corporations, and other organizational units of Government 
for the fiscal year 1996, and for other purposes, namely:
    Sec. 101. (a) Such amounts as may be necessary under the authority 
and conditions provided in the applicable appropriations Act for the 
fiscal year 1995 for continuing the following projects or activities 
including the costs of direct loans and loan guarantees (not otherwise 
specifically provided for in this joint resolution) which were 
conducted in the fiscal year 1995:
            All projects and activities funded under the account 
        heading ``Family support payments to States'' under the 
        Administration For Children and Families in the Department of 
        Health and Human Services;
            All projects and activities funded under the account 
        heading ``Payments to States for foster care and adoption 
        assistance'' under the Administration For Children and Families 
        in the Department of Health and Human Services; and
            All administrative activities necessary to carry out the 
        projects and activities in the preceeding two paragraphs:
Provided, That whenever the amount which would be made available or the 
authority which would be granted under an Act which included funding 
for fiscal year 1996 for the projects and activities listed in this 
section is greater than that which would be available or granted under 
current operations, the pertinent project or activity shall be 
continued at a rate for operations not exceeding the current rate.
    (b) Whenever the amount which would be made available or the 
authority which would be granted under the Act which included funding 
for fiscal year 1996 for the projects and activities listed in this 
section as passed by the House as of the date of enactment of this 
joint resolution, is different from that which would be available or 
granted under such Act as passed by the Senate as of the date of 
enactment of this joint resolution, the pertinent project or activity 
shall be continued at a rate for operations not exceeding the current 
rate or the rate permitted by the action of the House or the Senate, 
whichever is lower, under the authority and conditions provided in the 
applicable appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995.
    (c) Whenever an Act which included funding for fiscal year 1996 for 
the projects and activities listed in this section has been passed by 
only the House or only the Senate as of the date of enactment of this 
joint resolution, the pertinent project or activity shall be continued 
under the appropriation, fund, or authority granted by the one House at 
a rate for operations not exceeding the current rate or the rate 
permitted by the action of the one House, whichever is lower, and under 
the authority and conditions provided in the applicable appropriations 
Act for the fiscal year 1995.
    Sec. 102. Appropriations made by section 101 shall be available to 
the extent and in the manner which would be provided by the pertinent 
appropriations Act.
    Sec. 103. No appropriation or funds made available or authority 
granted pursuant to section 101 shall be used to initiate or resume any 
project or activity for which appropriations, funds, or other authority 
were not available during the fiscal year 1995.
    Sec. 104. No provision which is included in the appropriations Act 
enumerated in section 101 but which was not included in the applicable 
appropriations Act for fiscal year 1995 and which by its terms is 
applicable to more than one appropriation, fund, or authority shall be 
applicable to any appropriation, fund, or authority provided in this 
joint resolution.
    Sec. 105. Appropriations made and authority granted pursuant to 
this title of this joint resolution shall cover all obligations or 
expenditures incurred for any program, project, or activity during the 
period for which funds or authority for such project or activity are 
available under this joint resolution.
    Sec. 106. Unless otherwise provided for in this title of this joint 
resolution or in the applicable appropriations Act, appropriations and 
funds made available and authority granted pursuant to this title of 
this joint resolution shall be available until (a) enactment into law 
of an appropriation for any project or activity provided for in this 
title of this joint resolution, or (b) the enactment into law of the 
applicable appropriations Act by both Houses without any provision for 
such project or activity, or (c) January 3, 1996, whichever first 
occurs.
    Sec. 107. Expenditures made pursuant to this title of this joint 
resolution shall be charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, or 
authorization whenever a bill in which such applicable appropriation, 
fund, or authorization is contained is enacted into law.
    Sec. 108. No provision in the appropriations Act for the fiscal 
year 1996 referred to in section 101 of this joint resolution that 
makes the availability of any appropriation provided therein dependent 
upon the enactment of additional authorizing or other legislation shall 
be effective before the date set forth in section 106(c) of this joint 
resolution.
    Sec. 109. Appropriations and funds made available by or authority 
granted pursuant to this title of this joint resolution may be used 
without regard to the time limitations for submission and approval of 
apportionments set forth in section 1513 of title 31, United States 
Code, but nothing herein shall be construed to waive any other 
provision of law governing the apportionment of funds.

                                TITLE II

                          DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

    The following sums are hereby appropriated, out of the general fund 
and enterprise funds of the District of Columbia for the District of 
Columbia for the fiscal year 1996, and for other purposes, namely:
    Sec. 201. (a) Such amounts as may be necessary under the authority 
and conditions provided in the applicable appropriations Act for the 
fiscal year 1995 for continuing projects or activities including the 
costs of direct loans and loan guarantees (not otherwise specifically 
provided for in this title of this joint resolution) which were 
conducted in the fiscal year 1995 and for which appropriations, funds, 
or other authority would be available in the following appropriations 
Act:
            The District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 1996:
Provided, That whenever the amount which would be made available or the 
authority which would be granted in this Act is greater than that which 
would be available or granted under current operations, the pertinent 
project or activity shall be continued at a rate for operations not 
exceeding the current rate.
    (b) Whenever the amount which would be made available or the 
authority which would be granted under the Act listed in this section 
as passed by the House as of the date of enactment of this joint 
resolution, is different from that which would be available or granted 
under such Act as passed by the Senate as of the date of enactment of 
this joint resolution, the pertinent project or activity shall be 
continued at a rate for operations not exceeding the current rate or 
the rate permitted by the action of the House or the Senate, whichever 
is lower, under the authority and conditions provided in the applicable 
appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995: Provided, That where an 
item is not included in either version or where an item is included in 
only one version of the Act as passed by both Houses as of the date of 
enactment of this joint resolution, the pertinent project or activity 
shall not be continued except as provided for in section 211 or 212 
under the appropriation, fund, or authority granted by the applicable 
appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995 and under the authority and 
conditions provided in the applicable appropriations Act for the fiscal 
year 1995.
    Sec. 202. Appropriations made by section 201 shall be available to 
the extent and in the manner which would be provided by the pertinent 
appropriations Act.
    Sec. 203. No appropriation or funds made available or authority 
granted pursuant to section 201 shall be used to initiate or resume any 
project or activity for which appropriations, funds, or other authority 
were not available during the fiscal year 1995.
    Sec. 204. No provision which is included in the appropriations Act 
enumerated in section 201 but which was not included in the applicable 
appropriations Act for fiscal year 1995 and which by its terms is 
applicable to more than one appropriation, fund, or authority shall be 
applicable to any appropriation, fund, or authority provided in this 
title of this joint resolution.
    Sec. 205. Appropriations made and authority granted pursuant to 
this title of this joint resolution shall cover all obligations or 
expenditures incurred for any program, project, or activity during the 
period for which funds or authority for such project or activity are 
available under this title of this joint resolution.
    Sec. 206. Unless otherwise provided for in this title of this joint 
resolution or in the applicable appropriations Act, appropriations and 
funds made available and authority granted pursuant to this title of 
this title of this joint resolution shall be available until (a) 
enactment into law of an appropriation for any project or activity 
provided for in this title of this joint resolution, or (b) the 
enactment into law of the applicable appropriations Act by both Houses 
without any provision for such project or activity, or (c) January 3, 
1996, whichever first occurs.
    Sec. 207. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title of this 
joint resolution, except section 206, none of the funds appropriated 
under this title of this joint resolution shall be expended for any 
abortion except where the life of the mother would be endangered if the 
fetus were carried to term or where the pregnancy is the result of an 
act of rape or incest.
    Sec. 208. Expenditures made pursuant to this title of this joint 
resolution shall be charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, or 
authorization whenever a bill in which such applicable appropriation, 
fund, or authorization is contained is enacted into law.
    Sec. 209. No provision in the appropriations Act for the fiscal 
year 1996 referred to in section 201 of this title of this joint 
resolution that makes the availability of any appropriation provided 
therein dependent upon the enactment of additional authorizing or other 
legislation shall be effective before the date set forth in section 
206(c) of this joint resolution.
    Sec. 210. Appropriations and funds made available by or authority 
granted pursuant to this title of this joint resolution may be used 
without regard to the time limitations for submission and approval of 
apportionments set forth in section 1513 of title 31, United States 
Code, but nothing herein shall be construed to waive any other 
provision of law governing the apportionment of funds.
    Sec. 211. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title of this 
joint resolution, except section 206, whenever the Act listed in 
section 201 as passed by both the House and Senate as of the date of 
enactment of this joint resolution, does not include funding for an 
ongoing project or activity for which there is a budget request, or 
whenever the rate for operations for an ongoing project or activity 
provided by section 201 for which there is a budget request would 
result in the project or activity being significantly reduced, the 
pertinent project or activity may be continued under the authority and 
conditions provided in the applicable appropriations Act for the fiscal 
year 1995 by increasing the rate for operations provided by section 201 
to a rate for operations not to exceed one that provides the minimal 
level that would enable existing activities to continue. No new 
contracts or grants shall be awarded in excess of an amount that bears 
the same ratio to the rate for operations provided by this section as 
the number of days covered by this resolution bears to 366. For the 
purposes of this title of this joint resolution the minimal level means 
a rate for operations that is reduced from the current rate by 25 
percent.
    Sec. 212. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title of this 
joint resolution, except section 206, whenever the rate for operations 
for any continuing project or activity provided by section 201 or 
section 211 for which there is a budget request would result in a 
furlough of Government employees, that rate for operations may be 
increased to the minimum level that would enable the furlough to be 
avoided. No new contracts or grants shall be awarded in excess of an 
amount that bears the same ratio to the rate for operations provided by 
this section as the number of days covered by this resolution bears to 
366.
    Sec. 213. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title of this 
joint resolution, except sections 206, 211, and 212, for those programs 
that had high initial rates of operation or complete distribution of 
funding at the beginning of the fiscal year in fiscal year 1995 because 
of distributions of funding to States, foreign countries, grantees, or 
others, similar distributions of funds for fiscal year 1996 shall not 
be made and no grants shall be awarded for such programs funded by this 
title of this resolution that would impinge on final funding 
prerogatives.
    Sec. 214. This title of this joint resolution shall be implemented 
so that only the most limited funding action of that permitted in this 
title of this resolution shall be taken in order to provide for 
continuation of projects and activities.
    Sec. 215. The provisions of section 132 of the District of Columbia 
Appropriations Act, 1988, Public Law 100-202, shall not apply for this 
title of this joint resolution.
    Sec. 216. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title of this 
joint resolution, except section 206, none of the funds appropriated 
under this title of this joint resolution shall be used to implement or 
enforce any system of registration of unmarried, cohabiting couples 
whether they are homosexual, lesbian, heterosexual, including but not 
limited to registration for the purpose of extending employment, 
health, or governmental benefits to such couples on the same basis that 
such benefits are extended to legally married couples; nor shall any 
funds made available pursuant to any provision of this title of this 
joint resolution otherwise be used to implement or enforce D.C. Act 9-
188, signed by the Mayor of the District of Columbia on April 15, 1992.

                               TITLE III

                            VETERANS AFFAIRS

    The following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any money in the 
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and out of applicable corporate or 
other revenues, receipts, and funds, for the several departments, 
agencies, corporations and other organizational units of Government for 
the fiscal year 1996, and for other purposes, namely:

SEC. 301. ENSURED PAYMENT DURING FISCAL YEAR 1996 OF VETERANS' BENEFITS 
              IN EVENT OF LACK OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Payments Required.--In any case during fiscal year 1996 in 
which appropriations are not otherwise available for programs, 
projects, and activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall nevertheless ensure that--
            (1) payments of existing veterans benefits are made in 
        accordance with regular procedures and schedules and in 
        accordance with eligibility requirements for such benefits; and
            (2) payments to contractors of the Veterans Health 
        Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs are made 
        when due in the case of services provided that directly relate 
        to patient health and safety.
    (b) Funding.--There is hereby appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary for the payments pursuant to subsection (a), including such 
amounts as may be necessary for the costs of administration of such 
payments.
    (c) Charging of Accounts When Appropriations Made.--In any case in 
which the Secretary uses the authority of subsection (a) to make 
payments, applicable accounts shall be charged for amounts so paid, and 
for the costs of administration of such payments, when regular 
appropriations become available for those purposes.
    (d) Existing Benefits Specified.--For purposes of this section, 
existing veterans benefits are benefits under laws administered by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs that have been adjudicated and authorized 
for payment as of--
            (1) December 15, 1995; or
            (2) if appropriations for such benefits are available 
        (other than pursuant to subsection (b)) after December 15, 
        1995, the last day on which appropriations for payment of such 
        benefits are available (other than pursuant to subsection (b)).
    Sec. 302. Section 301 shall cease to be effective on January 3, 
1996.

            Passed the House of Representatives December 22, 1995.

            Attest:

                                                                 Clerk.