[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1785 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1785

    To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide an automatic 
       continuing appropriation for the United States Government.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 4, 1997

 Mr. Kleczka introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Appropriations

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide an automatic 
       continuing appropriation for the United States Government.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. AUTOMATIC CONTINUING RESOLUTION.

    Chapter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after section 1310 the following new section:
``Sec. 1311. Continuing appropriations
    ``(a)(1) If any regular appropriation bill or continuing resolution 
for a fiscal year does not become law before the beginning of such 
fiscal year, there is appropriated, out of any moneys in the Treasury 
not otherwise appropriated, and out of applicable corporate or other 
revenues, receipts, and funds, such sums as may be necessary to 
continue any project or activity for which funds were provided in the 
preceding fiscal year--
            ``(A) in the corresponding regular appropriation Act or 
        continuing resolution for such preceding fiscal year; or
            ``(B) if the corresponding regular appropriation bill or 
        continuing resolution for such preceding fiscal year did not 
        become law, then pursuant to this section.
    ``(2) Appropriations and funds made available, and authority 
granted, for a project or activity for any fiscal year pursuant to this 
section shall be at a rate of operations not in excess of--
            ``(A) the rate of operations provided for in the regular 
        appropriation Act or continuing resolution providing for such 
        project or activity for the preceding fiscal year, or
            ``(B) in the absence of such an Act or continuing 
        resolution, the rate of operations provided for such project or 
        activity pursuant to this section for such preceding fiscal 
        year.
    ``(3) Appropriations and funds made available, and authority 
granted, for any fiscal year pursuant to this section for a project or 
activity shall be available for the period beginning with the first day 
of such fiscal year and ending with the earlier of--
            ``(A) the date on which the applicable regular 
        appropriation bill or continuing resolution for such fiscal 
        year becomes law (whether or not such law provides for such 
        project or activity), and
            ``(B) the last day of such fiscal year.
    ``(b) An appropriation or funds made available, or authority 
granted, for a project or activity for any fiscal year pursuant to this 
section shall be subject to the terms and conditions imposed with 
respect to the appropriation made, funds made available, or authority 
granted for such project or activity for the preceding fiscal year.
    ``(c) Appropriations and funds made available, and authority 
granted, for any project or activity for any fiscal year pursuant to 
this section shall cover all obligations or expenditures incurred for 
such project or activity during the portion of such fiscal year for 
which this section applies to such project or activity.
    ``(d) Expenditures made for a project or activity for any fiscal 
year pursuant to this section shall be charged to the applicable 
appropriation, fund, or authorization whenever a regular appropriation 
bill or continuing resolution providing for such project or activity 
for such period becomes law.
    ``(e) No appropriation is made by reason of subparagraph (B) of 
subsection (a)(1) for a fiscal year for any project or activity for 
which there is no authorization of appropriations for such fiscal year.
    ``(f) This section shall not apply to a project or activity during 
a fiscal year if any other provision of law (other than an 
authorization of appropriations)--
            ``(1) makes an appropriation, makes funds available, or 
        grants authority for such project or activity to continue for 
        such period, or
            ``(2) specifically provides that no appropriation shall be 
        made, no funds shall be made available, or no authority shall 
        be granted for such project or activity to continue for such 
        period.
    ``(g) For purposes of this section:
            ``(1) The term `regular appropriation bill' means any 
        regular appropriation bill (within the meaning given to such 
        term in section 307 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 
        U.S.C. 638)) making appropriations, otherwise making funds 
        available, or granting authority, for any of the following 
        categories of projects and activities:
                    ``(A) Agriculture, rural development, and related 
                agencies programs.
                    ``(B) The Departments of Commerce, Justice, and 
                State, the Judiciary, and related agencies.
                    ``(C) The Department of Defense.
                    ``(D) The government of the District of Columbia 
                and other activities chargeable in whole or in part 
                against the revenues of the District.
                    ``(E) The Departments of Labor, Health and Human 
                Services, and Education, and related agencies.
                    ``(F) The Department of Housing and Urban 
                Development, and sundry independent agencies, boards, 
                commissions, corporations, and offices.
                    ``(G) Energy and water development.
                    ``(H) Foreign assistance and related programs.
                    ``(I) The Department of the Interior and related 
                agencies.
                    ``(J) Military construction.
                    ``(K) The Department of Transportation and related 
                agencies.
                    ``(L) The Treasury Department, the U.S. Postal 
                Service, the Executive Office of the President, and 
                certain independent agencies.
                    ``(M) The legislative branch.
            ``(2) The term `continuing resolution' means any joint 
        resolution making continuing appropriations for all or part of 
        any fiscal year.''.

SEC. 2. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

    The analysis of chapter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1310 the 
following new item:

``1311. Continuing appropriations.''.

SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by this Act shall apply to fiscal years 
beginning after September 30, 1997.
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