[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1178 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1178
To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for automatic
continuing appropriations, to withhold the pay of Members of Congress
during any period in which such automatic continuing appropriations are
in effect, to prohibit the use of funds for the official travel of
Members of Congress during any period in which such automatic
continuing appropriations are in effect, and for other purposes.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 13, 2019
Mr. Spano (for himself and Mr. Waltz) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition
to the Committee on House Administration, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
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A BILL
To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for automatic
continuing appropriations, to withhold the pay of Members of Congress
during any period in which such automatic continuing appropriations are
in effect, to prohibit the use of funds for the official travel of
Members of Congress during any period in which such automatic
continuing appropriations are in effect, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Deadline Enforcement Act''.
SEC. 2. AUTOMATIC CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--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 appropriation measure for a fiscal year is not
enacted before the beginning of such fiscal year or a joint resolution
making continuing appropriations is not in effect, there are
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to continue any program,
project, or activity for which funds were provided in the preceding
fiscal year--
``(A) in the corresponding appropriation Act for such
preceding fiscal year; or
``(B) if the corresponding appropriation bill for such
preceding fiscal year did not become law, then in a joint
resolution making continuing appropriations for such preceding
fiscal year.
``(2)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (C), appropriations and
funds made available, and authority granted, for a program, project, or
activity for any fiscal year pursuant to this section shall be at a
rate of operations not in excess of the lower of--
``(i) 99 percent of the rate of operations provided for in the
regular appropriation Act providing for such program, project, or
activity for the preceding fiscal year;
``(ii) in the absence of such an Act, 99 percent of the rate of
operations provided for such program, project, or activity pursuant to
a joint resolution making continuing appropriations for such preceding
fiscal year; or
``(iii) 99 percent of the annualized rate of operations provided
for in the most recently enacted joint resolution making continuing
appropriations for part of that fiscal year or any funding levels
established under the provisions of this section.
``(B) Except as provided in subparagraph (C), after the first 30-
day period during which this subsection is in effect for that fiscal
year, the applicable rate of operations as provided under subparagraph
(A) shall be reduced by 1 percentage point. For each subsequent 30-day
period during which this subsection is in effect for that fiscal year,
the applicable rate of operations shall be reduced by 1 percentage
point. The 30-day period reductions shall extend beyond the last day of
that fiscal year.
``(C) The reductions provided by subparagraphs (A) and (B) shall
not apply to any discretionary appropriation in budget function 050
made available pursuant to this section. Clause (i), (ii), or (iii) (as
the case may be) of subparagraph (A) shall be applied to any such
appropriation by substituting `100 percent' for `99 percent'.
``(D) If this section is in effect at the end of a fiscal year,
funding levels shall continue as provided in this section for the next
fiscal year.
``(3) Appropriations and funds made available, and authority
granted, for any fiscal year pursuant to this section for a program,
project, or activity shall be available for the period beginning with
the first day of a lapse in appropriations and ending with the date on
which the applicable regular appropriation bill for such fiscal year
becomes law (whether or not such law provides for such program,
project, or activity) or a continuing resolution making appropriations
becomes law, as the case may be.
``(b) An appropriation or funds made available, or authority
granted, for a program, 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 or funds made available
for the preceding fiscal year, or authority granted for such program,
project, or activity under current law.
``(c) Expenditures made for a program, 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 a joint resolution making continuing appropriations until the
end of a fiscal year providing for such program, project, or activity
for such period becomes law.
``(d) This section shall not apply to a program, 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 program, 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 program, project, or activity to continue
for such period.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections 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. PROHIBITING PAYING MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHILE AUTOMATIC
CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ARE IN EFFECT.
(a) Rule for One Hundred Sixteenth Congress.--
(1) Holding salaries in escrow.--If a pay period occurs
during the One Hundred Sixteenth Congress during the period
described in paragraph (2), the payroll administrator of each
House of Congress shall--
(A) deposit in an escrow account and exclude from
the payments otherwise required to be made with respect
to that pay period for the compensation of each Member
of Congress who serves in that House of Congress an
amount equal to the product of--
(i) the daily rate of pay of the Member
under section 601(a) of the Legislative
Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4501); and
(ii) the number of 24-hour periods during
the pay period; and
(B) release amounts deposited in an escrow account
under subparagraph (A) to such Member of Congress only
upon the expiration of the period described in
paragraph (2).
(2) Period described.--The period described in this
paragraph is the period that--
(A) begins on the 1st day on which appropriations
and funds are made available pursuant to section 1311
of title 31, United States Code (as added by section
2(a)); and
(B) ends on the earlier of--
(i) the date on which appropriations and
funds are no longer made available pursuant to
section 1311 of such title; or
(ii) the last day of the One Hundred
Sixteenth Congress.
(3) Withholding and remittance of amounts from payments
held in escrow.--The payroll administrator of each House of
Congress shall provide for the same withholding and remittance
with respect to a payment deposited in an escrow account under
paragraph (1) that would apply to the payment if the payment
were not subject to paragraph (1).
(4) Release of amounts at end of the congress.--In order to
ensure that this subsection is carried out in a manner that
shall not vary the compensation of Senators or Representatives
in violation of the twenty-seventh amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, the payroll administrator of
a House of Congress shall release for payment to Members of
that House of Congress any amounts remaining in any escrow
account under this section on the last day of the One Hundred
Sixteenth Congress.
(b) Subsequent Congresses.--
(1) Reduction in salaries.--If a pay period occurs during
the One Hundred Seventeenth Congress or any succeeding Congress
during the period described in paragraph (2), the payroll
administrator of each House of Congress shall exclude from the
payments otherwise required to be made with respect to that pay
period for the compensation of each Member of Congress who
serves in that House of Congress an amount equal to the product
of--
(A) the daily rate of pay of the Member under
section 601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of
1946 (2 U.S.C. 4501); and
(B) the number of 24-hour periods during the pay
period.
(2) Period described.--The period described in this
paragraph is the period that--
(A) begins on the 1st day on which appropriations
and funds are made available pursuant to section 1311
of title 31, United States Code (as added by section
2(a)); and
(B) ends on the date on which appropriations and
funds are no longer made available pursuant to section
1311 of such title.
(c) Role of Secretary of the Treasury.--The Secretary of the
Treasury shall provide the payroll administrator of each House of
Congress with such assistance as may be necessary to enable the payroll
administrator to carry out this section.
(d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``payroll
administrator'', with respect to a House of Congress, means--
(1) in the case of the House of Representatives, the Chief
Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, or an
employee of the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer who
is designated by the Chief Administrative Officer to carry out
this section; and
(2) in the case of the Senate, the Secretary of the Senate,
or an employee of the Office of the Secretary of the Senate who
is designated by the Secretary to carry out this section.
SEC. 4. PROHIBITING USE OF FUNDS FOR TRAVEL BY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
WHILE AUTOMATIC CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ARE IN EFFECT.
(a) Prohibition.--During the period described in subsection (b), no
appropriated funds, including official funds of the House of
Representatives, official funds of the Senate, or funds available under
any Federal law, rule, or regulation, may be used to pay for the costs
of travel by a Member of Congress.
(b) Period Described.--The period described in this paragraph is
the period that--
(1) begins on the 1st day on which appropriations and funds
are made available pursuant to section 1311 of title 31, United
States Code (as added by section 2(a)); and
(2) ends on the date on which appropriations and funds are
no longer made available pursuant to section 1311 of such
title.
SEC. 5. MEMBER OF CONGRESS DEFINED.
In this Act, the term ``Member of Congress'' means a Senator or a
Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner to, the
Congress.
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