[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4515 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4515

    To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for automatic 
     continuing resolutions for the Department of Veterans Affairs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 26, 2019

  Ms. Brownley of California 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 for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

    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 ``Veterans Affairs Protection Act of 
2019''.

SEC. 2. AUTOMATIC CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF 
              VETERANS AFFAIRS.

    (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 FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS 
              AFFAIRS.

    ``(a)(1) If an appropriation for an account under the heading 
`Department of Veterans Affairs' 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 under such heading 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) 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) 100 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, 100 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) 100 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 
        Act.
    ``(B) 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 for the Department of Veterans 
                            Affairs.''.
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