[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 48 (Thursday, March 13, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1747-S1748]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 1268. Mr. JOHNSON submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by him to the bill H.R. 1968, making further continuing appropriations
and other extensions for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, and
for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. __. AUTOMATIC CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 13 of title 31, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 1311. Automatic continuing appropriations
``(a)(1)(A) On and after the first day of each fiscal year,
if an appropriation Act for such fiscal year with respect to
the account for a program, project, or activity has not been
enacted and continuing appropriations are not in effect with
respect to the program, project, or activity, there are
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to continue, at
the rate for operations specified in subparagraph (C), the
program, project, or activity if funds were provided for the
program, project, or activity during the preceding fiscal
year.
``(B)(i) Appropriations and funds made available and
authority granted under subparagraph (A) shall be available
for a period of 14 days.
``(ii) If, at the end of the first 14-day period during
which appropriations and funds are
[[Page S1748]]
made available and authority is granted under subparagraph
(A), and the end of every 14-day period thereafter, an
appropriation Act for such fiscal year with respect to the
account for a program, project, or activity has not been
enacted and continuing appropriations are not in effect with
respect to the program, project, or activity under a
provision of law other than subparagraph (A), the
appropriations and funds made available and authority granted
under subparagraph (A) during the 14-day period shall be
extended for an additional 14-day period.
``(C)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), the rate for
operations specified in this subparagraph with respect to a
program, project, or activity is the rate for operations for
the preceding fiscal year for the program, project, or
activity--
``(I) provided in the corresponding appropriation Act for
such preceding fiscal year;
``(II) if the corresponding appropriation bill for such
preceding fiscal year was not enacted, provided in the law
providing continuing appropriations for such preceding fiscal
year; or
``(III) if the corresponding appropriation bill and a law
providing continuing appropriations for such preceding fiscal
year were not enacted, provided under this section for such
preceding fiscal year.
``(ii) For entitlements and other mandatory payments whose
budget authority was provided for the previous fiscal year in
appropriations Acts, under a law other than this section
providing continuing appropriations for such previous year,
or under this section, and for activities under the Food and
Nutrition Act of 2008, appropriations and funds made
available during a fiscal year under this section shall be at
the rate necessary to maintain program levels under current
law, under the authority and conditions provided in the
applicable appropriations Act.
``(2) 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, in accordance with paragraph (1)(B), for the
period--
``(A) beginning on the first day of any lapse in
appropriations during such fiscal year; and
``(B) ending on the date of enactment of an appropriation
Act for such fiscal year with respect to the account for such
program, project, or activity (whether or not such Act
provides appropriations for such program, project, or
activity) or a law making continuing appropriations for the
program, project, or activity, as applicable.
``(3) Notwithstanding section 251(a)(1) of the Balanced
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C.
901(a)(1)) and the timetable in section 254(a) of such Act (2
U.S.C. 904(a)), for any fiscal year for which appropriations
and funds are made available under this section, the final
sequestration report for such fiscal year pursuant to section
254(f)(1) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 904(f)(1)) and any order for
such fiscal year pursuant to section 254(f)(5) of such Act (2
U.S.C. 901(f)(5)) shall be issued--
``(A) for the Congressional Budget Office, 10 days after
the date on which appropriation Acts providing funding for
the entire Federal Government through the end of such fiscal
year have been enacted; and
``(B) for the Office of Management and Budget, 15 days
after the date on which appropriation Acts providing funding
for the entire Federal Government through the end of such
fiscal year have been enacted.
``(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 an appropriation Act for such fiscal year with
respect to the account for a program, project, or activity or
a law making continuing appropriations until the end of such
fiscal year for such program, project, or activity is
enacted.
``(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 for chapter
13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``1311. Automatic continuing appropriations.''.
(c) Classification of Budgetary Effects.--
(1) In general.--The budgetary effects of this section and
the amendments made by this section shall be estimated as if
this section and the amendments made by this section are
discretionary appropriations Acts for purposes of section 251
of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985 (2 U.S.C. 900 et seq.).
(2) Baseline.--For purposes of calculating the baseline
under section 257 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 907), the provision of
budgetary resources under section 1311 of title 31, United
States Code, as added by this section, for an account shall
be considered to be a continuing appropriation in effect for
such account for less than the entire current year.
(3) Enforcement of discretionary spending limits.--For
purposes of enforcing the discretionary spending limits under
section 251(a) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(a)), the budgetary
resources made available under section 1311 of title 31,
United States Code, as added by this section, shall be
considered part-year appropriations for purposes of section
251(a)(4) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(a)(4)).
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