To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for automatic continuing resolutions.

Summary: Government Shutdown Prevention Act of 2011 - Makes specified provisional (automatic) continuing appropriations in the event that any regular appropriation bill 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. (Thus prevents a federal government shutdown.)

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Government Shutdown Prevention Act 
of 2011''.

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 (B), 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;
            ``(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 
        Act;
for the period of three months. For each subsequent three-month period 
during which this subsection is in effect for that fiscal year, the 
applicable rate of operations shall be reduced by one percentage point. 
No 90-day period beginning in a fiscal year shall extend beyond the 
last day of that fiscal year.
    ``(B) The total amount of appropriations and funds made available, 
and authorization granted, for a program, projects, or activity, shall 
not exceed levels set forth in section 257(c) of the Balanced Budget 
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
    ``(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 earlier 
of--
            ``(A) 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; or
            ``(B) the last day of such fiscal year.
    ``(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) Appropriations and funds made available, and authority 
granted, for any program, project, or activity for any fiscal year 
pursuant to this section shall cover all obligations or expenditures 
incurred for such program, project, or activity during the portion of 
such fiscal year for which this section applies to such program, 
project, or activity.
    ``(d) 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.
    ``(e) 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.''.