II 

Calendar No. 613 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5014 

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

resolutions. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 11, 2020 

Mr. PAUL introduced the following bill; which was read the first time 

DECEMBER 14, 2020 

Read the second time and placed on the calendar 

A BILL 

To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for 

automatic continuing resolutions. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Government Shutdown 

5 Prevention Act of 2020’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. AUTOMATIC CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 13 of title 31, United 

3 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1310 

4 the following new section: 

5 ‘‘SEC. 1311. CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS. 

6 ‘‘(a)(1) If any appropriation measure for a fiscal year 

7 is not enacted before the beginning of such fiscal year or 

8 a joint resolution making continuing appropriations is not 

9 in effect, there are appropriated such sums as may be nec10 essary to continue any program, project, or activity for 

11 which funds were provided in the preceding fiscal year— 

12 ‘‘(A) in the corresponding appropriation Act for 

13 such preceding fiscal year; or 

14 ‘‘(B) if the corresponding appropriation bill for 

15 such preceding fiscal year did not become law, then 

16 in a joint resolution making continuing appropria17 tions for such preceding fiscal year. 

18 ‘‘(2)(A) Appropriations and funds made available, 

19 and authority granted, for a program, project, or activity 

20 for any fiscal year pursuant to this section shall be at a 

21 rate of operations not in excess of the lower of— 

22 ‘‘(i) 99 percent of the rate of operations pro23 vided for in the regular appropriation Act providing 

24 for such program, project, or activity for the pre25 ceding fiscal year; 


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1 ‘‘(ii) in the absence of such an Act, 99 percent 

2 of the rate of operations provided for such program, 

3 project, or activity pursuant to a joint resolution 

4 making continuing appropriations for such preceding 

5 fiscal year; or 

6 ‘‘(iii) 99 percent of the annualized rate of oper7 ations provided for in the most recently enacted 

8 joint resolution making continuing appropriations 

9 for part of that fiscal year or any funding levels es10 tablished under the provisions of this Act, 

11 for the period of 90 days. After the first 90-day period 

12 during which this subsection is in effect for that fiscal 

13 year, the applicable rate of operations shall be reduced by 

14 1 percentage point. For each subsequent 90-day period 

15 during which this subsection is in effect for that fiscal 

16 year, the applicable rate of operations shall be reduced by 

17 1 percentage point. The 90-day period reductions shall ex18 tend beyond the last day of that fiscal year. 

19 ‘‘(B) If this section is in effect at the end of a fiscal 

20 year, funding levels shall continue as provided in this sec21 tion for the next fiscal year. 

22 ‘‘(3) Appropriations and funds made available, and 

23 authority granted, for any fiscal year pursuant to this sec24 tion for a program, project, or activity shall be available 

25 for the period beginning with the first day of a lapse in 


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1 appropriations and ending with the date on which the ap2 plicable regular appropriation bill for such fiscal year be3 comes law (whether or not such law provides for such pro4 gram, project, or activity) or a continuing resolution mak5 ing appropriations becomes law, as the case may be. 

6 ‘‘(b) An appropriation or funds made available, or au7 thority granted, for a program, project, or activity for any 

8 fiscal year pursuant to this section shall be subject to the 

9 terms and conditions imposed with respect to the appro10 priation made or funds made available for the preceding 

11 fiscal year, or authority granted for such program, project, 

12 or activity under current law. 

13 ‘‘(c) Expenditures made for a program, project, or 

14 activity for any fiscal year pursuant to this section shall 

15 be charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, or au16 thorization whenever a regular appropriation bill or a joint 

17 resolution making continuing appropriations until the end 

18 of a fiscal year providing for such program, project, or 

19 activity for such period becomes law. 

20 ‘‘(d) This section shall not apply to a program, 

21 project, or activity during a fiscal year if any other provi22 sion of law (other than an authorization of appropria23 tions)— 


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1 ‘‘(1) makes an appropriation, makes funds 

2 available, or grants authority for such program, 

3 project, or activity to continue for such period; or 

4 ‘‘(2) specifically provides that no appropriation 

5 shall be made, no funds shall be made available, or 

6 no authority shall be granted for such program, 

7 project, or activity to continue for such period.’’. 

8 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 

9 of chapter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended 

10 by inserting after the item relating to section 1310 the 

11 following new item: 

‘‘1311. Continuing appropriations.’’. 


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Calendar No. 613 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5014 

A BILL 

To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide 

for automatic continuing resolutions. 

DECEMBER 14, 2020 

Read the second time and placed on the calendar 


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