PUBLIC LAW 114–53—SEPT. 30, 2015 

TSA OFFICE OF INSPECTION 

ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2015 

CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2016 


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129 STAT. 502 PUBLIC LAW 114–53—SEPT. 30, 2015 

Public Law 114–53 

114th Congress 

An Act 

To require the Transportation Security Administration to conform to existing Federal 

law and regulations regarding criminal investigator positions, 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 ‘‘TSA Office of Inspection Accountability Act of 2015’’. 

SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

Congress makes the following findings: 

(1) Consistent with Federal law and regulations, for law 

enforcement officers to qualify for premium pay as criminal 

investigators, the officers must, in general, spend on average 

at least 50 percent of their time investigating, apprehending, 

or detaining individuals suspected or convicted of offenses 

against the criminal laws of the United States. 

(2) According to the Inspector General of the Department 

of Homeland Security (DHS IG), the Transportation Security 

Administration (TSA) does not ensure that its cadre of criminal 

investigators in the Office of Inspection are meeting this 

requirement, even though they are considered law enforcement 

officers under TSA policy and receive premium pay. 

(3) Instead, TSA criminal investigators in the Office of 

Inspection primarily monitor the results of criminal investigations conducted by other agencies, investigate administrative 

cases of TSA employee misconduct, and carry out inspections, 

covert tests, and internal reviews, which the DHS IG asserts 

could be performed by employees other than criminal investigators at a lower cost. 

(4) The premium pay and other benefits afforded to TSA 

criminal investigators in the Office of Inspection who are incorrectly classified as such will cost the taxpayer as much as 

$17 million over 5 years if TSA fails to make any changes 

to the number of criminal investigators in the Office of Inspection, according to the DHS IG. 

(5) This may be a conservative estimate, as it accounts 

for the cost of Law Enforcement Availability Pay, but not 

the costs of law enforcement training, statutory early retirement benefits, police vehicles, and weapons. 

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

In this Act: 

TSA Office of 

Inspection 

Accountability 

Act of 2015. 

Continuing 

Appropriations 

Act, 2016. 

Sept. 30, 2015 

[H.R. 719] 


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PUBLIC LAW 114–53—SEPT. 30, 2015 129 STAT. 503 

(1) ADMINISTRATION.—The term ‘‘Administration’’ means 

the Transportation Security Administration. 

(2) ASSISTANT SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Assistant Secretary’’ 

means the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security (Transportation Security) of the Department of Homeland Security. 

(3) INSPECTOR GENERAL.—The term ‘‘Inspector General’’ 

means the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland 

Security. 

SEC. 4. INSPECTOR GENERAL AUDIT. 

(a) AUDIT.—Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General shall analyze the data 

and methods that the Assistant Secretary uses to identify Office 

of Inspection employees of the Administration who meet the requirements of sections 8331(20), 8401(17), and 5545a of title 5, United 

States Code, and provide the relevant findings to the Assistant 

Secretary, including a finding on whether the data and methods 

are adequate and valid. 

(b) PROHIBITION ON HIRING.—If the Inspector General finds 

that such data and methods are inadequate or invalid, the Administration shall not hire any new employee to work in the Office 

of Inspection of the Administration until— 

(1) the Assistant Secretary makes a certification described 

in section 5 to the Committee on Homeland Security of the 

House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 

Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and 

(2) the Inspector General submits to such Committees a 

finding, not later than 30 days after the Assistant Secretary 

makes such certification, that the Assistant Secretary utilized 

adequate and valid data and methods to make such certification. 

SEC. 5. TSA OFFICE OF INSPECTION WORKFORCE CERTIFICATION. 

(a) CERTIFICATION TO CONGRESS.—The Assistant Secretary 

shall, by not later than 90 days after the date the Inspector General 

provides its findings to the Assistant Secretary under section 4(a), 

document and certify in writing to the Committee on Homeland 

Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 

Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate that only 

those Office of Inspection employees of the Administration who 

meet the requirements of sections 8331(20), 8401(17), and 5545a 

of title 5, United States Code, are classified as criminal investigators 

and are receiving premium pay and other benefits associated with 

such classification. 

(b) EMPLOYEE RECLASSIFICATION.—The Assistant Secretary 

shall reclassify criminal investigator positions in the Office of 

Inspection as noncriminal investigator positions or non-law enforcement positions if the individuals in those positions do not, or are 

not expected to, spend an average of at least 50 percent of their 

time performing criminal investigative duties. 

(c) PROJECTED COST SAVINGS.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Assistant Secretary shall estimate 

the total long-term cost savings to the Federal Government 

resulting from the implementation of subsection (b), and provide 

such estimate to the Committee on Homeland Security of the 

House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 

Science, and Transportation of the Senate by not later than 

180 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 

Cost estimate. 

Deadline. 

Deadline. 

Certification. 

Finding. 

Deadline. 

Deadline. 

Analysis. 


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129 STAT. 504 PUBLIC LAW 114–53—SEPT. 30, 2015 

(2) CONTENTS.—Such estimate shall identify savings associated with the positions reclassified under subsection (b) and 

include, among other factors the Assistant Secretary considers 

appropriate, savings from— 

(A) law enforcement training; 

(B) early retirement benefits; 

(C) law enforcement availability and other premium 

pay; and 

(D) weapons, vehicles, and communications devices. 

SEC. 6. INVESTIGATION OF FEDERAL AIR MARSHAL SERVICE MISCONDUCT. 

Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of 

this Act, or as soon as practicable, the Assistant Secretary shall 

submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 

Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate— 

(1) materials in the possession or control of the Department 

of Homeland Security associated with the Office of Inspection’s 

review of instances in which Federal Air Marshal Service officials obtained discounted or free firearms for personal use; 

(2) information on specific actions that will be taken to 

prevent Federal Air Marshal Service officials from using their 

official positions, or exploiting, in any way, the Service’s relationships with private vendors to obtain discounted or free 

firearms for personal use; and 

(3) information on specific actions that will be taken to 

prevent the Federal Air Marshal Service from misusing Government resources. 

SEC. 7. STUDY. 

Not later than 180 days after the date that the Assistant 

Secretary submits the certification to Congress under section 5(a), 

the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security 

shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House 

of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation and the Committee on Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs of the Senate a study— 

(1) reviewing the employee requirements, responsibilities, 

and benefits of criminal investigators in the TSA Office of 

Inspection with criminal investigators employed at agencies 

adhering to the Office of Personnel Management employee 

classification system; and 

(2) identifying any inconsistencies and costs implications 

for differences between the varying employee requirements, 

responsibilities, and benefits. 

SEC. 8. INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF FEDERAL AIR MARSHAL SERVICE 

PERSONNEL ISSUES. 

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of 

this Act, the Inspector General shall submit to the Committee 

on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the 

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 

Senate a study that— 

(1) reviews the Federal Air Marshal Service’s existing personnel policies and procedures for identifying misuse of Government resources; and 

Deadline. 

Deadline. 

Records. 

Deadline. 


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PUBLIC LAW 114–53—SEPT. 30, 2015 129 STAT. 505 

(2) reviews the administration of the Federal Air Marshal 

Service’s existing code of conduct or integrity policies with 

respect to instances of misconduct. 

The following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any money 

in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and out of applicable 

corporate or other revenues, receipts, and funds, for the several 

departments, agencies, corporations, and other organizational units 

of Government for fiscal year 2016, and for other purposes, namely: 

SEC. 101. (a) Such amounts as may be necessary, at a rate 

for operations as provided in the applicable appropriations Acts 

for fiscal year 2015 and under the authority and conditions provided 

in such Acts, for continuing projects or activities (including the 

costs of direct loans and loan guarantees) that are not otherwise 

specifically provided for in this Act, that were conducted in fiscal 

year 2015, and for which appropriations, funds, or other authority 

were made available in the following appropriations Acts: 

(1) The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug 

Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 

(division A of Public Law 113–235), except section 743 and 

title VIII. 

(2) The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies 

Appropriations Act, 2015 (division B of Public Law 113–235). 

(3) The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2015 

(division C of Public Law 113–235), except title X. 

(4) The Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 (division D of Public Law 113– 

235). 

(5) The Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2015 (division E of Public Law 113–235). 

(6) The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations 

Act, 2015 (Public Law 114–4). 

(7) The Department of the Interior, Environment, and 

Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 (division F of Public 

Law 113–235). 

(8) The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 

and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 

(division G of Public Law 113–235), except title VI. 

(9) The Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2015 (division H of Public Law 113–235). 

(10) The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and 

Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 (division I of Public 

Law 113–235). 

(11) The Department of State, Foreign Operations, and 

Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2015 (division J of Public 

Law 113–235), except title IX. 

(12) The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, 

and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2015 (division K of 

Public Law 113–235). 

(13) Section 11 of the Consolidated and Further Continuing 

Appropriations Act, 2015 (Public Law 113–235). 

(b) The rate for operations provided by subsection (a) is hereby 

reduced by 0.2108 percent. 

SEC. 102. (a) No appropriation or funds made available or 

authority granted pursuant to section 101 for the Department of 

Defense shall be used for: (1) the new production of items not 

funded for production in fiscal year 2015 or prior years; (2) the 

increase in production rates above those sustained with fiscal year 

Rate reduction. 


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129 STAT. 506 PUBLIC LAW 114–53—SEPT. 30, 2015 

2015 funds; or (3) the initiation, resumption, or continuation of 

any project, activity, operation, or organization (defined as any 

project, subproject, activity, budget activity, program element, and 

subprogram within a program element, and for any investment 

items defined as a P–1 line item in a budget activity within an 

appropriation account and an R–1 line item that includes a program 

element and subprogram element within an appropriation account) 

for which appropriations, funds, or other authority were not available during fiscal year 2015. 

(b) No appropriation or funds made available or authority 

granted pursuant to section 101 for the Department of Defense 

shall be used to initiate multi-year procurements utilizing advance 

procurement funding for economic order quantity procurement 

unless specifically appropriated later. 

SEC. 103. Appropriations made by section 101 shall be available 

to the extent and in the manner that would be provided by the 

pertinent appropriations Act. 

SEC. 104. Except as otherwise provided in section 102, no 

appropriation or funds made available or authority granted pursuant to section 101 shall be used to initiate or resume any project 

or activity for which appropriations, funds, or other authority were 

not available during fiscal year 2015. 

SEC. 105. Appropriations made and authority granted pursuant 

to this Act shall cover all obligations or expenditures incurred 

for any project or activity during the period for which funds or 

authority for such project or activity are available under this Act. 

SEC. 106. Unless otherwise provided for in this Act or in the 

applicable appropriations Act for fiscal year 2016, appropriations 

and funds made available and authority granted pursuant to this 

Act shall be available until whichever of the following first occurs: 

(1) the enactment into law of an appropriation for any project 

or activity provided for in this Act; (2) the enactment into law 

of the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal year 2016 without 

any provision for such project or activity; or (3) December 11, 

2015. 

SEC. 107. Expenditures made pursuant to this Act shall be 

charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, or authorization 

whenever a bill in which such applicable appropriation, fund, or 

authorization is contained is enacted into law. 

SEC. 108. Appropriations made and funds made available by 

or authority granted pursuant to this Act may be used without 

regard to the time limitations for submission and approval of apportionments set forth in section 1513 of title 31, United States Code, 

but nothing in this Act may be construed to waive any other 

provision of law governing the apportionment of funds. 

SEC. 109. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, 

except section 106, for those programs that would otherwise have 

high initial rates of operation or complete distribution of appropriations at the beginning of fiscal year 2016 because of distributions 

of funding to States, foreign countries, grantees, or others, such 

high initial rates of operation or complete distribution shall not 

be made, and no grants shall be awarded for such programs funded 

by this Act that would impinge on final funding prerogatives. 

SEC. 110. This Act shall be implemented so that only the 

most limited funding action of that permitted in the Act shall 

be taken in order to provide for continuation of projects and activities. 

Expiration date. 

Contracts. 


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PUBLIC LAW 114–53—SEPT. 30, 2015 129 STAT. 507 

SEC. 111. (a) For entitlements and other mandatory payments 

whose budget authority was provided in appropriations Acts for 

fiscal year 2015, and for activities under the Food and Nutrition 

Act of 2008, activities shall be continued at the rate to maintain 

program levels under current law, under the authority and conditions provided in the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal year 

2015, to be continued through the date specified in section 106(3). 

(b) Notwithstanding section 106, obligations for mandatory payments due on or about the first day of any month that begins 

after October 2015 but not later than 30 days after the date specified 

in section 106(3) may continue to be made, and funds shall be 

available for such payments. 

SEC. 112. Amounts made available under section 101 for civilian 

personnel compensation and benefits in each department and 

agency may be apportioned up to the rate for operations necessary 

to avoid furloughs within such department or agency, consistent 

with the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal year 2015, except 

that such authority provided under this section shall not be used 

until after the department or agency has taken all necessary actions 

to reduce or defer non-personnel-related administrative expenses. 

SEC. 113. Funds appropriated by this Act may be obligated 

and expended notwithstanding section 10 of Public Law 91–672 

(22 U.S.C. 2412), section 15 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2680), section 313 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (22 U.S.C. 

6212), and section 504(a)(1) of the National Security Act of 1947 

(50 U.S.C. 3094(a)(1)). 

SEC. 114. (a) Each amount incorporated by reference in this 

Act that was previously designated by the Congress for Overseas 

Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 

Control Act of 1985 or as being for disaster relief pursuant to 

section 251(b)(2)(D) of such Act is designated by the Congress 

for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism 

pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of such Act or as being for disaster 

relief pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(D) of such Act, respectively. 

(b) The reduction in section 101(b) of this Act shall not apply 

to— 

(1) amounts designated under subsection (a) of this section; 

or 

(2) amounts made available by section 101(a) by reference 

to the second paragraph under the heading ‘‘Social Security 

Administration—Limitation on Administrative Expenses’’ in 

division G of Public Law 113–235; or 

(3) amounts made available by section 101(a) by reference 

to the paragraph under the heading ‘‘Centers for Medicare 

and Medicaid Services—Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control 

Account’’ in division G of Public Law 113–235. 

(c) Section 6 of Public Law 113–235 shall apply to amounts 

designated in subsection (a) for Overseas Contingency Operations/ 

Global War on Terrorism. 

SEC. 115. During the period covered by this Act, discretionary 

amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2016 that were provided in 

advance by appropriations Acts shall be available in the amounts 

provided in such Acts, reduced by the percentage in section 101(b). 

SEC. 116. Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided 

for ‘‘Department of Agriculture—Domestic Food Programs—Food 

Applicability. 

Terrorism. 

Disaster 

assistance. 

Furloughs. 

Deadline. 


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129 STAT. 508 PUBLIC LAW 114–53—SEPT. 30, 2015 

and Nutrition Service—Commodity Assistance Program’’ at a rate 

for operations of $288,317,000, of which $221,298,000 shall be for 

the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. 

SEC. 117. Amounts made available by section 101 for ‘‘Department of Agriculture—Rural Housing Service—Rental Assistance 

Program’’ may be apportioned up to the rate for operations necessary to pay ongoing debt service for the multi-family direct loan 

programs under sections 514 and 515 of the Housing Act of 1949 

(42 U.S.C. 1484 and 1485): Provided, That the Secretary may waive 

the prohibition in the second proviso under such heading in division 

A of Public Law 113–235 with respect to rental assistance contracts 

entered into or renewed during fiscal year 2015. 

SEC. 118. Amounts made available by section 101 for ‘‘Department of Commerce—National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—Procurement, Acquisition and Construction’’ may be apportioned up to the rate for operations necessary to maintain the 

planned launch schedules for the Joint Polar Satellite System. 

SEC. 119. (a) The first proviso under the heading ‘‘United States 

Marshals Service—Federal Prisoner Detention’’ in title II of division 

B of Public Law 113–235 shall not apply during the period covered 

by this Act. 

(b) The limitation in section 217(c) of division B of Public 

Law 113–235 on the amount of excess unobligated balances available under section 524(c)(8)(E) of title 28, United States Code, 

shall not apply under this Act to the use of such funds for ‘‘United 

States Marshals Service—Federal Prisoner Detention’’. 

SEC. 120. (a) The authority regarding closeout of Space Shuttle 

contracts and associated programs provided by language under 

the heading ‘‘National Aeronautics and Space Administration— 

Administrative Provisions’’ in the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 

2009 (Public Law 111–8) shall continue in effect through fiscal 

year 2021. 

(b) This section shall be applied as if it were in effect on 

September 30, 2015. 

SEC. 121. (a) Notwithstanding section 1552 of title 31, United 

States Code, funds made available, including funds that have 

expired but have not been cancelled, and identified by Treasury 

Appropriation Fund Symbol 13–09/10–0554 shall remain available 

for expenditure through fiscal year 2020 for the purpose of liquidating valid obligations of active grants. 

(b) For the purpose of subsection (a), grants for which the 

period of performance has expired but are not finally closed out 

shall be considered active grants. 

(c) This section shall be applied as if it were in effect on 

September 30, 2015. 

SEC. 122. The following provisions shall be applied by substituting ‘‘2016’’ for ‘‘2015’’ through the earlier of the date specified 

in section 106(3) of this Act or the date of the enactment of an 

Act authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2016 for military 

activities of the Department of Defense: 

(1) Section 1215(f)(1) of the National Defense Authorization 

Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112–81; 10 U.S.C. 113 

note), as most recently amended by section 1237 of the Carl 

Levin and Howard P. ‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense 

Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015 (Public Law 113–291). 

(2) Section 127b(c)(3)(C) of title 10, United States Code. 

Applicability. 

Applicability. 

Effective date. 

Grants. 

Applicability. 

Effective date. 

Contracts. 

Extension date. 

Time period. 

Waiver authority. 

Contracts. 


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PUBLIC LAW 114–53—SEPT. 30, 2015 129 STAT. 509 

SEC. 123. (a) Funds made available by section 101 for ‘‘Department of Energy—Energy Programs—Uranium Enrichment Decontamination and Decommissioning Fund’’ may be apportioned up 

to the rate for operations necessary to avoid disruption of continuing 

projects or activities funded in this appropriation. 

(b) The Secretary of Energy shall notify the Committees on 

Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate 

not later than 3 days after each use of the authority provided 

in subsection (a). 

SEC. 124. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, 

except section 106, the District of Columbia may expend local funds 

under the heading ‘‘District of Columbia Funds’’ for such programs 

and activities under the District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 

2015 (title IV of division E of Public Law 113–235) at the rate 

set forth under ‘‘District of Columbia Funds—Summary of 

Expenses’’ as included in the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Request 

Act of 2015 (D.C. Act 21–99), as modified as of the date of the 

enactment of this Act. 

SEC. 125. Notwithstanding section 101, no funds are provided 

by this Act for ‘‘Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board— 

Salaries and Expenses’’. 

SEC. 126. Amounts made available by section 101 for ‘‘Small 

Business Administration—Business Loans Program Account’’ may 

be apportioned up to the rate for operations necessary to accommodate increased demand for commitments for general business loans 

authorized under section 7(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 

636(a)). 

SEC. 127. Sections 1101(a) and 1104(a)(2)(A) of the Internet 

Tax Freedom Act (title XI of division C of Public Law 105–277; 

47 U.S.C. 151 note) shall be applied by substituting the date specified in section 106(3) of this Act for ‘‘October 1, 2015’’. 

SEC. 128. Section 101 shall be applied by assuming that section 

7 of Public Law 113–235 was enacted as part of title VII of division 

E of Public Law 113–235. 

SEC. 129. The authority provided by section 831 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 391) shall continue in effect 

through the date specified in section 106(3) of this Act. 

SEC. 130. Section 401(b) of the Illegal Immigration Reform 

and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1324a note) 

shall be applied by substituting the date specified in section 106(3) 

of this Act for ‘‘September 30, 2015’’. 

SEC. 131. Section 610(b) of the Departments of Commerce, 

Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993 (8 U.S.C. 1153 note) shall be applied by substituting 

the date specified in section 106(3) of this Act for ‘‘September 

30, 2015’’. 

SEC. 132. Subclauses 101(a)(27)(C)(ii)(II) and (III) of the 

Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(C)(ii)(II) and 

(III)) shall be applied by substituting the date specified in section 

106(3) of this Act for ‘‘September 30, 2015’’. 

SEC. 133. Section 220(c) of the Immigration and Nationality 

Technical Corrections Act of 1994 (8 U.S.C. 1182 note) shall be 

applied by substituting the date specified in section 106(3) of this 

Act for ‘‘September 30, 2015’’. 

SEC. 134. Section 810 of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6809) is amended by striking all that follows 

after ‘‘shall terminate’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2017.’’. 

Applicability. 

Extension date. 

Applicability. 

Extension date. 

Applicability. 

Extension date. 

Applicability. 

Extension date. 

Extension date. 

Applicability. 

Applicability. 

Extension date. 

Notification. 

Deadline. 


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129 STAT. 510 PUBLIC LAW 114–53—SEPT. 30, 2015 

SEC. 135. In addition to the amount otherwise provided by 

section 101 for ‘‘Department of Agriculture—Forest Service— 

Wildland Fire Management’’, there is appropriated $700,000,000 

for an additional amount for fiscal year 2016, to remain available 

until expended, for urgent wildland fire suppression activities: Provided, That such funds shall only become available if funds previously provided for wildland fire suppression will be exhausted 

imminently and the Secretary of Agriculture notifies the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the 

Senate in writing of the need for these additional funds: Provided 

further, That such funds are also available for transfer to other 

appropriations accounts to repay amounts previously transferred 

for wildfire suppression: Provided further, That such amount is 

designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant 

to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 

Deficit Control Act of 1985, except that such amount shall be 

available only if the President subsequently so designates such 

amount and transmits such designation to the Congress. 

SEC. 136. The authorities provided by sections 117 and 123 

of division G of Public Law 113–76 shall continue in effect through 

the date specified in section 106(3) of this Act. 

SEC. 137. (a) The authority provided by subsection (m)(3) of 

section 8162 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 

2000 (40 U.S.C. 8903 note; Public Law 106–79) shall continue 

in effect through the date specified in section 106(3) of this Act. 

(b) For the period covered by this Act, the authority provided 

by the provisos under the heading ‘‘Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial 

Commission—Capital Construction’’ in division E of Public Law 

112–74 shall not be in effect. 

SEC. 138. Section 3096(2) of the Carl Levin and Howard P. 

‘‘Buck’’ McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 

2015 is amended by inserting ‘‘for fiscal year 2015’’ after 

‘‘$37,000,000’’. 

SEC. 139. Funds made available in prior appropriations Acts 

for construction and renovation of facilities for the Centers for 

Disease Control and Prevention may also be used for construction 

on leased land. 

SEC. 140. Subsection (b) of section 163 of Public Law 111– 

242, as amended, is further amended by striking ‘‘2015–2016’’ and 

inserting ‘‘2016–2017’’. 

SEC. 141. Section 101 shall be applied by assuming that section 

139 of Public Law 113–164 was enacted as part of division G 

of Public Law 113–235, and section 139 of Public Law 113–164 

shall be applied by adding at the end the following: ‘‘and of the 

unobligated balance of amounts deposited or available in the Child 

Enrollment Contingency Fund from appropriations to the Fund 

under section 2104(n)(2)(A)(i) of the Social Security Act and the 

income derived from investment of those funds pursuant to 

2104(n)(2)(C) of that Act, $1,664,000,000 is rescinded’’. 

SEC. 142. Section 114(f) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 

(20 U.S.C. 1011c(f)) shall be applied by substituting the date specified in section 106(3) of this Act for ‘‘September 30, 2015’’. 

SEC. 143. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, 

there is appropriated for payment to Tori B. Nunnelee, widow 

of Alan Nunnelee, late a Representative from the State of Mississippi, $174,000. 

Applicability. 

Extension date. 

Applicability. 

20 USC 7801 

note. 

128 Stat. 3882. 

Time period. 

Extension date. 

Extension date. 

President. 

Designation. 

Wildland fires. 

Notification. 


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PUBLIC LAW 114–53—SEPT. 30, 2015 129 STAT. 511 

SEC. 144. Of the discretionary unobligated balances of the 

Department of Veterans Affairs from fiscal year 2015 or prior 

fiscal years, or discretionary amounts appropriated in advance for 

fiscal year 2016, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may transfer 

up to $625,000,000 to ‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs—Departmental Administration—Construction, Major Projects’’, to be merged 

with the amounts available in such account: Provided, That no 

amounts may be transferred from amounts that were designated 

by the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to the 

Concurrent Resolution on the Budget, the Balanced Budget and 

Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, or the Statutory Pay-AsYou-Go Act of 2010: Provided further, That no amounts may be 

transferred until the Secretary submits to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate a request 

for, and receives from the Committees written approval of, such 

transfers: Provided further, That the Secretary shall specify in 

such request the donor account and amount of each proposed 

transfer, the fiscal year of each appropriation to be transferred, 

the amount of unobligated balances remaining in the account after 

the transfer, and the project or program impact of the transfer. 

SEC. 145. Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided 

for ‘‘Department of Veterans Affairs—Departmental Administration—General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration’’ at a rate for operations of $2,697,734,000. 

SEC. 146. Notwithstanding section 101, section 226(a) of division 

I of Public Law 113–235 shall be applied to amounts made available 

by this Act by substituting ‘‘division I of Public Law 113–235’’ 

for ‘‘division J of Public Law 113–76’’ and by substituting ‘‘2015’’ 

for ‘‘2014’’. 

SEC. 147. Section 209 of the International Religious Freedom 

Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6436) shall be applied by substituting the 

date specified in section 106(3) of this Act for ‘‘September 30, 

2015’’. 

SEC. 148. Amounts made available by section 101 for ‘‘Broadcasting Board of Governors—International Broadcasting Operations’’, ‘‘Bilateral Economic Assistance—Funds Appropriated to the 

President—Economic Support Fund’’, ‘‘International Security Assistance—Department of State—International Narcotics Control and 

Law Enforcement’’, ‘‘International Security Assistance—Department 

of State—Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related 

Programs’’, and ‘‘International Security Assistance—Funds Appropriated to the President—Foreign Military Financing Program’’ 

shall be obligated at a rate for operations as necessary to sustain 

assistance for Ukraine to counter external, regional aggression and 

influence, including for the costs of authorized loan guarantees. 

SEC. 149. Section 1334 of the Foreign Affairs Reform and 

Restructuring Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6553) shall be applied by 

substituting the date specified in section 106(3) of this Act for 

‘‘October 1, 2015’’. 

SEC. 150. (a) Funds made available by section 101 for ‘‘Department of Housing and Urban Development—Management and 

Administration—Administrative Support Offices’’ may be apportioned up to the rate for operations necessary to maintain the 

planned schedule for the New Core Shared Services Project. 

(b) Not later than 3 days before the first use of the apportionment authority in subsection (a), each 30 days thereafter, and 

3 days after the authority expires under this Act, the Secretary 

Deadline. 

Applicability. 

Applicability. 

Extension date. 

Transfer request. 


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129 STAT. 512 PUBLIC LAW 114–53—SEPT. 30, 2015 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 719: 

SENATE REPORTS: No. 114–111 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transportation). 

CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 161 (2015): 

Feb. 10, considered and passed House. 

Sept. 17, considered and passed Senate, amended. 

Sept. 24, House concurred in Senate amendment with an amendment pursuant to H. Res. 434. Senate considered concurring in House amendment with 

an amendment. 

Sept. 28, 29, Senate considered concurring in House amendment with an 

amendment. 

Sept. 30, Senate considered and concurred in House amendment with an 

amendment. House concurred in Senate amendment. 

Æ 

of Housing and Urban Development shall submit to the Committees 

on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate 

a report specifying each use of the authority through the date 

of the report. 

This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Continuing Appropriations Act, 

2016’’. 

Approved September 30, 2015. 


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