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[104th Congress Public Law 69]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]

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[DOCID: f:publ69.104]

[[Page 109 STAT. 767]]

Public Law 104-69
104th Congress

                            Joint Resolution

 
 Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year 1996, and 
     for other purposes. <<NOTE: Dec. 22, 1995 -  [H.J. Res. 136]>> 

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled,

                                 TITLE I

  AID TO FAMILIES WITH DEPENDENT CHILDREN AND FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION 
                               ASSISTANCE

    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 
the fiscal year 1996, and for other purposes, namely:
    Sec. 101. (a) Such amounts as may be necessary under the authority 
and conditions provided in the applicable appropriations Act for the 
fiscal year 1995 for continuing the following projects or activities 
including the costs of direct loans and loan guarantees (not otherwise 
specifically provided for in this joint resolution) which were conducted 
in the fiscal year 1995:
            All projects and activities funded under the account heading 
        ``Family support payments to States'' under the Administration 
        For Children and Families in the Department of Health and Human 
        Services;
            All projects and activities funded under the account heading 
        ``Payments to States for foster care and adoption assistance'' 
        under the Administration For Children and Families in the 
        Department of Health and Human Services; and
            All administrative activities necessary to carry out the 
        projects and activities in the preceeding two paragraphs:

Provided, That whenever the amount which would be made available or the 
authority which would be granted under an Act which included funding for 
fiscal year 1996 for the projects and activities listed in this section 
is greater than that which would be available or granted under current 
operations, the pertinent project or activity shall be continued at a 
rate for operations not exceeding the current rate.
    (b) Whenever the amount which would be made available or the 
authority which would be granted under the Act which included funding 
for fiscal year 1996 for the projects and activities listed in this 
section as passed by the House as of the date of enactment of this joint 
resolution, is different from that which would be avail

[[Page 109 STAT. 768]]

able or granted under such Act as passed by the Senate as of the date of 
enactment of this joint resolution, the pertinent project or activity 
shall be continued at a rate for operations not exceeding the current 
rate or the rate permitted by the action of the House or the Senate, 
whichever is lower, under the authority and conditions provided in the 
applicable appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995.
    (c) Whenever an Act which included funding for fiscal year 1996 for 
the projects and activities listed in this section has been passed by 
only the House or only the Senate as of the date of enactment of this 
joint resolution, the pertinent project or activity shall be continued 
under the appropriation, fund, or authority granted by the one House at 
a rate for operations not exceeding the current rate or the rate 
permitted by the action of the one House, whichever is lower, and under 
the authority and conditions provided in the applicable appropriations 
Act for the fiscal year 1995.
    Sec. 102. Appropriations made by section 101 shall be available to 
the extent and in the manner which would be provided by the pertinent 
appropriations Act.
    Sec. 103. 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 the fiscal year 1995.
    Sec. 104. No provision which is included in the appropriations Act 
enumerated in section 101 but which was not included in the applicable 
appropriations Act for fiscal year 1995 and which by its terms is 
applicable to more than one appropriation, fund, or authority shall be 
applicable to any appropriation, fund, or authority provided in this 
joint resolution.
    Sec. 105. Appropriations made and authority granted pursuant to this 
title of this joint resolution shall cover all obligations or 
expenditures incurred for any program, project, or activity during the 
period for which funds or authority for such project or activity are 
available under this joint resolution.
    Sec. 106. <<NOTE: Termination date.>> Unless otherwise provided for 
in this title of this joint resolution or in the applicable 
appropriations Act, appropriations and funds made available and 
authority granted pursuant to this title of this joint resolution shall 
be available until (a) enactment into law of an appropriation for any 
project or activity provided for in this title of this joint resolution, 
or (b) the enactment into law of the applicable appropriations Act by 
both Houses without any provision for such project or activity, or (c) 
January 3, 1996, whichever first occurs.

    Sec. 107. Expenditures made pursuant to this title of this joint 
resolution 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. No provision in the appropriations Act for the fiscal year 
1996 referred to in section 101 of this joint resolution that makes the 
availability of any appropriation provided therein dependent upon the 
enactment of additional authorizing or other legislation shall be 
effective before the date set forth in section 106(c) of this joint 
resolution.
    Sec. 109. Appropriations and funds made available by or authority 
granted pursuant to this title of this joint resolution

[[Page 109 STAT. 769]]

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 herein shall be construed to waive any other 
provision of law governing the apportionment of funds.

                                TITLE II

                          DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

    The following sums are hereby appropriated, out of the general fund 
and enterprise funds of the District of Columbia for the District of 
Columbia for the fiscal year 1996, and for other purposes, namely:
    Sec. 201. (a) Such amounts as may be necessary under the authority 
and conditions provided in the applicable appropriations Act for the 
fiscal year 1995 for continuing projects or activities including the 
costs of direct loans and loan guarantees (not otherwise specifically 
provided for in this title of this joint resolution) which were 
conducted in the fiscal year 1995 and for which appropriations, funds, 
or other authority would be available in the following appropriations 
Act:
            The District of Columbia Appropriations Act, 1996:

Provided, That whenever the amount which would be made available or the 
authority which would be granted in this Act is greater than that which 
would be available or granted under current operations, the pertinent 
project or activity shall be continued at a rate for operations not 
exceeding the current rate.
    (b) Whenever the amount which would be made available or the 
authority which would be granted under the Act listed in this section as 
passed by the House as of the date of enactment of this joint 
resolution, is different from that which would be available or granted 
under such Act as passed by the Senate as of the date of enactment of 
this joint resolution, the pertinent project or activity shall be 
continued at a rate for operations not exceeding the current rate or the 
rate permitted by the action of the House or the Senate, whichever is 
lower, under the authority and conditions provided in the applicable 
appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995: Provided, That where an 
item is not included in either version or where an item is included in 
only one version of the Act as passed by both Houses as of the date of 
enactment of this joint resolution, the pertinent project or activity 
shall not be continued except as provided for in section 211 or 212 
under the appropriation, fund, or authority granted by the applicable 
appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995 and under the authority and 
conditions provided in the applicable appropriations Act for the fiscal 
year 1995.
    Sec. 202. Appropriations made by section 201 shall be available to 
the extent and in the manner which would be provided by the pertinent 
appropriations Act.
    Sec. 203. No appropriation or funds made available or authority 
granted pursuant to section 201 shall be used to initiate or resume any 
project or activity for which appropriations, funds, or other authority 
were not available during the fiscal year 1995.
    Sec. 204. No provision which is included in the appropriations Act 
enumerated in section 201 but which was not included in the applicable 
appropriations Act for fiscal year 1995 and which by its terms is 
applicable to more than one appropriation, fund,

[[Page 109 STAT. 770]]

or authority shall be applicable to any appropriation, fund, or 
authority provided in this title of this joint resolution.
    Sec. 205. Appropriations made and authority granted pursuant to this 
title of this joint resolution shall cover all obligations or 
expenditures incurred for any program, project, or activity during the 
period for which funds or authority for such project or activity are 
available under this title of this joint resolution.
    Sec. 206. <<NOTE: Termination date.>> Unless otherwise provided for 
in this title of this joint resolution or in the applicable 
appropriations Act, appropriations and funds made available and 
authority granted pursuant to this title of this joint resolution shall 
be available until (a) enactment into law of an appropriation for any 
project or activity provided for in this title of this joint resolution, 
or (b) the enactment into law of the applicable appropriations Act by 
both Houses without any provision for such project or activity, or (c) 
January 3, 1996, whichever first occurs.

    Sec. 207. <<NOTE: Abortion.>> Notwithstanding any other provision of 
this title of this joint resolution, except section 206, none of the 
funds appropriated under this title of this joint resolution shall be 
expended for any abortion except where the life of the mother would be 
endangered if the fetus were carried to term or where the pregnancy is 
the result of an act of rape or incest.

    Sec. 208. Expenditures made pursuant to this title of this joint 
resolution 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. 209. No provision in the appropriations Act for the fiscal year 
1996 referred to in section 201 of this title of this joint resolution 
that makes the availability of any appropriation provided therein 
dependent upon the enactment of additional authorizing or other 
legislation shall be effective before the date set forth in section 
206(c) of this joint resolution.
    Sec. 210. Appropriations and funds made available by or authority 
granted pursuant to this title of this joint resolution 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 herein shall be construed to waive any other provision 
of law governing the apportionment of funds.
    Sec. 211. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title of this 
joint resolution, except section 206, whenever the Act listed in section 
201 as passed by both the House and Senate as of the date of enactment 
of this joint resolution, does not include funding for an ongoing 
project or activity for which there is a budget request, or whenever the 
rate for operations for an ongoing project or activity provided by 
section 201 for which there is a budget request would result in the 
project or activity being significantly reduced, the pertinent project 
or activity may be continued under the authority and conditions provided 
in the applicable appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995 by 
increasing the rate for operations provided by section 201 to a rate for 
operations not to exceed one that provides the minimal level that would 
enable existing activities to continue. No new contracts or grants shall 
be awarded in excess of an amount that bears the same ratio to the rate 
for operations provided by this section as the number of days covered by 
this resolution bears to 366. For the purposes

[[Page 109 STAT. 771]]

of this title of this joint resolution the minimal level means a rate 
for operations that is reduced from the current rate by 25 percent.
    Sec. 212. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title of this 
joint resolution, except section 206, whenever the rate for operations 
for any continuing project or activity provided by section 201 or 
section 211 for which there is a budget request would result in a 
furlough of Government employees, that rate for operations may be 
increased to the minimum level that would enable the furlough to be 
avoided. No new contracts or grants shall be awarded in excess of an 
amount that bears the same ratio to the rate for operations provided by 
this section as the number of days covered by this resolution bears to 
366.
    Sec. 213. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title of this 
joint resolution, except sections 206, 211, and 212, for those programs 
that had high initial rates of operation or complete distribution of 
funding at the beginning of the fiscal year in fiscal year 1995 because 
of distributions of funding to States, foreign countries, grantees, or 
others, similar distributions of funds for fiscal year 1996 shall not be 
made and no grants shall be awarded for such programs funded by this 
title of this resolution that would impinge on final funding 
prerogatives.
    Sec. 214. This title of this joint resolution shall be implemented 
so that only the most limited funding action of that permitted in this 
title of this resolution shall be taken in order to provide for 
continuation of projects and activities.
    Sec. 215. The provisions of section 132 of the District of Columbia 
Appropriations Act, 1988, Public Law 100-202, shall not apply for this 
title of this joint resolution.
    Sec. 216. <<NOTE: Domestic partners.>> Notwithstanding any other 
provision of this title of this joint resolution, except section 206, 
none of the funds appropriated under this title of this joint resolution 
shall be used to implement or enforce any system of registration of 
unmarried, cohabiting couples whether they are homosexual, lesbian, 
heterosexual, including but not limited to registration for the purpose 
of extending employment, health, or governmental benefits to such 
couples on the same basis that such benefits are extended to legally 
married couples; nor shall any funds made available pursuant to any 
provision of this title of this joint resolution otherwise be used to 
implement or enforce D.C. Act 9-188, signed by the Mayor of the District 
of Columbia on April 15, 1992.

                                TITLE III

                            VETERANS AFFAIRS

    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 
the fiscal year 1996, and for other purposes, namely:

SEC. 301. ENSURED PAYMENT DURING FISCAL YEAR 1996 OF VETERANS' BENEFITS 
            IN EVENT OF LACK OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Payments Required.--In any case during fiscal year 1996 in which 
appropriations are not otherwise available for programs,

[[Page 109 STAT. 772]]

projects, and activities of the Department of Veterans Affairs, the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall nevertheless ensure that--
            (1) payments of existing veterans benefits are made in 
        accordance with regular procedures and schedules and in 
        accordance with eligibility requirements for such benefits; and
            (2) payments to contractors of the Veterans Health 
        Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs are made 
        when due in the case of services provided that directly relate 
        to patient health and safety.

    (b) Funding.--There is hereby appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary for the payments pursuant to subsection (a), including such 
amounts as may be necessary for the costs of administration of such 
payments.
    (c) Charging of Accounts When Appropriations Made.--In any case in 
which the Secretary uses the authority of subsection (a) to make 
payments, applicable accounts shall be charged for amounts so paid, and 
for the costs of administration of such payments, when regular 
appropriations become available for those purposes.
    (d) Existing Benefits Specified.--For purposes of this section, 
existing veterans benefits are benefits under laws administered by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs that have been adjudicated and authorized 
for payment as of--
            (1) December 15, 1995; or
            (2) if appropriations for such benefits are available (other 
        than pursuant to subsection (b)) after December 15, 1995, the 
        last day on which appropriations for payment of such benefits 
        are available (other than pursuant to subsection (b)).

    Sec. 302. <<NOTE: Termination date.>> Section 301 shall cease to be 
effective on
January 3, 1996.

    Approved December 22, 1995.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.J. Res. 136:
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CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 141 (1995):
            Dec. 22, considered and passed House and Senate.
WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 31 (1995):
            Dec. 22, Presidential statement.

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