I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1280 

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

resolutions. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 14, 2019 

Mr. PERLMUTTER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on the 

Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 

each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

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 ‘‘No More Shutdowns 

5 Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. AUTOMATIC CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS. 

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

8 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1310 

9 the following new section: 


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1 ‘‘§ 1311. Continuing appropriations 

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

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

4 a joint resolution making continuing appropriations is not 

5 in effect, there are appropriated such sums as may be nec6 essary to continue any program, project, or activity for 

7 which funds were provided in the preceding fiscal year— 

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

9 such preceding fiscal year; or 

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

11 such preceding fiscal year did not become law, then 

12 in a joint resolution making continuing appropria13 tions for such preceding fiscal year. 

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

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

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

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

18 ‘‘(i) 100 percent of the rate of operations pro19 vided for in the regular appropriation Act providing 

20 for such program, project, or activity for the pre21 ceding fiscal year; 

22 ‘‘(ii) in the absence of such an Act, 100 percent 

23 of the rate of operations provided for such program, 

24 project, or activity pursuant to a joint resolution 

25 making continuing appropriations for such preceding 

26 fiscal year; or 


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1 ‘‘(iii) 100 percent of the annualized rate of op2 erations provided for in the most recently enacted 

3 joint resolution making continuing appropriations 

4 for part of that fiscal year or any funding levels es5 tablished under the provisions of this Act, 

6 increased by the same percentage by which the Consumer 

7 Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI–U), as pub8 lished by the Department of Labor, for the fiscal year pre9 ceding such fiscal year exceeds the CPI–U for the 2nd 

10 fiscal year preceding such fiscal year. 

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

12 year, funding levels shall continue as provided in subpara13 graph (A) for the next fiscal year, except that such levels 

14 shall be further increased by the same percentage by which 

15 the CPI–U for such fiscal year exceeds the CPI–U for the 

16 fiscal year preceding such fiscal year. 

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

18 authority granted, for any fiscal year pursuant to this sec19 tion for a program, project, or activity shall be available 

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

21 appropriations and ending with the date on which the ap22 plicable regular appropriation bill for such fiscal year be23 comes law (whether or not such law provides for such pro24 gram, project, or activity) or a continuing resolution mak25 ing appropriations becomes law, as the case may be. 


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1 ‘‘(b) An appropriation or funds made available, or au2 thority granted, for a program, project, or activity for any 

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

4 terms and conditions imposed with respect to the appro5 priation made or funds made available for the preceding 

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

7 or activity under current law. 

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

9 activity for any fiscal year pursuant to this section shall 

10 be charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, or au11 thorization whenever a regular appropriation bill or a joint 

12 resolution making continuing appropriations until the end 

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

14 activity for such period becomes law. 

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

16 project, or activity during a fiscal year if any other provi17 sion of law (other than an authorization of appropria18 tions)— 

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

20 available, or grants authority for such program, 

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

22 ‘‘(2) specifically provides that no appropriation 

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

24 no authority shall be granted for such program, 

25 project, or activity to continue for such period. 


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1 ‘‘(e) During any period in which this section is in ef2 fect, any sequestration order with respect to discretionary 

3 spending under section 254 of the Balanced Budget and 

4 Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 904) 

5 shall have no force or effect.’’. 

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

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

8 by inserting after the item relating to section 1310 the 

9 following new item: 

‘‘1311. Continuing appropriations.’’. 

Æ 


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