I 

117TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7136 

To require the Speaker of the House of Representatives to convene a session 

of the House on each day in which a Government shutdown is in 

effect, to prohibit the use of funds for the official travel of Members 

of the House of Representatives during any period in which a Government shutdown is in effect, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 17, 2022 

Mr. O’HALLERAN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committee 

on Rules, 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 require the Speaker of the House of Representatives 

to convene a session of the House on each day in which 

a Government shutdown is in effect, to prohibit the use 

of funds for the official travel of Members of the House 

of Representatives during any period in which a Government shutdown is in effect, and for other purposes. 

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


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘No Outbound Flights 

3 for Lawmakers If Government Halts to a Stop Act’’ or 

4 the ‘‘No Flights Act’’. 

5 SEC. 2. REQUIRING SPEAKER TO CONVENE SESSION OF 

6 HOUSE DURING SHUTDOWN. 

7 (a) REQUIREMENT.—On each day on which a Gov8 ernment shutdown is in effect, including weekends and 

9 legal public holidays, the Speaker of the House of Rep10 resentatives shall convene a session of the House. 

11 (b) EXERCISE OF RULEMAKING AUTHORITY.—This 

12 section is enacted by Congress— 

13 (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of 

14 the House of Representatives, and as such it is 

15 deemed a part of the rules of the House of Rep16 resentatives, and it supersedes other rules only to 

17 the extent that it is inconsistent with such rules; and 

18 (2) with full recognition of the constitutional 

19 right of the House of Representatives to change the 

20 rules (so far as relating to the procedure of the 

21 House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the 

22 same extent as in the case of any other rule of the 

23 House. 


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1 SEC. 3. PROHIBITING MEMBER OFFICIAL TRAVEL DURING 

2 SHUTDOWN. 

3 (a) PROHIBITION.—Except as provided in subsection 

4 (b), no appropriated funds, including official funds of the 

5 House of Representatives or funds available under any 

6 Federal law, rule, or regulation, may be used to pay for 

7 the costs of official travel by a Member of the House of 

8 Representatives during any period in which a Government 

9 shutdown is in effect. 

10 (b) EXCEPTION FOR TRAVEL BY MEMBER TO WASH11 INGTON METROPOLITAN AREA.—Subsection (a) does not 

12 apply with respect to travel by a Member of the House 

13 of Representatives to the Washington Metropolitan Area. 

14 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 

15 (1) the term ‘‘Member of the House of Rep16 resentatives’’ means a Representative in, or Delegate 

17 or Resident Commissioner to, the Congress; and 

18 (2) the term ‘‘Washington Metropolitan Area’’ 

19 means the District of Columbia, the Counties of 

20 Montgomery and Prince George’s in Maryland, and 

21 the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and 

22 Prince William and the Cities of Alexandria and 

23 Falls Church in Virginia. 

24 SEC. 4. DETERMINATION OF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. 

25 For purposes of this Act, a Government shutdown 

26 shall be considered to be in effect if there is a lapse in 


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1 appropriations for any Federal agency or department as 

2 a result of a failure to enact a regular appropriations bill 

3 or continuing resolution. 

Æ 


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