Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015

That 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 2015, and for other purposes, namely: Such amounts as may be necessary, at a rate for operations as provided in the applicable appropriations Acts for fiscal year 2014 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 joint resolution, that were conducted in fiscal year 2014, and for which appropriations, funds, or other authority were made available in the following appropriations Acts: The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014 (division A of (Public Law 113â€“76) ). The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014 (division B of (Public Law 113â€“76) ). The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2014 (division C of (Public Law 113â€“76) ). The Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014 (division D of (Public Law 113â€“76) ). The Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2014 (division E of (Public Law 113â€“76) ). The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2014 (division F of (Public Law 113â€“76) ). The Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014 (division G of (Public Law 113â€“76) ). The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014 (division H of (Public Law 113â€“76) ). The Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2014 (division I of (Public Law 113â€“76) ). The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014 (division J of (Public Law 113â€“76) ). The Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2014 (division K of (Public Law 113â€“76) ). The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2014 (division L of (Public Law 113â€“76) ). The rate for operations provided by subsection (a) is hereby reduced by 0.0554 percent. 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 2014 or prior years; (2) the increase in production rates above those sustained with fiscal year 2014 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 Pâ€“1 line item in a budget activity within an appropriation account and an Râ€“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 2014. 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. Appropriations made by section 101 shall be available to the extent and in the manner that would be provided by the pertinent appropriations Act. 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 2014. Appropriations made and authority granted pursuant to this joint resolution 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 joint resolution. Unless otherwise provided for in this joint resolution or in the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal year 2015, appropriations and funds made available and authority granted pursuant to this joint resolution shall be available until whichever of the following first occurs: the enactment into law of an appropriation for any project or activity provided for in this joint resolution; the enactment into law of the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal year 2015 without any provision for such project or activity; or December 11, 2014. Expenditures made pursuant to 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. Appropriations made and funds made available by or authority granted pursuant to 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 in this joint resolution may be construed to waive any other provision of law governing the apportionment of funds. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint resolution, 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 2015 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 joint resolution that would impinge on final funding prerogatives. This joint resolution shall be implemented so that only the most limited funding action of that permitted in the joint resolution shall be taken in order to provide for continuation of projects and activities. For entitlements and other mandatory payments whose budget authority was provided in appropriations Acts for fiscal year 2014, 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 2014, to be continued through the date specified in section 106(3). Notwithstanding section 106, obligations for mandatory payments due on or about the first day of any month that begins after October 2014 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. 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 2014, 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. Funds appropriated by this joint resolution may be obligated and expended notwithstanding section 10 of (Public Law 91â€“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)) ). Each amount incorporated by reference in this joint resolution 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. The reduction in section 101(b) of this joint resolution shall not apply toâ€” amounts designated under subsection (a) of this section; or amounts made available by section 101(a) by reference to the second paragraph under the heading "Social Security Administrationâ€”Limitation on Administrative Expenses" in division H of (Public Law 113â€“76) . Section 6 of (Public Law 113â€“76) shall apply to amounts designated in subsection (a) for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism. During the period covered by this joint resolution, discretionary amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2015 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). Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided for "Department of Agricultureâ€”Domestic Food Programsâ€”Food and Nutrition Serviceâ€”Commodity Assistance Program" at a rate for operations of $275,701,000, of which $208,682,000 shall be for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. For "Department of Health and Human Servicesâ€”Food and Drug Administrationâ€”Salaries and Expenses" , amounts shall be made available by this joint resolution as if "outsourcing facility fees authorized by" were included after "21 U.S.C. 381," in the second paragraph under such heading in division A of (Public Law 113â€“76) . Amounts made available by section 101 for "Department of Commerceâ€”National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationâ€”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 and the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite system. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, except sections 106 and 107 of this joint resolution, for "Department of Defenseâ€”Overseas Contingency Operationsâ€”Operation and Maintenanceâ€”Operation and Maintenance, Army" , up to $50,000,000, to be derived by reducing the amount otherwise made available by section 101 for such account, may be used to conduct surface and subsurface clearance of unexploded ordnance at closed training ranges used by the Armed Forces of the United States in Afghanistan: , That such funds may only be used if the training ranges are not transferred to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for use by its armed forces: , That the authority provided by this section shall continue in effect through the earlier of the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution or the date of the enactment of an Act authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2015 for military activities of the Department of Defense: , That such amount is designated as provided under section 114 for such account. The following authorities shall continue in effect through the earlier of the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution or the date of the enactment of an Act authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2015 for military activities of the Department of Defense: Section 1004 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991 ( (Public Law 101â€“510) ; (10 U.S.C. 374) note). Section 1215 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 ( (Public Law 112â€“81) ; (10 U.S.C. 113) note). (Section 127b) of title 10, United States Code, notwithstanding subsection (c)(3)(C) of such section. Subsection (b) of section 572 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006 ( (20 U.S.C. 7703b(b)) ), notwithstanding paragraph (4) of such subsection. Funds made available by section 101 for "Department of Energyâ€”Energy Programsâ€”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. 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). Funds made available by section 101 for "Department of Energyâ€”Environmental and Other Defense Activitiesâ€”Defense Environmental Cleanup" for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant may be obligated at a rate for operations necessary to assure timely execution of activities necessary to restore and upgrade the repository. The Secretary of Energy shall notify the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate on each use of the spending rate authority provided in this section that exceeds customary apportionment allocations. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint resolution, except section 106, the District of Columbia may expend local funds under the heading "District of Columbia Funds" for such programs and activities under title IV of H.R. 5016 (113th Congress), as passed by the House of Representatives on July 16, 2014, at the rate set forth under "District of Columbia Fundsâ€”Summary of Expenses" as included in the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Request Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20â€“370), as modified as of the date of the enactment of this joint resolution. Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided for "Office of Special Counselâ€”Salaries and Expenses" at a rate for operations of $22,939,000. The third proviso under the heading "Small Business Administrationâ€”Business Loans Program Account" in division E of (Public Law 113â€“76) is amended by striking "$17,500,000,000" and inserting "$18,500,000,000" : , That amounts made available by section 101 for such proviso under such heading may be apportioned up to the rate for operations necessary to accommodate increased demand for commitments to general business loans under section 7(a) of the Small Business Act: , That this section shall become effective upon enactment of this joint resolution. Sections 1101(a) and 1104(a)(2)(A) of the Internet Tax Freedom Act (title XI of division C of (Public Law 105â€“277) ; (47 U.S.C. 151) note) shall be applied by substituting the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution for "November 1, 2014" . Section 550(b) of (Public Law 109â€“295) ( (6 U.S.C. 121) note) shall be applied by substituting the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution for "October 4, 2014" . 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 joint resolution. Amounts made available by section 101 for the Department of Homeland Security for "U.S. Customs and Border Protectionâ€”Salaries and Expenses" , "U.S. Customs and Border Protectionâ€”Border Security Fencing, Infrastructure, and Technology" , "U.S. Customs and Border Protectionâ€”Air and Marine Operations" , "U.S. Customs and Border Protectionâ€”Construction and Facilities Management" , and "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcementâ€”Salaries and Expenses" shall be obligated at a rate for operations as necessary to respectivelyâ€” sustain the staffing levels of U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and Border Patrol agents in accordance with the provisos under the heading "U.S. Customs and Border Protectionâ€”Salaries and Expenses" in division F of (Public Law 113â€“76) ; sustain border security and immigration enforcement operations; sustain necessary Air and Marine operations; and sustain the staffing levels of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, equivalent to the staffing levels achieved on September 30, 2014, and comply with the fifth proviso under the heading "U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcementâ€”Salaries and Expenses" in division F of (Public Law 113â€“76) . The Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate on each use of the authority provided in this section. Notwithstanding section 810 of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act ( (16 U.S.C. 6809) ), the authority described in such section shall continue in effect through the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution. 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 106â€“79) ) shall continue in effect through the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution. For the period covered by this joint resolution, the authority provided by the provisos under the heading "Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commissionâ€”Capital Construction" in division E of (Public Law 112â€“74) shall not be in effect. Activities authorized under part A of title IV and section 1108(b) of the Social Security Act (other than under section 413(h) of such Act) shall continue through the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution, in the manner authorized for fiscal year 2014 (except that the amount appropriated for section 403(b) of such Act shall be $598,000,000, and the requirement to reserve funds provided for in section 403(b)(2) of such Act shall not apply with respect to this section), and out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are hereby appropriated such sums as may be necessary for such purpose. Grants and payments may be made pursuant to this authority through the applicable portion of the first quarter of fiscal year 2015 at the pro rata portion of the level provided for such activities through the first quarter of fiscal year 2014. Amounts allocated to Head Start grantees from amounts identified in the seventh proviso under the heading "Department of Health and Human Servicesâ€”Administration for Children and Familiesâ€”Children and Families Services Programs" in (Public Law 113â€“76) shall not be included in the calculation of the "base grant" in fiscal year 2015, as such term is used in section 640(a)(7)(A) of the Head Start Act ( (42 U.S.C. 9835(a)(7)(A)) ). The first proviso under the heading "Department of Health and Human Servicesâ€”Administration for Children and Familiesâ€”Low Income Home Energy Assistance" in division F of (Public Law 113â€“76) shall be applied to amounts made available by this joint resolution by substituting "2015" for "2014" . Amounts provided by this joint resolution for "Department of Health and Human Servicesâ€”Administration for Children and Familiesâ€”Refugee and Entrant Assistance" may be apportioned up to the rate for operations necessary to maintain program operations at the level provided in fiscal year 2014. Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided for "Department of Health and Human Servicesâ€”Office of the Secretaryâ€”Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund" at a rate for operations of $1,301,430,000, of which $58,000,000 may be apportioned up to the rate for operations necessary for expenses to support acceleration of countermeasure and product advanced research and development pursuant to section 319L of the Public Health Service Act for addressing Ebola therapies. Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided for "Department of Health and Human Servicesâ€”Centers for Disease Control and Preventionâ€”Global Health" at a rate for operations of $413,000,000, of which $30,000,000 may be apportioned up to the rate for operations necessary to support the responses of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (referred to in this section as the "CDC" ) to the outbreak of Ebola virus in Africa: , That such funds made available for responses to the outbreak of Ebola virus in Africa shall be available for transfer by the Director of the CDC to other accounts of the CDC for such support: , That the Director of the CDC shall notify the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate not later than 30 days after the date of any transfer under the preceding proviso. Amounts made available by this joint resolution for "Department of Educationâ€”Rehabilitation Services and Disability Research" , "Department of Educationâ€”Departmental Managementâ€”Program Administration" , and "Department of Health and Human Servicesâ€”Administration for Community Livingâ€”Aging and Disability Services Programs" may be obligated in the account and budget structure set forth in section 491 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act ( (42 U.S.C. 3515e) ). Of the unobligated balance of amounts provided by section 108 of (Public Law 111â€“3) , $4,549,000,000 is rescinded. Section 113 of division H of (Public Law 113â€“76) shall be applied by substituting the date specified in section 106(3) for "September 30, 2014" . Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are made available for accounts in title I of division J of (Public Law 113â€“76) at an aggregate rate for operations of $6,558,223,500. Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this joint resolution, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report delineating the allocation of budget authority in subsection (a) by account and project. Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided for "Department of Veterans Affairsâ€”Departmental Administrationâ€”General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration" at a rate for operations of $2,524,254,000. Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided for "Department of Veterans Affairsâ€”Departmental Administrationâ€”Office of Inspector General" at a rate for operations of $126,411,000. 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 joint resolution for "September 30, 2014" . Amounts made available by section 101 for "Broadcasting Board of Governorsâ€”International Broadcasting Operations" , "Bilateral Economic Assistanceâ€”Funds Appropriated to the Presidentâ€”Economic Support Fund" , "International Security Assistanceâ€”Department of Stateâ€”International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement" , "International Security Assistanceâ€”Department of Stateâ€”Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining and Related Programs" , and "International Security Assistanceâ€”Funds Appropriated to the Presidentâ€”Foreign Military Financing Program" shall be obligated at a rate for operations as necessary to sustain assistance for Ukraine and independent states of the Former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe to counter external, regional aggression and influence. Section 7081(4) of division K of (Public Law 113â€“76) shall be applied to amounts made available by this joint resolution by substituting the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution for "September 30, 2014" . The Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 ( (12 U.S.C. 635 et seq.) ) shall be applied through June 30, 2015, by substituting such date for "September 30, 2014" in section 7 of such Act. (Section 44302(f)) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking "September 30, 2014" and inserting "the date specified in section 106(3) of the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015" . (Section 44303(b)) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking "September 30, 2014" and inserting "the date specified in section 106(3) of the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015" . (Section 44310(a)) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking "September 30, 2014" and inserting "the date specified in section 106(3) of the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015" . This joint resolution may be cited as the " Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2015" .

Summary: DIVISION A--FURTHER ADDITIONAL CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2018  Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018  This division amends the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 to provide continuing FY2018 appropriations to most federal agencies through January 19, 2018 (December 22, 2017, under current law). It prevents a partial government shutdown that would otherwise occur when the existing continuing resolution expires because the FY2018 appropriations bills have not been enacted.  It also exempts security spending from sequestration (automatic spending cuts) for FY2018 and delays the sequestration for nonsecurity spending.  DIVISION B--DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS  This division provides appropriations to the Department of Defense for the remainder of FY2018, including emergency appropriations for missile defense programs.  DIVISION C--CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS ACT  Continuing Community Health And Medical Professional Programs to Improve Our Nation, Increase National Gains, and Help Ensure Access for Little Ones, Toddlers, and Hopeful Youth by Keeping Insurance Delivery Stable Act of 2017 or the CHAMPIONING HEALTHY KIDS Act  This division extends the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through FY2022 and also extends several other public health programs.  The division also increases Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands through FY2019 and modifies the Medicaid payment reductions for disproportionate-share hospitals (which receive additional payment under Medicaid for treating a large share of low-income patients). In addition, the bill:   modifies the grace period for paying health insurance premiums under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act,  reduces appropriations for the Prevention and Public Health Fund,  alters third-party liability rules under Medicaid and CHIP,   modifies the treatment of lottery winnings and other lump-sum income under Medicaid income eligibility rules, and  eliminates Medicare premium subsidies for beneficiaries with annual incomes exceeding $500,000.  DIVISION D--OTHER MATTERS  This division provides funding for the Veterans Choice Program, which allows veterans to receive health care from providers outside of the Department of Veterans Affairs facilities.