I 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 339 
To deem any adjournment of the House of Representatives which is in 
effect on the date of the regularly scheduled general election for Federal 
office held during a Congress to be adjournment sine die, and to amend 
title 31, United States Code, to provide for automatic continuing appro-
priations if a regular appropriation bill for a fiscal year does not become 
law before the date of the regularly scheduled general election for Federal 
office held during such fiscal year. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 19, 2011 
Ms. JENKINS (for herself, Mr. PITTS, Mr. POMPEO, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. 
BROUN of Georgia, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. ROSS of Florida, Mr. 
KLINE, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mrs. LUMMIS, Mr. GINGREY of Georgia, Mr. 
POSEY, Mr. WEST, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. BILBRAY, 
Mrs. SCHMIDT, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mrs. MYRICK, 
Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. GRAVES of Missouri, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, 
Mr. STIVERS, Mr. CRAWFORD, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, and Mr. 
KELLY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Appropriations, 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To deem any adjournment of the House of Representatives 
which is in effect on the date of the regularly scheduled 
general election for Federal office held during a Congress 
to be adjournment sine die, and to amend title 31, 
United States Code, to provide for automatic continuing 
appropriations if a regular appropriation bill for a fiscal 
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year does not become law before the date of the regularly 
scheduled general election for Federal office held during 
such fiscal year. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘End the Lame Duck 
Act’’. 
SEC. 2. MANDATORY SINE DIE ADJOURNMENT AFTER GEN-
ERAL ELECTION DATE. 
(a) MANDATORY SINE DIE ADJOURNMENT.—Except 
as provided in subsection (b), if the House of Representa-
tives stands adjourned on the date of the regularly sched-
uled general election for Federal office during a Congress 
(beginning with the One Hundred Twelfth Congress) pur-
suant to a concurrent resolution providing for the adjourn-
ment of the House, the House shall be considered to be 
adjourned sine die. 
(b) REASSEMBLY OF CONGRESS IN CERTAIN CIR-
CUMSTANCES.— 
(1) COUNTING OF ELECTORS.—Nothing in sub-
section (a) shall be construed to prohibit the Con-
gress from meeting to count electoral votes pursuant 
to section 15 of title 3, United States Code. 
(2) PERMITTING
REASSEMBLY
UPON
AGREE-
MENT OF LEADERSHIP.—After the date described in 
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subsection (a), the Speaker of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the majority leader of the Senate, 
or their respective designees, acting jointly and with 
the written agreement of the minority leader of the 
House and the minority leader of the Senate, may 
notify the Members of the House and Senate, re-
spectively, to reassemble if each determines that it 
is in the interest of the United States to do so. 
SEC. 3. AUTOMATIC CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 13 of title 31, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1310 
the following new section: 
‘‘§ 1311. Continuing appropriations 
‘‘(a)(1) If any regular appropriation bill for a fiscal 
year does not become law before the date of the regularly 
scheduled general election for Federal office held during 
such fiscal year or a joint resolution making continuing 
appropriations is not in effect, there are appropriated, out 
of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, 
and out of applicable corporate or other revenues, receipts, 
and funds, such sums as may be necessary to continue 
any project or activity for which funds were provided in 
the preceding fiscal year— 
‘‘(A) in the corresponding regular appropriation 
Act for such preceding fiscal year; or 
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‘‘(B) if the corresponding regular appropriation 
bill for such preceding fiscal year did not become 
law, then in a joint resolution making continuing ap-
propriations for such preceding fiscal year. 
‘‘(2) Appropriations and funds made available, and 
authority granted, for a project or activity for any fiscal 
year pursuant to this section shall be at a rate of oper-
ations not in excess of the lower of— 
‘‘(A) the rate of operations provided for in the 
regular appropriation Act providing for such project 
or activity for the preceding fiscal year; 
‘‘(B) in the absence of such an Act, the rate of 
operations provided for such project or activity pur-
suant to a joint resolution making continuing appro-
priations for such preceding fiscal year; 
‘‘(C) the rate of operations provided for in the 
regular appropriation bill as passed by the House of 
Representatives or the Senate for the fiscal year in 
question, except that the lower of these two versions 
shall be ignored for any project or activity for which 
there is a budget request if no funding is provided 
for that project or activity in either version; or 
‘‘(D) the annualized rate of operations provided 
for in the most recently enacted joint resolution 
making continuing appropriations for part of that 
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‘‘(1) Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
Drug Administration, and Related Agencies. 
‘‘(2) Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related 
Agencies. 
‘‘(3) Department of Defense. 
‘‘(4) Energy and Water Development and Re-
lated Agencies. 
‘‘(5) Financial Services and General Govern-
ment. 
‘‘(6) Department of Homeland Security. 
‘‘(7) Department of the Interior, Environment, 
and Related Agencies. 
‘‘(8) Departments of Labor, Health and 
Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies. 
‘‘(9) Legislative Branch. 
‘‘(10) Military Construction and Veterans’ Af-
fairs. 
‘‘(11) Department of State, Foreign Oper-
ations, and Related Programs. 
‘‘(12) Transportation, Housing and Urban De-
velopment, and Related Agencies.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis of chap-
ter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by in-
serting after the item relating to section 1310 the fol-
lowing new item: 
‘‘1311. Continuing appropriations.’’. 
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(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to fiscal years beginning after Sep-
tember 30, 2012. 
Æ 
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