104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 136
JOINT RESOLUTION
Making further continuing appropriations for the
fiscal year 1996, and for other purposes.
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 136
JOINT RESOLUTION
Making further continuing appropriations for the fiscal year
1996, and for other purposes.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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TITLE I
AID TO FAMILIES WITH DEPENDENT CHIL-
DREN 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, corpora-
tions, 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 appli-
cable appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995 for con-
tinuing 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 ac-
count 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 ac-
count heading ‘‘Payments to States for foster care
and adoption assistance’’ under the Administration
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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 cur-
rent operations, the pertinent project or activity shall be
continued at a rate for operations not exceeding the cur-
rent rate.
(b) Whenever the amount which would be made avail-
able 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 resolu-
tion, 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 oper-
ations not exceeding the current rate or the rate permitted
by the action of the House or the Senate, whichever is
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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 sec-
tion 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 ap-
propriations, funds, or other authority were not available
during the fiscal year 1995.
SEC. 104. No provision which is included in the ap-
propriations 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
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than one appropriation, fund, or authority shall be appli-
cable to any appropriation, fund, or authority provided in
this joint resolution.
SEC. 105. Appropriations made and authority grant-
ed 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. Unless otherwise provided for in this title
of this joint resolution or in the applicable appropriations
Act, appropriations and funds made available and author-
ity granted pursuant to this title of this joint resolution
shall be available until (a) enactment into law of an appro-
priation 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 authoriza-
tion is contained is enacted into law.
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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 addi-
tional authorizing or other legislation shall be effective be-
fore the date set forth in section 106(c) of this joint reso-
lution.
SEC. 109. 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 limita-
tions 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 provi-
sion 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 appli-
cable appropriations Act for the fiscal year 1995 for con-
tinuing projects or activities including the costs of direct
loans and loan guarantees (not otherwise specifically pro-
•HJ 136 EH
vided for in this title of this joint resolution) which were
conducted in the fiscal year 1995 and for which appropria-
tions, 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 grant-
ed under current operations, the pertinent project or activ-
ity shall be continued at a rate for operations not exceed-
ing the current rate.
(b) Whenever the amount which would be made avail-
able 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 appro-
priations Act for the fiscal year 1995: Provided, That
where an item is not included in either version or where
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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 appli-
cable 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 ap-
propriations, funds, or other authority were not available
during the fiscal year 1995.
SEC. 204. No provision which is included in the ap-
propriations 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, or authority shall be appli-
cable to any appropriation, fund, or authority provided in
this title of this joint resolution.
SEC. 205. Appropriations made and authority grant-
ed pursuant to this title of this joint resolution shall cover
•HJ 136 EH
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. Unless otherwise provided for in this title
of this joint resolution or in the applicable appropriations
Act, appropriations and funds made available and author-
ity granted pursuant to this title of 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 enact-
ment 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. 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 reso-
lution 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
•HJ 136 EH
which such applicable appropriation, fund, or authoriza-
tion 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 enact-
ment 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 limita-
tions 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 provi-
sion of law governing the apportionment of funds.
SEC. 211. Notwithstanding any other provision of
this title of this joint resolution, except section 206, when-
ever 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 re-
quest would result in the project or activity being signifi-
•HJ 136 EH
cantly 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 pro-
vides the minimal level that would enable existing activi-
ties 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 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, when-
ever 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 fur-
lough 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.
•HJ 136 EH
not limited to registration for the purpose of extending
employment, health, or governmental benefits to such cou-
ples 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 resolu-
tion 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, corpora-
tions 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 avail-
able for programs, projects, and activities of the Depart-
ment of Veterans Affairs, the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs shall nevertheless ensure that—
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(1) payments of existing veterans benefits are
made in accordance with regular procedures and
schedules and in accordance with eligibility require-
ments for such benefits; and
(2) payments to contractors of the Veterans
Health Administration of the Department of Veter-
ans Affairs are made when due in the case of serv-
ices 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 nec-
essary for the costs of administration of such payments.
(c) CHARGING
OF ACCOUNTS WHEN APPROPRIA-
TIONS MADE.—In any case in which the Secretary uses
the authority of subsection (a) to make payments, applica-
ble accounts shall be charged for amounts so paid, and
for the costs of administration of such payments, when
regular appropriations become available for those pur-
poses.
(d) EXISTING BENEFITS SPECIFIED.—For purposes
of this section, existing veterans benefits are benefits
under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Af-
fairs that have been adjudicated and authorized for pay-
ment as of—
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(1) December 15, 1995; or
(2) if appropriations for such benefits are avail-
able (other than pursuant to subsection (b)) after
December 15, 1995, the last day on which appro-
priations for payment of such benefits are available
(other than pursuant to subsection (b)).
SEC. 302. Section 301 shall cease to be effective on
January 3, 1996.
Passed the House of Representatives December 22,
1995.
Attest:
Clerk.