I 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5842 
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 
JULY 22, 2010 
Ms. JENKINS 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 
year does not become law before the date of the regularly 
scheduled general election for Federal office held during 
such fiscal year. 
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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 Tenth Congress) pursu-
ant to a concurrent resolution providing for the adjourn-
ment of the House, the House shall be considered to be 
adjourned sine die. 
(b) PERMITTING REASSEMBLY
IN CASE
OF NA-
TIONAL EMERGENCY.—After the date described in sub-
section (a), the Speaker of the House of Representatives 
and the Majority Leader of the Senate, or their respective 
designees, acting jointly after consultation with the Minor-
ity Leader of the House and the Minority Leader of the 
Senate, may notify the Members of the House and Senate, 
respectively, to reassemble if they determine that the exist-
ence of a national emergency warrants it. 
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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 
‘‘(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— 
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‘‘(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 
fiscal year or any funding levels established under 
the provisions of this Act. 
‘‘(3) Appropriations and funds made available, and 
authority granted, for any fiscal year pursuant to this sec-
tion for a project or activity shall be available for the pe-
riod beginning with the first day of a lapse in appropria-
tions and ending with the earlier of— 
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‘‘(A) the date on which the applicable regular 
appropriation bill for such fiscal year becomes law 
(whether or not such law provides for such project 
or activity) or a continuing resolution making appro-
priations becomes law, as the case may be; or 
‘‘(B) the last day of such fiscal year. 
‘‘(b) An appropriation or funds made available, or au-
thority granted, for a project or activity for any fiscal year 
pursuant to this section shall be subject to the terms and 
conditions imposed with respect to the appropriation made 
or funds made available for the preceding fiscal year, or 
authority granted for such project or activity under cur-
rent law. 
‘‘(c) Appropriations and funds made available, and 
authority granted, for any project or activity for any fiscal 
year pursuant to this section shall cover all obligations or 
expenditures incurred for such project or activity during 
the portion of such fiscal year for which this section ap-
plies to such project or activity. 
‘‘(d) Expenditures made for a project or activity for 
any fiscal year pursuant to this section shall be charged 
to the applicable appropriation, fund, or authorization 
whenever a regular appropriation bill or a joint resolution 
making continuing appropriations until the end of a fiscal 
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year providing for such project or activity for such period 
becomes law. 
‘‘(e) This section shall not apply to a project or activ-
ity during a fiscal year if any other provision of law (other 
than an authorization of appropriations)— 
‘‘(1) makes an appropriation, makes funds 
available, or grants authority for such project or ac-
tivity to continue for such period; or 
‘‘(2) specifically provides that no appropriation 
shall be made, no funds shall be made available, or 
no authority shall be granted for such project or ac-
tivity to continue for such period. 
‘‘(f) For purposes of this section, the term ‘regular 
appropriation bill’ means any annual appropriation bill 
making appropriations, otherwise making funds available, 
or granting authority, for any of the following categories 
of projects and activities: 
‘‘(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. 
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‘‘(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.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall apply to fiscal years beginning after Sep-
tember 30, 2010. 
Æ 
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