I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5870 
To provide for a period of continuing appropriations in the event of a 
lapse in appropriations under the normal appropriations process, to es-
tablish procedures and consequences in the event of a failure to enact 
appropriations, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 31, 2025 
Mr. ARRINGTON (for himself, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. PETERS, Mr. HUIZENGA, 
Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS, Mr. MILLER of Ohio, Mr. NUNN of Iowa, and Ms. 
SALAZAR) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, 
House Administration, Oversight and Government Reform, and the 
Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To provide for a period of continuing appropriations in the 
event of a lapse in appropriations under the normal 
appropriations process, to establish procedures and con-
sequences in the event of a failure to enact appropria-
tions, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Prevent Government 
Shutdowns Act’’. 
SEC. 2. AUTOMATIC CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 13 of title 
31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘§ 1311. Automatic continuing appropriations 
‘‘(a) For purposes of this section— 
‘‘(1) the term ‘lapse in appropriations’ means a 
time period during which— 
‘‘(A) the applicable full-year appropriation 
Act for a program, project, or activity has not 
been enacted for the current fiscal year; 
‘‘(B) the program, project, or activity was 
provided funding in the preceding applicable ap-
propriation Act; and 
‘‘(C) no continuing appropriation Act is in 
effect for such program, project, or activity; 
and 
‘‘(2) the term ‘preceding applicable appropria-
tion Act’ means— 
‘‘(A) the most recent continuing appropria-
tion Act enacted; or 
‘‘(B) if no continuing appropriation Act 
has been enacted for the current fiscal year, the 
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most recent applicable full-year appropriation 
Act (including a full-year continuing appropria-
tion Act) enacted for the immediately preceding 
fiscal year (excluding any supplemental appro-
priation Act). 
‘‘(b)(1) On and after the first day of each fiscal year, 
if a lapse in appropriations occurs with respect to a pro-
gram, project, or activity, there are appropriated such 
sums as may be necessary, at the rate for operations as 
provided in the preceding applicable appropriation Acts, 
under the authorities and conditions provided in such 
Acts, for continuing programs, projects, or activities (in-
cluding the costs of direct loans and loan guarantees) that 
were conducted under such Acts and for which appropria-
tions, funds, or other authorities were made available in 
such Acts. 
‘‘(2)(A) Appropriations and funds made available and 
authority granted under paragraph (1) shall be available 
for a period of 14 calendar days. 
‘‘(B) If, at the end of the first 14 calendar-day period 
during which appropriations and funds are made available 
and authority is granted under paragraph (1), and the end 
of every 14 calendar-day period thereafter, a lapse in ap-
propriations with respect to a program, project, or activity 
continues, the appropriations and funds made available 
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and authority granted under paragraph (1) with respect 
to the program, project, or activity shall be extended for 
an additional 14 calendar-day period. 
‘‘(3) For entitlements and other mandatory payments 
whose budget authority was provided for in preceding ap-
plicable appropriation Acts or under this section, and for 
activities under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, ap-
propriations and funds made available for a fiscal year 
under paragraph (1) shall be at the rate necessary to 
maintain program levels under current law, and under the 
authority and conditions provided in the preceding appli-
cable appropriation Act. 
‘‘(c) Appropriations and funds made available, and 
authority granted, for any fiscal year pursuant to this sec-
tion for a program, project, or activity shall be available, 
in accordance with subsection (b), for the period— 
‘‘(1) beginning on the first day of any lapse in 
appropriations during such fiscal year; and 
‘‘(2) ending on the date of enactment of an ap-
propriation Act for such fiscal year with respect to 
the account for such program, project, or activity 
(whether or not such Act provides appropriations for 
such program, project, or activity) or a continuing 
appropriation Act providing funding for the pro-
gram, project, or activity, as applicable. 
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‘‘(d) Expenditures made for a program, project, or 
activity for any fiscal year pursuant to this section shall 
be charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, or au-
thorization whenever an appropriation Act for such fiscal 
year with respect to the account for a program, project, 
or activity or a law making continuing appropriations until 
the end of such fiscal year for such program, project, or 
activity is enacted. 
‘‘(e) Appropriations and funds made available by, or 
authority granted pursuant to, this section may be used 
without regard to the time limitations for submission and 
approval of apportionments set forth in section 1513 of 
this title, but nothing in this section shall be construed 
to waive any other provision of law governing the appor-
tionment of funds. 
‘‘(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this sec-
tion, except for subsection (c), for those programs that 
would otherwise have high initial rates of operation or 
complete distribution of appropriations at the beginning 
of the applicable fiscal year because of distributions of 
funding to States, foreign countries, grantees, or others, 
such high initial rates of operation or complete distribu-
tion shall not be made, and no grants shall be awarded 
for such programs funded by this section that would im-
pinge on final funding prerogatives. 
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‘‘(g) This section shall be implemented so that only 
the most limited funding action of that permitted shall be 
taken in order to provide for continuation of programs, 
projects, and activities. 
‘‘(h) This section shall not apply to a program, 
project, or activity for any period during a fiscal year, if 
any other provision of law (other than an authorization 
of appropriations or an appropriation Act for a prior fiscal 
year making carryover funds available)— 
‘‘(1) makes an appropriation, makes funds 
available, or grants authority for such program, 
project, or activity 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 program, 
project, or activity to continue for such period.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections 
for chapter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 1310 the 
following: 
‘‘1311. Automatic continuing appropriations.’’. 
SEC. 3. TIMELY ENACTMENT OF APPROPRIATION ACTS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘covered officer or employee’’ 
means— 
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(A) an officer or employee of the Office of 
Management and Budget; 
(B) a Member of Congress; or 
(C) an employee of the personal office of a 
Member of Congress, a committee of either 
House of Congress, or a joint committee of 
Congress; 
(2) the term ‘‘covered period’’— 
(A) means any period of automatic con-
tinuing appropriations; and 
(B) with respect to the legislative branch— 
(i) does not include any period of 
automatic continuing appropriations that 
occurs during the period— 
(I) beginning at the time at 
which general appropriation Acts pro-
viding funding for the entire Federal 
Government (including a continuing 
appropriation Act) have been enacted 
or passed in identical form by both 
Houses and transmitted to Secretary 
of the Senate or Clerk of the House 
for enrollment and presentment to the 
President for his signature; and 
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matic continuing appropriations under section 1311 
of title 31, United States Code, as added by section 
2 of this Act, are in effect with respect to 1 or more 
programs, projects, or activities. 
(b) LIMITS ON TRAVEL EXPENDITURES.— 
(1) LIMITS ON OFFICIAL TRAVEL.— 
(A) LIMITATION.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), no amounts may be obli-
gated or expended for official travel by a cov-
ered officer or employee during a covered pe-
riod. 
(B) EXCEPTIONS.— 
(i) RETURN TO DC.—If a covered offi-
cer or employee is away from the seat of 
Government on the date on which a cov-
ered period begins, funds may be obligated 
and expended for official travel for a single 
return trip to the seat of Government by 
the covered officer or employee. 
(ii) TRAVEL
IN
NATIONAL
CAPITAL 
REGION.—During 
a 
covered 
period, 
amounts may be obligated and expended 
for official travel by a covered officer or 
employee from one location in the National 
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Capital Region to another location in the 
National Capital Region. 
(iii) NATIONAL SECURITY EVENTS.— 
During a covered period, if a national se-
curity event that triggers a continuity of 
operations or continuity of Government 
protocol occurs, amounts may be obligated 
and expended for official travel by a cov-
ered officer or employee for any official 
travel relating to responding to the na-
tional security event or implementing the 
continuity of operations or continuity of 
Government protocol. 
(2) RESTRICTION
ON
USE
OF
CAMPAIGN 
FUNDS.—Section 313 of the Federal Election Cam-
paign Act of 1971 (52 U.S.C. 30114) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ‘‘for 
ordinary’’ and inserting ‘‘except as provided in 
subsection (d), for ordinary’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) RESTRICTION ON USE OF CAMPAIGN FUNDS 
FOR OFFICIAL TRAVEL DURING AUTOMATIC CONTINUING 
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), during a covered period (as defined in 
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section 3 of the Prevent Government Shutdowns 
Act), a contribution or donation described in sub-
section (a) may not be obligated or expended for 
travel in connection with duties of the individual as 
a holder of Federal office. 
‘‘(2) RETURN TO DC.—If the individual is away 
from the seat of Government on the date on which 
a covered period (as so defined) begins, a contribu-
tion or donation described in subsection (a) may be 
obligated and expended for travel by the individual 
to return to the seat of Government.’’. 
(c) PROCEDURES IN THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF 
REPRESENTATIVES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—During a covered period, in 
the Senate and the House of Representatives— 
(A) it shall not be in order to move to pro-
ceed to any matter except for— 
(i) a measure making appropriations 
for the fiscal year during which the covered 
period begins; 
(ii) any motion required to determine 
the presence of or produce a quorum; 
(iii) a bill or resolution addressing the 
statutory limit on the public debt under 
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section 3101 of title 31, United States 
Code; or 
(iv) on and after the 30th calendar 
day after the first day of a covered pe-
riod— 
(I) the nomination of an indi-
vidual— 
(aa) to a position at level I 
of the Executive Schedule under 
section 5312 of title 5, United 
States Code; or 
(bb) to serve as Chief Jus-
tice of the United States or an 
Associate Justice of the Supreme 
Court of the United States; or 
(II) a measure extending the pe-
riod during which a program, project, 
or activity is authorized to be carried 
out (without substantive change to the 
program, project, or activity or any 
other program, project, or activity) 
if— 
(aa) an appropriation Act 
with respect to the program, 
project, or activity for the fiscal 
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year during which the covered pe-
riod occurs has not been enacted; 
and 
(bb) the program, project, or 
activity has expired since the be-
ginning of such fiscal year or will 
expire during the 30-day period 
beginning on the date of the mo-
tion; 
(B) it shall not be in order to move to re-
cess or adjourn for a period of more than 23 
hours; and 
(C) at noon each day, or immediately fol-
lowing any constructive convening of the Senate 
under rule IV, paragraph 2 of the Standing 
Rules of the Senate, the Presiding Officer shall 
direct the clerk to determine whether a quorum 
is present. 
(2) WAIVER.— 
(A) LIMITATION ON PERIOD.—It shall not 
be in order in the Senate or the House of Rep-
resentatives to move to waive any provision of 
paragraph (1) for a period that is longer than 
7 days. 
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(B) SUPERMAJORITY
VOTE.—A provision 
of paragraph (1) may only be waived or sus-
pended upon an affirmative vote of two-thirds 
of the Members of the applicable House of Con-
gress, duly chosen and sworn. 
SEC. 4. BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 
(a) CLASSIFICATION
OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.— 
The budgetary effects of this Act and the amendments 
made by this Act shall be estimated as if this Act and 
the amendments made by this Act are discretionary appro-
priation Acts for purposes of section 251 of the Balanced 
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 
U.S.C. 901). 
(b) BASELINE.—For purposes of calculating the 
baseline under section 257 of the Balanced Budget and 
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 907), 
the provision of budgetary resources under section 1311 
of title 31, United States Code, as added by this Act, for 
an account shall be considered to be a continuing appro-
priation in effect for such account for less than the entire 
current year. 
(c) ENFORCEMENT OF DISCRETIONARY SPENDING 
LIMITS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of enforcing 
the discretionary spending limits under section 
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251(a) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Def-
icit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(a)), the 
budgetary resources made available under section 
1311 of title 31, United States Code, as added by 
this Act, shall be considered part-year appropria-
tions for purposes of section 251(a)(4) of the Bal-
anced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 
1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(a)(4)). 
(2) APPLICATION.—If a report under section 
254(f) of the Balanced Budget and Deficit Control 
Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 904(f)) is required during a 
lapse in appropriations, the due date of such report 
shall be the later of— 
(A) the date specified in section 251(a)(1) 
of such Act (2 U.S.C. 901(a)(1)); or 
(B) the date that is 30 calendar days after 
the first day of the lapse in appropriations. 
Æ 
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