I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1124 
To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for continuing appropria-
tions in the absence of regular appropriations, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 8, 2019 
Mr. DESJARLAIS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Appropriations 
A BILL 
To amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for con-
tinuing appropriations in the absence of regular appro-
priations, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘Preventing Future 
Shutdowns Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. AMENDMENT TO TITLE 31. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 13 of title 31, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 1310 
the following new section: 
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‘‘§ 1311. Continuing Appropriations 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—If any regular appropriation bill 
for a fiscal year does not become law prior to the begin-
ning of such fiscal year or a joint resolution making con-
tinuing appropriations is not in effect, there is appro-
priated, out of money in the Treasury not otherwise appro-
priated, such sums as may be necessary to continue any 
program, project, and activity for which funds were pro-
vided in the preceding fiscal year— 
‘‘(1) in the corresponding regular appropriation 
Act for such preceding fiscal year; 
‘‘(2) 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 fiscal year; or 
‘‘(3) if the corresponding regular appropriation 
bill or a joint resolution making appropriations for 
a fiscal year did not become law, in the most re-
cently enacted joint resolution making continuing 
appropriations for part of that fiscal year or any 
funding levels established under the provisions of 
this Act. 
‘‘(b) LEVEL
OF APPROPRIATION.—Appropriations 
and funds made available, and authority granted, for a 
program, project, and activity for any fiscal year pursuant 
to this section shall be at a rate of operations— 
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‘‘(1) with respect to any non-defense discre-
tionary account, of 95 percent of the rate of oper-
ations provided for that account in the appropria-
tions measure providing for such program, project, 
or activity for the preceding fiscal year; and 
‘‘(2) with respect to any defense discretionary 
account, of 100 percent of the rate of operations 
provided for that account in the appropriations 
measure providing for such program, project, or ac-
tivity for the preceding fiscal year. 
‘‘(c) TIMING OF APPROPRIATIONS AND AUTHORITY 
GRANTED.—Appropriations and funds made available, 
and authority granted, for any fiscal year pursuant to this 
section for a project or activity shall be available for the 
period beginning with the first day of a lapse in appropria-
tions and ending with the date on which the applicable 
regular appropriation bill for such fiscal year becomes law 
or a continuing resolution making appropriations becomes 
law. 
‘‘(d) TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS 
OR AUTHORITY GRANTED.—An appropriation of funds 
made available, or authority granted, for a project or ac-
tivity 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 
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preceding fiscal year, or authority granted for such pro-
gram, project, and activity under current law. 
‘‘(e) EXTENT OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Appropriations 
and funds made available, and authority granted, for any 
project or activity for any fiscal year pursuant to this sec-
tion shall cover all obligations or expenditures incurred for 
such project or activity during the portion of such fiscal 
year for which this section applies to such program, 
project, and activity. 
‘‘(f) CONTINUATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—If this 
section is in effect at the end of a fiscal year, funding 
levels shall continue as provided in this section for the next 
fiscal year. 
‘‘(g) EXPENDITURES.—Expenditures made for a 
project or activity for any fiscal year pursuant to this sec-
tion 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 year providing for such program, 
project, and activity for such period becomes law. 
‘‘(h) EXCEPTION FOR CERTAIN PROJECTS OR AC-
TIVITIES.—This section shall not apply to a program, 
project, and activity during a fiscal year if any other provi-
sion of law, other than an authorization of appropria-
tions— 
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‘‘(1) makes an appropriation, makes funds 
available, or grants authority for such program, 
project, and 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, and activity to continue for such period. 
‘‘(i) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following 
definitions apply: 
‘‘(1) DEFENSE
DISCRETIONARY
ACCOUNT.— 
The term ‘defense discretionary account’ means any 
discretionary account that provides appropriations 
for— 
‘‘(A) the Department of Defense; 
‘‘(B) the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity; 
‘‘(C) the Department of Veterans Affairs; 
‘‘(D) military construction; 
‘‘(E) projects or activities related to vet-
erans affairs; or 
‘‘(F) the Department of Energy defense 
activities. 
‘‘(2) 
NON-DEFENSE
DISCRETIONARY
AC-
COUNT.—The term ‘non-defense discretionary ac-
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