Government Shutdown Prevention Act

short title

    Section 1. This Act may be cited as the ``Government Shutdown 
Prevention Act''.

                           continuing funding

    Sec. 2. (a) If any regular appropriation bill for fiscal year 1998 
does not become law prior to the beginning of fiscal year 1998 or a 
joint resolution making continuing appropriations is not in effect, 
there is appropriated, out of any moneys 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 
program, project, or activity for which funds were provided in fiscal 
year 1997.
    (b) Appropriations and funds made available, and authority granted, 
for a program, project, or activity for fiscal year 1998 pursuant to 
this Act shall be at 100 per cent of the rate of operations that was 
provided for the program, project, or activity in fiscal year 1997 in 
the corresponding regular appropriation Act for fiscal year 1997.
    (c) Appropriations and funds made available, and authority granted, 
for fiscal year 1998 pursuant to this Act for a program, project, or 
activity shall be available for the period beginning with the first day 
of a lapse in appropriations and ending with the earlier of--
            (1) the date on which the applicable regular appropriation 
        bill for fiscal year 1998 becomes law (whether or not that law 
        provides for that program, project, or activity) or a 
        continuing resolution making appropriations becomes law, as the 
        case may be; or
            (2) the last day of fiscal year 1998.

                          terms and conditions

    Sec. 3. (a) An appropriation of funds made available, or authority 
granted, for a program, project, or activity for fiscal year 1998 
pursuant to this Act shall be made available to the extent and in the 
manner which would be provided by the pertinent appropriation Act for 
fiscal year 1997, including all of the terms and conditions and the 
apportionment schedule imposed with respect to the appropriation made 
or funds made available for fiscal year 1997 or authority granted for 
the program, project, or activity under current law.
    (b) Appropriations made by this Act shall be available to the 
extent and in the manner which would be provided by the pertinent 
appropriation Act.
    (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, whenever the rate 
for operations for any continuing project or activity would result in a 
furlough or a reduction-in-force of Government employees, that rate for 
operations shall be increased to a level that would preclude a furlough 
or reduction-in-force.

                                coverage

    Sec. 4. Appropriations and funds made available, and authority 
granted, for any program, project, or activity for fiscal year 1998 
pursuant to this Act shall cover all obligations or expenditures 
incurred for that program, project, or activity during the portion of 
fiscal year 1998 for which this Act applies to that program, project, 
or activity.

                              expenditures

    Sec. 5. Expenditures made for a program, project, or activity for 
fiscal year 1998 pursuant to this Act 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 fiscal year 1998 providing for that 
program, project, or activity for that period becomes law.

         initiating or resuming a program, project, or activity

    Sec. 6. No appropriation or funds made available or authority 
granted pursuant to this Act shall be used to initiate or resume any 
program, project, or activity for which appropriations, funds, or other 
authority were not available during fiscal year 1997.

                    protection of other obligations

    Sec. 7. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect Government 
obligations mandated by other law, including obligations with respect 
to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans benefits.

                               definition

    Sec. 8. In this Act, 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 programs, projects, and activities:
            (1) Agriculture, rural development, and related agencies 
        programs.
            (2) The Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the 
        judiciary, and related agencies.
            (3) The Department of Defense.
            (4) The government of the District of Columbia and other 
        activities chargeable in whole or in part against the revenues 
        of the District.
            (5) The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, 
        and Education, and related agencies.
            (6) The Departments of Veterans and Housing and Urban 
        Development, and sundry independent agencies, boards, 
        commissions, corporations, and offices.
            (7) Energy and water development.
            (8) Foreign assistance and related programs.
            (9) The Department of the Interior and related agencies.
            (10) Military construction.
            (11) The Department of Transportation and related agencies.
            (12) The Treasury Department, the U.S. Postal Service, the 
        Executive Office of the President, and certain independent 
        agencies.
            (13) The legislative branch.

Summary: Government Shutdown Prevention Act - Provides for continuing appropriations (at 100 percent of the rate of operations provided for in FY 1997) in the absence of regular appropriations for FY 1998. 
Requires increases in the rate of operations as necessary to preclude furloughs or reductions-in-force.