No Flights Act
Bill: H.R.7136 | Sponsor: Rep. O'Halleran, Tom (D-AZ)
Policy area: Congress

Summary:
No Outbound Flights for Lawmakers If Government Halts to a Stop Act or the No Flights Act
This bill directs the Speaker of the House of Representatives to convene a session of the House on each day during a government shutdown, including weekends and legal public holidays.
Additionally, the bill prohibits federal funds from being used to pay for travel by a Member of Congress during any government shutdown, except for travel by a Member to the District of Columbia metropolitan area.

To require the Speaker of the House of Representatives to convene a 
 session of the House on each day in which a Government shutdown is in 
effect, to prohibit the use of funds for the official travel of Members 
of the House of Representatives during any period in which a Government 
             shutdown is in effect, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``No Outbound Flights for Lawmakers If 
Government Halts to a Stop Act'' or the ``No Flights Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIRING SPEAKER TO CONVENE SESSION OF HOUSE DURING SHUTDOWN.

    (a) Requirement.--On each day on which a Government shutdown is in 
effect, including weekends and legal public holidays, the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives shall convene a session of the House.
    (b) Exercise of Rulemaking Authority.--This section is enacted by 
Congress--
            (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of 
        Representatives, and as such it is deemed a part of the rules 
        of the House of Representatives, and it supersedes other rules 
        only to the extent that it is inconsistent with such rules; and
            (2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of 
        the House of Representatives to change the rules (so far as 
        relating to the procedure of the House) at any time, in the 
        same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other 
        rule of the House.

SEC. 3. PROHIBITING MEMBER OFFICIAL TRAVEL DURING SHUTDOWN.

    (a) Prohibition.--Except as provided in subsection (b), no 
appropriated funds, including official funds of the House of 
Representatives or funds available under any Federal law, rule, or 
regulation, may be used to pay for the costs of official travel by a 
Member of the House of Representatives during any period in which a 
Government shutdown is in effect.
    (b) Exception for Travel by Member to Washington Metropolitan 
Area.--Subsection (a) does not apply with respect to travel by a Member 
of the House of Representatives to the Washington Metropolitan Area.
    (c) Definitions.--In this section--
            (1) the term ``Member of the House of Representatives'' 
        means a Representative in, or Delegate or Resident Commissioner 
        to, the Congress; and
            (2) the term ``Washington Metropolitan Area'' means the 
        District of Columbia, the Counties of Montgomery and Prince 
        George's in Maryland, and the Counties of Arlington, Fairfax, 
        Loudoun, and Prince William and the Cities of Alexandria and 
        Falls Church in Virginia.

SEC. 4. DETERMINATION OF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

    For purposes of this Act, a Government shutdown shall be considered 
to be in effect if there is a lapse in appropriations for any Federal 
agency or department as a result of a failure to enact a regular 
appropriations bill or continuing resolution.
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