HR5130-119

What This Bill Does

The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act creates automatic continuing appropriations when a fiscal-year appropriation or continuing resolution lapses for a program, project, or activity funded in the prior applicable appropriation. Funding continues in 14-day increments at the prior rate and under prior authority and conditions until a regular or continuing appropriation is enacted. Entitlements, mandatory payments, and Food and Nutrition Act activities receive amounts necessary to maintain current-law program levels. High initial distributions to states, foreign countries, grantees, or others are limited so they do not impinge on final appropriations decisions, agencies must take only the most limited funding action needed, existing alternative funding laws supersede the automatic rule, and agency heads may transfer up to 5 percent between accounts with OMB approval and prompt notice to House and Senate Appropriations Committees. The President can transmit anomalies for expedited joint-resolution consideration. During covered automatic-appropriation periods, OMB officers and employees, Members of Congress, and personal, committee, or joint committee staff generally may not use official funds for travel except return travel to the seat of government, National Capital Region travel, or continuity/national security events. Campaign funds also cannot be used for official travel except return travel. Senate and House floor business is restricted to appropriations, quorum, reconciliation, debt limit, emergencies or disasters, and after 30 days certain top nominations or clean authorization extensions; recesses or adjournments over 23 hours are barred, daily quorum checks are required, and waivers longer than 7 days are barred while other waivers require two-thirds votes. The bill also treats budgetary effects as discretionary appropriations and sets baseline, spending-limit, and sequester-report timing rules.

Who Benefits and How

Federal workers benefit because automatic continuing appropriations reduce shutdown-driven funding interruptions for ongoing programs. People relying on mandatory benefits and Food and Nutrition Act programs benefit because current-law program levels continue during lapses. Agencies operating priority programs benefit from limited transfer authority when higher-priority activities need funds during a lapse. Appropriations committees benefit from notification of transfers and pressure on Congress to keep floor focus on funding bills.

Who Bears the Burden and How

OMB staff must approve transfers, manage apportionment timing, and operate under travel restrictions during covered periods. Members of Congress and congressional staff lose most official and campaign-funded travel options during automatic continuing appropriations. Agency heads must take only limited funding actions and avoid high initial distributions that preempt final appropriations decisions. Congressional floor managers face restrictions on non-appropriations business, adjournments, recesses, quorum, and waiver thresholds.

Key Provisions

• Creates automatic continuing appropriations in 14-day increments during covered funding lapses.
• Provides current-law funding for entitlements, mandatory payments, and Food and Nutrition Act activities.
• Limits high initial distributions, authorizes capped transfers, and requires Appropriations Committee notice.
• Restricts official and campaign-funded travel for OMB and congressional personnel during covered periods.
• Limits House and Senate floor business, recesses, adjournments, waivers, and quorum practices during covered periods.
• Sets discretionary scoring, baseline, spending-limit, and sequester-report timing rules.