Bill > S2806

This bill establishes an automatic continuing appropriations mechanism to prevent government shutdowns by creating a new legal framework for funding federal programs during lapses in appropriations. Under the proposed law, if Congress fails to pass a full-year appropriation act or a continuing resolution for a specific program, project, or activity, funding will automatically continue at the previous year's rate for 14-day periods. The bill allows agency heads to transfer up to 5% of funds between accounts with OMB approval, but prevents initiating or resuming programs that were specifically defunded in the previous fiscal year. Importantly, the automatic appropriations are designed to provide only the most limited funding necessary to continue essential government operations, and agencies cannot distribute funds in a way that would impinge on Congress's funding prerogatives. The bill also includes provisions for how these automatic appropriations will be classified for budgetary scoring purposes, ensuring they are treated as discretionary spending. The new provisions would take effect on September 30, 2025, giving Congress time to prepare for the implementation of this automatic funding mechanism. By creating this fallback funding process, the bill aims to reduce the risk of disruptive government shutdowns and provide more stability in federal program funding.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2806/all-info