H.R. 5130: Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025

This bill, titled the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025, aims to create a process for automatic continuing appropriations to prevent government shutdowns. Here is a breakdown of its key provisions:

Automatic Continuing Appropriations

The bill establishes that if there is a lapse in appropriations (meaning the government fails to pass a budget for a fiscal year), there will be automatic continuing appropriations for certain programs, projects, or activities. Key points include:

• The term "lapse in appropriations" refers to the period when no appropriation Act has been enacted for a program that was funded in the previous year.
• If such a lapse occurs, funds necessary for the continuation of operations will be allocated based on the previous year's funding levels for a period of 14 days, which can be extended for additional 14-day periods as long as the lapse continues.
• This provision allows for ongoing funding to maintain current programs, including mandatory payments, even if a new budget has not been enacted.

Timely Enactment of Appropriation Acts

The bill outlines measures to ensure the timely passage of budget legislation and introduces limitations on travel expenditures for certain government employees during periods of automatic continuing appropriations:

• It prohibits official travel for covered officers and employees unless there are specific exceptions, such as returning to the government seat or essential travel related to national security.
• Campaign funds cannot be used for official travel during these automatic funding periods, except for specific circumstances like returning to the government seat.

Procedures in the Senate and House of Representatives

To facilitate the enactment of budgets during lapses, the bill restricts legislative activities during a covered period, including:

• Certain motions and measures can only be raised related to appropriations for the current fiscal year.
• They cannot engage in recess or adjourn for more than 23 hours, ensuring they remain in session to address budget issues.

Budgetary Effects

The financial implications of this act are classified as discretionary appropriations, influencing how budgetary effects are calculated under existing budget law. Specifically:

• The funds made available through automatic continuing appropriations will be considered part-year appropriations for budgetary enforcement.

Effective Date

This bill is set to take effect on September 30, 2025, establishing these automatic appropriations and procedures for the future.

Relevant Companies

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