H.R. 1471: Stop Government Shutdowns Act

112th Congress · introduced 2011-04-08 · Economics and Public Finance · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-04-08 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Kildee, Dale E. [D-MI-5] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Appropriations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Stop Government Shutdowns Act

Plain summary

Stop Government Shutdowns Act - Appropriates amounts for continuing federal projects and activities at the current rate for operations and under the authority and conditions provided in the applicable appropriation Act or Acts that provided funds for them for the previous fiscal year if, as a result of a failure to enact a regular or continuing appropriation Act or joint resolution, there is a lapse in appropriations for such projects or activities. Makes appropriations, funds, and authority granted in this Act available until the earliest of: (1) the enactment into law of an appropriation for the project or activity concerned, (2) the enactment into law of the applicable appropriation Act for such fiscal year without any provision for such project or activity, or (3) the last day of the fiscal year for which such appropriations and funds are made available or such authority is granted for such project or activity. Prohibits appropriations or funds made available or authority granted pursuant to this Act from being used to initiate or resume any project or activity for which appropriations, funds, or other authority were not available during the previous fiscal year. Authorizes the use of appropriations or funds made available or authority granted without regard to specified time limitations for submission and approval of apportionments requirements; but declares that nothing in this Act may be construed to waive any other provision of law governing the apportionment of funds. Prescribes requirements for: (1) denial of high rates for operation or complete distribution of appropriations in the lapsed-appropriations period, (2) the most limited funding action for continuation of projects and activities, and (3) apportionment of funds for civilian personnel compensation and benefits as necessary to avoid furloughs. Prohibits any decrease in the pay for members of the Armed Forces during a lapsed-appropriations period. Requires expenditures made pursuant to this Act to be charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, or authorization whenever an appropriations bill is subsequently enacted into law. Continues at a specified maintenance rate, through the date on which appropriations for such programs under this Act expires, certain activities with respect to entitlements and other mandatory payments whose budget authority was provided in previous appropriations Acts, as well as for activities under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Stop Government Shutdowns Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Kildee, Dale E. [D-MI-5] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (5)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Joint resolution: In Texas, the type of measure the Legislature uses to propose a constitutional amendment (marked HJR or SJR). The governor does not sign or veto it; the voters decide. In Congress a joint resolution can also be used like a bill. In Florida, a joint resolution passed by three-fifths of the members of each chamber puts a constitutional amendment on the ballot.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112hr1471.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>

Record fed-us-cong112-hr1471 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112