Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012

(This measure has not been amended since the Senate agreed to the House amendment with amendment on September 26, 2011. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

Continuing Appropriations Act, 2012 - Makes continuing appropriations for FY2012.

(Sec. 101) Makes appropriations for continuing operations, projects, or activities which were conducted in FY2011 and for which appropriations, funds, or other authority were made available in: (1) the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2011 (division A of Public Law 112-10); and (2) the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 (division B of Public Law 112-10). Reduces the rate for operations by 1.503%.

(Sec. 102) Prohibits the use of appropriations, funds, or authority granted under this Act for the Department of Defense (DOD) for: (1) new production of items not funded for production in FY2011 or prior years; (2) the increase in production rates above those sustained with FY2011 funds; or (3) the initiation, resumption, or continuation of any project, activity, operation, or organization for which appropriations, funds, or other authority were not available during FY2011.

Bars the use of DOD appropriations, funds, or authority granted under this Act to initiate multi-year procurements utilizing advance procurement funding for economic order quantity procurement unless specifically appropriated later.

(Sec. 104) Prohibits the use of appropriations, funds, or authority granted by this Act to initiate or resume any project or activity for which appropriations, funds, or other authority were not available during FY2011.

(Sec. 106) Provides funding under this Act until whichever of the following first occurs: (1) enactment of an appropriation for any project or activity provided for in this Act; (2) enactment of the applicable appropriations Act for FY2012 without any provision for such project or activity; or (3) November 18, 2011.

(Sec. 111) Continues through November 18, 2011, certain activities for entitlements and other mandatory payments whose budget authority was provided in FY2011 appropriations Acts, and for activities under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008. Declares that, notwithstanding such date, funds shall be available and obligations for mandatory payments due on or about the first day of any month after October 2011 but within 30 days after November 18, 2011.

(Sec. 112) Authorizes apportionment of amounts made available under this Act for federal civilian personnel compensation and benefits up to the rate for operations necessary to avoid furloughs within a department or agency. Prohibits the use of such authority until after the department or agency has taken all necessary actions to reduce or defer non-personnel-related administrative expenses.

(Sec. 114) Designates specified funds for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism, but only if the President subsequently makes such a designation and notifies Congress.

Exempts from such requirement amounts for the Department of Justice (DOJ), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for salaries and expenses.

(Sec. 115) Requires discretionary amounts appropriated for FY2012 provided in advance by appropriations Acts to be available in the amounts provided in such Acts, reduced by 1.503%.

(Sec. 116) Authorizes DOD to use through November 18, 2011, certain amounts for operations and activities of the Office of Security Cooperation in Iraq and security assistance teams.

(Sec. 117) Makes certain funds available for Overseas Contingency Operations at a rate for operations permitted by the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2012 as passed by the House of Representatives on July 8, 2011.

(Sec. 118) Continues through November 18, 2011, DOD authority to pay monetary rewards for the provision to U.S. government personnel of information or nonlethal assistance beneficial to an operation, activity, or force protection for U.S. Armed Forces.

(Sec. 119) Continues through November 18, 2011, DOD authority to use acquisition and cross-servicing agreements to lend certain military equipment to foreign forces in Iraq and Afghanistan for personnel protection and survivability purposes.

(Sec. 120) Provides amounts at a specified rate for operations for the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board for salaries and expenses.

(Sec. 121) Authorizes the District of Columbia to expend local funds for programs and activities, subject to specified conditions.

(Sec. 122) Provides amounts at a specified rate for operations for necessary expenses of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board to carry out its functions under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

(Sec. 123) Continues through November 18, 2011, the authority of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to carry out: (1) the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, (2) the Small Business Technology Transfer Program, and (3) the Commercialization Pilot Program.

(Sec. 124) Extends through November 18, 2011, the requirement that the U.S. Postal Service pay $5.5 billion into the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund.

(Sec. 125) Provides amounts at a specified rate for operations to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster relief. Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide a full accounting of disaster relief funding requirements for FY2012 and FY2013, including specified estimates.

(Sec. 126) Authorizes the obligation of any DHS funds made available pursuant to this Act at a rate for operations necessary to sustain essential security activities.

(Sec. 127) Continues through November 18, 2011, U.S. Secret Service authority to use proceeds derived from undercover criminal investigations for such operations.

(Sec. 128) Continues through November 18, 2011, DHS authority to carry out basic, applied, and advanced research and development projects.

(Sec. 129) Continues through November 18, 2011, DHS issued interim final regulations establishing risk-based performance standards.

(Sec. 130) Continues through November 18, 2011, the authority of the Administrator of FEMA to issue notes or other obligations to the Secretary of the Treasury to carry out the flood insurance program.

(Sec. 131) Continues through November 18, 2011, the authorities of Service First (a partnership authority among the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Forest Service, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

(Sec. 132) Increases appropriations for salaries and expenses in the Mine Safety and Health Administration of the Department of Labor.

(Sec. 134) Provides amounts at a specified rate for operations for the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission for salaries and expenses.

(Sec. 135) Continues through November 18, 2011 the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) with respect to: (1) autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disabilities; and (2) autism education, early detection, and intervention. Continues through such date the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee.

(Sec. 136) Eliminates certain FY2011 appropriations for military construction for the Army, the Air Force, and defense-wide.

(Sec. 137) Extends through November 18, 2011, the authority of the Export-Import Bank of the United States to provide financing for the export of nonlethal articles or services meant primarily for civilian purposes.

(Sec. 138) Continues through November 18, 2011, the Commission on International Religious Freedom.

(Sec. 139) Limits to a specified rate of operations any commitments to guarantee loans incurred under the General and Special Risk Insurance Funds authorized under the National Housing Act.

(Sec. 140) Approves the renewal of certain import restrictions contained in the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, and deems this Act a renewal resolution under such Act.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov