Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Stage set for Supreme Court to rule on abortion-inducing drugs

WASHINGTON — Oklahoma’s high court set the stage Tuesday for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule this term on anabortion dispute over whether states may restrict doctors from prescribing the two drugs that are commonly used by women who seek an abortion in the first weeks of their pregnancy.
The Oklahoma case could be the first test of whether the court’s conservative majority will uphold the new state laws that seek to strictly regulate legal abortions.
The legislatures in Oklahoma, Texas and several other states have adopted laws that require doctors to follow the Food and Drug Administration’s protocols for the use of “any abortion-inducing drug.” The laws forbid doctors to prescribe medications for “off-label use.”
Sponsors of the laws said they wanted to protect the health of women. But medical experts and supporters of abortion rights said the law would effectively ban medication abortions because the FDA protocol is outdated and conflicts with current medical practice.
Only one drug — mifepristone or RU-486 — was approved by the FDA in 2000 for inducing early abortions. In the last decade, however, physicians have regularly prescribed a second drug — misoprostol — to complete such abortions through nine weeks of a pregnancy. They also have prescribed RU-486 in much lower dosages.
When the doctors sued to challenge the state law, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional last year in a three-paragraph opinion. The state’s attorney general appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court and argued the state judges had invalidated a reasonable law designed to regulate the safe practice of medicine.
In June, the federal justices took an unusual step. They tentatively agreed to take up the Oklahoma case, but first asked the Oklahoma court to clarify whether the 2011 state law “prohibits … the use of misoprostol in conjunction with mifepristone.”
In Tuesday’s opinion, the Oklahoma court said the state law, as written, does indeed prohibit the use of the second drug. It “effectively bans all medication abortions,” the state court declared. The judges explained that misoprostol was an abortion-inducing drug, and noted the FDA had not approved its use for that purpose.
The judges also noted that a third drug — methotrexate — is commonly used to terminate early ectopic pregnancies. But because the FDA has not formally approved its use for that purpose, it may not be prescribed by doctors in Oklahoma, the judges said.
Nancy Northup, president of Center for Reproductive Rights, praised the Oklahoma court’s decision. It “strongly reaffirms that this blatantly unconstitutional law was designed to not only rob women of the safe, legal and effective option of medication to end a pregnancy at its earliest stages, but also threaten the health, lives and future fertility of women suffering ectopic pregnancies.”
Now that the Oklahoma court has clarified the state law, the justices will decide whether to grant a full review. Lawyers noted that a similar Ohio law was upheld by a federal appeals court.
[For the record, 5:28 p.m.: A previous version of this post said, "The judges explained that mifepristone was an abortion-inducing drug, and noted the FDA had not approved its use for that purpose." The judges was referring to misoprostol.]

Federal appeals court could rule soon on Texas abortion law

A federal appeals court in New Orleans had yet to rule Wednesday on Texas officials' request for an emergency order allowing a set of new abortion restrictions to take effect in their state as scheduled.
On Monday, a federal judge in Texas issued a ruling thatblocked some of the restrictions that he found unconstitutional, including a provision requiring doctors at abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and limits on medication-induced abortions.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals took up state officials'appeal Tuesday for an emergency stay of the lower court's ruling so that the new law can take effect pending a final decision on its merits.
In their appeal for a stay, Texas Atty. Gen. Greg Abbott and other Texas officials had asked the court to rule Tuesday so that the new restrictions could take effect. They also asked the court to expedite the overall appeal of the federal judge’s ruling and hear the case at their next sitting in January.
“There is no evidence -- and no findings in the district court’s opinion -- that any woman will face any obstacles to obtaining an abortion if the law takes effect,” they argued in their appellate court filing, calling the federal judge’s previous ruling “aggressive” and “overbroad.”
Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers had sued to block the restrictions, passed by the state legislature last summer, and convinced U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel in Austin that the new admitting privileges requirement would force many clinics to close, leaving thousands of women without access to abortion services.
In his ruling, Yeakel said the admitting privileges provision of the new law posed a “substantial obstacle” to women seeking abortions. He also partially struck down another provision limiting how doctors administer abortion-inducing drugs, saying they should still be used when necessary to safeguard a pregnant woman’s health.
Opponents of the new restrictions were still optimistic Wednesday that the appeals court would ultimately side with them.
"In addition to finding that the admitting privileges requirement lacks a rational basis, the District Court also determined that it is unconstitutional because it places a substantial obstacle in the path of women seeking abortions," they wrote in their opposition to the emergency stay, adding that state officials' position, "ignores the voluminous record evidence that establishes that literally thousands of women will be denied abortions as a result of enforcement of the privileges requirement."
Similar requirements for admitting privileges were challenged and blocked before taking effect in Alabama, Mississippi, North Dakota and Wisconsin. State courts in North Dakota and Oklahoma have struck down restrictions on medication abortion, and the U.S. Supreme Court is considering the Oklahoma law.
Mississippi passed a similar law last year, and faced similar legal challenges. After a federal judge blocked the law pending a trial in March, the state’s attorney general asked the 5th Circuit to lift a temporary stay and allow the law to be enforced in the interim, but they refused.
The new Texas abortion restrictions drew national attention this summer when state Sen. Wendy Davis staged a daylong filibuster initially blocking them in June. Davis, a Democrat, is running for governor, as is Abbott, a Republican.
The filibuster forced Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who is retiring, to call a second special legislative session, during which the Republican-controlled legislature eventually passed the law. He expressed further support for the new restrictions this week.

Monday, October 28, 2013

CBS: Obama administration knew all along that Benghazi was terror attack

 60 Minutes Full  Transcript listed below: 


CBS’ 60 Minutes revisited the Benghazi terror attack last night, laying out the evidence that the attack was orchestrated by al-Qaeda on the anniversary of 9/11.  It was “a planned, sophisticated attack” by AQ, and two security advisers have stepped forward to blow the whistle — as both repeatedly tried to do before the attack:
This to me seems especially damning — and unknown to me in the specifics until last night:
Green Beret Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Andy Wood, was one of the top American security officials in Libya. Based in Tripoli, he met with Amb. Stevens every day.
The last time he went to Benghazi was in June, just three months before the attack. While he was there, al Qaeda tried to assassinate the British ambassador. Wood says, to him, it came as no surprise because al Qaeda — using a familiar tactic — had stated their intent in an online posting, saying they would attack the Red Cross, the British and then the Americans in Benghazi.
Lara Logan: And you watched as they–
Andy Wood: As they did each one of those.
Lara Logan: –attacked the Red Cross and the British mission. And the only ones left–
Andy Wood: Were us. They made good on two out of the three promises. It was a matter of time till they captured the third one.
Lara Logan: And Washington was aware of that?
Andy Wood: They knew we monitored it. We included that in our reports to both State Department and DOD.
Andy Wood told us he raised his concerns directly with Amb. Stevens three months before the U.S. compound was overrun.
Andy Wood: I made it known in a country team meeting, “You are gonna get attacked. You are gonna get attacked in Benghazi. It’s gonna happen. You need to change your security profile.”
Lara Logan: Shut down–
Andy Wood: Shut down–
Lara Logan: –the special mission–
Andy Wood: –”Shut down operations. Move out temporarily. Ch– or change locations within the city. Do something to break up the profile because you are being targeted. They are– they are– they are watching you. The attack cycle is such that they’re in the final planning stages.”
Lara Logan: Wait a minute, you said, “They’re in the final planning stages of an attack on the American mission in Benghazi”?
Andy Wood: It was apparent to me that that was the case. Reading, reading all these other, ah, attacks that were occurring, I could see what they were staging up to, it was, it was obvious.
CBS’ Sharyl Attkisson emphasized this point on Twitter (via Twitchy):
This segment doesn’t directly address what happened at the White House during and after the attack. The segment, helmed by Lara Logan, focuses on what happened in Benghazi before and during the attack. It does, however, raise the question about why no military forces were sent to rescue the Americans despite the hours-long attack on the annex.  Gregory Hicks, one of the whistleblowers who blew the Obama administration talking points out of the water in his testimony to Congress, still cannot understand why the US was not prepared to protect its assets in Benghazi.
This should serve as a springboard for a demand for more answers from the White House, and also from then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.


When Chris Stevens was killed in Benghazi, Libya, on the anniversary of September 11th last year, it was only the sixth time that the United States had lost an ambassador to its enemies. The events of that night have been overshadowed by misinformation, confusion and intense partisanship. But for those who lived through it, there's nothing confusing about what happened, and they share a sense of profound frustration because they say they saw it coming.


Tonight, you will hear for the first time from a security officer who witnessed the attack. He calls himself, Morgan Jones, a pseudonym he's using for his own safety. A former British soldier, he's been helping to keep U.S. diplomats and military leaders safe for the last decade. On a night he describes as sheer hell, Morgan Jones snuck into a Benghazi hospital that was under the control of al Qaeda terrorists, desperate to find out if one of his close friends from the U.S. Special Mission was the American he'd been told was there.
Morgan Jones: I was dreading seeing who it was, you know? It didn't take long to get to the room. And I could see in through the glass. And I didn't even have to go into the room to see who it was. I knew who it was immediately.




Lara Logan: Who was it?


Morgan Jones: It was the ambassador, dead. Yeah, shocking.


Morgan Jones said he'd never felt so angry in his life. Only hours earlier, Amb. Chris Stevens had sought him out, concerned about the security at the U.S. Special Mission Compound where Morgan was in charge of the Libyan guard force.


Now, the ambassador was dead and the U.S. compound was engulfed in flames and overrun by dozens of heavily armed fighters.


Although the attack began here, the more organized assault unfolded about a mile across the city at a top secret CIA facility known as the Annex. It lasted more than seven hours and took four American lives.

Contrary to the White House's public statements, which were still being made a full week later, it's now well established that the Americans were attacked by al Qaeda in a well-planned assault.

Five months before that night, Morgan Jones first arrived in Benghazi, in eastern Libya about 400 miles from the capital, Tripoli.


He thought this would be an easy assignment compared to Afghanistan and Iraq. But on his first drive through Benghazi, he noticed the black flags of al Qaeda flying openly in the streets and he grew concerned about the guard forces as soon as he pulled up to the U.S. compound.



Morgan Jones: There was nobody there that we could see. And then we realized they were all inside drinking tea, laughing and joking.


Lara Logan: What did you think?


Morgan Jones: Instantly I thought we're going to have to get rid of all these guys.


Morgan Jones' job was training the unarmed guards who manned the compound's gates. A second Libyan force -- an armed militia hired by the State Department -- was supposed to defend the compound in the event of an attack. Morgan had nothing to do with the militia, but they worried him so much, he could not keep quiet.


Morgan Jones: I was saying, "These guys are no good. You need to-- you need to get 'em out of here."

Lara Logan: You also kept saying, "If this place is attacked these guys are not going to stand and fight?"

Morgan Jones: Yeah. I used to say it all the time. Yeah, in the end I got quite bored of hearing my own voice saying it.


Andy Wood: We had one option: "Leave Benghazi or you will be killed."


Green Beret Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Andy Wood, was one of the top American security officials in Libya. Based in Tripoli, he met with Amb. Stevens every day.


The last time he went to Benghazi was in June, just three months before the attack. While he was there, al Qaeda tried to assassinate the British ambassador. Wood says, to him, it came as no surprise because al Qaeda -- using a familiar tactic -- had stated their intent in an online posting, saying they would attack the Red Cross, the British and then the Americans in Benghazi.

Lara Logan: And you watched as they--


Andy Wood: As they did each one of those.


Lara Logan: --attacked the Red Cross and the British mission. And the only ones left--

Andy Wood: Were us. They made good on two out of the three promises. It was a matter of time till they captured the third one.


Lara Logan: And Washington was aware of that?


Andy Wood: They knew we monitored it. We included that in our reports to both State Department and DOD.


Andy Wood told us he raised his concerns directly with Amb. Stevens three months before the U.S. compound was overrun.


Andy Wood: I made it known in a country team meeting, "You are gonna get attacked. You are gonna get attacked in Benghazi. It's gonna happen. You need to change your security profile."


Lara Logan: Shut down--


Andy Wood: Shut down--


Lara Logan: --the special mission--


Andy Wood: --"Shut down operations. Move out temporarily. Ch-- or change locations within the city. Do something to break up the profile because you are being targeted. They are-- they are-- they are watching you. The attack cycle is such that they're in the final planning stages."


Lara Logan: Wait a minute, you said, "They're in the final planning stages of an attack on the American mission in Benghazi"?


Andy Wood: It was apparent to me that that was the case. Reading, reading all these other, ah, attacks that were occurring, I could see what they were staging up to, it was, it was obvious.

We have learned the U.S. already knew that this man, senior al Qaeda leader Abu Anas al-Libi was in Libya, tasked by the head of al Qaeda to establish a clandestine terrorist network inside the country. Al-Libi was already wanted for his role in bombing two U.S. embassies in Africa.


Greg Hicks: It was a frightening piece of information.


Lara Logan: Because it meant what?


Greg Hicks: It raised the stakes, changed the game.


Greg Hicks, who testified before Congress earlier this year, was Amb. Stevens' deputy based in Tripoli - a 22-year veteran of the Foreign Service with an impeccable reputation.



Lara Logan: And in that environment you were asking for more security assets and you were not getting them?


Greg Hicks: That's right.


Lara Logan: Did you fight that?


Greg Hicks: I was in the process of trying to frame a third request but it was not allowed to go forward.

Lara Logan: So why didn't you get the help that you needed and that you asked for?

Greg Hicks: I really, really don't know. I in fact would like to know that, the answer to that question.

In the months prior to the attack, Amb. Stevens approved a series of detailed cables to Washington, specifically mentioning, among other things, "the al Qaeda flag has been spotted several times flying over government buildings".


When the attack began on the evening of September 11, Amb. Stevens immediately called Greg Hicks, who was back in Tripoli.


Greg Hicks: Ambassador said that the consulate's under attack. And then the line cut.


Lara Logan: Do you remember the sound of his voice?


Greg Hicks: Oh yeah, it's indelibly imprinted on my mind.


Lara Logan: How did he sound?


Greg Hicks: He sounded frightened.


In Benghazi, Morgan Jones, who was at his apartment about 15 minutes away, got a frantic call from one of his Libyan guards.


Morgan Jones: I could hear gunshots. And I-- and he said, "There's-- there's men coming into the mission." His voice, he was, he was scared, you could tell he was really scared and he was running, I could tell he was running.


His first thought was for his American friends, the State Department agents who were pinned down inside the compound, and he couldn't believe it when one of them answered his phone.



Morgan Jones: I said, "What's going on?" He said, "We're getting attacked." And I said, "How many?" And he said, "They're all over the compound." And I felt shocked, I didn't know what to say. And-- I said, "Well, just keep fighting. I'm on my way."


Morgan's guards told him the armed Libyan militia that was supposed to defend the compound had fled, just as Morgan had predicted. His guards -- unarmed and terrified -- sounded the alarm, but they were instantly overwhelmed by the attackers.


Morgan Jones: They said, "We're here to kill Americans, not Libyans," so they'd give them a good beating, pistol whip them, beat them with their rifles and let them go.

Lara Logan: We're here to kill Americans.


Morgan Jones: That's what they said, yeah.


Lara Logan: Not Libyans.


Morgan Jones: Yeah.



About 30 minutes into the attack, a quick reaction force from the CIA Annex ignored orders to wait and raced to the compound, at times running and shooting their way through the streets just to get there. Inside the compound, they repelled a force of as many as 60 armed terrorists and managed to save five American lives and recover the body of Foreign Service Officer Sean Smith. They were forced to fight their way out before they could find the ambassador.


Not long afterwards, Morgan Jones scaled the 12-foot high wall of the compound that was still overrun with al Qaeda fighters.


Morgan Jones: One guy saw me. He just shouted. I couldn't believe that he'd seen me 'cause it was so dark. He started walking towards me.


Lara Logan: And as he was coming closer?


Morgan Jones: As I got closer, I just hit him with the butt of the rifle in the face.

Lara Logan: And?


Morgan Jones: Oh, he went down, yeah.

Lara Logan: He dropped?



Morgan Jones: Yeah, like-- like a stone.


Lara Logan: With his face smashed in?


Morgan Jones: Yeah.


Lara Logan: And no one saw you do it?


Morgan Jones: No.


Lara Logan: Or heard it?


Morgan Jones: No, there was too much noise.


The same force that had gone to the compound was now defending the CIA Annex. Hours later, they were joined by a small team of Americans from Tripoli. From defensive positions on these rooftops, the Americans fought back a professional enemy. In a final wave of intense fighting just after 5 a.m., the attackers unleashed a barrage of mortars. Three of them slammed into this roof, killing former Navy SEALs Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty.


Lara Logan: They hit that roof three times.


Andy Wood: They, they hit those roofs three times.

Lara Logan: In the dark.


Andy Wood: Yea, that's getting the basketball through the hoop over your shoulder.

Lara Logan: What does it take to pull off an attack like that?


Andy Wood: Coordination, planning, training, experienced personnel. They practice those things. They knew what they were doing. That was a-- that was a well-executed attack.


We have learned there were two Delta Force operators who fought at the Annex and they've since been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Navy Cross -- two of the military's highest honors. The Americans who rushed to help that night went without asking for permission and the lingering question is why no larger military response ever crossed the border into Libya -- something Greg Hicks realized wasn't going to happen just an hour into the attack.


Lara Logan: You have this conversation with the defense attache. You ask him what military assets are on their way. And he says--


Greg Hicks: Effectively, they're not. And I-- for a moment, I just felt lost. I just couldn't believe the answer. And then I made the call to the Annex chief, and I told him, "Listen, you've gotta tell those guys there may not be any help coming."


Lara Logan: That's a tough thing to understand. Why?


Greg Hicks: It just is. We--, for us, for the people that go out onto the edge, to represent our country, we believe that if we get in trouble, they're coming to get us. That our back is covered. To hear that it's not, it's a terrible, terrible experience.


The U.S. government today acknowledges the Americans at the U.S. compound in Benghazi were not adequately protected. And says those who carried out the attack are still being hunted down.

Just a few weeks ago, Abu Anas al-Libi was captured for his role in the Africa bombings and the U.S. is still investigating what part he may have played in Benghazi. We've learned that this man, Sufian bin Qumu, a former Guantanamo Bay detainee and long-time al Qaeda operative, was one of the lead planners along with Faraj al-Chalabi, whose ties to Osama bin Laden go back more than 15 years. He's believed to have carried documents from the compound to the head of al Qaeda in Pakistan.


The morning after the attack, Morgan Jones went back to the compound one last time to document the scene. He took these photos which he gave to the FBI and has published in a book he has written. After all this time, he told us he's still haunted by a conversation he had with Foreign Service Officer Sean Smith, a week before the attack.

Morgan Jones: Yeah, he was worried. He wasn't happy with the security.

Lara Logan: And you didn't tell him all your worries?


Morgan Jones: No. No, didn't want to--


Lara Logan: Why not?


Morgan Jones: I didn't want to worry him anymore, you know? He's a nice guy. I sort of promised him he'd be OK.


Lara Logan: You think about that?


Morgan Jones: Every day, yeah.



The U.S. pulled out of Benghazi and al Qaeda has grown in power across Libya. When a member of our team went to the U.S. compound earlier this month, he found remnants of the Americans' final frantic moments still scattered on the ground. Among them Amb. Stevens' official schedule for Sept.12, 2012, a day he didn't live to see.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57609479/60-minutes-benghazi/?pageNum=3

Thursday, October 24, 2013

CONGRESS CEDES CONTROL OVER BORROWING: A DICTATOR’S DREAM Default Prevention Act of 2013: Section 1006 of the debt ceiling bill appears to make another debt ceiling crisis much more difficult for Congress to initiate. In addition to permitting the administration to increase borrowing unless forbidden by congress

    Making continuing appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, The following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and out of applicable corporate or other revenues, receipts, and funds, for the several departments, agencies, corporations, and other organizational units of Government for fiscal year 2014, and for other purposes, namely:
DIVISION ACONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2014
Sec. 101. (a) Such amounts as may be necessary, at a rate for operations as provided in the applicable appropriations Acts for fiscal year 2013 and under the authority and conditions provided in such Acts, for continuing projects or activities (including the costs of direct loans and loan guarantees) that are not otherwise specifically provided for in this joint resolution, that were conducted in fiscal year 2013, and for which appropriations, funds, or other authority were made available in the following appropriations Acts:
(1) The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013 (division A of Public Law 113–6), except section 735.

(2) The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013 (division B ofPublic Law 113–6).

(3) The Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2013 (division C of Public Law 113–6).

(4) The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2013 (division D of Public Law 113–6).

(5) The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013 (division E of Public Law 113–6).

(6) The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (division F of Public Law 113–6).

(b) The rate for operations provided by subsection (a) for each account shall be calculated to reflect the full amount of any reduction required in fiscal year 2013 pursuant to—
(1) any provision of division G of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013 (Public Law 113–6), including section 3004; and

(2) the Presidential sequestration order dated March 1, 2013, except as attributable to budget authority made available by—
(A) sections 140(b) or 141(b) of the Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (Public Law 112–175); or

(B) the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 (Public Law 113–2).
Sec. 102. (a) No appropriation or funds made available or authority granted pursuant to section 101 for the Department of Defense shall be used for: (1) the new production of items not funded for production in fiscal year 2013 or prior years; (2) the increase in production rates above those sustained with fiscal year 2013 funds; or (3) the initiation, resumption, or continuation of any project, activity, operation, or organization (defined as any project, subproject, activity, budget activity, program element, and subprogram within a program element, and for any investment items defined as a P–1 line item in a budget activity within an appropriation account and an R–1 line item that includes a program element and subprogram element within an appropriation account) for which appropriations, funds, or other authority were not available during fiscal year 2013.
(b) No appropriation or funds made available or authority granted pursuant to section 101 for the Department of Defense shall be used to initiate multi-year procurements utilizing advance procurement funding for economic order quantity procurement unless specifically appropriated later.
Sec. 103. Appropriations made by section 101 shall be available to the extent and in the manner that would be provided by the pertinent appropriations Act.
Sec. 104. Except as otherwise provided in section 102, no appropriation or funds made available or authority granted pursuant to section 101 shall be used to initiate or resume any project or activity for which appropriations, funds, or other authority were not available during fiscal year 2013.
Sec. 105. Appropriations made and authority granted pursuant to this joint resolution shall cover all obligations or expenditures incurred for any project or activity during the period for which funds or authority for such project or activity are available under this joint resolution.
Sec. 106. Unless otherwise provided for in this joint resolution or in the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal year 2014, appropriations and funds made available and authority granted pursuant to this joint resolution shall be available until whichever of the following first occurs: (1) the enactment into law of an appropriation for any project or activity provided for in this joint resolution; (2) the enactment into law of the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal year 2014 without any provision for such project or activity; or (3) January 15, 2014.
Sec. 107. Expenditures made pursuant to this joint resolution shall be charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, or authorization whenever a bill in which such applicable appropriation, fund, or authorization is contained is enacted into law.
Sec. 108. Appropriations made and funds made available by or authority granted pursuant to this joint resolution may be used without regard to the time limitations for submission and approval of apportionments set forth in section 1513 of title 31, United States Code, but nothing in this joint resolution may be construed to waive any other provision of law governing the apportionment of funds.
Sec. 109. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint resolution, except section 106, for those programs that would otherwise have high initial rates of operation or complete distribution of appropriations at the beginning of fiscal year 2014 because of distributions of funding to States, foreign countries, grantees, or others, such high initial rates of operation or complete distribution shall not be made, and no grants shall be awarded for such programs funded by this joint resolution that would impinge on final funding prerogatives.
Sec. 110. This joint resolution shall be implemented so that only the most limited funding action of that permitted in the joint resolution shall be taken in order to provide for continuation of projects and activities.
Sec. 111. (a) For entitlements and other mandatory payments whose budget authority was provided in appropriations Acts for fiscal year 2013, and for activities under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, activities shall be continued at the rate to maintain program levels under current law, under the authority and conditions provided in the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal year 2013, to be continued through the date specified in section 106(3).
(b) Notwithstanding section 106, obligations for mandatory payments due on or about the first day of any month that begins after October 2013 but not later than 30 days after the date specified in section 106(3) may continue to be made, and funds shall be available for such payments.
Sec. 112. Amounts made available under section 101 for civilian personnel compensation and benefits in each department and agency may be apportioned up to the rate for operations necessary to avoid furloughs within such department or agency, consistent with the applicable appropriations Act for fiscal year 2013, except that such authority provided under this section shall not be used until after the department or agency has taken all necessary actions to reduce or defer non-personnel-related administrative expenses.
Sec. 113. Funds appropriated by this joint resolution may be obligated and expended notwithstanding section 10 of Public Law 91–672 (22 U.S.C. 2412), section 15 of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 (22 U.S.C. 2680), section 313 of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 (22 U.S.C. 6212), and section 504(a)(1) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3094(a)(1)).
Sec. 114. (a) Each amount incorporated by reference in this joint resolution that was previously designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 or as being for disaster relief pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(D) of such Act is designated by the Congress for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of such Act or as being for disaster relief pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(D) of such Act, respectively.
(b) Of the amounts made available by section 101 for “Social Security Administration, Limitation on Administrative Expenses” for the cost associated with continuing disability reviews under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act and for the cost associated with conducting redeterminations of eligibility under title XVI of the Social Security Act, $273,000,000 is provided to meet the terms of section 251(b)(2)(B)(ii)(III) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended, and $469,639,000 is additional new budget authority specified for purposes of section 251(b)(2)(B) of such Act.

(c) Section 5 of Public Law 113–6 shall apply to amounts designated in subsection (a) for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism.
Sec. 115. (a) Employees furloughed as a result of any lapse in appropriations which begins on or about October 1, 2013, shall be compensated at their standard rate of compensation, for the period of such lapse in appropriations, as soon as practicable after such lapse in appropriations ends.
(b) For purposes of this section, “employee” means:
(1) a federal employee;

(2) an employee of the District of Columbia Courts;

(3) an employee of the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia; or

(4) a District of Columbia Government employee.

(c) All obligations incurred in anticipation of the appropriations made and authority granted by this joint resolution for the purposes of maintaining the essential level of activity to protect life and property and bringing about orderly termination of Government functions, and for purposes as otherwise authorized by law, are hereby ratified and approved if otherwise in accord with the provisions of this joint resolution.
Sec. 116. (a) If a State (or another Federal grantee) used State funds (or the grantee’s non-Federal funds) to continue carrying out a Federal program or furloughed State employees (or the grantee’s employees) whose compensation is advanced or reimbursed in whole or in part by the Federal Government—
(1) such furloughed employees shall be compensated at their standard rate of compensation for such period;

(2) the State (or such other grantee) shall be reimbursed for expenses that would have been paid by the Federal Government during such period had appropriations been available, including the cost of compensating such furloughed employees, together with interest thereon calculated under section 6503(d) of title 31, United States Code; and

(3) the State (or such other grantee) may use funds available to the State (or the grantee) under such Federal program to reimburse such State (or the grantee), together with interest thereon calculated under section 6503(d) of title 31, United States Code.

(b) For purposes of this section, the term “State” and the term “grantee” shall have the meaning as such term is defined under the applicable Federal program under subsection (a). In addition, “to continue carrying out a Federal program” means the continued performance by a State or other Federal grantee, during the period of a lapse in appropriations, of a Federal program that the State or such other grantee had been carrying out prior to the period of the lapse in appropriations.

(c) The authority under this section applies with respect to any period in fiscal year 2014 (not limited to periods beginning or ending after the date of the enactment of this joint resolution) during which there occurs a lapse in appropriations with respect to any department or agency of the Federal Government which, but for such lapse in appropriations, would have paid, or made reimbursement relating to, any of the expenses referred to in this section with respect to the program involved. Payments and reimbursements under this authority shall be made only to the extent and in amounts provided in advance in appropriations Acts.
Sec. 117. Expenditures made pursuant to the Pay Our Military Act (Public Law 113–39) shall be charged to the applicable appropriation, fund, or authorization provided in this joint resolution.
Sec. 118. For the purposes of this joint resolution, the time covered by this joint resolution shall be considered to have begun on October 1, 2013.
Sec. 119. Section 3003 of division G of Public Law 113–6 shall be applied to funds appropriated by this joint resolution by substituting “fiscal year 2014” for “fiscal year 2013” each place it appears.
Sec. 120. Section 408 of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1736b) shall be applied by substituting the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution for “December 31, 2012”.
Sec. 121. Amounts made available under section 101 for “Department of Commerce—National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—Procurement, Acquisition and Construction” may be apportioned up to the rate for operations necessary to maintain the planned launch schedules for the Joint Polar Satellite System and the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite system.
Sec. 122. The authority provided by sections 1205 and 1206 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112–81) shall continue in effect, notwithstanding subsection (h) of section 1206, through the earlier of the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution or the date of the enactment of an Act authorizing appropriations for fiscal year 2014 for military activities of the Department of Defense.
Sec. 123. Section 3(a)(6) of Public Law 100–676 is amended by striking both occurrences of “$775,000,000” and inserting in lieu thereof, “$2,918,000,000”.
Sec. 124. Section 14704 of title 40, United States Code, shall be applied to amounts made available by this joint resolution by substituting the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution for “October 1, 2012”.
Sec. 125. Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided for “The Judiciary—Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Other Judicial Services—Salaries and Expenses” at a rate of operations of $4,820,181,000: Provided, That notwithstanding section 302 of Division C, of Public Law 112–74 as continued by Public Law 113–6, not to exceed $25,000,000 shall be available for transfer between accounts to maintain minimum operating levels.
Sec. 126. Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided for “The Judiciary—Courts of Appeals, District Courts, and Other Judicial Services—Defender Services” at a rate for operations of $1,012,000,000.
Sec. 127. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint resolution, the District of Columbia may expend local funds under the heading “District of Columbia Funds” for such programs and activities under title IV of H.R. 2786 (113th Congress), as reported by the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives, at the rate set forth under “District of Columbia Funds—Summary of Expenses” as included in the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Request Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20–127), as modified as of the date of the enactment of this joint resolution.
Sec. 128. Section 302 of the Universal Service Anti-deficiency Temporary Suspension Act is amended by striking “December 31, 2013”, each place it appears and inserting “January 15, 2014”.
Sec. 129. Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided for the “Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board” at a rate for operations of $3,100,000.
Sec. 130. For the period covered by this joint resolution, section 550(b) of Public Law 109–295 (6 U.S.C. 121 note) shall be applied by substituting the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution for “October 4, 2013”.
Sec. 131. The authority provided by section 532 of Public Law 109–295 shall continue in effect through the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution.
Sec. 132. The authority provided by section 831 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 391) shall continue in effect through the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution.
Sec. 133. (a) Any amounts made available pursuant to section 101 for “Department of Homeland Security—U.S. Customs and Border Protection—Salaries and Expenses”, “Department of Homeland Security—U.S. Customs and Border Protection—Border Security Fencing, Infrastructure, and Technology”, “Department of Homeland Security—U.S. Customs and Border Protection—Air and Marine Operations”, and “Department of Homeland Security—U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement—Salaries and Expenses” shall be obligated at a rate for operations as necessary to respectively—
(1) sustain the staffing levels of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officers, equivalent to the staffing levels achieved on September 30, 2013, and comply with the last proviso under the heading “Department of Homeland Security—U.S. Customs and Border Protection—Salaries and Expenses” in division D of Public Law 113–6;

(2) sustain border security operations, including sustaining the operation of Tethered Aerostat Radar Systems;

(3) sustain necessary Air and Marine operations; and

(4) sustain the staffing levels of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, equivalent to the staffing levels achieved on September 30, 2013, and comply with the sixth proviso under the heading “Department of Homeland Security—U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement—Salaries and Expenses” in division D of Public Law 113–6.

(b) The Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate on each use of the authority provided in this section.
Sec. 134. Section 810 of the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act (16 U.S.C. 6809) shall be applied by substituting “11 years” for “10 years”.
Sec. 135. In addition to the amount otherwise provided by section 101 for “Department of the Interior—Department-wide Programs—Wildland Fire Management”, there is appropriated $36,000,000 for an additional amount for fiscal year 2014, to remain available until expended, for urgent wildland fire suppression activities: Provided, That of the funds provided, $15,000,000 is for burned area rehabilitation: Provided further, That such funds shall only become available if funds previously provided for wildland fire suppression will be exhausted imminently and the Secretary of the Interior notifies the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate in writing of the need for these additional funds: Provided further, That such funds are also available for transfer to other appropriations accounts to repay amounts previously transferred for wildfire suppression.
Sec. 136. In addition to the amount otherwise provided by section 101 for “Department of Agriculture—Forest Service—Wildland Fire Management”, there is appropriated $600,000,000 for an additional amount for fiscal year 2014, to remain available until expended, for urgent wildland fire suppression activities: Provided, That such funds shall only become available if funds previously provided for wildland fire suppression will be exhausted imminently and the Secretary of Agriculture notifies the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate in writing of the need for these additional funds: Provided further, That such funds are also available for transfer to other appropriations accounts to repay amounts previously transferred for wildfire suppression.
Sec. 137. The authority provided by section 347 of the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 (as contained in section 101(e) of division A of Public Law 105–27716 U.S.C. 2104 note) shall continue in effect through the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution.
Sec. 138. (a) The authority provided by subsection (m)(3) of section 8162 of the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2000 (40 U.S.C. 8903 note; Public Law 106–79), as amended, shall continue in effect through the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution.
(b) For the period covered by this joint resolution, the authority provided by the provisos under the heading “Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission—Capital Construction” in division E of Public Law 112–74 shall not be in effect.
Sec. 139. Activities authorized under part A of title IV and section 1108(b) of the Social Security Act (except for activities authorized in section 403(b)) shall continue through the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution in the manner authorized for fiscal year 2013, and out of any money in the Treasury of the United States not otherwise appropriated, there are hereby appropriated such sums as may be necessary for such purpose.
Sec. 140. Notwithstanding section 101, the matter under the heading “Department of Labor—Mine Safety and Health Administration—Salaries and Expenses” in division F of Public Law 112–74 shall be applied to funds appropriated by this joint resolution by substituting “is authorized to collect and retain up to $2,499,000” for “may retain up to $1,499,000”.
Sec. 141. The first proviso under the heading “Department of Health and Human Services—Administration for Children and Families—Low Income Home Energy Assistance” in division F of Public Law 112–74 shall be applied to amounts made available by this joint resolution by substituting “2014” for “2012”.
Sec. 142. Amounts provided by section 101 for “Department of Health and Human Services—Administration for Children and Families—Refugee and Entrant Assistance” may be obligated up to a rate for operations necessary to maintain program operations at the level provided in fiscal year 2013, as necessary to accommodate increased demand.
Sec. 143. During the period covered by this joint resolution, amounts provided under section 101 for “Department of Health and Human Services—Office of the Secretary—Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund” may be obligated at a rate necessary to assure timely execution of planned advanced research and development contracts pursuant to section 319L of the Public Health Service Act, to remain available until expended, for expenses necessary to support advanced research and development pursuant to section 319L of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d–7e) and other administrative expenses of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.
Sec. 144. Subsection (b) of section 163 of Public Law 111–242, as amended, is further amended by striking “2013–2014” and inserting “2015–2016”.
Sec. 145. Notwithstanding any other provision of this joint resolution, there is appropriated for payment to Bonnie Englebardt Lautenberg, widow of Frank R. Lautenberg, late a Senator from New Jersey, $174,000.
Sec. 146. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no adjustment shall be made under section 610(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 31) (relating to cost of living adjustments for Members of Congress) during fiscal year 2014.
Sec. 147. Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided for “Department of Veterans Affairs—Departmental Administration—General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration” at a rate for operations of $2,455,490,000.
Sec. 148. The authority provided by the penultimate proviso under the heading “Department of Housing and Urban Development—Rental Assistance Demonstration” in division C of Public Law 112–55 shall continue in effect through the date specified in section 106(3) of this joint resolution.
Sec. 149. Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided for “Department of Transportation—Federal Aviation Administration—Operations”, at a rate for operations of $9,248,418,000.
Sec. 150. Section 601(e)(1)(B) of division B of Public Law 110–432 shall be applied by substituting the date specified in section 106(3) for “4 years after such date”.
Sec. 151. Notwithstanding section 101, amounts are provided for “Maritime Administration—Maritime Security Program”, at a rate for operations of $186,000,000.
Sec. 152. Section 44302 of title 49, United States Code, is amended in paragraph (f) by deleting “September 30, 2013, and may extend through December 31, 2013” and inserting “the date specified in section 106(3) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014” in lieu thereof.
Sec. 153. Section 44303 of title 49, United States Code, is amended in paragraph (b) by deleting “December 31, 2013” and inserting “the date specified in section 106(3) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014” in lieu thereof.
Sec. 154. Section 44310 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by deleting “December 31, 2013” and inserting “the date specified in section 106(3) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014” in lieu thereof.
Sec. 155. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Transportation may obligate not more than $450,000,000 of the amounts made available to carry out section 125 of title 23, United States Code, under chapter 9 of title X of division A of the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, 2013 (Public Law 113–2; 127 Stat. 34) under the heading “EMERGENCY RELIEF PROGRAM” under the heading “FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS” under the heading “Federal Highway Administration” for emergency relief projects in the State of Colorado arising from damage caused by flooding events in that State in calendar year 2013:Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Sec. 156. Notwithstanding any other provision of this division, any reference in this division to “this joint resolution” shall be deemed a reference to “this Act”.
Sec. 157. Fourteen days after the Department of Homeland Security submits a report or expenditure plan required under this division to the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and House of Representatives, the Secretary shall submit a copy of that report to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives.

DIVISION BOTHER MATTERS
verification of household income and other qualifications for the provision of aca premium and cost-sharing subsidies
Sec. 1001. (a) In General.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this section as the “Secretary”) shall ensure that American Health Benefit Exchanges verify that individuals applying for premium tax credits under section 36B of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and reductions in cost-sharing under section 1402 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (42 U.S.C. 18071) are eligible for such credits and cost sharing reductions consistent with the requirements of section 1411 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 18081), and, prior to making such credits and reductions available, the Secretary shall certify to the Congress that the Exchanges verify such eligibility consistent with the requirements of such Act.
(b) Report By Secretary.—Not later than January 1, 2014, the Secretary shall submit a report to the Congress that details the procedures employed by American Health Benefit Exchanges to verify eligibility for credits and cost-sharing reductions described in subsection (a).

(c) Report By Inspector General.—Not later than July 1, 2014, the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Congress a report regarding the effectiveness of the procedures and safeguards provided under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for preventing the submission of inaccurate or fraudulent information by applicants for enrollment in a qualified health plan offered through an American Health Benefit Exchange.
default prevention
Sec. 1002. (a) Short Title.—This section may be cited as the “Default Prevention Act of 2013”.
(b) Certification.—Not later than 3 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the President may submit to Congress a written certification that absent a suspension of the limit under section 3101(b) of title 31, United States Code, the Secretary of the Treasury would be unable to issue debt to meet existing commitments.

(c) Suspension.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3101(b) of title 31, United States Code, shall not apply for the period beginning on the date on which the President submits to Congress a certification under subsection (b) and ending on February 7, 2014.

(2) SPECIAL RULE RELATING TO OBLIGATIONS ISSUED DURING SUSPENSION PERIOD.—Effective February 8, 2014, the limitation in section 3101(b) of title 31, United States Code, as increased by section 3101A of such title and section 2 of the No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 (31 U.S.C. 3101 note), is increased to the extent that—
(A) the face amount of obligations issued under chapter 31 of such title and the face amount of obligations whose principal and interest are guaranteed by the United States Government (except guaranteed obligations held by the Secretary of the Treasury) outstanding on February 8, 2014, exceeds

(B) the face amount of such obligations outstanding on the date of enactment of this Act.
An obligation shall not be taken into account under subparagraph (A) unless the issuance of such obligation was necessary to fund a commitment incurred by the Federal Government that required payment before February 8, 2014.

(d) Disapproval.—If there is enacted into law within 22 calendar days after Congress receives a written certification by the President under subsection (b) a joint resolution disapproving the President’s exercise of authority to suspend the debt ceiling under subsection (e), effective on the date of enactment of the joint resolution, subsection (c) is amended to read as follows:
“(c) Suspension.—
“(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3101(b) of title 31, United States Code, shall not apply for the period beginning on the date on which the President submits to Congress a certification under subsection (b) and ending on the date of enactment of the joint resolution pursuant to section 1002(e) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014.

“(2) SPECIAL RULE RELATING TO OBLIGATIONS ISSUED DURING SUSPENSION PERIOD.—Effective on the day after the date of enactment of the joint resolution pursuant to section 1002(e) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014, the limitation in section 3101(b) of title 31, United States Code, as increased by section 3101A of such title and section 2 of the No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 (31 U.S.C. 3101 note), is increased to the extent that—
“(A) the face amount of obligations issued under chapter 31 of such title and the face amount of obligations whose principal and interest are guaranteed by the United States Government (except guaranteed obligations held by the Secretary of the Treasury) outstanding on the day after the date of enactment of the joint resolution pursuant to section 1002(e) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014, exceeds

“(B) the face amount of such obligations outstanding on the date of enactment of this Act.
An obligation shall not be taken into account under subparagraph (A) unless the issuance of such obligation was necessary to fund a commitment incurred by the Federal Government that required payment before the day after the date of enactment of the joint resolution pursuant to section 1002(e) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014.”.

(e) Disapproval Process.—
(1) CONTENTS OF JOINT RESOLUTION.—For the purpose of this subsection, the term “joint resolution” means only a joint resolution—
(A) disapproving the President’s exercise of authority to suspend the debt limit that is introduced within 14 calendar days after the date on which the President submits to Congress the certification under subsection (b);

(B) which does not have a preamble;

(C) the title of which is only as follows: “Joint resolution relating to the disapproval of the President's exercise of authority to suspend the debt limit, as submitted under section 1002(b) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014 on _____” (with the blank containing the date of such submission); and

(D) the matter after the resolving clause of which is only as follows: “That Congress disapproves of the President's exercise of authority to suspend the debt limit, as exercised pursuant to the certification under section 1002(b) of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014.”.

(2) EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.—
(A) REPORTING AND DISCHARGE.—Any committee of the House of Representatives to which a joint resolution is referred shall report it to the House of Representatives without amendment not later than 5 calendar days after the date of introduction of a joint resolution described in paragraph (1). If a committee fails to report the joint resolution within that period, the committee shall be discharged from further consideration of the joint resolution and the joint resolution shall be referred to the appropriate calendar.

(B) PROCEEDING TO CONSIDERATION.—After each committee authorized to consider a joint resolution reports it to the House of Representatives or has been discharged from its consideration, it shall be in order, not later than the sixth day after introduction of a joint resolution under paragraph (1), to move to proceed to consider the joint resolution in the House of Representatives. All points of order against the motion are waived. Such a motion shall not be in order after the House of Representatives has disposed of a motion to proceed on a joint resolution. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the motion to its adoption without intervening motion. The motion shall not be debatable. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is disposed of shall not be in order.

(C) CONSIDERATION.—The joint resolution shall be considered as read. All points of order against the joint resolution and against its consideration are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the joint resolution to its passage without intervening motion except 2 hours of debate equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. A motion to reconsider the vote on passage of the joint resolution shall not be in order.

(3) EXPEDITED PROCEDURE IN SENATE.—
(A) RECONVENING.—Upon receipt of a certification under subsection (b), if the Senate would otherwise be adjourned, the majority leader of the Senate, after consultation with the minority leader of the Senate, shall notify the Members of the Senate that, pursuant to this subsection, the Senate shall convene not later than the thirteenth calendar day after receipt of such certification.

(B) PLACEMENT ON CALENDAR.—Upon introduction in the Senate, the joint resolution shall be immediately placed on the calendar.

(C) FLOOR CONSIDERATION.—
(i) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate, it is in order at any time during the period beginning on the day after the date on which Congress receives a certification under subsection (b) and ending on the 6th day after the date of introduction of a joint resolution under paragraph (1) (even if a previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to) to move to proceed to the consideration of the joint resolution, and all points of order against the joint resolution (and against consideration of the joint resolution) are waived. The motion to proceed is not debatable. The motion is not subject to a motion to postpone. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed to the consideration of the joint resolution is agreed to, the joint resolution shall remain the unfinished business until disposed of.

(ii) CONSIDERATION.—Consideration of the joint resolution, and on all debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith, shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, which shall be divided equally between the majority and minority leaders or their designees. A motion further to limit debate is in order and not debatable. An amendment to, or a motion to postpone, or a motion to proceed to the consideration of other business, or a motion to recommit the joint resolution is not in order.

(iii) VOTE ON PASSAGE.—If the Senate has voted to proceed to a joint resolution, the vote on passage of the joint resolution shall occur immediately following the conclusion of consideration of the joint resolution, and a single quorum call at the conclusion of the debate if requested in accordance with the rules of the Senate.

(iv) RULINGS OF THE CHAIR ON PROCEDURE.—Appeals from the decisions of the Chair relating to the application of the rules of the Senate, as the case may be, to the procedure relating to a joint resolution shall be decided without debate.

(4) AMENDMENT NOT IN ORDER.—A joint resolution of disapproval considered pursuant to this subsection shall not be subject to amendment in either the House of Representatives or the Senate.

(5) COORDINATION WITH ACTION BY OTHER HOUSE.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—If, before passing the joint resolution, one House receives from the other a joint resolution—
(i) the joint resolution of the other House shall not be referred to a committee; and

(ii) the procedure in the receiving House shall be the same as if no joint resolution had been received from the other House, except that the vote on passage shall be on the joint resolution of the other House.

(B) TREATMENT OF JOINT RESOLUTION OF OTHER HOUSE.—If the Senate fails to introduce or consider a joint resolution under this subsection, the joint resolution of the House of Representatives shall be entitled to expedited floor procedures under this subsection.

(C) TREATMENT OF COMPANION MEASURES.—If, following passage of the joint resolution in the Senate, the Senate then receives the companion measure from the House of Representatives, the companion measure shall not be debatable.

(D) CONSIDERATION AFTER PASSAGE.—
(i) IN GENERAL.—If Congress passes a joint resolution, the period beginning on the date the President is presented with the joint resolution and ending on the date the President signs, allows to become law without his signature, or vetoes and returns the joint resolution (but excluding days when either House is not in session) shall be disregarded in computing the calendar day period described in subsection (d).

(ii) DEBATE ON A VETO MESSAGE.—Debate on a veto message in the Senate under this subsection shall be 1 hour equally divided between the majority and minority leaders or their designees.

(6) RULES OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATE.—This subsection is enacted by Congress—
(A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively, and as such it is deemed a part of the rules of each House, respectively, but applicable only with respect to the procedure to be followed in that House in the case of a joint resolution, and it supersedes other rules only to the extent that it is inconsistent with such rules; and

(B) with full recognition of the constitutional right of either House to change the rules (so far as relating to the procedure of that House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of that House.
This Act may be cited as the “Continuing Appropriations Act, 2014”.
Attest:




Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Attest:
Obama Failed America

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