{
  "id": "R43246",
  "type": "CRS Report",
  "typeId": "REPORTS",
  "number": "R43246",
  "active": true,
  "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
  "versions": [
    {
      "source": "EveryCRSReport.com",
      "id": 424824,
      "date": "2013-10-02",
      "retrieved": "2016-04-06T20:55:01.812901",
      "title": "Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Appropriations Process: FAQs Regarding Potential Legislative Changes and Effects of a Government Shutdown",
      "summary": "Congress has yet to complete legislative action on any of the 12 regular appropriations bills to fund the routine operations of federal agencies for FY2014, which began on October 1, 2013. Moreover, lawmakers have been unable to agree on a continuing appropriations bill, or continuing resolution (CR), to provide funding for part or all of the new fiscal year. As a result, the federal government has begun a shutdown of programs that lack budget authority to continue operations in FY2014, except in certain circumstances.\nCongress is deeply divided over implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), the health reform law enacted in March 2010. Some lawmakers opposed to the ACA have advocated the use of the appropriations process to eliminate funding for the law or to delay its implementation. On September 20, 2013, the House approved an FY2014 CR (H.J.Res. 59) to provide temporary funding for the federal government until December 15, 2013. H.J.Res. 59, as passed by the House, incorporated language that would prohibit the use of any federal funds to carry out the ACA. The Senate amendment to H.J.Res. 59 did not incorporate the House ACA defunding language. The House then proposed changes to the Senate amendment to delay the ACA\u2019s implementation, but the Senate rejected those changes. With the two chambers unable to reach agreement on H.J.Res. 59 by October 1, 2013, the government commenced a partial shutdown of its operations.\nThe Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has posted agency shutdown plans (also called contingency plans) on its website. These plans may be modified and re-posted. Some press outlets have reported on the contents of these plans and their potential implications for agency activities.\nThe current legislative debate over using the FY2014 appropriations process to defund or delay implementation of the ACA has prompted a number of questions about the law\u2019s core health reform provisions and how their implementation affects federal spending. Questions have also been raised about the legislative actions already taken by lawmakers to amend the ACA, and about the various legal and procedural considerations arising from the current efforts to use the appropriations process to defund or delay the law. Finally, there is the question of what impact a government shutdown will have on ACA implementation. This report, which will be revised and updated to reflect key legislative developments, provides brief answers to these questions.",
      "type": "CRS Report",
      "typeId": "REPORTS",
      "active": true,
      "formats": [
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          "encoding": "utf-8",
          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43246",
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          "filename": "files/20131002_R43246_ab6309d79a8f2f982bfbf05c280291706cba6145.html",
          "images": null
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          "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43246",
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      ],
      "topics": []
    }
  ],
  "topics": [
    "American Law",
    "Appropriations",
    "Health Policy",
    "Legislative Process",
    "National Defense"
  ]
}