Skip to main content

Questions Regarding Department of Labor Appropriations Under Continuing Resolution

B-194063 May 04, 1979
Jump To:
Skip to Highlights

Highlights

Two questions were raised concerning the availability of funds appropriated to the Department of Labor under the Continuing Resolution for fiscal year (FY) 1979. The Continuing Resolution provides that funds will be available for 1 year, whereas the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) specifically provides that funds will be appropriated over a 2-year period. It was held that the general provision covering about 20 acts under the Continuing Resolution does not specifically limit the availability of CETA funds to 1 year. The statutory rule is that the more recent of conflicting provisions is controlling; therefore, the CETA provision that extended the authorization for CETA programs, making funds available for 2 years, would prevail over the Continuing Resolution. The second question involved the phrase in the Continuing Resolution which appropriated funds for continuing activities under the Older Americans Act at a rate for operating not in excess of the current rate. It was the position of Labor that this phrase should be interpreted as appropriating sufficient funds to enable the program to employ, at the increased minimum wage, the same number of persons in FY 1979 as in 1978. GAO held that the term current rate means that the total funds appropriated in 1979 will be the same as in 1978, even though it may not be possible to continue with the same level of program activity in 1979 as in 1978. If Congress desires the program to employ the same number of persons as in 1978, a supplemental appropriation will be necessary.

Downloads

GAO Contacts

Office of Public Affairs