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Title 20 — EducationRelease 119-73not60

§1226a Contingent Extension of Programs

Title 20 › Chapter 31— GENERAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING EDUCATION › Subchapter II— APPROPRIATIONS AND EVALUATIONS › Part 1— Appropriations › § 1226a

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

If a program’s authorization or time limit is about to end, it is automatically extended for one additional fiscal year unless Congress passes a law in the regular session that ends before that final fiscal year to extend or cancel it. The extra year gets the same amount of authorized funding as the program’s final fiscal year. If the Secretary must take actions or make decisions in that final year to keep the program going, those actions or decisions must be done during the automatic extra year. This does not apply to a commission, council, or committee that a law says must end on a specific date.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §1226a

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The authorization of appropriations for, or duration of, an applicable program shall be automatically extended for one additional fiscal year unless Congress, in the regular session that ends prior to the beginning of the terminal fiscal year of such authorization or duration, has passed legislation that becomes law and extends or repeals the authorization or duration of such program.
(b)The amount authorized to be appropriated for the period of automatic extension under subsection (a) of an applicable program shall be the amount authorized to be appropriated for such program for the terminal fiscal year of the applicable program.
(c)If the Secretary is required, in the terminal fiscal year of an applicable program, to carry out certain acts or make certain determinations that are necessary for the continuation of such program, such acts or determinations shall be required to be carried out or made during the period of automatic extension under subsection (a).
(d)This section shall not apply to the authorization of appropriations for a commission, council, or committee which is required by an applicable statute to terminate on a date certain.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 422 of Pub. L. 90–247 was renumbered section 431, and is classified to section 1231a of this title. Another prior section 422 of Pub. L. 90–247 was renumbered section 438, and is classified to section 1232a of this title.

Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–382, § 233, amended section generally, revising and restating former subsecs. (a) and (b) as subsecs. (a) to (c) and adding subsec. (d). 1980—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 96–374 inserted provisions for the automatic extension of an authorization or duration of two additional fiscal years for any applicable program authorized to be included in the Appropriation Act for the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year for which appropriations are available for obligation.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1980 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 96–374 effective Oct. 1, 1980, see section 1393(a) of Pub. L. 96–374, set out as a note under section 1001 of this title. Additional Extensions Not Permitted Pub. L. 114–105, § 2(c), Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 2220, provided that: “section 422 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1226a) shall not apply to further extend the duration of the authority under paragraph (1) of section 461(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087aa(b)), as amended by subsection (a)(1) of this section, beyond
September 30, 2017, on the basis of the extension under such subsection.” Indochinese Refugee Children Education Assistance Programs; Applicability of Contingent Extension ProvisionsApplicability of contingent extension provisions to any program of financial assistance for educational purposes for Indochinese refugee children, see section 327 of Pub. L. 94–482, set out as a note under section 1225 of this title. Limitation on Extension of Programs Pub. L. 94–328, § 2(d),
June 30, 1976, 90 Stat. 727, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by this section [amending section 1070a, 1074, 1078 and 1078a of this title] shall not be deemed to authorize the automatic extension of the programs so amended, under section 414 [now 422] of the General Education Provisions Act [this section], beyond the date specified in such

Amendments

.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 1226a

Title 20 — Education

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60