The BALL Act (White House Building Activities Locked-out in Lapse Act) is a straightforward rule about what can happen at the White House when the government shuts down due to a budget dispute. Normally, when Congress can't agree on a budget and federal funding stops, most government activities pause. This bill says that construction and renovation projects at the White House must also stop during these shutdowns—no building, remodeling, or repairs can happen using federal money. The only exception is for work that directly addresses health or safety emergencies, like fixing a dangerous electrical problem or repairing a structural hazard that could hurt people. In practical terms, this means that if there's a government shutdown, any planned renovations or construction projects at the White House get put on hold until Congress passes a new budget and funding resumes. It's a way of ensuring that the White House follows the same spending restrictions as the rest of the government during budget disputes.

BALL Act

Takano, Mark

White House Building Activities Locked-out in Lapse Act or the BALL ActThis bill prohibits federal funds from being&nbsp;used for construction or renovation in the White House, on White House grounds, or within any structure on White House grounds during a lapse in appropriations for a fiscal year (i.e., government shutdown) unless the&nbsp;construction or renovation is directly related to matters of health or safety.