SUSPENSION OF PROGRAM BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO APPOINT DIRECTOR.

SEC. 578. SUSPENSION OF PROGRAM BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO APPOINT DIRECTOR. (a) In General.—If, upon the expiration of the 12-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the initial appointment to the office of Director has not been made, the operation of the program under subtitle A shall immediately be suspended and such provisions shall not have any force or effect during the period that ends upon the making of such appointment. (b) Interim applicability of demonstration program.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, during the period referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary shall carry out sections 211 and 212 of the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1997. For purposes of applying such sections pursuant to the authority under this section, the term “expiring contract” shall have the meaning given in such sections, except that such term shall also include any contract for project-based assistance under section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 that expires during the period that the program is suspended under subsection (a).