By law, “up to” $50 million per year for the years in question may be approved for use by the Secretary and accordingly, within that cap, the only funds that will be considered available to pay claims will be that amount approved by the Secretary. Nothing in these regulations will limit the ability of the Secretary to restrict the availability of funds for the program as permitted by the relevant legislation. Payments will not be made for claims arising out of a particular year until, for all claims for that year, the time for applying for a payment has passed. In the event that, within the limits of the funding made available by the Secretary within the statutory cap, approval of eligible applications would result in expenditures in excess of the amount available, FSA will prorate the available funds by a national factor to reduce the total expected payments to the amount made available by the Secretary. FSA will make payments based on the factor for the national rate determined by FSA. FSA will prorate the payments in such manner as it determines appropriate and reasonable. Claims that are unpaid or prorated for a calendar year for any reason will not be carried forward for payment under other funds for later years or otherwise, but will be considered, as to any unpaid amount, void and nonpayable.