S. 1761

119 S1761 IS: Ending Unemployment Payments to Jobless Millionaires Act of 2025
 U.S. Senate
 2025-05-14
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
 II
 119th CONGRESS   1st Session
 S. 1761
 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
 May 14, 2025
  Ms. Ernst  (for herself and  Mr. Curtis ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the  Committee on Finance
 A BILL
To end unemployment payments to jobless millionaires.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Ending Unemployment Payments to Jobless Millionaires Act of 2025  .
2.
Ending unemployment payments to jobless millionaires
(a)
Prohibition on use of Federal funds
(1)
In general
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Federal funds may be used—
(A)
to make payments of unemployment compensation benefits under an unemployment compensation program of the United States in a year to an individual whose wages during the individual’s base period are equal to or exceed $1,000,000; or
(B)
for any administrative costs associated with making payments described in subparagraph (A).
(2)
Compliance
(A)
Self-certification
Any application for unemployment compensation under an unemployment compensation program of the United States shall include a form or procedure for an individual applicant to certify that such individual’s wages during the individual’s base period do not equal or exceed $1,000,000.
(B)
Verification
Each State agency that is responsible for administering any unemployment compensation program of the United States shall utilize available systems to verify wage eligibility by assessing claimant income to the degree possible.
(3)
Audits
The certifications required by paragraph (2) shall be auditable by the Department of Labor or the Government Accountability Office.
(4)
Recovery of overpayments
Each State agency that is responsible for administering any unemployment compensation program of the United States shall require individuals who have received amounts of unemployment compensation under such a program to which they were not entitled to repay such amounts.
(5)
Effective date
The prohibition under paragraph (1) shall apply to weeks of unemployment beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
(b)
Prohibition on imposing limits on States
The Secretary of Labor shall not promulgate any regulation or issue any guidance that would limit a State’s ability to disqualify an individual from receiving unemployment compensation on the basis that such individual has wages during the individual’s base period that are equal or exceed $1,000,000.
(c)
Unemployment compensation program of the United States defined
In this section, the term  unemployment compensation program of the United States  means—
(1)
unemployment compensation for Federal civilian employees under subchapter I of  chapter 85  of title 5, United States Code;
(2)
unemployment compensation for ex-servicemembers under subchapter II of  chapter 85  of title 5, United States Code;
(3)
extended benefits under the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 ( 26 U.S.C. 3304  note);
(4)
any Federal temporary extension of unemployment compensation;
(5)
any Federal program that increases the weekly amount of unemployment compensation payable to individuals; and
(6)
any other Federal program providing for the payment of unemployment compensation, as determined by the Secretary of Labor.