II
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1647
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
August 7, 2009
Mr. Reed (for himself, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Schumer, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Levin, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Brown, Mr. Begich, Mr. Burris, and Mr. Franken) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance
A BILL
To provide for additional emergency unemployment compensation, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as
the Assistance for Unemployed Workers
Extension Act
.
Extension of emergency unemployment compensation program
In general
Section 4007 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110–252; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note), as amended by section 4 of the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–449; 122 Stat. 5015) and section 2001(a) of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act (Public Law 111–5; 123 Stat. 436), is amended—
by striking
December 31, 2009
each place it appears and inserting
December 31, 2010
;
in the heading for
subsection (b)(2), by striking december 31, 2009
and inserting
december 31,
2010
; and
in subsection
(b)(3), by striking May 31, 2010
and inserting May 31,
2011
.
Financing provisions
Section 4004(e)(1) of such Act, as added by section
2001(b) of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act
(Public Law 111–5; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note), is amended by inserting and
section 2(a) of the Assistance for Unemployed
Workers Extension Act
after Act
.
Effective date
The amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008.
Extension of increase in unemployment compensation benefits
In general
Section 2002(e) of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act (Public Law 111–5; 123 Stat. 438) is amended—
in paragraph
(1)(B), by striking January 1, 2010
and inserting January
1, 2011
;
in the heading
for paragraph (2), by striking january 1, 2010
and inserting
january 1,
2011
; and
in paragraph (3),
by striking June 30, 2010
and inserting June 30,
2011
.
Effective date
The amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act.
Third-tier benefits
In general
Section 4002 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110–252; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note), as amended by section 3 of the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–449; 122 Stat. 5014), is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
Third tier of benefits
In general
If, at the time that the amount added to an individual’s account under subsection (c)(1) (in this subsection referred to as additional emergency unemployment compensation) is exhausted or at any time thereafter, such individual’s State is in an extended benefit period (as determined under paragraph (2)), such account shall be further augmented by an amount (in this subsection referred to as further additional emergency unemployment compensation) equal to the lesser of—
50 percent of the total amount of regular compensation (including dependents’ allowances) payable to the individual during the individual’s benefit year under the State law; or
13 times the individual’s average weekly benefit amount (as determined under subsection (b)(2)) for the benefit year.
Extended benefit period
For purposes of paragraph (1), a State shall be considered to be in an extended benefit period, as of any given time, if—
such a period would then be in effect for such State under the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970 if section 203(d) of such Act—
were applied by
substituting 6
for 5
each place it appears;
and
did not include the requirement under paragraph (1)(A) thereof; or
such a period would then be in effect for such State under such Act if—
section 203(f) of such Act were applied to such State (regardless of whether the State by law had provided for such application); and
such section 203(f)—
were applied by
substituting 8.5
for 6.5
in paragraph (1)(A)(i)
thereof; and
did not include the requirement under paragraph (1)(A)(ii) thereof.
Coordination rule
Notwithstanding an election under section 4001(e) by a State to provide for the payment of emergency unemployment compensation prior to extended compensation, such State may pay extended compensation to an otherwise eligible individual prior to any further additional emergency unemployment compensation, if such individual claimed extended compensation for at least 1 week of unemployment after the exhaustion of additional emergency unemployment compensation.
Limitation
The account of an individual may be augmented not more than once under this subsection.
.
Conforming amendments
Section 4007(b)(2) of such Act, as amended by section 3, is amended—
by striking
then section 4002(c)
and inserting then subsections (c)
and (d) of section 4002
; and
by striking
paragraph (2) of such section)
and inserting paragraph
(2) of such subsection (c) or (d) (as the case may be))
.
Effective date
In general
Subject to paragraph (2), the amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008.
Additional benefits
In applying the amendments made by this section, any additional emergency unemployment compensation made payable by such amendment (which would not otherwise have been payable if such amendment had not been enacted) shall be payable only with respect to any week of unemployment beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.
Extension of full Federal funding of extended unemployment compensation for a limited period
In general
Section 2005 of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act (Public Law 111–5; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended—
by striking
January 1, 2010
each place it appears and inserting
January 1, 2011
; and
in subsection
(c), by striking June 1, 2010
and inserting June 1,
2011
.
Extension of temporary Federal matching for the first week of extended benefits for States with no waiting week
Section 5 of the Unemployment Compensation
Extension Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–449; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note), as amended by
section 2005(d) of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling
Families Act (Public Law 111–5; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note), is amended by striking
May 30, 2010
and inserting May 30, 2011
.
Effective dates
In general
The amendments made by subsection (a) shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act.
First week
The amendment made by subsection (b) shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Unemployment Compensation Extension Act of 2008.
Additional extended unemployment benefits under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act
Benefits
Section 2(c)(2)(D) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, as added by section 2006 of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act (Public Law 111–5; 123 Stat. 445), is amended—
in clause (iii)—
by striking June 30, 2009
and inserting June 30, 2010
;
by striking December 31,
2009
and inserting December 31, 2010
; and
by adding at the end of clause (iv) the
following: In addition to the amount appropriated by the preceding
sentence, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there
are appropriated $175,000,000 to cover the cost of additional extended
unemployment benefits provided under this subparagraph, to remain available
until expended.
.
Administrative expenses
Section 2006(b) of
the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act (Public Law
111–5; 123 Stat. 445) is amended by adding at the end the following: In
addition to funds appropriated by the preceding sentence, out of any funds in
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there are appropriated to the Railroad
Retirement Board $807,000 to cover the administrative expenses associated with
the payment of additional extended unemployment benefits under section
2(c)(2)(D) of the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, to remain available
until expended.
.
Effective date
The amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act.