Bills · S 1761
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
Senate BillS 1761Labor and Employment
Ending Unemployment Payments to Jobless Millionaires Act of 2025
INTRO MAY 14· LAST ACTION MAY 14
READING
3MIN
COSPONSORS
2BIPARTISAN
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed Senate
Passed House
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it changes who can receive federal unemployment benefits, focusing resources on those with lower past incomes. If it becomes law, it would ensure that federal funds intended to help people transition between jobs are not used for individuals who have demonstrated a high earning capacity, which some argue might make the system fairer and more fiscally responsible.
Without this bill, individuals with very high past earnings could still collect federal unemployment benefits, which critics argue is not the best use of public funds given the purpose of unemployment insurance is to provide a safety net. Its passage would solidify the idea that unemployment benefits are primarily for those experiencing significant financial disruption, rather than a general income replacement for all unemployed individuals regardless of their previous earnings.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Stops federal funds from being used to pay unemployment benefits to individuals whose wages were $1,000,000 or more in their base period.
This directly targets the bill's main goal of preventing high-income earners from receiving federal unemployment payments.
PROVISION 02
Requires unemployment applicants to self-certify that their wages during their base period did not equal or exceed $1,000,000.
This creates a mechanism for states to implement the new eligibility requirement at the point of application.
PROVISION 03
Requires State agencies to use available systems to verify wage eligibility for unemployment compensation applicants.
This adds a layer of oversight beyond self-certification to ensure compliance and prevent improper payments.
PROVISION 04
Mandates that State agencies recover any unemployment overpayments made to individuals who were not entitled to receive them.
This ensures accountability and the recovery of funds paid out incorrectly under the new rules.
PROVISION 05
Prevents the Secretary of Labor from limiting a State's ability to disqualify individuals with $1,000,000 or more in base period wages from receiving unemployment compensation.
This ensures that states have the flexibility to implement or maintain similar high-income cutoffs for unemployment benefits.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 2
R· Iowa
YRS IN OFFICE
11
BILLS LED
99
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 100%
DEM 1 REP 1 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSMAY 14
Introduced in Senate
MAY 14
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
BILL INFO
TypeSenate Bill
NumberS 1761
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedMay 14, 2025
Last actionMay 14, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · FINANCE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED MAY 14, 2025
Senate BillS 1761Labor and Employment
Ending Unemployment Payments to Jobless Millionaires Act of 2025
INTRODUCED MAY 14, 2025· LAST ACTION MAY 14, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
3 min
COSPONSORS
2
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
