S 1647

S 1647 IS

To provide for additional emergency unemployment compensation, and for other purposes.

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

To provide for additional emergency unemployment compensation, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ‘Assistance for Unemployed Workers Extension Act’.

SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF EMERGENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION PROGRAM.

(a) 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--

(1) by striking ‘December 31, 2009’ each place it appears and inserting ‘December 31, 2010’;

(2) in the heading for subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘DECEMBER 31, 2009’ and inserting ‘DECEMBER 31, 2010’; and

(3) in subsection (b)(3), by striking ‘May 31, 2010’ and inserting ‘May 31, 2011’.

(b) 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’.

(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall take effect as if included in the enactment of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008.

SEC. 3. EXTENSION OF INCREASE IN UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION BENEFITS.

(a) In General- Section 2002(e) of the Assistance for Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act (Public Law 111-5; 123 Stat. 438) is amended--

(1) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ‘January 1, 2010’ and inserting ‘January 1, 2011’;

(2) in the heading for paragraph (2), by striking ‘JANUARY 1, 2010’ and inserting ‘JANUARY 1, 2011’; and

(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘June 30, 2010’ and inserting ‘June 30, 2011’.

(b) 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.

SEC. 4. THIRD-TIER BENEFITS.

(a) 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:

‘(d) Third Tier of Benefits-

‘(1) 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--

‘(A) 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

‘(B) 13 times the individual’s average weekly benefit amount (as determined under subsection (b)(2)) for the benefit year.

‘(2) 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--

‘(A) 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--

‘(i) were applied by substituting ‘6’ for ‘5’ each place it appears; and

‘(ii) did not include the requirement under paragraph (1)(A) thereof; or

‘(B) such a period would then be in effect for such State under such Act if--

‘(i) section 203(f) of such Act were applied to such State (regardless of whether the State by law had provided for such application); and

‘(ii) such section 203(f)--

‘(I) were applied by substituting ‘8.5’ for ‘6.5’ in paragraph (1)(A)(i) thereof; and

‘(II) did not include the requirement under paragraph (1)(A)(ii) thereof.

‘(3) 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.

‘(4) LIMITATION- The account of an individual may be augmented not more than once under this subsection.’.

(b) Conforming Amendments- Section 4007(b)(2) of such Act, as amended by section 3, is amended--

(1) by striking ‘then section 4002(c)’ and inserting ‘then subsections (c) and (d) of section 4002’; and

(2) by striking ‘paragraph (2) of such section)’ and inserting ‘paragraph (2) of such subsection (c) or (d) (as the case may be))’.

(c) Effective Date-

(1) 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.

(2) 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.

SEC. 5. EXTENSION OF FULL FEDERAL FUNDING OF EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FOR A LIMITED PERIOD.

(a) 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--

(1) by striking ‘January 1, 2010’ each place it appears and inserting ‘January 1, 2011’; and

(2) in subsection (c), by striking ‘June 1, 2010’ and inserting ‘June 1, 2011’.

(b) 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’.

(c) Effective Dates-

(1) 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.

(2) 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.

SEC. 6. ADDITIONAL EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS UNDER THE RAILROAD UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE ACT.