15 U.S. Code § 9034 - Funding for fraud prevention, equitable access, and timely payment to eligible workers

(a) In general

In addition to amounts otherwise available, there is appropriated to the Secretary of Labor for fiscal year 2021, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $2,000,000,000, to remain available until expended, to detect and prevent fraud, promote equitable access, and ensure the timely payment of benefits with respect to unemployment compensation programs, including programs extended under subtitle A of title IX of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

(b) Use of funds

Amounts made available under subsection (a) may be used—

(1) for Federal administrative costs related to the purposes described in subsection (a);

(2) for systemwide infrastructure investment and development related to such purposes; and

(3) to make grants to States or territories administering unemployment compensation programs described in subsection (a) (including territories administering the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program under section 9021 of this title) for such purposes, including the establishment of procedures or the building of infrastructure to verify or validate identity, implement Federal guidance regarding fraud detection and prevention, and accelerate claims processing or process claims backlogs due to the pandemic.

(c) Restrictions on grants to States and territories

As a condition of receiving a grant under subsection (b)(3), the Secretary may require that a State or territory receiving such a grant shall—

(1) use such program integrity tools as the Secretary may specify; and

(2) as directed by the Secretary, conduct user accessibility testing on any new system developed by the Secretary pursuant to subsection (b)(2).

(Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title II, § 2118, as added Pub. L. 117–2, title IX, § 9032, Mar. 11, 2021, 135 Stat. 121.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Subtitle A of title IX of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, referred to in subsec. (a), is subtitle A (§§ 9011–9042) of title IX of Pub. L. 117–2, Mar. 11, 2021, 135 Stat. 118. For complete classification of subtitle A to the Code, see Tables.