(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

Terms Used In 15 USC 9034

  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
  • State: means a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other territory or possession of the United States. See 1 USC 7

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).

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