II 

Calendar No. 296 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 1931 

To provide for the extension of certain unemployment benefits, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 15, 2014 

Mr. HELLER (for himself, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. PORTMAN, Ms. AYOTTE, Mr. 

COATS, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mr. ISAKSON, and Mr. HOEVEN) introduced the 

following bill; which was read the first time 

JANUARY 16, 2014 

Read the second time and placed on the calendar 

A BILL 

To provide for the extension of certain unemployment 

benefits, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Responsible Unemployment Compensation Extension Act 

6 of 2014’’. 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•S 1931 PCS

1 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 

2 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Extension and modification of emergency unemployment compensation 

program. 

Sec. 3. Temporary extension of extended benefit provisions. 

Sec. 4. Extension of funding for reemployment services and reemployment and 

eligibility assessment activities. 

Sec. 5. Additional extended unemployment benefits under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act. 

Sec. 6. Flexibility for unemployment program agreements. 

Sec. 7. Repeal of reductions made by Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013. 

Sec. 8. Reduction in benefits based on receipt of unemployment compensation. 

Sec. 9. Reduction of nonMedicare, nondefense direct spending. 

3 SEC. 2. EXTENSION AND MODIFICATION OF EMERGENCY 

4 UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION PROGRAM. 

5 (a) EXTENSION.—Section 4007(a)(2) of the Supple6 mental Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110–252; 

7 26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended by striking ‘‘January 

8 1, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘April 1, 2014’’. 

9 (b) MODIFICATIONS RELATING TO WEEKS OF EMER10 GENCY UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION.— 

11 (1) NUMBER OF WEEKS IN FIRST TIER BEGIN12 NING AFTER DECEMBER 28, 2013.—Section 4002(b) 

13 of such Act is amended— 

14 (A) by redesignating paragraph (3) as 

15 paragraph (4); 

16 (B) in paragraph (2)— 

17 (i) in the heading, by inserting ‘‘, AND

18 WEEKS ENDING BEFORE DECEMBER 30, 

19 2013’’ after ‘‘2012’’; and 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•S 1931 PCS

1 (ii) in the matter preceding subpara2 graph (A), by inserting ‘‘, and before De3 cember 30, 2013’’ after ‘‘2012’’; and 

4 (C) by inserting after paragraph (2) the 

5 following: 

6 ‘‘(3) SPECIAL RULE RELATING TO AMOUNTS ES7 TABLISHED IN AN ACCOUNT AS OF A WEEK ENDING

8 AFTER DECEMBER 29, 2013.—Notwithstanding any 

9 provision of paragraph (1), in the case of any ac10 count established as of a week ending after Decem11 ber 29, 2013— 

12 ‘‘(A) paragraph (1)(A) shall be applied by 

13 substituting ‘24 percent’ for ‘80 percent’; and 

14 ‘‘(B) paragraph (1)(B) shall be applied by 

15 substituting ‘6 times’ for ‘20 times’.’’. 

16 (2) NUMBER OF WEEKS IN SECOND TIER BE17 GINNING AFTER DECEMBER 28, 2013.—Section 

18 4002(c) of such Act is amended by adding at the 

19 end the following: 

20 ‘‘(5) SPECIAL RULE RELATING TO AMOUNTS

21 ADDED TO AN ACCOUNT AS OF A WEEK ENDING

22 AFTER DECEMBER 29, 2013.—Notwithstanding any 

23 provision of paragraph (1), if augmentation under 

24 this subsection occurs as of a week ending after De25 cember 29, 2013— 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•S 1931 PCS

1 ‘‘(A) paragraph (1)(A) shall be applied by 

2 substituting ‘24 percent’ for ‘54 percent’; and 

3 ‘‘(B) paragraph (1)(B) shall be applied by 

4 substituting ‘6 times’ for ‘14 times’.’’. 

5 (c) FUNDING.—Section 4004(e)(1) of the Supple6 mental Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110–252; 

7 26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended— 

8 (1) in subparagraph (I), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

9 the end; 

10 (2) in subparagraph (J), by inserting ‘‘and’’ at 

11 the end; and 

12 (3) by inserting after subparagraph (J) the fol13 lowing: 

14 ‘‘(K) the amendments made by subsections 

15 (a) and (b) of section 2 of the Responsible Un16 employment Compensation Extension Act of 

17 2014;’’. 

18 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

19 this section shall take effect as if included in the enact20 ment of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (Public 

21 Law 112–240). 

22 SEC. 3. TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF EXTENDED BENEFIT 

23 PROVISIONS. 

24 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 2005 of the Assistance for 

25 Unemployed Workers and Struggling Families Act, as 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
5 

•S 1931 PCS

1 contained in Public Law 111–5 (26 U.S.C. 3304 note), 

2 is amended— 

3 (1) by striking ‘‘December 31, 2013’’ each 

4 place it appears and inserting ‘‘March 31, 2014’’; 

5 and 

6 (2) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘June 30, 

7 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2014’’. 

8 (b) EXTENSION OF MATCHING FOR STATES WITH

9 NO WAITING WEEK.—Section 5 of the Unemployment 

10 Compensation Extension Act of 2008 (Public Law 110– 

11 449; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended by striking ‘‘June 

12 30, 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2014’’. 

13 (c) EXTENSION OF MODIFICATION OF INDICATORS

14 UNDER THE EXTENDED BENEFIT PROGRAM.—Section 

15 203 of the Federal-State Extended Unemployment Com16 pensation Act of 1970 (26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amend17 ed— 

18 (1) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘December 

19 31, 2013’’ and inserting ‘‘March 31, 2014’’; and 

20 (2) in subsection (f)(2), by striking ‘‘December 

21 31, 2013’’ and inserting ‘‘March 31, 2014’’. 

22 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

23 this section shall take effect as if included in the enact24 ment of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (Public 

25 Law 112–240). 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
6 

•S 1931 PCS

1 SEC. 4. EXTENSION OF FUNDING FOR REEMPLOYMENT 

2 SERVICES AND REEMPLOYMENT AND ELIGI3 BILITY ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 4004(c)(2)(A) of the Sup5 plemental Appropriations Act, 2008 (Public Law 110– 

6 252; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note) is amended by striking 

7 ‘‘through fiscal year 2014’’ and inserting ‘‘through the 

8 first quarter of fiscal year 2015’’. 

9 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

10 this section shall take effect as if included in the enact11 ment of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (Public 

12 Law 112–240). 

13 SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL EXTENDED UNEMPLOYMENT BENE14 FITS UNDER THE RAILROAD UNEMPLOY15 MENT INSURANCE ACT. 

16 (a) EXTENSION.—Section 2(c)(2)(D)(iii) of the Rail17 road Unemployment Insurance Act (45 U.S.C. 

18 352(c)(2)(D)(iii)) is amended— 

19 (1) by striking ‘‘June 30, 2013’’ and inserting 

20 ‘‘September 30, 2013’’; and 

21 (2) by striking ‘‘December 31, 2013’’ and in22 serting ‘‘March 31, 2014’’. 

23 (b) CLARIFICATION ON AUTHORITY TO USE

24 FUNDS.—Funds appropriated under either the first or 

25 second sentence of clause (iv) of section 2(c)(2)(D) of the 

26 Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act shall be available 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
7 

•S 1931 PCS

1 to cover the cost of additional extended unemployment 

2 benefits provided under such section 2(c)(2)(D) by reason 

3 of the amendments made by subsection (a) as well as to 

4 cover the cost of such benefits provided under such section 

5 2(c)(2)(D), as in effect on the day before the date of en6 actment of this Act. 

7 (c) FUNDING FOR ADMINISTRATION.—Out of any 

8 funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there 

9 are appropriated to the Railroad Retirement Board 

10 $62,500 for administrative expenses associated with the 

11 payment of additional extended unemployment benefits 

12 provided under section 2(c)(2)(D) of the Railroad Unem13 ployment Insurance Act by reason of the amendments 

14 made by subsection (a), to remain available until ex15 pended. 

16 SEC. 6. FLEXIBILITY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT PROGRAM 

17 AGREEMENTS. 

18 (a) FLEXIBILITY.— 

19 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (g) of section 

20 4001 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2008 

21 (Public Law 110–252; 26 U.S.C. 3304 note) shall 

22 not apply with respect to a State that has enacted 

23 a law before December 1, 2013, that, upon taking 

24 effect, would violate such subsection. 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
8 

•S 1931 PCS

1 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Paragraph (1) is effec2 tive with respect to weeks of unemployment begin3 ning on or after December 29, 2013. 

4 (b) PERMITTING A SUBSEQUENT AGREEMENT.— 

5 Nothing in such title IV shall preclude a State whose 

6 agreement under such title was terminated from entering 

7 into a subsequent agreement under such title on or after 

8 the date of the enactment of this Act if the State, taking 

9 into account the application of subsection (a), would other10 wise meet the requirements for an agreement under such 

11 title. 

12 SEC. 7. REPEAL OF REDUCTIONS MADE BY BIPARTISAN 

13 BUDGET ACT OF 2013. 

14 Section 403 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 

15 (Public Law 113–67) is repealed as of the date of the en16 actment of such Act. 

17 SEC. 8. REDUCTION IN BENEFITS BASED ON RECEIPT OF 

18 UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title II of the Social Security Act 

20 (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.) is amended by inserting after sec21 tion 224 the following new section: 

22 ‘‘REDUCTION IN BENEFITS BASED ON RECEIPT OF

23 UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION

24 ‘‘SEC. 224A (a)(1) If for any month prior to the 

25 month in which an individual attains retirement age (as 

26 defined in section 216(l)(1))— 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
9 

•S 1931 PCS

1 ‘‘(A) such individual is entitled to benefits 

2 under section 223, and 

3 ‘‘(B) such individual is entitled for such 

4 month to unemployment compensation, 

5 the total of the individual’s benefits under section 

6 223 for such month and of any benefits under sec7 tion 202 for such month based on the individual’s 

8 wages and self-employment income shall be reduced 

9 (but not below zero) by the total amount of unem10 ployment compensation received by such individual 

11 for such month. 

12 ‘‘(2) The reduction of benefits under paragraph 

13 (1) shall also apply to any past-due benefits under 

14 section 223 for any month in which the individual 

15 was entitled to— 

16 ‘‘(A) benefits under such section, and 

17 ‘‘(B) unemployment compensation. 

18 ‘‘(3) The reduction of benefits under paragraph 

19 (1) shall not apply to any benefits under section 223 

20 for any month, or any benefits under section 202 for 

21 such month based on the individual’s wages and self22 employment income for such month, if the individual 

23 is entitled for such month to unemployment com24 pensation following a period of trial work (as de25 scribed in section 222(c)(1), participation in the 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
10 

•S 1931 PCS

1 Ticket to Work and Self-Sufficiency Program estab2 lished under section 1148, or participation in any 

3 other program that is designed to encourage an indi4 vidual entitled to benefits under section 223 or 202 

5 to work. 

6 ‘‘(b) If any unemployment compensation is payable 

7 to an individual on other than a monthly basis (including 

8 a benefit payable as a lump sum to the extent that it is 

9 a commutation of, or a substitute for, such periodic com10 pensation), the reduction under this section shall be made 

11 at such time or times and in such amounts as the Commis12 sioner of Social Security (referred to in this section as the 

13 ‘Commissioner’) determines will approximate as nearly as 

14 practicable the reduction prescribed by subsection (a). 

15 ‘‘(c) Reduction of benefits under this section shall be 

16 made after any applicable reductions under section 203(a) 

17 and section 224, but before any other applicable deduc18 tions under section 203. 

19 ‘‘(d)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), if the Commis20 sioner determines that an individual may be eligible for 

21 unemployment compensation which would give rise to a 

22 reduction of benefits under this section, the Commissioner 

23 may require, as a condition of certification for payment 

24 of any benefits under section 223 to any individual for 

25 any month and of any benefits under section 202 for such 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
11 

•S 1931 PCS

1 month based on such individual’s wages and self-employ2 ment income, that such individual certify— 

3 ‘‘(A) whether the individual has filed or intends 

4 to file any claim for unemployment compensation, 

5 and 

6 ‘‘(B) if the individual has filed a claim, whether 

7 there has been a decision on such claim. 

8 ‘‘(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the Commis9 sioner may, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, 

10 rely upon a certification by the individual that the indi11 vidual has not filed and does not intend to file such a 

12 claim, or that the individual has so filed and no final deci13 sion thereon has been made, in certifying benefits for pay14 ment pursuant to section 205(i). 

15 ‘‘(e) Whenever a reduction in total benefits based on 

16 an individual’s wages and self-employment income is made 

17 under this section for any month, each benefit, except the 

18 disability insurance benefit, shall first be proportionately 

19 decreased, and any excess of such reduction over the sum 

20 of all such benefits other than the disability insurance ben21 efit shall then be applied to such disability insurance ben22 efit. 

23 ‘‘(f)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 

24 the head of any Federal agency shall provide such infor25 mation within its possession as the Commissioner may reVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:00 Jan 17, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1931.PCS S1931

jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
12 

•S 1931 PCS

1 quire for purposes of making a timely determination of 

2 the amount of the reduction, if any, required by this sec3 tion in benefits payable under this title, or verifying other 

4 information necessary in carrying out the provisions of 

5 this section. 

6 ‘‘(2) The Commissioner is authorized to enter into 

7 agreements with States, political subdivisions, and other 

8 organizations that administer unemployment compensa9 tion, in order to obtain such information as the Commis10 sioner may require to carry out the provisions of this sec11 tion. 

12 ‘‘(g) For purposes of this section, the term ‘unem13 ployment compensation’ has the meaning given that term 

14 in section 85(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 

15 and the total amount of unemployment compensation to 

16 which an individual is entitled shall be determined prior 

17 to any applicable reduction under State law based on the 

18 receipt of benefits under section 202 or 223.’’. 

19 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 224(a) of 

20 the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 424a(a)) is amended, 

21 in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘the 

22 age of 65’’ and inserting ‘‘retirement age (as defined in 

23 section 216(l)(1))’’. 

24 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

25 subsections (a) and (b) shall apply to benefits payable for 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
13 

•S 1931 PCS

1 months beginning on or after the date that is 12 months 

2 after the date of enactment of this section. 

3 SEC. 9. REDUCTION OF NONMEDICARE, NONDEFENSE DI4 RECT SPENDING. 

5 Section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emer6 gency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901a) is 

7 amended by adding at the end the following: 

8 ‘‘(11) ADDITIONAL REDUCTION OF NONMEDI9 CARE, NONDEFENSE DIRECT SPENDING.— 

10 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—For each of fiscal 

11 years 2015 through 2023, in addition to the re12 duction in direct spending under paragraph (6), 

13 on the date specified in paragraph (2), OMB 

14 shall prepare and the President shall order a 

15 sequestration, effective upon issuance, reducing 

16 the spending described in subparagraph (B) by 

17 the uniform percentage necessary to reduce 

18 such spending for the fiscal year by 

19 $1,333,000,000. 

20 ‘‘(B) SPENDING COVERED.—The spending 

21 described in this subparagraph is spending that 

22 is— 

23 ‘‘(i) nonexempt direct spending; 

24 ‘‘(ii) not spending for the Medicare 

25 programs specified in section 256(d); and 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
14 

•S 1931 PCS

1 ‘‘(iii) within the revised nonsecurity 

2 category.’’. 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS

jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Calendar No. 296 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 1931 

A BILL 

To provide for the extension of certain 

unemployment benefits, and for other purposes. 

JANUARY 16, 2014 

Read the second time and placed on the calendar 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS