I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5363 
To direct the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Government Accountability Office, 
and Small Business Administration to conduct a joint study on pandemic 
unemployment programs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 
Mrs. HINSON introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To direct the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Government Ac-
countability Office, and Small Business Administration 
to conduct a joint study on pandemic unemployment 
programs, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Back To Work Act’’. 
SEC. 2. STUDY OF PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The covered agency heads shall 
conduct a joint study on pandemic unemployment pro-
grams, including an analysis of the following: 
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(1) The impact of such programs on— 
(A) individuals, including recipients’ en-
gagement in work, participation in work search, 
receipt of and amount of earnings, receipt of 
and amount of other government benefits, dura-
tion of unemployment, and whether the recipi-
ent’s total income counting all benefits exceeds 
his or her prior earnings from work; 
(B) businesses, with a focus on small busi-
nesses, including effects on sales, profits, tax 
payments, hours of operation, employment, and 
closures attributable to staffing shortages re-
lated to the availability of benefits; and 
(C) the economy, including key labor mar-
ket metrics such as the number of employed 
and unemployed individuals, job openings, total 
earnings from work, the labor force participa-
tion rate, State and national unemployment 
rates, engagement of individuals in full or part 
time employment, average durations of unem-
ployment, and the number of long-term unem-
ployed. 
(2) The demographics of the recipients of bene-
fits under such programs, including with respect to 
key characteristics of recipients, including age, gen-
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bility was a significant factor contributing to 
any such differences; and 
(C) the degree to which the backdating of 
claims resulted in the overstatement of the ap-
parent number of Pandemic Unemployment As-
sistance recipients, especially during the pro-
gram’s early months. 
(b) EARLY TERMINATION OF PANDEMIC UNEMPLOY-
MENT PROGRAM PARTICIPATION.—In carrying out the 
study required under subsection (a), the covered agency 
heads shall compare States that terminated agreements to 
participate in pandemic unemployment programs prior to 
September 6, 2021, with States that maintained such 
agreements until September 6, 2021. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the covered 
agency heads shall provide to Congress a report on the 
results of the study required under subsection (a). 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED AGENCY HEADS.—The term ‘‘cov-
ered agency heads’’ means the Commissioner of the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Comptroller General 
of the United States, and the Administrator of the 
Small Business Administration. 
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(2) PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE.— 
The term ‘‘Pandemic Unemployment Assistance’’ 
means assistance under section 2102 of the 
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act 
(15 U.S.C. 9021). 
(3) PANDEMIC UNEMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS.— 
The term ‘‘pandemic unemployment programs’’ 
means— 
(A) 
Federal 
Pandemic 
Unemployment 
Compensation under section 2104 of the 
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security 
Act (15 U.S.C. 9023); 
(B) Pandemic Emergency Unemployment 
Compensation under section 2107 of such Act 
(15 U.S.C. 9025); and 
(C) Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. 
Æ 
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