A Republican bill with 17 Republican cosponsors · See all 17 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Stop Unemployment Fraud Act aims to amend the Social Security Act and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act to prevent fraud. It requires State agencies to implement strict identity verification procedures using government-issued and supporting documentation. The bill mandates data matching practices to detect improper payments regarding new hires, incarcerated individuals, and deceased individuals. It also prohibits using self-attestation alone to prove eligibility for compensation. Furthermore, the Act strengthens work search requirements by requiring claimants to maintain and provide records of their job searches.
Yes
- Scored +4
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill implements data matching and stricter verification to detect and prevent improper unemployment payments.
- Scored +2
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill mandates data matching and stricter verification processes to ensure the integrity of unemployment compensation.
The opposite· 3 of 7
- Scored -4
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The increased burden of documentation and strict work search requirements could disproportionately impact low-income claimants.
- Scored -3
Is this likely to lift people out of poverty?
Stricter identity verification and job search requirements may delay or reduce access to unemployment benefits for low-income individuals.
- Scored -2
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
The bill's verification requirements could cause delays for seniors who may find providing specific documentation more difficult.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Prevention of Fraud and Improper Payments: The bill implements data matching through an integrity data hub and comparisons with the National Directory of New Hires, information on incarcerated individuals, and data regarding deceased individuals to detect fraud (Section 3).
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Protection of Claimant Rights: Regulations for identity verification must include due process protections for claimants (Section 2).
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Fairness in Claims Processing: Verification procedures are required to ensure they do not result in the flagging, denial, or delay of claims based on personal characteristics such as race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or political affiliation (Section 2).
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Safeguards Against Systematic Errors: The Secretary of Labor must ensure that documentation requirements do not produce systematic mismatches that unfairly deny or delay unemployment compensation payments (Section 2).
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Infrastructure Improvements: States may use up to 5 percent of recovered overpayments to modernize their unemployment insurance technology infrastructure (Section 7).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Increased Burden of Documentation: Claimants must provide at least one valid Federal or State government-issued identification document along with one or more supporting documents, such as utility bills or lease agreements, to verify their identity (Section 2).
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Delay in Receiving Payments: Payments shall not be made prior to the determination of eligibility, which includes the required identity verification process (Section 4).
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Increased Requirements for Job Seekers: To be considered as actively seeking work, individuals must now register for employment services and maintain a specific record of employers contacted, including the method and date of contact, which must be provided to the State agency each week (Section 6).
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Strict Proof Standards: A claimant's self-attestation or self-certification will no longer be sufficient on its own to prove eligibility for compensation (Section 4).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The increased burden of documentation and strict work search requirements could disproportionately impact low-income claimants. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill's verification requirements could cause delays for seniors who may find providing specific documentation more difficult. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill includes mandates to prevent discrimination, but strict documentation requirements can still pose systemic barriers. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Stricter documentation and job search requirements may create hurdles for urban populations facing high volatility in employment.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Stricter identity verification and job search requirements may delay or reduce access to unemployment benefits for low-income individuals. Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill's increased documentation requirements may create barriers for individuals with certain disabilities.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill implements data matching and stricter verification to detect and prevent improper unemployment payments.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates data matching and stricter verification processes to ensure the integrity of unemployment compensation. Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill requires increased data matching and identity verification, which involves more personal documentation.
- 7/20/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/24/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/5/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- 15 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Jodey ArringtonRepublican · Texas
Vern BuchananRepublican · Florida
Aaron BeanRepublican · Florida
Ron EstesRepublican · Kansas
Randy FeenstraRepublican · Iowa
Vince FongRepublican · California
Mike KellyRepublican · Pennsylvania
David KustoffRepublican · Tennessee
Carol MillerRepublican · West Virginia
Blake MooreRepublican · Utah
Max MillerRepublican · Ohio
Nathaniel MoranRepublican · Texas
Adrian SmithRepublican · Nebraska
W. SteubeRepublican · Florida
Claudia TenneyRepublican · New York
Beth Van DuyneRepublican · Texas
Rudy YakymRepublican · Indiana