A Republican bill with 1 Republican cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
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
This bill, known as the "CLOSE Act," aims to amend the CARES Act to end various unemployment insurance benefit payments. It seeks to terminate Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and end the emergency increase in benefits for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation and Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation. Additionally, the bill repeals certain provisions regarding Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation. Finally, it rescinds the unobligated balances of funds previously appropriated for these specific unemployment programs.
Yes
- Scored +6
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill rescinds unobligated balances of funds previously appropriated for unemployment programs.
The opposite
- Scored -8
Does this increase support for people who lose their jobs?
The bill terminates various pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits and emergency increases.
- Scored -7
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill ends several forms of unemployment assistance that low-income households rely on for financial stability.
- Scored -5
Is this likely to lift people out of poverty?
The termination of unemployment assistance programs may negatively affect households relying on those benefits to stay above the poverty line.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Continued Administrative Support: Under Section 2, the Secretary may continue to pay certain amounts to States for administrative expenses (Section 2(a)(1)(A)(2) and Section 2(b)(1)(A)(2)). This ensures that while benefit payments stop, the administrative functions related to these programs can still be funded.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Termination of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance: The bill would cause the termination of assistance payments under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance section of the CARES Act 30 days after the date of enactment (Section 2(a)(1)(A)(1)).
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End of Federal Pandemic Unemployment and Mixed Earner Compensation: The emergency increase in benefits for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation and Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation would cease to have force or effect 30 days after the date of enactment (Section 2(b)(1)(A)(1)).
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Prohibition on New State Agreements: States would be prohibited from entering or reentering agreements under the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation section on or after the date of enactment (Section 2(b)(1)(A)(2)).
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Repeal of Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation: The bill repeals subsections (c) and (d)(1) of section 2107 of the CARES Act (Section 2(c)(1)).
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Loss of Unobligated Funds: The bill rescinds unobligated balances of amounts appropriated for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (Sections 2(a)(1)(A)(2), 2(b)(1)(A)(3), and 2(c)(2)).
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 bill ends several forms of unemployment assistance that low-income households rely on for financial stability.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The termination of unemployment assistance programs may negatively affect households relying on those benefits to stay above the poverty line.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill rescinds unobligated balances of funds previously appropriated for unemployment programs. Does this increase support for people who lose their jobs? — The bill terminates various pandemic-related unemployment insurance benefits and emergency increases.
- 2/2/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
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.
Bill CassidyRepublican · Louisiana