Ending Unemployment Payments to Jobless Millionaires Act of 2025
Summary
SB 1761, the Ending Unemployment Payments to Jobless Millionaires Act of 2025, would bar the use of federal funds to pay unemployment compensation to individuals whose wages during their base period are $1,000,000 or more. It also would prohibit federal funds from being used for administrative costs tied to those payments. The bill requires unemployment applications to include a self-certification that the applicant’s base-period wages are below the $1 million threshold, and it directs state agencies to use available systems to verify wage eligibility to the extent possible.
The bill further requires that certifications be auditable by the Department of Labor or the Government Accountability Office and directs state agencies to recover any overpayments made to ineligible individuals. It applies prospectively to weeks of unemployment beginning on or after enactment. In addition, it prevents the Secretary of Labor from issuing regulations or guidance that would limit a state’s ability to disqualify an individual on the basis of having base-period wages at or above $1 million.
The measure defines the covered “unemployment compensation program of the United States” broadly to include unemployment compensation for federal civilian employees, ex-servicemembers, extended benefits, federal temporary extensions, federal programs that increase weekly unemployment payments, and other federal unemployment programs as determined by the Secretary of Labor. As drafted, the bill would affect federal unemployment benefit administration and state agencies that help administer those programs, while leaving states free to impose stricter disqualification rules for very high-wage claimants.
The available context shows little recorded debate or voting activity, so the overall sentiment is difficult to gauge from committee discussion. The bill’s title and structure suggest a targeted, fiscally conservative approach aimed at preventing unemployment benefits from going to very high-income individuals. Because there are no transcripts or votes provided, there is no documented opposition in the supplied materials, but potential points of contention include the practicality of income verification, the administrative burden on states, and whether a bright-line $1 million wage cutoff is an appropriate eligibility rule.
Impact
The bill would amend the administration of federal unemployment compensation programs by prohibiting federal funds from being used to pay benefits to claimants whose base-period wages are at least $1,000,000 and by restricting federal guidance that could limit state disqualification rules on that basis. It would require self-certification, verification efforts by state agencies, auditability by federal oversight entities, and repayment of overpayments, thereby affecting unemployment insurance administration at both the federal and state levels.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of committee transcripts or recorded votes, the general sentiment appears to be supportive of restricting unemployment benefits for extremely high-wage individuals and emphasizing program integrity. The measure’s framing suggests a populist, anti-abuse rationale, but there is no direct evidence in the provided record of bipartisan support, opposition, or detailed debate.
Contention
The main likely points of contention are administrative feasibility and policy design. Critics could question whether states can reliably verify base-period wages quickly enough, whether the self-certification and audit requirements add unnecessary bureaucracy, and whether the federal government should set a categorical income-based exclusion for unemployment benefits. Supporters would likely argue that the bill prevents misuse of unemployment insurance and preserves resources for workers with genuine financial need.