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H.R. 3601: Ensuring Quality in the Unemployment Insurance Program (EQUIP) Act

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H.R. 3601: Ensuring Quality in the Unemployment Insurance Program (EQUIP) Act

112th Congress · introduced 2011-12-07 · Labor and Employment · Latest: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2261)

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2011-12-07 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Kingston, Jack [R-GA-1] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E2261) Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Ensuring Quality in the Unemployment Insurance Program (EQUIP) Act

Plain summary

Ensuring Quality in the Unemployment Insurance Program (EQUIP) Act - Amends title III (Grants to States for Unemployment Compensation Administration) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to require state unemployment compensation (UC) laws to require, as a condition of UC eligibility for a benefit year, an applicant, before receiving any UC, to: (1) complete a substance abuse risk assessment; and (2) test negative for controlled substances within one week after the results of such assessment if the state determines that the applicant is a high-risk. Prescribes retesting requirements and UC payment suspensions for applicants who test positive. Amends SSA title XVIII (Medicare) and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to provide funding for such substance abuse testing out of current funds appropriated for the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) and, after application of those funds, for the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan (CO-OP) program.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Ensuring Quality in the Unemployment Insurance Program (EQUIP) Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Kingston, Jack [R-GA-1] · 6 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Gus M. Bilirakis (R-FL)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong112-hr3601 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112