S. 3497: Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-03-12 · Labor and Employment · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-03-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act

Plain summary

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act This bill expands unemployment benefits to certain individuals affected by the public health emergency declared by the Department of Health and Human Services on January 27, 2020, with respect to COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019). Specifically, beginning on enactment of this bill and ending 26 weeks after the COVID-19 public health emergency expires, the Department of Labor must enter into an agreement with a state under which Labor shall finance 100% of such state's unemployment benefit assistance to unemployed workers who are not eligible for other federal or state unemployment insurance; meet certain conditions related to being unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable to work due to COVID-19; are not able to telework; and are not receiving other paid leave.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] · 25 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Ron Wyden (D-OR), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Jack Reed (D-RI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mark R. Warner (D-VA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] reported raising $303,094 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s3497.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s3497 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116