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S. 490: Unemployment Insurance Technology Modernization Act of 2021

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S. 490: Unemployment Insurance Technology Modernization Act of 2021

117th Congress · introduced 2021-03-01 · Labor and Employment · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

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Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2021-03-01 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. 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.
  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

Unemployment Insurance Technology Modernization Act of 2021

Plain summary

Unemployment Insurance Technology Modernization Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Labor to study and report on the technology needs of federal and state unemployment compensation programs. Based on this study, Labor must develop, operate, and maintain a modular set of technology capabilities to modernize the delivery of unemployment compensation. Before the deployment of the technology capabilities to all states, Labor must select at least four states to participate in a pilot program to test the technology capabilities and demonstrate that they meet requirements. The bill establishes accessibility requirements for filing online unemployment compensation claims. In addition, it prohibits the technology capabilities from relying solely on a high-risk automated decision system to (1) deny a claim for unemployment compensation, (2) reduce the amount of unemployment compensation for which a claimant is eligible, or (3) deny a claimant's right to appeal an unemployment compensation decision.

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

Unemployment Insurance Technology Modernization Act of 2021

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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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: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] · 21 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] reported raising $1.9 million (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

Record fed-us-cong117-s490 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong117 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong117