# 119-s-2312: Unemployment Insurance Modernization and Recession Readiness Act

119-s-2312, Unemployment Insurance Modernization and Recession Readiness Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2312
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-s-2312
- Congress: 119
- Title: Unemployment Insurance Modernization and Recession Readiness Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-07-16
- Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR)
- Cosponsors: 6
- Policy area: Labor and Employment
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**This bill would modernize and expand the federal unemployment safety net** by raising minimum benefit floors, creating a new federal Jobseeker Allowance, and adding a weekly dependents' payment to boost household support.

## Cosponsors (6)

- Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] (D-CO), 2025-07-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] (D-RI), 2025-07-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA), 2025-07-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] (I-VT), 2025-07-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA] (D-PA), 2025-07-16T00:00:00.000Z
- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (D-NJ), 2025-07-16T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- More Extended Benefits and emergency pay: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would expand Extended Benefits (EB) for high-unemployment periods and create emergency Enhanced Unemployment Compensation (EEUC) during State emergency periods. It adds tiered account augmentations that increase weeks and money (second tier 26 weeks, third 39 weeks, fourth 52 w…
- New Jobseeker Allowance program: benefit, high. If enacted, the bill would create a weekly Jobseeker Allowance (JSA). The base JSA would be $250 in 2027 and rise after 2027 by the CPI‑U (June-to-June). States must open a JSA account worth 26 times the weekly JSA and may add one-time 13× boosts for tiers. You could keep working and still get JSA,…
- Higher short-time pay for workers: benefit, medium. If enacted, short-time compensation would pay about 80% of your applicable weekly wage instead of 60%. States would have to let employers file weekly claims on behalf of employees. The 80% increase to the statutory wage-replacement rate would take effect on the date of enactment. Other program chan…
- Stricter worker test for gig workers: benefit, medium. If enacted, State unemployment rules would treat an individual as an employee unless three tests are all met: the worker is free from control, the work is outside the hiring entity's usual business, and the worker runs an independent business doing the same work. This would make it harder to be cla…
- Stronger weekly unemployment checks and rules: mixed, high. If enacted, States would have higher and fairer regular unemployment rules. Weekly benefits must be at least 75% of your highest quarter earnings divided by 13 (up to the State maximum). A State maximum could not be less than two-thirds of the State average weekly wage. Regular benefits must last a…

## Related bills

- 119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026
- 119-s-2823: FAMILY Act
- 119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act
- 119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
- 119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026

## Sources
- [119-s-2312 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/2312)

## Related
- [119-s-5066: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5066)
- [119-s-3990: PrEP Access and Coverage Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3990)
- [119-s-2823: FAMILY Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2823)
- [119-s-3869: Healthy Families Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-3869)
- [119-s-51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-51)
- [119-s-5108: Right to IVF Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-5108)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-s-2312 (as of 2026-04-21).