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HR 2148 114th Congress House

Ensuring Quality in the Unemployment Insurance Program (EQUIP) Act

Official title: To amend title III of the Social Security Act to require a substance abuse risk assessment and targeted drug testing as a condition for the receipt of unemployment benefits, and for other purposes.

Introduced: September 22, 2015 Introduced by: Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" Republican · Georgia See on congress.gov
Labor and Employment Drug, alcohol, tobacco useMedical tests and diagnostic methodsUnemployment
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This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 18, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.
May 1, 2015
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
Apr 30, 2015
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Apr 30, 2015
Introduced in House
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 Latest action May 18, 2015

Referred to the Subcommittee on Human Resources.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Ensuring Quality in the Unemployment Insurance Program (EQUIP) Act

Amends title III (Grants to States for Unemployment Compensation Administration) of the Social Security Act (SSAct) 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 SSAct 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 and, after application of those funds, for the Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan program.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
 Cosponsors 9
All 9 Republican 7
R
Cole, Tom
Oklahoma · Sep 28, 2016
 R
Blackburn, Marsha
Tennessee · Apr 28, 2016
Blum, Rod
· Apr 21, 2016
 R
Allen, Rick W.
Georgia · Feb 10, 2016
 R
Harris, Andy
Maryland · Dec 2, 2015
Bishop, Mike
· Sep 22, 2015
 R
Weber, Randy K. Sr.
Texas · Jun 24, 2015
 R
Rouzer, David
North Carolina · Jun 17, 2015
 R
Scott, Austin
Georgia · Jun 9, 2015
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2148: Ensuring Quality in the Unemployment Insurance Program (EQUIP) Act. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2148/
MLA
"H.R. 2148: Ensuring Quality in the Unemployment Insurance Program (EQUIP) Act." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2148/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2148, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2148/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2148: Ensuring Quality in the Unemployment Insurance Program (EQUIP) Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-HR-2148/)
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