“The Labor Department is asking for $100 million in fiscal year 2022 to back the development of information technology for states to administer unemployment insurance, on top of $2 billion already committed in the American Rescue Plan Act for the same purpose. Agency chief Marty Walsh stressed the seriousness of the problem and the importance of oversight and measuring success of investments in state unemployment tech during a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Wednesday devoted to the Labor Department budget…” “The secretary has been vocal about his commitment to working on UI modernization since his nomination. The antiquated systems of many states have been overwhelmed as the number of applicants spiked during the pandemic. The agency's own internal watchdog and many members of Congress have called on DOL to take a more active, central role in UI administration…” “Walsh also stressed the importance of oversight. ‘We, the Department of Labor, need to put a process, a check and balance in place so that we can monitor these systems across the country to make sure they're working because, again, a $2 billion investment and then I think we're asking for another $100 million in this budget, that's a large investment to make in a UI system and get nothing back for it.’…” Read the full article here. Source: $2.1 billion in UI modernization comes with oversight – By Natalie Alms, April 29, 2021. FCW.