LOS ANGELES (AP) — Federal officials announced Wednesday that California will receive more than $800 million in funding to help the unemployed as the state struggles to deal with the economy and a huge budget hole.

The U.S. Department of Labor said it will immediately release the money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The state can use the funds to pay unemployment benefits, provide employment services or administer the state's unemployment insurance program, the department said in a statement.

"The federal government made these funds available as an incentive for states to strengthen their safety net as our economy continues to recover," Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis said.

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