Biden Urges Lawmakers To Extend Eviction Ban As Delta Variant Cases Increase

President Joe Biden asked Congress on Thursday to extend the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) eviction moratorium as delta variant cases surge, the White House said.

The moratorium, which is scheduled to expire Sunday, protects renters and their families from being evicted if they can not afford to pay rent, the White House said in a press release. 

I urge the Biden Administration to extend the CDC’s eviction moratorium. It is reckless not to extend the deadline when rental assistance funds have not gone out fast enough to protect people. Eviction filings have already spiked in anticipation of the moratorium being lifted.

— Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) July 23, 2021

“This moratorium prevented hundreds of thousands of Americans from experiencing the heartbreak, homelessness, and health risks that too often emanate from evictions- particularly during a pandemic,” the press release said. 

Biden also asked the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture and Veterans Affairs to extend their respective eviction bans through the end of September to protect citizens living in federally insured, single family properties, the White House said. (RELATED: The Internet Wonders: Did Joe Biden Say ‘My Butt’s Been Wiped’ Right Here?”)

“Given the recent spread of the Delta variant, including among those American’s both most likely to face evictions and lacking vaccinations, President Biden would have strongly supported a decision by the CDC to further extend this eviction moratorium,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said in the press release. 

“Unfortunately, the Supreme Court has made clear that this option is no longer available,” she added.  

The Supreme Court ruled in June to keep the moratorium in place and give Congress the power to decide on the issue, after the CDC tried to lift the ban, according to the White House. 

The Supreme Court’s ruling stated that “clear and specific congressional authorization (via new legislation) would be necessary for the CDC to extend the moratorium past July 31,” the White House said. 

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