The White House doubles down and says it can't extend the eviction ban without Congress

• The Biden administration doubled down and said it can't renew the eviction ban without Congress.
• It said the CDC lacked the authority to unilaterally act, citing a Supreme Court ruling.
• Biden and Democrats in Congress have tried trading responsibility over who should renew it.
• See more stories on Insider's business page.

The White House on Monday emphasized it can't renew the eviction ban without Congress.

It said in a statement that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been "unable" to find a way to legally extend the now-expired federal COVID-19 eviction moratorium.

"To date, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky and her team have been unable to find legal authority for a new, targeted eviction moratorium," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. "Our team is redoubling efforts to identify all available legal authorities to provide necessary protections."

The federal moratorium on evictions expired on July 31, following a 5-4 Supreme Court ruling that warned any extension would have to go through Congress. The Biden administration urged Congress to renew the ban at the last minute on Thursday, but lawmakers failed to do so.

The inability of the Biden administration and Congress to act puts at least six million renters at risk of eviction. Though the White House wants states to impose eviction bans, only eight currently have them in place.

"Whatever it is in the power of this president to do to prevent evictions, he is committed to doing," White House adviser Gene Sperling said at a news conference.

Congressional Democrats and the Biden administration have punted responsibility over who should renew the moratorium in recent days. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged the Biden administration on Monday to renew it, citing the rise in virus cases and hospitalizations.

She said in a fresh statement that the administration's efforts to renew the moratorium was "welcome."

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.

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By: [email protected] (Natalie Musumeci,Joseph Zeballos-Roig)
Title: The White House doubles down and says it can't extend the eviction ban without Congress
Sourced From: feedproxy.google.com/~r/clusterstock/~3/-h1hu8eaaGs/cdc-legal-authority-extend-evictions-moratorium-white-house-2021-8
Published Date: Mon, 02 Aug 2021 19:22:31 +0000

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