WASHINGTON D.C. (WBZ NewsRadio)— Local Lawmakers Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Ed Markey, and Rep. Ayanna Pressley announced a new bill Tuesday in an effort to help protect renters from eviction.
The Keeping Renters Safe Act of 2021, originally written by Sen. Warren and Rep. Cori Bush, aims to establish a new national eviction moratorium. This bill would also give the Department of Health and Human Services the permanent authority to establish future eviction moratoriums during a public health crisis.
Sen. Warren said this bill was the right thing to do after the Supreme Court ended the national eviction moratorium in late August.
"Congress and President Biden worked hard to protect people from being thrown out their homes," Warren said. "But an extremist Supreme Court cut short eviction protections and put millions of people at risk for losing their homes."
The new national eviction moratorium proposed by this bill would go into effect automatically and not require individuals to apply for coverage. The moratorium will also remain in place for at least 60 days after the end of the public health emergency in an effort to further protect renters.
Sen. Markey spoke at the press conference, that was streamed live from Rep. Bush's Facebook page, and said the U.S. is facing an eviction crisis.
"With expired federal unemployment insurance and millions of Americans still out of work, we are poised to see a historic and devastating waive of evictions," Markey said.
Rep. Pressley said she sees an eviction moratorium as a way to prevent the spread of COVID.
"Eviction puts people in harms way plain and simple and as a result of eviction many families are forced to move into crowded hotels or shelters or onto their neighbors couch where they are no longer able to socially distance," Pressley said.
The bill has a total of 44 cosponsors, including Sen. Markey, Rep. Pressley, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.