Photos: Democracy Now!\YouTube
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Friday, Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), issued the following statement after the United States Supreme Court ruled against President Biden’s Emergency Eviction Moratorium:
“Tonight, the Supreme Court failed to protect the 11 million households across our country from violent eviction in the middle of a deadly global pandemic,” said Congresswoman Cori Bush. “We are in an unprecedented and ongoing crisis that demands compassionate solutions that center the needs of the people and communities most in need of our help. We need to give our communities time to heal from this devastating pandemic.
“We already know who is going to bear the brunt of this disastrous decision—Black and brown communities, and especially Black women. We didn’t sleep on those steps just to give up now. Congress must act immediately to prevent mass evictions and I am exploring every possible option. I urge my colleagues to reflect on the humanity of every single one of their unhoused, or soon to be unhoused, neighbors, and support a legislative solution to this eviction crisis.”
Tonight’s Supreme Court decision only puts the ball back in the United States Congress’s court. Immediate options to prevent an eviction crisis include:
- The House could reconvene for an emergency vote on Chairwoman Waters’ bill (H.R. 4791 ) to extend the moratorium through December 31, 2021.
- The House could pass legislation to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) the legal authority to stop the unfolding crisis, in order to respond to the public health emergency by mandating evictions stop until the pandemic is officially over. Congresswoman Bush is in the process of exploring introduction options with relevant committee chairs.
Congresswoman Cori Bush sits on the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees, serves as the Progressive Caucus Deputy Whip, and proudly represents St. Louis as a politivist in the halls of the United States Congress.
