The Keeping Renters Safe Act is a major new piece of legislation in Congress at the moment. It was introduced to the House of Representatives on September 21, 2021.
It is intended to reinstate the eviction moratorium that was introduced following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. This was ended in August after the Supreme Court ruled that the CDC didn’t have the legal authority to order a federal eviction moratorium without the support of Congress.
This article looks over the key details of the Keeping Renters Safe Act to explain what is happening with the proposed new legislation.
What’s in the Keeping Renters Safe Act?
The key goal of the proposed Keeping Renters Safe Act is to amend Section 361 of the Public Health Services Act.
This intends to give new powers to major health bodies such as Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Under these changes, they would be able to unilaterally implement eviction moratoriums if there is a major public health crisis.
Most importantly it would give these health bodies sufficient authority to implement eviction moratoria without needing to ask congress in order to respond to emergencies more quickly.
Keeping Renters Safe Act Key Points
There are a number of key points in the Keeping Renters Safe Act that new laws would address. These would make it easier for health authorities to institute a ban on evictions under new disease control powers.
If the new act is passed it would:
- Classify evictions as spreading communicable disease
- Give the HHS and CDC the permanent authority to implement eviction moratoriums during health crises
Who’s Behind the Bill?
The Keeping Renters Safe Act has been proposed by liberal house representatives.
The two main proponents of the new legislation are:
- Cori Bush
- Elizabeth Warren
On introducing the bill in Congress, Warren said to the media, “This pandemic isn’t over, and we have to do everything we can to protect renters from the harm and trauma of needless eviction, which upends the lives of those struggling to get back on their feet”.
Senator Warren’s comments were echoed by Bush, who also stated, "This is the only way we make sure that we are keeping people safe, especially now that we are dealing with this pandemic that continues to surge and is just out of control."
Do Bush and Warren Have Enough Support in Congress?
As of June 2022, the bill has not yet been reviewed by the Senate.
A big question over the Keep Renters Safe Act is whether it has enough support in the Senate to get passed.
Whilst it has the support of many progressive Democrats in both houses, the party has a tiny majority in the Senate. It will therefore require broad support within the Democratic Party to pass.
Not only that but a Republican filibuster remains a threat. This could slow or even halt the legislation entirely.
It remains to be seen whether the bill will ultimately be successful and the federal halt on eviction proceedings reinstated.
The Keeping Renters Safe Act is a major new piece of legislation in Congress at the moment. It was introduced to the House of Representatives on September 21, 2021.
It is intended to reinstate the eviction moratorium that was introduced following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. This was ended in August after the Supreme Court ruled that the CDC didn’t have the legal authority to order a federal eviction moratorium without the support of Congress.
This article looks over the key details of the Keeping Renters Safe Act to explain what is happening with the proposed new legislation.
What’s in the Keeping Renters Safe Act?
The key goal of the proposed Keeping Renters Safe Act is to amend Section 361 of the Public Health Services Act.
This intends to give new powers to major health bodies such as Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Under these changes, they would be able to unilaterally implement eviction moratoriums if there is a major public health crisis.
Most importantly it would give these health bodies sufficient authority to implement eviction moratoria without needing to ask congress in order to respond to emergencies more quickly.
Keeping Renters Safe Act Key Points
There are a number of key points in the Keeping Renters Safe Act that new laws would address. These would make it easier for health authorities to institute a ban on evictions under new disease control powers.
If the new act is passed it would:
- Classify evictions as spreading communicable disease
- Give the HHS and CDC the permanent authority to implement eviction moratoriums during health crises
Who’s Behind the Bill?
The Keeping Renters Safe Act has been proposed by liberal house representatives.
The two main proponents of the new legislation are:
- Cori Bush
- Elizabeth Warren
On introducing the bill in Congress, Warren said to the media, “This pandemic isn’t over, and we have to do everything we can to protect renters from the harm and trauma of needless eviction, which upends the lives of those struggling to get back on their feet”.
Senator Warren’s comments were echoed by Bush, who also stated, "This is the only way we make sure that we are keeping people safe, especially now that we are dealing with this pandemic that continues to surge and is just out of control."
Do Bush and Warren Have Enough Support in Congress?
As of June 2022, the bill has not yet been reviewed by the Senate.
A big question over the Keep Renters Safe Act is whether it has enough support in the Senate to get passed.
Whilst it has the support of many progressive Democrats in both houses, the party has a tiny majority in the Senate. It will therefore require broad support within the Democratic Party to pass.
Not only that but a Republican filibuster remains a threat. This could slow or even halt the legislation entirely.
It remains to be seen whether the bill will ultimately be successful and the federal halt on eviction proceedings reinstated.
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