White House says CDC can’t renew eviction ban

The White House asserted on Monday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not have the legal authority to issue another eviction ban after Democratic leaders urged the Biden administration to take unilateral action.

In a statement, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that CDC officials “have been unable to find legal authority for a new, targeted eviction moratorium” after the administration floated a one-month emergency extension.

“Our team is redoubling efforts to identify all available legal authorities to provide necessary protections,” Psaki said.

“In the meantime, the President will continue to do everything in his power to help renters from eviction.”

Rising pressure: President Biden has faced mounting pressure over the weekend from Democratic lawmakers, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), to renew the CDC’s eviction ban after failing to marshal enough support behind a bill to do so Friday.

Biden asked lawmakers last week to extend the CDC’s ban, two days before it expired on July 31 and nearly a month after the Supreme Court warned that the agency would need congressional support to extend the moratorium again. Even so, House Democrats were unable to rise to Biden’s last-ditch request after roughly 20 moderates objected to a bill to extend the ban, breaking for recess Friday without even taking a vote.