周二,美國疾控中心(CDC)發布了一項新的禁令,叫停了“驅逐租客”的行為,期限將持續到 10 月 3 日。此前,人們曾指責拜登政府居然就這么一直放任“房客驅逐令”的存在,讓無依無靠的租戶們在大流行期間無家可歸,拜登政府也因而想要平息人們愈發尖銳的批評。
由于新冠病毒的德爾塔變種已經擴散,各州發放聯邦救濟房租的進展又很緩慢,新的暫停令可能有助于讓數百萬人有容身之處。新的暫停令將適用于病毒傳播“數量大、風險高”的郡縣,暫時禁止這些地方的房東將租客驅逐出戶,而這將覆蓋美國90%人口居住的地區。
在美國最高法院決定“不予暫停房客驅逐令”后,拜登政府發布的這一新公告做出了與之相反的決定。盡管面臨著法律上的不確定性,一些進步派的立法者依然選擇采取新措施,這也是他們在推動白宮采取更多行動、以防止約360萬美國人在疫情期間無家可歸的努力中取得的一項新的勝利。
周二下午,美國總統拜登在白宮舉行的新聞發布會上,簡短宣布了新的“暫停驅逐租客”命令,并將相關責任交給了疾控中心。
“我希望能出臺一項新的命令,暫停驅逐租客,”拜登告訴記者。
這一延期可能有助于彌合與自由派民主黨議員之間的分歧,他們呼吁總統采取行政手段,讓租客留在家中,因為新冠病毒的德爾塔變種正在蔓延,而先前“禁止驅逐租客”的命令已在上周末失效。
新的政策出臺之前,拜登團隊就曾采取了一系列行動,向民主黨和國家保證,他們可以找到一種方法,通過聯邦援助來控制由驅逐租客造成的潛在威脅。但大部分議員表示這還不夠,拜登的壓力也越來越大。
民主黨眾議員科里?布什 (Cori Bush) 一直在國會大廈外露營,這位新晉的女議員,當她還是一位年輕母親的時候,曾住在自己的車里。她發起了一場激烈的抗議活動,敦促白宮阻止房東大規模驅逐租客。越來越多的民主黨領導人加入了她的行列。
“5天來,我們一直在這里,要求我們的政府采取行動,救救我們的性命,”她在推特上寫道。 “今天,我們的運動終于取得了成效?!?/p>
眾議院議長南希?佩洛西表示,這是“大快人心”的一天。
“對于全美各地的無數家庭來說,眼下被驅逐、被趕到大街上的恐懼已經解除。社會伸出了援手!”佩洛西在一份聲明中說。
政府官員此前曾表示,最高法院的一項裁決禁止他們在沒有國會支持的情況下制定新的暫停令,并稱,各州各市必須加快步伐、為即將被驅逐的租客提供近470億美元的救濟。
拜登總統表示,他征求了法律專家的意見,詢問是否還有其他路子能解決這一問題,而得到的答復則眾口不一,盡管有些人表示,“值得為此一試。”拜登還表示,他不想由自己來告訴疾控中心——在應對大流行方面發揮帶頭作用的公共衛生機構——應該怎么做。
“我希望疾控中心回去后可以考慮一下其他可能的選擇,”他說。
美國疾控中心通過了一項法律授權,可以在新冠病毒感染率高、且出現大量新增病例的地區實施新的、和以往不同的“暫停驅逐租客”措施。
并且,拜登堅稱聯邦資金依然充足,約470億美元的資金先前已被批準用于解決新冠危機,現在可以將其利用起來,以幫助困難中的租客和房東。
“資金已經到位。”拜登說。
白宮表示,國家和地方政府在資金利用方面進展緩慢,白宮正在督促他們提高效率。
8月3日,財政部長珍妮特?耶倫向眾議院民主黨人通報了正在進行的工作,以確保聯邦住房援助能夠惠及租戶和房東。據知情人士表示,耶倫提供了數據,讓議員們更好地了解他們所在的選區和州在發放救濟品方面的表現。
另據一位不愿透露姓名人士表示,盡管議員們認為拜登應該自己采取行動,延長暫停驅逐令的期限,但耶倫還是試圖鼓勵民主黨人合作起來。
這位人士表示,耶倫在電話中提到,她同意“大家應當調動資源”,還贊賞了民主黨人的努力,以及她“徹底解決問題”的希望。
隨著驅逐危機的加劇,白宮經常提及拜登正在法律的約束下盡其所能。拜登政府曾多次拒絕再次延長驅逐令,因為最高法院似乎可能會阻止這一決定。當最高法院以5票贊成、4票反對的結果允許驅逐禁令持續到7月底時,多數派法官布雷特?卡瓦諾寫道,國會必須采取行動進一步延長禁令。
隨著最初的驅逐令到期,拜登政府強調,許多美國民眾將能夠在已經批準用于援助及其他項目的資金支持下繼續居住。白宮指出,州一級阻止驅逐的努力,將使美國三分之一的地區在下個月免于驅逐租客。
盡管如此,拜登仍面臨著強烈的抨擊,甚至部分來自于民主黨。批評者認為,拜登在致力于結束“租客驅逐令”方面的進展過于緩慢,部分民眾仍面臨著相當緊急的無家可歸的風險。
佩洛西曾說,大規模驅逐的前景“深不可測”。美國國會黑人核心小組(Congressional Black Caucus)、西班牙裔核心小組(Congressional Hispanic Caucus)和其他進步派議員都加大了對白宮的壓力,要求立即延長法案的期限。
上周晚些時候,拜登宣布將允許該禁令到期,推動國會采取行動。但是,議員們無法迅速爭取到選票,因為就連民主黨人也質疑將驅逐令再延長幾個月。
由于工作轉變,許多工人失去了收入。作為應對新冠疫情的一部分,美國疾病控制與預防中心實施了最初的驅逐令,旨在阻止病毒在露宿街頭和收容所的人群中傳播。
民主黨議員認為,他們對拜登“暫停驅逐令”的舉措感到意外,這造成了內部的恐慌和憤怒,其與拜登政府之間暴露出罕見的裂痕。美國疾病控制與預防中心曾于6月底表示,或不會將驅逐令延長到7月底之后。
眾議院金融服務委員會(Financial Services Committee)主席沃特斯幾天來一直在私下與耶倫談話,并敦促耶倫利用她的影響力,敦促各州將資金利用起來。但沃特斯也呼吁疾控中心自己采取行動。
在疾控中心于8月3日發布聲明之后,沃特斯也發布了一則聲明,感謝拜登“聽取并鼓勵疾控中心采取行動”。沃特斯表示,禁令的延長是數百萬家庭一直在等待的“生命線”。(財富中文網)
編譯:陳聰聰,楊二一
周二,美國疾控中心(CDC)發布了一項新的禁令,叫停了“驅逐租客”的行為,期限將持續到 10 月 3 日。此前,人們曾指責拜登政府居然就這么一直放任“房客驅逐令”的存在,讓無依無靠的租戶們在大流行期間無家可歸,拜登政府也因而想要平息人們愈發尖銳的批評。
由于新冠病毒的德爾塔變種已經擴散,各州發放聯邦救濟房租的進展又很緩慢,新的暫停令可能有助于讓數百萬人有容身之處。新的暫停令將適用于病毒傳播“數量大、風險高”的郡縣,暫時禁止這些地方的房東將租客驅逐出戶,而這將覆蓋美國90%人口居住的地區。
在美國最高法院決定“不予暫停房客驅逐令”后,拜登政府發布的這一新公告做出了與之相反的決定。盡管面臨著法律上的不確定性,一些進步派的立法者依然選擇采取新措施,這也是他們在推動白宮采取更多行動、以防止約360萬美國人在疫情期間無家可歸的努力中取得的一項新的勝利。
周二下午,美國總統拜登在白宮舉行的新聞發布會上,簡短宣布了新的“暫停驅逐租客”命令,并將相關責任交給了疾控中心。
“我希望能出臺一項新的命令,暫停驅逐租客,”拜登告訴記者。
這一延期可能有助于彌合與自由派民主黨議員之間的分歧,他們呼吁總統采取行政手段,讓租客留在家中,因為新冠病毒的德爾塔變種正在蔓延,而先前“禁止驅逐租客”的命令已在上周末失效。
新的政策出臺之前,拜登團隊就曾采取了一系列行動,向民主黨和國家保證,他們可以找到一種方法,通過聯邦援助來控制由驅逐租客造成的潛在威脅。但大部分議員表示這還不夠,拜登的壓力也越來越大。
民主黨眾議員科里?布什 (Cori Bush) 一直在國會大廈外露營,這位新晉的女議員,當她還是一位年輕母親的時候,曾住在自己的車里。她發起了一場激烈的抗議活動,敦促白宮阻止房東大規模驅逐租客。越來越多的民主黨領導人加入了她的行列。
“5天來,我們一直在這里,要求我們的政府采取行動,救救我們的性命,”她在推特上寫道。 “今天,我們的運動終于取得了成效?!?/p>
眾議院議長南希?佩洛西表示,這是“大快人心”的一天。
“對于全美各地的無數家庭來說,眼下被驅逐、被趕到大街上的恐懼已經解除。社會伸出了援手!”佩洛西在一份聲明中說。
政府官員此前曾表示,最高法院的一項裁決禁止他們在沒有國會支持的情況下制定新的暫停令,并稱,各州各市必須加快步伐、為即將被驅逐的租客提供近470億美元的救濟。
拜登總統表示,他征求了法律專家的意見,詢問是否還有其他路子能解決這一問題,而得到的答復則眾口不一,盡管有些人表示,“值得為此一試?!卑莸沁€表示,他不想由自己來告訴疾控中心——在應對大流行方面發揮帶頭作用的公共衛生機構——應該怎么做。
“我希望疾控中心回去后可以考慮一下其他可能的選擇,”他說。
美國疾控中心通過了一項法律授權,可以在新冠病毒感染率高、且出現大量新增病例的地區實施新的、和以往不同的“暫停驅逐租客”措施。
并且,拜登堅稱聯邦資金依然充足,約470億美元的資金先前已被批準用于解決新冠危機,現在可以將其利用起來,以幫助困難中的租客和房東。
“資金已經到位?!卑莸钦f。
白宮表示,國家和地方政府在資金利用方面進展緩慢,白宮正在督促他們提高效率。
8月3日,財政部長珍妮特?耶倫向眾議院民主黨人通報了正在進行的工作,以確保聯邦住房援助能夠惠及租戶和房東。據知情人士表示,耶倫提供了數據,讓議員們更好地了解他們所在的選區和州在發放救濟品方面的表現。
另據一位不愿透露姓名人士表示,盡管議員們認為拜登應該自己采取行動,延長暫停驅逐令的期限,但耶倫還是試圖鼓勵民主黨人合作起來。
這位人士表示,耶倫在電話中提到,她同意“大家應當調動資源”,還贊賞了民主黨人的努力,以及她“徹底解決問題”的希望。
隨著驅逐危機的加劇,白宮經常提及拜登正在法律的約束下盡其所能。拜登政府曾多次拒絕再次延長驅逐令,因為最高法院似乎可能會阻止這一決定。當最高法院以5票贊成、4票反對的結果允許驅逐禁令持續到7月底時,多數派法官布雷特?卡瓦諾寫道,國會必須采取行動進一步延長禁令。
隨著最初的驅逐令到期,拜登政府強調,許多美國民眾將能夠在已經批準用于援助及其他項目的資金支持下繼續居住。白宮指出,州一級阻止驅逐的努力,將使美國三分之一的地區在下個月免于驅逐租客。
盡管如此,拜登仍面臨著強烈的抨擊,甚至部分來自于民主黨。批評者認為,拜登在致力于結束“租客驅逐令”方面的進展過于緩慢,部分民眾仍面臨著相當緊急的無家可歸的風險。
佩洛西曾說,大規模驅逐的前景“深不可測”。美國國會黑人核心小組(Congressional Black Caucus)、西班牙裔核心小組(Congressional Hispanic Caucus)和其他進步派議員都加大了對白宮的壓力,要求立即延長法案的期限。
上周晚些時候,拜登宣布將允許該禁令到期,推動國會采取行動。但是,議員們無法迅速爭取到選票,因為就連民主黨人也質疑將驅逐令再延長幾個月。
由于工作轉變,許多工人失去了收入。作為應對新冠疫情的一部分,美國疾病控制與預防中心實施了最初的驅逐令,旨在阻止病毒在露宿街頭和收容所的人群中傳播。
民主黨議員認為,他們對拜登“暫停驅逐令”的舉措感到意外,這造成了內部的恐慌和憤怒,其與拜登政府之間暴露出罕見的裂痕。美國疾病控制與預防中心曾于6月底表示,或不會將驅逐令延長到7月底之后。
眾議院金融服務委員會(Financial Services Committee)主席沃特斯幾天來一直在私下與耶倫談話,并敦促耶倫利用她的影響力,敦促各州將資金利用起來。但沃特斯也呼吁疾控中心自己采取行動。
在疾控中心于8月3日發布聲明之后,沃特斯也發布了一則聲明,感謝拜登“聽取并鼓勵疾控中心采取行動”。沃特斯表示,禁令的延長是數百萬家庭一直在等待的“生命線”。(財富中文網)
編譯:陳聰聰,楊二一
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday issued a new moratorium on evictions that would last until October 3, as the Biden administration sought to quell intensifying criticism that it was allowing vulnerable renters to lose their homes during a pandemic.
The new moratorium could help keep millions in their homes as the coronavirus’ delta variant has spread and states have been slow to release federal rental aid. It would temporarily halt evictions in counties with “substantial and high levels” of virus transmissions and would cover areas where 90% of the U.S. population lives.
The announcement was something of a reversal for the Biden administration after saying that a Supreme Court ruling prevented a moratorium. But the choice to impose a new measure in the face of legal uncertainty was also a win for the progressive lawmakers who pushed the White House to do more to prevent some 3.6 million Americans from losing their homes during the COVID-19 crisis.
President Joe Biden stopped short Tuesday afternoon of announcing the new ban on evictions during a press conference at the White House, ceding the responsibility to the CDC.
“My hope is it’s going to be a new moratorium,” Biden told reporters.
The extension could help heal a rift with liberal Democratic lawmakers who were calling on the president to take executive action to keep renters in their homes as the delta variant of the coronavirus spread and a prior moratorium lapsed over the weekend.
The new policy came amid a scramble of actions by the Biden team to reassure Democrats and the country that it could find a way to limit the damage from potential evictions through the use of federal aid. But pressure mounted as key lawmakers said it was not enough.
Top Democratic leaders joined Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., who has been camped outside the U.S. Capitol, the freshman congresswoman who once lived in her car as a young mother, leading a passionate protest urging the White House to prevent widespread evictions.
“For 5 days, we’ve been out here, demanding that our government acts to save lives,” she tweeted. “Today, our movement moved mountains.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said it was a day of "extraordinary relief.”
“The imminent fear of eviction and being put out on the street has been lifted for countless families across America. Help is Here!” Pelosi said in a statement.
Administration officials had previously said a Supreme Court ruling stopped them from setting up a new moratorium without congressional backing, saying states and cities must be more aggressive in releasing nearly $47 billion in relief for renters on the verge of eviction.
The president said he sought input from legal scholars about whether there were options and said the advice was mixed, though some suggested, "It’s worth the effort." Biden also said he didn't want to tell the CDC, which has taken the public health lead in responding to the pandemic, what to do.
“I asked the CDC to go back and consider other options that may be available,” he said.
The CDC has identified a legal authority for a new and different moratorium for areas with high and substantial increases in COVID-19 infections.
Biden also insisted there is federal money available — some $47 billion previously approved during the COVID-19 crisis — that needs to get out the door to help renters and landlords.
“The money is there,” Biden said.
The White House has said state and local governments have been slow to push out that federal money and is pressing them to do so swiftly.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen briefed House Democrats Tuesday about the work underway to ensure the federal housing aid makes it to renters and landlords. She provided data so that lawmakers could see how their districts and states are performing with distributing the relief, according to a person on the call.
The treasury secretary tried to encourage Democrats to work together, even as lawmakers said Biden should act on his own to extend the eviction moratorium, according to someone on the private call who insisted on anonymity to discuss its contents.
Yellen said on the call, according to this person, that she agrees "we need to bring every resource to bear” and that she appreciated the Democrats' efforts and wants "to leave no stone unturned.”
As the eviction crisis mounted, the White House frequently said Biden was doing all he could under legal constraints. The administration had repeatedly resisted another extension because the Supreme Court appears likely to block it. When the court allowed the eviction ban to remain in place through the end of July by a 5-4 vote, one justice in the majority, Brett Kavanaugh, wrote that Congress would have to act to extend it further.
As the initial moratorium expired, the administration emphasized many Americans will be able to stay housed with money already approved for aid and other efforts underway. The White House noted that state-level efforts to stop evictions would spare a third of the country from evictions over the next month.
Still, Biden faced stinging criticism, including from some in his own party, that he was was slow to address the end of the moratorium. Some people were at immediate risk of losing their homes.
Pelosi had called the prospect of widespread evictions “unfathomable.” The Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and other progressive lawmakers intensified pressure on the White House to issue an immediate extension.
Late last week, Biden announced he was allowing the ban to expire, pushing Congress to act, but lawmakers were unable to swiftly rally the votes as even Democrats questioned prolonging the eviction ban for a few more months.
The CDC put the initial eviction ban in place as part of the COVID-19 response when jobs shifted and many workers lost income. The ban was intended to hold back the spread of the virus among people put out on the streets and into shelters.
Democratic lawmakers said they were caught by surprise by Biden’s decision to end the moratorium, creating frustration and anger and exposing a rare rift with the administration. The CDC indicated in late June that it probably wouldn't extend the eviction ban beyond the end of July.
Rep. Maxine Waters, the powerful chair of the Financial Services Committee, has been talking privately for days with Yellen and urged the treasury secretary to use her influence to prod states to push the money out the door. But Waters also called on the CDC to act on its own.
After the CDC's announcement Tuesday, Waters released a statement thanking Biden “for listening and for encouraging the CDC to act! This extension of the moratorium is the lifeline that millions of families have been waiting for."