WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD.), joined Monday with Senator Warren (D-Mass.), Congressman Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-Ill.), and Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) introduced the Protecting Renters from Evictions and Fees Act of 2020. The bicameral legislation extends the federal eviction moratorium to March 27, 2021, one year after the date of enactment of the CARES Act, and expands the moratorium to cover substantially all renters. The bill also prohibits fees, fines, and extra charges due to nonpayment of rent. The HEROES Act, already passed by the House of Representatives, includes the same extension and universal expansion of the federal eviction moratorium.
“Financial responsibilities and bills for many families have accumulated over the last several months. It is imperative that Congress continues to provide much needed financial relief to Americans throughout this global pandemic,” said Senator Cardin. “I am a proud cosponsor of this legislation, to extend a nationwide moratorium on evictions, to keep a roof over the heads of millions of Americans. No one should have to risk losing their home as they continue to budget their resources and plan their recovery from this financial and health crisis.”
Additional Senate cosponsors include: Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawai’i), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.).
The Protecting Renters from Evictions and Fees Act of 2020 is endorsed by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, National Housing Law Project, and Action Center on Race and the Economy.
“Black communities are bearing the brunt of compounded crises, from the high rate of Covid19 cases and mortality rates, economic devastation due to unemployment and low wages and physical violence at the hands of police. While all of these problems need comprehensive solutions, ACRE is endorsing this emergency legislation to protect renters that will otherwise be abandoned to yet another devastating loss at this time,” said Maurice BP-Weeks, Co-Executive Director of Action Center on Race and the Economy.
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