An eleventh-hour bid in Congress to extend the federal pandemic eviction moratorium collapsed Friday, meaning thousands of people may soon face the prospect of being forced from their homes.
The effort by lawmakers, which came ahead of the ban’s expected expiration Saturday, faltered amid divisions in the House. About a dozen House Democrats opposed the measure and were unwilling to budge, according to sources consulted by NBC News.
House Speaker Nancy Nancy Pelosi and the measure’s sponsor, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., were at odds Friday over whether to hold a vote and force members to make their positions publicly known.
Ultimately, the attempt failed when Majority Leader Steny Hoyer tried to pass the measure by unanimous consent—a process that doesn’t require a vote—and a Republican member objected. Congress is now leaving town, with the House not expected back in until Sept. 20.
The Joe Biden administration had previously stated that a recent court ruling meant the administration lacks the power to extend the moratorium and pushed responsibility to Congress.
