U.S. Rep. Cori Bush Camps Outside Capitol to Protest End of Eviction Moratorium Amid Pandemic
Cori Bush/Instagram
U.S. Representative Cori Bush camped outside the Capitol overnight to protest the end of the nationwide eviction moratorium put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More than six million Americans could face eviction on Sunday should Congress allow the current moratorium to expire. The Missouri Democrat, 45, protested Friday night into Saturday, which she documented via Instagram.
In her first post, Bush called out several of her Democratic colleagues for going on vacation Friday as the House of Representatives adjourned for their August recess "rather than staying to vote to keep people in their homes."
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"I'll be sleeping outside the Capitol tonight. We've still got work to do," wrote Bush, who was evicted three times and once lived in her car before the start of her political career.
Fellow Reps. Ilhan Omar and Ayanna Pressley appeared in support of their friend. The trio posed for a powerful photo around 1 a.m. local time Saturday morning in front of the Capitol steps.
"Our solidarity is strong and our numbers are growing," Bush captioned the shot. "Millions are at risk of being removed from their homes, and a Democratic-controlled government has the power to stop it. Extend the eviction moratorium now."
Bush promoted H.R. 4791 — known as the Protecting Renters from Evictions Act of 2021 — numerous times to her Instagram story throughout her multi-day effort. The House bill proposed by California Democrat Maxine Waters would extend the eviction moratorium until the end of the 2021 calendar year.
As Bush noted, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously extended the moratorium from June 30 to July 31. The Supreme Court later ruled that it was up to Congress to make the decision moving forward.
In another Instagram story, Bush said she and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez attempted to prevent the House from closing for vacation, but were ultimately unsuccessful. Bush criticized her colleagues for abandoning millions of Americans while a dangerous coronavirus variant wreaks havoc on the country.
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"There is an eviction moratorium expiring in the middle of a pandemic where the Delta variant is ravaging our communities and the people who will be evicted are the ones most likely to die," she wrote in response to a user questioning Congress' decision to adjourn.
"The least our Democratic-controlled government can do is extend protections for people at risk of becoming unhoused. Especially, ESPECIALLY when we already have an unhoused crisis in our country. We need action NOW," Bush stated.
Saturday morning, Bush reiterated her point in another Instagram post begging lawmakers — including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi — to return to Washington, D.C., to immediately address the issue.
"We slept at the Capitol last night to ask them to come back and do their jobs," she wrote. "Today's their last chance. We're still here."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren appeared at the protest later in the day. Bush thanked Warren for her support in an afternoon post on Instagram.
Cori Bush/Instagram
"We've been outside of the Capitol since last night demanding that our Democratic-controlled government take action to save millions from eviction. We have until midnight. Thank you, @elizabethwarren, for supporting our push on the Senate floor and joining us outside. Let's keep pushing," she wrote alongside the image.
Ocasio-Cortez also joined Bush Saturday evening outside the Capitol alongside other protesters as the moratorium inched toward its end.
"Our movement is growing. Tag your Rep. The House must reconvene and #ExtendTheMoratorium or @potus @cdcgov could extend it tonight," Bush captioned a photo of the group. "We need all hands on deck."
