House passes new coronavirus relief bill for renters and homeowners, as Democrats urge Republicans to negotiate further aid
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The House of Representatives on Monday passed legislation in order to protect Americans impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic from evictions and foreclosures.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters of California, passed by a vote of 232-180 split down party lines. Only one Democrat, Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon, voted against the measure.
Waters said the Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act of 2020 contains several provisions that were included in the HEROES Act, a $3 trillion stimulus bill that passed the House in May.
The bill allocates $100 billion towards emergency rental assistance, establishes a $75 billion fund for homeowners, and extends an eviction and foreclosure moratorium. It now heads to the Senate for further action.
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The House of Representatives on Monday passed legislation in order to protect Americans impacted by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic from evictions and foreclosures.
The legislation, called the Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act of 2020, passed by a vote of 232-180 that was split along party lines. Only one Democrat, Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon, voted against the measure.
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Maxine Waters of California, the Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee.
In a statement prior to the bill's passage, Waters said that the bill contains several provisions that were included in the HEROES Act, a $3 trillion stimulus bill that passed the House in May.
"Some people hearing about this bill won't understand what we are trying to do in this bill today," Waters said. "This was part of the HEROES Act that passed this House, but we have been waiting on the Senate to take up the HEROES Act. They are not taking it up, they don't seem to care, they don't seem to understand that there are people out there who are going to be evicted, and so we have pulled it out of the HEROES Act and we are taking it up independently."
"America was facing an affordable housing crisis before this pandemic hit," Waters added. "With so many families struggling as a result of the pandemic, we are now on the precipice of an eviction and homelessness crisis like we've never seen in our lifetimes."
The bill allocates $100 billion towards emergency rental assistance, establishes a $75 billion fund for homeowners, and extends an eviction and foreclosure moratorium.
The legislation now heads to the Senate for further action.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called on Senate Republicans to start negotiations on a new coronavirus relief bill, though they have signaled that they would not support the Democrat-led measure.
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