Despite doubts about eviction moratorium’s legality, Sen. Chuck Grassley says he won’t ‘fuss’

Like President Joe Biden, Sen. Chuck Grassley has doubts that a new federal eviction moratorium could withstand a legal challenge, but “I’m not going to fuss” as long there’s an end date.

Grassley was “kind of surprised” by the Biden administration issuing a new eviction moratorium after the previous one expired July 31.

In a 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allowed the moratorium to stand, the justices indicated it would take congressional action to extend it.

“I've also heard (House Speaker Nancy) Pelosi say that it can't be done except by Congress passing laws, and Congress hasn't passed laws,” the Iowa Republican said Wednesday. “I read yesterday that CDC itself said that they didn't have the legal authority to do it.”

However, if the moratorium is going to end Oct. 3, “I'm not going to squabble about it,” Grassley told reporters.

The eviction moratorium, like the add-on federal unemployment benefits and other measures, were written to help Americans through the pandemic and were meant to last only as long as there is a national emergency.

“It’s got to end,” Grassley said, but “now wouldn't be the time for me to expect this to happen.”

At a Republican leadership meeting Tuesday, Grassley said there was “legitimate concern” about how slowly states are distributing funds intended to help renters and homeowners avoid eviction, Grassley said.

“How can it be that we appropriate $48 billion … and only $3 billion have gone out?” he said.

In Iowa, which received $195 million in rent and utility funding from the federal government, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Tuesday that $45 million has been allocated.

According to RadioIowa.com, Reynolds said she hoped “certainly by the end of this week that the backlog will be filled.”

It’s up to the states to get the money to people who need it, Grassley said.

“It seems to me that we got 50 different states, and some states ought to be successful at doing it and showing other states how to do it,” he said.

Comments: (319) 398-8375; james.lynch@thegazette.com