This week, after scrambling for votes, the House of Representatives on Friday failed to pass a bill that would have extended the eviction freeze that is set to expire Saturday, July 31. I fail to understand why a Congress dominated (albeit narrowly) by Democrats were unable to extend this moratorium so that Americans, families, children, and veterans are guaranteed a place to live. I also can’t comprehend why anyone would vote against such an extension, Democrat or Republican.

According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 6.4 million American households were behind on their rent at the end of March this year, and according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, 3.6 million people face eviction in the next two months. The White House has asked the departments of Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Agriculture to extend their eviction freeze notices until the end of September to protect households that are single-family federally insured properties.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website issued a statement: “Our country and economy are in a stronger position now than they were in January 2021, yet households across the country, especially those that are not vaccinated, remain vulnerable to COVID-19 and its associated impacts, including housing insecurity.” The webpage goes on to add: “Helping our fellow Americans, including our Veterans, keep their homes will go a long way in making sure that they have one less thing to worry about as they rebuild their lives coming out of this crisis and try to keep their loved ones safe.”

But what about those veterans who don’t have a federal loan or mortgage? What happens to those veterans who are living paycheck to paycheck, who rent apartments or homes? The HUD program does not help them.

The number of homeless veterans living on the street or in temporary shelters is expected to dramatically increase, and Keith Harris, national director of clinical operations for the VA’s Homeless Programs Office “is deeply concerned about possible dramatic increases in homelessness when eviction moratoria are lifted.” Kathryn Monet, chief executive officer of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, warned that “nearly 15 million Americans have accrued over $50 billion in missed rental payments, and veterans are among them. They will immediately be added to the ‘at-risk category of homelessness if unable to access enough emergency rent assistance or other homelessness prevention funding.” Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), stated that “the moratorium probably saved a lot of veterans from being evicted, and once you’re homeless it’s nearly impossible to get out of homelessness and it’s very expensive to do it.”

Many in Washington argue that the White House could have taken action on its own in extending the moratorium, and waited too long to ask Congress for an extension. But it seems many representatives were not in the mood for an eleventh-hour decision. There were reports of many Democrats eager to start their summer break, leaving for the airports, while others were waiting in their offices with their bags packed. Despite Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters and other sponsors of the bill who fought hard to extend the moratorium, entrenched holdouts including moderates argued that the extension should not go beyond September 30. And several Democrats threw in the towel on the whole issue, arguing that there’s little point in forcing a vote when the Senate is unlikely to be able to win 10 Republican votes for the measure.

At least Missouri Congresswoman Cori Bush, joined by Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Pressly (D-Mass.), are a few representatives who didn’t leave for vacation yesterday. U.S. Rep. Cori Bush said late Friday she planned to spend the night on the steps of the Capitol to protest the impending end of the moratorium. She stated in a tweet that “Millions are at risk of being removed from their homes, and a Democratic-controlled government has the power to stop it.” Unlike many of our elected representatives, Rep. Bush knows what it’s like to be homeless.

I understand that the eviction moratorium has shifted economic hardships to the backs of housing providers who have jeopardized their financial futures to provide essential housing to renters across the country. The moratorium has been difficult for the small business landlords who provide 40% of the country’s rental units and who still have to pay mortgages, taxes, insurance, as well. To counter this, the Biden administration is deploying resources to help renters and landlords through emergency rental aid. However, state and local governments have struggled to distribute the $46.5 billion in rental assistance, with only 6.5 percent sent to landlords and tenants as of the end of June.

Perhaps all is not lost. Despite the Supreme Court ruling last month that the CDC exceeded its authority when it imposed the moratorium last September, Pelosi believes the CDC can act unilaterally. But as a White House official pointed out, it could cause more long-term legal issues. Last month The Supreme Court denied a request by a group of Alabama real estate agents to block a federal moratorium on evictions, citing that the moratorium was set to expire soon. Justice Brett Kavanaugh provided the key vote to leave the moratorium in place and wrote that he agreed with the real estate agents that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention exceeded its authority when it issued the ban.

Americans have been ravaged by the pandemic and its widespread effects on the economy, however, it is the duty of our elected representatives to do what they can to aid those Americans who are in danger of losing a roof over their heads. Perhaps instead of catching a plane, our representatives should be joining Reps. Bush, Omar, and Pressly on the U.S. Capitol steps and work to extend the moratorium.