Americans may be experiencing a bit of whiplash as the Biden administration reacts to a ruling by a federal judge earlier this week that struck down the mask mandate for mass transit.
Celebration – and then confusion – followed the decision Monday by a federal judge in Florida as public transit systems and many airlines lifted mask-wearing requirements for passengers. But not long after, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a statement that it “continues to recommend” mask-wearing, and has asked that Biden’s Justice Department move ahead to get Americans back in masks while flying and on public transportation.
“It is CDC’s continuing assessment that at this time an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health. CDC will continue to monitor public health conditions to determine whether such an order remains necessary. CDC believes this is a lawful order, well within CDC’s legal authority to protect public health,” the agency announced Wednesday.
The CDC noted that it has “asked DOJ to proceed with an appeal” of the court’s ruling, contending that “wearing masks is most beneficial in crowded or poorly ventilated locations, such as the transportation corridor.”
NEW: The CDC has asked the administration to fight the court decision that voided masks on public transit, saying it’s still the case that masks on transportation remain “necessary for the public health” pic.twitter.com/jR8kGYwnoZ
— Cheyenne Haslett (@cheyennehaslett) April 20, 2022
Almost immediately after the CDC press release went out, the Justice Department filed an appeal in federal court in Tampa.
The move was being made “in light of today’s assessment by the CDC that an order requiring masking in the transportation corridor remains necessary to protect the public health,” said Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coley on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press.
They’ll lose. https://t.co/sr62BnmgDs
— Megyn Kelly (@megynkelly) April 20, 2022
The latest on the administration’s stand on the mask mandate came after a time of confusion following the court decision on Monday as President Joe Biden had said “that’s up to them” when he was asked Tuesday if people should continue to wear masks on planes.
“People are not legally bound to wear masks,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Wednesday, though she noted the president continues to encourage traveling Americans to wear masks. “So, it is a point in time where it is up to people — it is their choice, in that regard.
The CDC’s latest statement and the head-spinning reversals on mask-wearing sparked plenty of reaction on Twitter.
You can recommend all you want.
That is your role.The problem is when you started ordering instead of recommending.
— Nick Gamblin 🇨🇦🚛🇨🇦 (@NGamblin) April 20, 2022
You’re not a regulatory agency. You can recommend all day but you have no authority to mandate anything
— Alec (@abo198) April 20, 2022
Remember the pandemic is over so this Administration can now get rid of Title 42 but we still need mask mandates on planes and buses because the pandemic isn’t over.
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) April 20, 2022
LOL. At what point does a person dismiss an agency @CDCgov for being wrong every step of the way? Where else in life would you value an opinion that is consistently wrong?
— Paul (@Thetwilightkid9) April 20, 2022
The Mask Mandate exceeds the CDC’s authority under the Public Health Service Act
The Mask Mandate improperly invoked the good cause exception to avoid the notice and comment procedures required under the AP
The Mask Mandate violated the APA because it is arbitrary and capricious— Angry Black Sheep (@Galileo62303273) April 20, 2022
A reminder that CDC and DOJ don’t apply these rules to the illegal immigrants. They’re not required to be vaccinated or have masks on.
— Chamkila (@HKZ_506) April 20, 2022
They cannot give up the power
— Bobby (@BEdwards570) April 20, 2022
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida. Powers also contributes to BizPac Review.
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