The Department of Justice announced Tuesday evening the Biden administration will appeal Monday’s ruling by a federal judge in Florida that struck down mask mandates for air and Amtrak travel.
“The Department of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) disagree with the district court’s decision and will appeal, subject to CDC’s conclusion that the order remains necessary for public health. The Department continues to believe that the order requiring masking in the transportation corridor is a valid exercise of the authority Congress has given CDC to protect the public health. That is an important authority the Department will continue to work to preserve,” DOJ released in a statement. “On April 13, 2022, before the district court’s decision, CDC explained that the order would remain in effect while it assessed current public health conditions, and that the Transportation Security Administration would extend its directive implementing the order until May 3 to facilitate CDC’s assessment.”
“If CDC concludes that a mandatory order remains necessary for the public’s health after that assessment, the Department of Justice will appeal the district court’s decision,” the statement concludes.
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Earlier today President Joe Biden was asked about the mandate and said the decision about whether to wear a mask while traveling is a personal choice. His new Wuhan coronavirus advisor pushed for the reinstatement of the mandate.
24 hours ago, a federal judge vacated @CDCgov mask mandate on airplanes
— Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH (@AshishKJha46) April 19, 2022
This was deeply disappointing
CDC scientists had asked for 15 days to make a more data-driven durable decision
We should have given it to them
But I'll continue to follow CDC guidance & mask up on planes
For more on the Biden administration’s chaotic response to the court ruling, see here.
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