Seventeen Republican lawmakers are taking action against the federal transportation mask mandate, which was scheduled to end on March 18 but has since been extended another month.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), and 16 House members are leading the effort to end the Transportation Security Authority (TSA) due to current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations. It’s worth noting that Paul and Massie are part of the libertarian wing of the Republican Party, which helps explain why they are so adamant about rolling back pandemic restrictions.
“Sixteen of my colleagues and I have filed a lawsuit against the @CDCgov (CDC). The lawsuit, Massie et al v. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seeks to end the CDC’s illegal mask mandate for individuals traveling on commercial airlines,” Massie tweeted Monday.
Sixteen of my colleagues and I have filed a lawsuit against the @CDCgov (CDC). The lawsuit, Massie et al v. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seeks to end the CDC's illegal mask mandate for individuals traveling on commercial airlines.https://t.co/8QOLgdWnHB
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) March 14, 2022
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not have the legal authority to force people traveling on commercial airlines to wear masks,” he added in a press release.
“Congress never passed a law requiring masks on commercial flights. This lawsuit targets the faceless bureaucrats who are behind the CDC’s unscientific regulation so that this illegal mask mandate can be brought to a permanent end.”
It’s rather confusing as to why the mandate has not been lifted given the fact that coronavirus cases have plummeted since the winter Omicron surge.
However, the TSA claims that the “CDC will work with government agencies to help inform a revised policy framework for when, and under what circumstances, masks should be required in the public transportation corridor,” according to a statement. In other words, it’s likely to be another layer of bureaucratic red tape that will inconvenience Americans as opposed to making their lives easier.
The mandate is poorly enforced unless someone is physically on an airplane under the supervision of flight attendants. For example, roughly half the people at airports are wearing masks while waiting for their flight, anecdotally speaking, and airport security almost never takes action. At this point, it is either placating or maintaining what little grip of control the CDC has left.
Perhaps the worst part about this mandate is that it “requires” everyone two years and older to wear a mask. Common sense indicates that making small children wear masks is an unrealistic expectation for many parents, so this aspect is especially unreasonable and arguably cruel.
The mandate has been extended three times before, Reuters reported, which perfectly explains that the goalpost keeps shifting. While the playbook for preventing the spread of the virus should be different when considering international travel, the United States needs to move on and finally restore freedom to its people.
Every congressional Republican should be supporting this lawsuit if they truly say they want to bring back some semblance of a pre-pandemic America.
