Biden on whether people should still wear masks on planes and trains: ’That’s up to them’
Comes after a court effectively nullified the mask mandate for travel on planes and trains
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.President Joe Biden said that people should make their own personal choices about wearing a mask while traveling, after his administration said it would stop enforcing its mask mandate in response to a court nullifying the rule.
Mr Biden was asked about whether people should continue to wear masks when he was speaking in New Hampshire about infrastructure.
"That's up to them," he said.
US District Judge Kathryn Mizelle, who was nominated by former president Donald Trump to serve as on the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, concluded that the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention’s mandate that people wear masks while traveling on planes, trains or other public transit exceeded its authority.
In response, the Biden administration said it would no longer enforce the mandate.
“TSA will not enforce its Security Directives and Emergency Amendment requiring mask use on public transportation,” an official said on Monday evening. This came despite the fact that White House press secretary Jen Psaki lamented the ruling.
“This is obviously a disappointing decision,” she said.
So far, 21 states led by Republicans, along with flight attendants and pilots have urged courts to invalidate the mandate.
Many Democratic-led states have already lifted mask mandates and last month, many Democrats in swing state races voted to repeal the CDC’s travel ordinance. Among the senators who voted to repeal the travel mandate was New Hampshire Democratic Senator Maggie Hassan, who was at the event with Mr Biden to tout the bipartisan infrastructure law.
Ms Hassan is up for reelection in 2022 and also criticised Mr Biden’s rollback of Title 42, a Trump-era ordinance that was put in place during the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic that severely restricted immigration at the US-Mexico border.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments