Texas AG sues Biden administration over US airport mask mandates | Inquirer
 
 
 
 
 
 

Texas AG sues Biden administration over US airport mask mandates

/ 07:45 AM February 17, 2022

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued the Biden administration on Wednesday over a government mandate requiring that masks be worn at U.S. airports and on airplanes and other transit modes.

Paxton and U.S. Representative Beth Van Duyne, a Texas Republican, jointly filed a lawsuit challenging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) transit mask rules, which have been in place since February 2021, the month after U.S. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, took office.

The current mask requirements are set to expire on March 18, though they previously have been extended several times.

A group representing major U.S. airlines declined to comment. The White House and CDC did not immediately comment.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

Texas AG sues Biden administration over US airport mask mandates

The CDC order requires masks be worn by all travelers at least two years old on planes, ships, trains, subways, buses, taxis and ride-shares and at transportation hubs such as airports, bus and ferry terminals, train and subway stations, and seaports.

CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Wednesday the agency is weighing new COVID-19 guidance, including on when to wear face masks. The CDC expects many of the revised guidelines to be issued in late February or early March.

ADVERTISEMENT

The suit names as defendants the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services, which is the CDC’s parent department, Walensky, CDC chief of staff Sherri Berger, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra and the U.S. government as a whole.

Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump, who like Paxton is a Republican, rejected requests from the CDC to impose mask requirements in transit – even though airlines and some other transportation modes had earlier required masks.

ADVERTISEMENT

Republicans in Congress have repeatedly sought to end the mandate. The mask requirements have been the source of friction, especially aboard U.S. airlines, where some travelers have refused to wear masks.

The Federal Aviation Administration says of about 6,400 complaints of unruly passengers received since the start of 2021, about 4,500 involve passengers not wearing masks.

In some U.S. states, transportation hubs are among the only places where masks are still required.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Leslie Adler and Howard Goller)

Want stories like this delivered straight to your inbox? Stay informed. Stay ahead. Subscribe to InqMORNING

Don't miss out on the latest news and information.
TAGS: Biden administration, mask mandate, Texas
For feedback, complaints, or inquiries, contact us.
Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.




This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.