United States President Joe Biden breaks his silence on the federal court ruling that voids his administration's mandate that requires the use of face masks while on public transportation such as trains and airplanes.
The Democrat made his first remarks since the federal judge struck down his order, telling reporters on Tuesday that American citizens should decide whether or not to wear face masks on planes. The official's statement further muddied the White House and administration messaging on pandemic mitigation efforts.
Biden Breaks Silence
During the event, Biden was asked whether or not his administration would appeal the federal judge's ruling. The U.S. president only said that he has not yet talked with officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding the possible move.
But when he was again asked about the same issue, later on, he instead said that he had not yet received a briefing from the health agency and was unsure of what to do next. However, the Democrat did say that he would "follow the science," as per ABC News.
The situation comes as both the Justice Department and the CDC disagree with the district court's decision and plans to appeal the ruling. The department said that it is subject to the health agency's conclusion that Biden's order remains necessary for public health.
The federal judge's ruling suggested that the government did not accept the CDC's narrow interpretation of its authority to impose such measures on the American public. The ruling was made by a 35-year-old judge appointed by former United States President Donald Trump.
According to the New York Times, it did not necessarily mean, however, that the litigation in the case would continue as it was already set to expire on May 3, even if the judge did not rule for it to be voided if no extension was made. If the CDC does decide that there is a public health basis for trying to reinstate Biden's order, the Justice Department will quickly file an appeal.
Federal Mask Mandate
Soon after the federal judge's ruling, all major carriers, including American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and national train line Amtrak relaxed their restrictions effective immediately. U.S. health officials last week had just extended the mask mandate to expire on the new date.
Various industry groups and many Republican lawmakers have been fighting the Biden administration and trying to end the mandate permanently since before the judge's decision. U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle made the ruling in a lawsuit filed last year in Tampa, Florida, by a group called the Health Freedom Defense Fund.
The decision follows a string of rulings against U.S. President Biden's directives to fight the infectious coronavirus that has already killed nearly one million American people. The directives include vaccine or test mandates for employees across the nation.
Mizelle ruled that the CDC exceeded its legal authority with the mask mandate, did not seek public comment, and did not adequately explain its decisions. A U.S. administration official said that while agencies were assessing the potential next steps, the court's decision means that the mandate will no longer be in effect, Reuters reported.
