Senate Votes to Advance Amendment Banning Federal Mask Mandates on Public Transportation

Vance amendment to the Senate's spending bill seeks prohibition of federal agencies from instituting mask mandates until the end of fiscal 2024; President Biden hints at possible veto of Republican spending bills.

• The Senate has voted 59-38 in favor of an amendment by Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) to the Senate's spending bill that would ban the federal government from instituting public transportation mask mandates. The amendment has received support from all Republicans and several Democrats.
• Mask mandates on public transportation, sustained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the pandemic, were dismissed by a federal judge in April 2022. Sen. Vance's amendment aims to ensure that these mandates are not reinstated by federal agencies until the end of fiscal 2024.
• Individual states and localities would still be able to establish mask orders for their jurisdictions, even if the Vance amendment is implemented. While the CDC would not be able to impose a mask order on public transit systems, local authorities, like New York City's Mayor Eric Adams, could enforce such rules.
• The proposed amendment is part of H.R. 4366, a spending bill that provides financial support for the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs. While it is unclear if the bill will pass the Senate, President Biden has expressed willingness to veto Republican spending bills.
• Sen. Vance previously introduced the 'Freedom to Breathe Act' that sought to prevent the reinstatement of mask mandates in the United States. This proposed legislation also aimed at preventing federal entities, commercial airlines, and public schools from imposing these mandates.

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