DOJ asks federal appeals court to reverse order lifting travel mask mandate

Up to date June 1, 2022 at 3:54 AM ET&#13

The Justice Department asked a federal appeals courtroom on Tuesday to overturn final month’s court docket selection by a federal decide that declared the mandate requiring masks on airplanes and other general public transportation illegal.&#13

In a 48-webpage doc submitted in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court docket of Appeals, the Justice Department argues that the get issued by the Facilities for Condition Regulate and Avoidance in early 2021 “falls easily inside the CDC’s statutory authority.”&#13

Past thirty day period, the Justice Division said that it would enchantment U.S. District Decide Kathryn Kimball Mizelle’s final decision to strike down the CDC’s mask mandate for general public transportation if the agency determines the mandate is continue to essential to defend general public health.&#13

“None of the district court’s quarrels with the CDC purchase will come near to demonstrating that the CDC has acted outside the ‘zone of reasonableness,'” the Justice Office said in the brief.&#13

“The results in the CDC get deliver enough aid for the agency’s determination that there was fantastic result in to make the buy successful with out hold off.”&#13

The CDC did not quickly answer to immediate requests for remark on the concern.&#13

In her ruling, Mizelle argued that the mandate violates the Administrative Procedure Act mainly because the company failed to prove its selection about applying the mandate.&#13

“The court docket concludes that the mask mandate exceeds the CDC’s statutory authority and violates the strategies needed for company rulemaking underneath the APA,” Mizelle wrote.&#13

Transportation businesses, these kinds of as Uber, Lyft and Amtrak as perfectly as Delta, Southwest and American Airlines manufactured masks optional before long following the selection.&#13

NPR’s Ayana Archie contributed to this report. &#13

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