At issue is the CDC’s authority to protect public health.
The Justice Department filed a notice of appeal in federal court in Tampa seeking to overturn a judge’s order that voided the federal mask mandate on public transportation. The notice came minutes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asked the Justice Department to draw up the appeal.
In a statement Wednesday, the CDC said that it is “continuing assessment that this time an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor remains necessary for the public health.”
A federal judge in Florida had struck down the national mask mandate, and the Transportation Security Administration said it would no longer enforce the mask mandate.
The CDC said it will continue to monitor public health conditions to determine if a mandate would remain necessary. It said it believes the mandate is “a lawful order, well within CDC’s legal authority to protect public health.”
Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coley said Wednesday night that the department was filing the appeal “in light of today’s assessment by the CDC that an order requiring masking in the transportation corridor remains necessary to protect the public health.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For wisdom for the judges as they interpret the Constitution and responsibilities of the CDC.
- For Justice Department attorneys as they defend the health department’s guidance.
- For CDC officials as they continue to recommend guidelines against the virus.
Sources: CBS News, Fox News
