Last week, Sen. Rand Paul issued a press release that he would be forcing a vote on his resolution to end travel mask mandates on public transportation in the United States. With most mask mandates in the country coming to an end, the man should be celebrated as a national hero just for trying. Moreover, the public transportation industry, particularly the airline industry, always had inconsistent and baffling regulations regarding masks. If it passes, Paul’s resolution will be a welcome relief to many travelers.
“Since March 2020, unelected bureaucrats have incessantly declared that we should ‘follow the science,’” Paul said in a press release. “But the same bureaucrats continue to defy science by imposing an ineffective and restrictive mask mandate for individuals traveling on public transit and airplanes. As the entire world is learning to live with COVID, the federal government still uses fearmongering to stubbornly perpetuate its mandates, rather than giving clear-eyed, rational advice on how to best protect yourself from illness. That is why I am forcing a vote to repeal travel mask mandates on public transportation and put a stop to this anti-science, nanny state requirement.”
Travelers have often complained about inconsistencies while being forced to wear masks on airplanes. Airlines practiced social distancing with seating on planes by eliminating some seats, typically the middle rows, to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19 until it was revealed the airlines were losing significant amounts of money. Suddenly, social distancing did not matter. Such inconsistencies drew the public’s attention and its ire.
Paul has been an outspoken critic of mask mandates during the pandemic. He has routinely provided scientific evidence to show how masks are ineffective in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Moreover, he has been a vocal opponent of mask mandates in the country. The press release highlighted how Paul introduced the Travel Mask Mandate Repeal Act of 2021 in July.
“The federal government forcing the American people to continue to wear masks despite the fact that we’ve already reached herd immunity is ridiculous and needs to end immediately,” Paul said in July 2021. “I am introducing the Travel Mask Mandate Repeal Act of 2021 to put a stop to this nanny state mandate of requiring masks on public transportation. In a free county, people will evaluate their personal risk factors and are smart enough to ultimately make medical decisions like wearing a mask themselves.”
Given where we are in the stage of the pandemic, Paul’s argument makes a lot of sense. He is not opposed to people choosing to wear masks, obviously. Paul just supports that the government should not be forcing people to do so — particularly on public transportation. Given that many cities throughout the country have ended or are in the process of ending mask mandates, Paul’s resolution seems to be the next logical step in trying to return to normal.
