Several Republican lawmakers took to social media Wednesday afternoon to blast the Biden administration for extending the public transportation mask mandate.
The mask mandate was set to expire on April 18, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention extended it, citing an abundance of caution while monitoring increased cases attributed to the omicron subvariant BA.2.
The extension is also raising questions about why COVID-19 policy is being eliminated for illegal immigrants crossing the southern border but not for American citizens.
“Talk about putting Americans last,” Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton posted on Twitter.
Joe Biden is dropping COVID restrictions for illegal immigrants at the border.
But he’s extending the mask mandate for Americans on planes.
Talk about putting Americans last.
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) April 13, 2022
The House Judiciary GOP balked at the mask extension, saying, “COVID is over for illegal immigrants at the southern border. But not for Americans flying on planes.”
#COVID is over for illegal immigrants at the southern border.
But not for Americans flying on planes. https://t.co/Nd9KjVs07e
— House Judiciary GOP (@JudiciaryGOP) April 13, 2022
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Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan also took exception to the extended mandate, noting that people are tired of being told what to do by “experts” who are “wrong.”
-Fauci was wrong about #COVID.
-The 51 “intelligence” officials were wrong about Hunter Biden.
-The National School Boards Association was wrong about parents.
Americans are tired of the “experts.”
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) April 13, 2022
Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas also voiced his frustration on Twitter.
“Petty tyrants are committed to mask mandates,” Cruz wrote. “Ending the mask mandates is long overdue.”
Petty tyrants are committed to mask mandates.
Ending the mask mandates is long overdue.
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) April 13, 2022
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The extended mandate applies to transportation hubs, planes, trains, buses, and airports. The Transportation Security Administration, which enforces the rule, enacted it on Feb. 1, 2021, with an original expiration date of May 11, 2021. It was then extended to September, then January, then mid-March, and April 18 before the announcement of today’s two-week extension.
In March, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that his state, along with 20 others, is suing the Biden administration over the long-standing travel mask mandate. “It’s amazing that this has gone on for as long as it has,” he said at a news conference.
