The Supreme Court allowed a lower court ruling to stand that permitted the Transportation Security Administration to require masks by passengers on airlines and trains during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The high court’s order follows a December ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Court that held that the TSA had the authority to enforce such requirements during times of national emergencies.
MAJOR AIRLINES DROP MASK REQUIREMENT AFTER FEDERAL MANDATE VOIDED
California lawyer Jonathan Corbett, who brought the case to the Supreme Court, was asking the justices to declare the appeals court decision as moot but ultimately lost on Monday when the high court kept the December ruling in place.
President Joe Biden had urged the Supreme Court to keep the D.C. Circuit opinion in place. He enacted the mandate on his first day of office, making it applicable to public transportation on intercity buses, planes, and trains.
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In April, the mask requirement was dropped after a Florida federal judge ruled it exceeded the agency’s authority. However, the high court’s decision means the TSA could declare a similar mandate again in the event of a national emergency.
The Washington Examiner contacted the TSA for a response.
