Politics

EXCLUSIVE: Reps. Bishop, Mast Push to Force House Vote to Permanently End CDC Travel Mask Mandate

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Henry Rodgers Chief National Correspondent
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Republican North Carolina Rep. Dan Bishop and Florida Rep. Brian Mast filed a discharge petition Wednesday to force a vote on Bishop’s Congressional Review Act resolution to end the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC’s) public transportation mask mandate.

The Daily Caller first obtained a copy of the discharge petition which if it is successful the House would then vote on the rule and then on the resolution itself. Bishop’s resolution which was filed in February, now has 127 cosponsors and the Senate also passed Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul’s version of the Congressional Review Act resolution to end the mandate in March.

A federal judge named Kathryn Kimball Mizelle from Florida’s middle district overturned the CDC’s mask mandate for public transportation on April 18.

“Those viral videos of Americans on planes cheering the end of the mask mandates apparently didn’t resonate with the Biden Administration. They want to force travelers back in masks. The reality is that Judge Mizelle was right, the CDC always lacked authority to create its own laws. That is Congress’ job. We have nearly 130 cosponsors behind this resolution who agree, and want to bury this mandate for good. America has moved on from unscientific and unconstitutional mask mandates. Now it’s time for every member in the House, Democrats especially, to reveal if they are for or against forcing masks back on Americans,” Bishop told the Daily Caller.

READ THE DISCHARGE PETITION HERE: 

(DAILY CALLER OBTAINED) — … by Henry Rodgers

“DOJ’s decision to appeal the court’s ruling on mask mandates told everyone that the Biden Administration is not going to let this go, regardless of public opinion – or the Constitution. That’s why Congressional action is needed, and with nearly 130 cosponsors of this CRA, we’ve got the momentum. Today’s discharge petition is another nail in the coffin for these unconstitutional mandates, and we’ll keep going until it’s nailed shut,” Mast told the Daily Caller. (RELATED: Senate Votes To Repeal CDC Mask Mandate For Public Transportation)

In March, Paul’s resolution picked up bipartisan support in a 57-40 vote. The vote comes after the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced that they would extend the current mask mandate for public transportation through April 18. Eight Democrats voted in favor of Paul’s resolution and only one Republican voted against it, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney.(RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Reps Bishop, Mast Introduce Legislation To End CDC’s Public Transportation Mask Mandate)

The discharge petition needs 218 signatures to pass the Congressional Review Act, which will end the CDC’s unconstitutional mandate for good without leaving it to the courts.