WASHINGTON (LEX 18) — Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul introduced legislation Wednesday to repeal mask mandates on public transportation.
The "Travel Mask Mandate Repeal Act of 2021" is cosponsored by Republican senators Mike Braun (Ind.), Tom Cotton (Ark.) Roger Marshall (Kan.) and Roger Wicker (Miss.)
“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," Paul said in a release issued Wednesday. "In a free country, people will evaluate their personal risk factors and are smart enough to ultimately make medical decisions like wearing a mask themselves.”
Cotton added that he believes mask mandates have "outlived their usefulness" even though they remain a requirement on flights and some other forms of public transportation.
"This policy discourages family travel and forces Americans with children—especially those with disabilities—to cancel travel or else live in fear that an untimely tantrum or bad day could ruin their trip and cost them more than a thousand dollars in fines," he said. "Our bill will put an end to this unscientific and punitive practice.”
Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs (Ariz.) will be introducing companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives later this week.
You can read the Travel Mask Mandate Repeal Act of 2021 in its entirety HERE.
