The U.S. Senate approved a proposal that would block the Department of Transportation from using federal funds to enforce mask mandates, with some Democrats joining Republicans to pass the measure.
Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) introduced the amendment, and it was approved in a 59-38 vote on Wednesday.
“The era of mask mandates caused a lot of problems,” Mr. Vance said on the floor.
“It caused problems for our kids. It caused developmental delays for school children. It caused a lot of rancor and a lot of division within our common American family. If people want to wear masks, of course, they should be able to. But if people don’t want to wear masks on airplanes, on transit, they should have that option as well. And that’s all that my amendment does,” he added.
The measure bars federal mask mandates on passenger airlines, trains, and rapid transit buses, as well as on any other transportation program funded by the federal government until the end of the current fiscal year.
“It is narrowly scoped,” the GOP senator said. “It applies for the next 11 months and applies to transportation cases. And I think it is reasonable to not ask the American