Republicans Celebrate End of Biden’s Mask Rule: ‘Freedom’

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, smiles while adjusting his protective mask during a House Select
Stefani Reynolds/AP
Hannah Knudsen

Several Republican lawmakers celebrated the end of President Biden’s federal mask requirement, deeming it a great win for Americans.

Last week, the Biden administration extended the mask requirement, which was set to expire April 18, yet again for another two weeks. But on Monday, U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle, a Trump-appointed judge in Tampa, issued a massive ruling, concluding the federal mask mandate “exceeded the CDC statutory authority, improperly invoked the good cause exception to notice and comment rulemaking, and failed to adequately explain its decisions.”

“Because our system does not permit agencies to act unlawfully even in the pursuit of desirable ends, the court declares unlawful and vacates the mask mandate,” she wrote, effectively ending the mandate. As a result, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced it would no longer enforce, the rule, and airlines quickly released statements, making it clear that masks are now optional.

The ruling comes months after Republican lawmakers worked to end the mask mandates, to no avail, even as Americans made it clear that it was time to end the rules.

“No masks on airlines anymore. Freedom,” Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) said on Tuesday, marking the first full day of the mandate being gone:

“The people who are angry that Americans don’t have to wear a mask on a plane anymore are the same ones who want to end the Title 42 Covid rule for illegal immigrants,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said following a slew of radical leftists freaking out over the fact that they can no longer force everyone to cover their faces:

“No more masks!” Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) celebrated:

“The mandates began with ‘just two weeks to slow the spread,'” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) said. “Two years later CDC said ‘masks on planes for just two more weeks,’ and the judge said ‘nope,'”:

“If you would like to wear a mask on flights, pls do so. But you can no longer force others to do it,” Rep. Mike Waltz (R-FL) said:

“Thank you Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle of Florida for ENDING the mask mandates on planes and trains!” Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) declared. “LET FREEDOM REIGN!”:

Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), said the federal judge “made the right call on striking down the @CDCgov’s unconstitutional mask mandates for travel.”

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., takes off his mask before he speaks to the media after a campaign rally for Republican candidates for U.S. Senate Sen. Kelly Loeffler and Sen. David Perdue on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, in Cumming, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., takes off his mask on Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, in Cumming, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

“I’ve been fighting for this for months and we must continue doing everything possible to allow Americans to live freely and go back to normal,” he added:

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks about federal COVID-19 mask mandates, during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, March 15, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, speaks about federal COVID-19 mask mandates, during a news conference on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, March 15, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) agreed, adding that he will “continue to fight until these mandates are gone for good”:

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