U.S. Senator JD Vance (R-OH) introduced legislation on Tuesday to prevent the re-imposition of federal mask mandates in the United States.
The Freedom to Breathe Act, sponsored by Vance would prohibit any federal official, including the president, from issuing mask mandates applying to domestic air travel, public transit systems, or primary, secondary, and post-secondary schools.
The legislation would also prohibit air carriers, transit authorities, and educational institutions from refusing service to individuals who choose not to wear a mask.
It would also stop the Secretary of Health and Human Services from imposing a mask or face covering requirement on students or travelers on trains or planes in the case of a public health emergency. Also, the bill would limit federal spending on initiatives to recommend, establish, put into place, or enforce a mask requirement for students and users of public transportation, and airlines.
Furthermore, the act would preempt all other laws or guidance that are in conflict with it and require all agencies to release new and updated guidance within 90 days of the law’s passage.
The Freedom to Breathe Act would apply through the end of 2024.
According to Vance, the United States has already tried mask mandates, and these misguided policies failed to control the spread of COVID-19.
“We tried mask mandates once in this country. They failed to control the spread of respiratory viruses, violated basic bodily freedom, and set our fellow citizens against one another. This legislation will ensure that no federal bureaucracy, no commercial airline, and no public school can impose the misguided policies of the past. Democrats say they’re not going to bring back mask mandates – we’re going to hold them to their word,” Vance said.
Vance previously hinted he would introduce the measure last week in response to former president Donald Trump warning about “leftwing lunatics” who are “trying very hard to bring back COVID lockdowns and mandates with all of their sudden fearmongering about the new variants that are coming.”
“Trump is right. The left is trying to bring lockdowns back. Next week, I’ll introduce legislation to stop it,” Vance said.
According to Vance, on Thursday he will force a vote in the Senate on his legislation to ban federal mask mandates.
“Multiple entities within our government, within the public health bureaucracy, there are local schools in the D.C. area now reimposing mask mandates, this is coming back unless we stop it from happening. That’s why I introduced this legislation, and I’m going to force the Democrats to vote on it. If they say the mask mandates are not coming back, then come to the Senate floor, vote with us, and say ‘no more mask mandates.’ Let’s make it bipartisan,” Vance said.
Vance said that any floor objection to his unanimous consent request would amount to a clear admission that Democrats intend to reimpose mask mandates in the near term.
Ohio Republican businessman, whom Vance endorsed earlier this year for U.S. Senate, Bernie Moreno has also been speaking out against any effort by the federal government to reinstate any COVID-19-related mandates.
Moreno said that these mandates directly contradict American freedom and liberty and Ohioans need to show their elected officials that they will not comply with these mandates again.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star, The Star News Network, and The Tennessee Star. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
