Legal Issues Related to Transportation Mask-Wearing Mandates [April 12, 2021]   [open pdf - 708KB]

From the Document: "On January 21, 2021, President Joe Biden issued an executive order [hyperlink] directing federal agencies to require mask wearing in a range of transportation contexts nationwide. In response, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an order [hyperlink] (Mask Order) requiring mask wearing on commercial and public transportation. A number of other federal agencies have since taken additional actions to support the enforcement of these mask-wearing requirements. This Legal Sidebar provides a brief overview of the CDC's Mask Order and the role of other federal agencies in enforcing its requirements. It then discusses a number of related legal considerations for Congress, including the scope of the federal government's authority to impose mask-wearing requirements in transportation contexts."