Senators Cruz and Cramer introduce bills to ban mask and vaccine mandates

As his state grapples with what local health officials call a "severely worsening" COVID-19 outbreak, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, along with North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer, introduced legislation on Monday to ban federal mask and vaccine mandates. But there appears to be little chance either bill will advance in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

The No Mask Mandates Act would end rules requiring masks on federal property and public transportation, and would apply to everyone regardless of vaccination status. It would overturn President Biden's executive order mandating face masks at federal sites and the January 29 mandate by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that requires masks on public transit systems, airplanes and other transportation. It would also prohibit any future federal mask mandates and would prohibit federal funding from being used to "develop, implement, or otherwise enforce" federal rules or regulations that require someone to wear a mask because of COVID-19, whether or not a person is vaccinated.