U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President of Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes issued the following statement on the news that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asked the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to appeal a ruling that struck down the federal mask mandate for public transportation:

“We have long stated that mask usage on public transportation should be an individual choice, and we were pleased to hear President Biden echo that sentiment this week—especially as the CDC’s own guidance advises that the overwhelming majority of Americans do not need to wear masks in indoor public settings.

“Masks were critically important during the height of the pandemic, but with low hospitalization rates and multiple effective health tools now widely available, from boosters to therapies to high-quality air ventilation aboard aircraft, required masking on public transportation is simply out of step with the current public health landscape.”