On Tuesday, the United States Senate voted 57/40 to pass a resolution from Kentucky’s Senator Rand Paul, a GOP, to repeal the U.S. federal transit masking mandate on aircraft and other public transportation forms, in a bilateral censure to the President Biden’s policy, and drawing a swift veto threat from Biden. In voting, 8 Democrats joined GOPs to support the measure, while one Republican Senator – Utah’s Mitt Romney – voted against the resolution.
The White House said the past week that it would extend the existing coronavirus mask rules at Airports, railway stations, rideshare vehicles, and other modes of transport through 18th April but vowed a fresh review. The order will expire on Friday.
The mask mandate has drawn significant disapproval from GOPs who note that the U.S. CDC said the recent week that 98 percent of US people live in places where it’s safe to ditch using of face masks indoors. Sen. Paul said the vote sent a message to unelected administration bureaucrats to halt the anti-science, nanny state requirement of transit mask rules. The order by CDC states the face-mask mandate could help avoid the COVID-19 spread in crowded transport locations.
‘Veto Threat’
In spite of the resolution succeeding in the upper chamber, it isn’t likely to move in the Democrats-led House and would probably be opposed by Mr. President. In addition, the White House has issued ‘a veto threat’ against the proposal earlier March 15.
Furthermore, the incumbent party Senators voted to throw away the masking mandate are Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen from Nevada; Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly from Arizona; Colorado’s Michael Bennet; West Virginian Sen. Joe Manchin; Montana’s Jon Tester and Maggie Hassan from New Hampshire. Moreover, Maggie Hassan, Cortez Masto, Mark Kelly, and Michael Bennet are all up for reelection in 2022.
Earlier in March, the US government declared it would extend the federal public transit masking mandate through 18th April. The extension emerges while several face-covering rules have been withdrawn in schools and states all over the U.S. as COVID-19 infections have dropped since the contagious Omicron surge earlier in 2022. The action also comes as GOPs have continued pressuring on the White House and Democrats in Congress to relax numerous federal restrictions designed to fight against the fatal disease.
Before the vote, Virginian Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, urged his fellows not to support the resolution by Paul, arguing the transit mask mandate is set to expire in April, and US Congress should give CDC time to come up with new instructions.
Source: Web
Pfizer, BioNTech Requests US Regulators to Allow 4th COVID-19 Dose for Seniors
On Tuesday, Pfizer Inc, the U.S. pharmaceutical company, has asked for approval this week for a second booster dose for seniors, citing data from Israel: fourth dose to older adults offered enough protection against the lethal virus.
At present, America urges two initial shots for everyone 12-year-olds and above. The latest request seeks to add a second booster or the 4th dose only for above-65-year-olds. The U.S. FDA and the U.S. CDC would have to approve the request for 4th dose.
