Biden Administration Requires Mask Usage on all Federal Property
President Joe Biden issued an executive order on his first day in office that requires anyone on federal property to wear a mask. This mandate includes federal employees and contractors, as well as anyone inside a federal building or on federal land.
People traveling on planes, trains, and public transportation will also be mandated to wear masks. This is an effort by the new administration to combat the spread of COVID-19 by following guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
While most agree that this is a step in the right direction, others are arguing for a universal mask requirement in the U.S.
David Keating, a volunteer director for Masks4All, explains, “The symbolism is good. But the reality is what he is [proposing] is not going to have much real impact. Not many people are going inside federal buildings. Most interstate transportation is already covered by mask requirements by corporations – all major airlines, Amtrak, Greyhound Bus Lines, etc. require masks for passengers. That said, a federal rule would greatly help companies enforce it.”
President Biden has explained that this mask policy will not last forever- only for his first 100 days in office. He has been praised for acknowledging the checks on his executive power and not overstepping beyond his authority by only requiring masks on federal property.
Lawrence Gostin, director of Georgetown University’s O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, explains, "A national mandate is not possible because public health powers belong to the states, not the federal government. The federal government couldn’t implement its own mask mandates, nor could it force the states to do it."
Currently, the federal government owns about 640 million acres, approximately 28 percent of the land in the country. The General Services Administration (GSA), which is the federal government’s landlord, currently owns and leases more than 376 million square feet of space in 9,600 buildings nationwide.
Chad Hooper, President of the Professional Managers Association (PMA), praised the order in a statement saying, “We are thankful that President Biden has taken decisive action on his first day in office to address this issue. Science has shown that masks save lives. This order will undoubtedly save the lives of federal employees and provide a sense of comfort to those reporting to work in these atypical conditions.”