WASHINGTON, D.C. (WKBN) – Ohio Senator JD Vance’s effort to ban federal mandates requiring people to wear face masks fell short on Capitol Hill Thursday.
Vance introduced his “Freedom to Breathe Act” earlier this week to keep federal officials, including the president, from imposing mask mandates for public transportation and schools.
Vance said government leaders and public health officials made a lot of mistakes during the COVID pandemic.
“We need to not repeat the mistakes of 2021 and 2022. The mask mandates didn’t really help us. They didn’t slow the spread of the virus. They actually caused some developmental and speech problems with our kids. So, why would we be doing that again in 2023?” Vance said.
Although Vance had asked his colleagues for unanimous consent, Democrat Ed Markey of Massachusetts blocked that vote from taking place.
