Justice Department files appeal against mask mandate

The Justice Department is filing an appeal seeking to overturn a judge's order that voided the federal mask mandate on planes, trains and travel hubs, officials said Wednesday.

It came minutes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asked the Justice Department to appeal the decision handed down by a federal judge in Florida earlier this week.

A notice of appeal was filed in federal court in Tampa. In a statement on Wednesday, the CDC said that it continues to assess that an order requiring masking in the indoor transportation corridor is necessary for the public health. The CDC said it would continue to monitor public health conditions to determine if a mandate would be necessary. It believes that the mandate is a lawful order, well within the legal authority of the CDC to protect public health.