The American Track National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) has removed its mask mandate for both passengers and employees, an email obtained by The Daily Wire shows.
“To All Amtrak Employees,” reads the email, sent to employees around 8:20 pm ET on Monday. “Amtrak passengers and employees are no longer required to wear masks while on board trains or in stations.”
“This action is consistent with the Biden Administration’s statement, just issued, which acknowledges today’s federal court decision in Florida to strike down the CDC mask mandate for public modes of transportation. Amtrak’s updated policy follows the Administration’s approach to this issue,” the notice continues.
The email said that Amtrak will continue to encourage both passengers and employees to wear masks as an “optional preventative measure.”
All employees and contractors may voluntarily wear masks “whenever they want,” the guidance notes, adding that “masks must conform to company appearance standards or be a standard surgical or KN95 mask.”
“Mask usage is strongly recommended for those at personal high risk (e.g. not fully vaccinated or boosted, medical issue or personal situation),” the Amtrak email said. “Mask usage is strongly recommended for those who live or work in a high-risk community, as defined by CDC guidance.”
The email suggests that employees keep a mask on hand as “a matter of professional etiquette,” noting that “it is possible you may be working closely with employees who prefer that you wear a mask.”
“As you will probably be unaware of the underlying reasons why they would like you to wear a mask in these circumstances, we ask that out of respect to them, you voluntarily wear a mask if a co-worker asks you to do so,” the email said. “Extending this courtesy is consistent with our Amtrak Values, including Do the Right Thing, Put Customers First and Excel Together.”
The email comes as multiple airlines announced they will no longer enforce Democrat President Joe Biden’s mask mandate on airplanes and at airports after a federal judge ruled Monday that the requirement was “unlawful.”
Those airlines include American Airlines, Delta Airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Alaska Airlines.
U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle said Monday in her ruling that the mandate “exceeded the CDC’s statutory authority, improperly invoked the good cause exception to notice and comment rulemaking, and failed to adequately explain its decisions.”
“In accordance with the Transportation Security Administration no longer enforcing the federal face mask mandate, face masks will no longer be required for our customers and team members at U.S. airports and on domestic flights,” American Airlines said in a statement announcing its decision.
“Please note face masks may still be required based on local ordinances, or when traveling to/from certain international locations based on country requirements,” that statement said. “In keeping with our commitment to creating a welcoming environment for everyone who travels with us, customers and team members may choose to continue to wear masks at their own discretion.”