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Florida’s cruise ban lawsuit against the CDC sent to mediation
Florida’s lawsuit against the CDC has been refereed to mediation by presiding Judge Steven D. Merryday.
The state filed the lawsuit against the CDC and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last month to scrap the Conditional Sailing Order for cruise lines.
Florida argues the CDC has extended its legal overreach with the ‘arbitrary and unconstitutional’ CSO.
It claims it violates federal law.
A mediator must listen to both sides before 1 June.
In response, the Justice Department said the state has no authority to dictate policy of a federal agency and it waited an entire year before taking any action.
The Judge allowed ASTA to make representations to the mediator about the economic damage the cruise ban has caused to communities and travel businesses outside Florida.
"We must fight to get our cruise liners and their employees back to work and safely sailing again. To be clear, no federal law authorizes the CDCgov to indefinitely shutdown an entire industry," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis tweeted.
DeSantis claims the cruise industry has the ability to regulate itself through the Healthy Sail Panel program.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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