Democrats call for masks to be required aboard planes

Democrats in Congress are increasingly pushing the Trump administration to require everyone on board an airplane to wear face masks, brushing aside the Federal Aviation Administration's assertion that it doesn't regulate public health.

Flight attendant unions have been asking for such a requirement for weeks; airlines have been inching toward mask requirements in recent days, though mostly for flight crews. JetBlue became the first airline to say it would voluntarily require its passengers to cover their faces earlier this week.

Now Democrats in the House and Senate are stepping up pressure on the FAA. On Wednesday, House Transportation Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) spoke with the head of the FAA, Steve Dickson, and urged him to make face masks required for everyone.