The Republican-led House passed a bill that could lead to a ban on the Chinese social media app TikTok unless its parent company, ByteDance, sells the platform.
The legislation, dubbed “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act,” was approved by a 352-65 vote.
Just fifty Democrats and 15 Republicans voted against the measure.
The bill will now head to the Senate.
As we highlighted earlier, Joe Biden said he would happily sign the legislation into law if it reached his desk.
While boarding Air Force One en route to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Biden said of the bill, “If they pass it, I’ll sign it.”
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President Biden answers numerous questions from the media, including on debating former President Trump, the State of the Union and the Middle East and…
— CSPAN (@cspan) March 8, 2024
Q: "Do you still support banning TikTok. Will you sign that bill?"
President Biden: "If they pass it, I'll sign it." pic.twitter.com/rLSdLvw8pM
A press release from the Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party said:
The “bill prevents app store availability or web hosting services in the U.S. for ByteDance-controlled applications, including TikTok, unless the application severs ties to entities like ByteDance that are subject to the control of a foreign adversary, as defined by Congress in Title 10.”
The legislation says the app will face a clampdown unless ByteDance sells TikTok within 180 days of the bill being enacted.
The release added:
“The bill creates a process for the President to designate certain, specifically defined social media applications that are subject to the control of a foreign adversary — per Title 10 — and pose a national security risk.”
“Designated applications will face a prohibition on app store availability and web hosting services in the U.S. unless they sever ties to entities subject to the control of a foreign adversary through divestment.”
TikTok said in a statement its attention would now shift to the Senate.
“This process was secret, and the bill was jammed through for one reason: it’s a ban,” a TikTok spokesperson said.
“We are hopeful that the Senate will consider the facts, listen to their constituents, and realize the impact on the economy, 7 million small businesses, and the 170 million Americans who use our service.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he would not commit to holding a vote on the House’s TikTok bill.
“I’ll have to consult and intend to consult with my relevant committee chairmen to see what their views would be,” he said.
READ: Top Neurologist Warns China Using TikTok to DESTROY American Children
