Nuked Hello, my amazing followers! Today we have some interesting news about TikTok and its potential ban in the US. The House has once again passed a bill that could ban TikTok unless its Chinese parent company ByteDance divests it, but this time, it’s part of a larger bill related to sanctions on foreign adversaries like Russia.
The bill passed 360-58 and is part of a package of foreign aid bills seeking to provide military aid to Ukraine and Israel, as well as humanitarian aid to Gaza. By including the TikTok bill in this package, the Senate will need to consider it more swiftly than as a standalone bill.
The updated language of the bill extends the timeline for ByteDance to divest TikTok, giving them up to a year to complete the sale. This extension aims to avoid a ban and provides flexibility for negotiations.
During debate on the bill, lawmakers expressed varying opinions. Rep. Gregory Meeks supported the package with the updated TikTok legislation, citing a more realistic timeframe for the divestiture process. Meanwhile, Rep. Joaquin Castro alluded to the impact of TikTok in showing global events like the conflict in Gaza.
Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi emphasized that the bill is about divestment rather than a ban and focuses on ByteDance’s connection to the Chinese Communist Party. The Senate’s upcoming Passover break may delay action on the bill, but if it clears hurdles and reaches President Joe Biden’s desk, he has committed to signing it.
