Senators reportedly intend to seek amendments to a recently passed House bill that could force the sale of Chinese-owned TikTok, a debate that could delay passage of the closely watched bill. may cause.
As The Post reported, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is under intense pressure to bring the bill, which overwhelmingly passed the House last month, to a vote. Supporters say TikTok could serve as a spying and propaganda tool for the Chinese government.
While debate is expected to pick up in the Senate as Congress returns from its Easter recess, supporters of the bill are frustrated by the lack of progress in the Senate so far. wall street journal report.
Meanwhile, TikTok has launched a massive PR campaign, including TV ads in key battleground states, to rally users against a potential ban.
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, is reportedly expected to lead discussions on potential changes, but her specific plans remain unclear. is unknown. Some Republicans are concerned that major changes could hurt the bill’s prospects, the paper said.
According to the report, the Senate may decide to extend the time period for ByteDance to sell its stake in TikTok. The House bill would require TikTok’s China-based parent company ByteDance to sell its video-sharing app within six months or be banned in the U.S., a deadline the company argues is too strict. .
Some senators reportedly want to amend the bill’s language to make it more difficult to challenge in court. Some companies are considering whether to expand their coverage to address other concerns related to social media apps.
Schumer has yet to take a public position on the TikTok bill or indicate when a vote will take place. Cantwell wants to hold at least one hearing on the bill, Senate aides told the Journal.
Cantwell’s office did not respond to requests for comment.
Even if the Senate takes a final vote and passes the bill, the House would still have to approve a revised version.
For now, it remains unclear whether TikTok’s proposal will gain enough support to pass the Senate. Some lawmakers, including Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, have expressed concerns about the bill, citing free speech rights.
Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) told the Journal: “I have great concerns about targeting a company for violations of standards that other app and social media companies have committed as well.” Ta.
Meanwhile, the bill has the support of Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Mark Warner (D-Va.), who said in a joint statement last month that they would “work together to… I look forward to working together.” The bill passed the Senate and was signed into law. ”
In addition, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) urged the Biden administration to discuss the potential national security risks posed by TikTok with lawmakers last month. They asked that the information provided be declassified.
“As Congress and the Administration consider measures to address TikTok’s relationship with the Chinese government, it is critical that Americans, and especially TikTok users, understand the national security issues at stake,” they said. This was stated in a joint statement on March 21.
