TikTok Ban Bill Passes the House
Legislation to Divest or Face Ban in the US
Bill Summary
The House of Representatives passed H.R. 299, the "No TikTok on Government Devices Act," on Saturday, April 20, 2024. The bill aims to ban TikTok from operating in the United States unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sells its stake in the app. The bill passed by a vote of 360 to 58, with overwhelming support from both Democrats and Republicans.
Background
TikTok has come under increasing scrutiny in the US due to concerns about its ties to the Chinese government and the potential for the platform to be used for surveillance or data collection. In 2020, the Trump administration issued an executive order attempting to ban TikTok, but it was blocked by federal courts. The Biden administration has since taken a more nuanced approach, engaging in negotiations with TikTok to address national security concerns.
Bill Provisions
The "No TikTok on Government Devices Act" requires the President to submit a report to Congress within 180 days of its passage. The report must assess the national security risks posed by TikTok and make recommendations on how to mitigate those risks. If the President determines that the risks cannot be adequately addressed, the bill authorizes the President to ban TikTok from operating in the US.
Next Steps
The bill will now move to the Senate for consideration. If the Senate passes the bill and it is signed into law by the President, TikTok will have one year to divest its US operations or face a ban. The bill is supported by the White House and has strong bipartisan support in Congress, increasing the likelihood of its passage.
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