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A bill threatening to ban an app beloved by one-half of the American universe justrocketed through the House of Representativesin a week ’s meter . But in the other chamber of Congress , thing are potential to be much more complicated .
TikTok the company and TikTok the chaotic community of creators and their followers arerightfully freak out correctly now . Both were caught off guard by a sudden regulative frenzy that appeared to come forth out of nowhere , push at least as far asprevious failed attempts . But the legislation , which pass overwhelmingly in the House , has no counterpart in the Senate . And it ’s far from seeming that the upper sleeping accommodation of Congress share the House ’s appetency for laser - targeting a individual tech caller with tailor-make legislation , among the bill ’s other problems .
After the bill ’s passage in the House , lawmakers in the Senate begin to wade into the conversation , but some muscular voices have yet to make their position known . Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer , who has the power to set the chamber ’s priorities and wrangle Democrats for a unified vote , said onlythat the Senate “ will review the legislation when it comes over from the House . ” If Schumer intended to fast - course a Senate version of the bill , this would have been the second to tantalise the House ’s momentum and rally support , but he remains noncommittal for now .
Cantwell ’s nod to the constitution hints at the First Amendment fight that will probably erupt in court if the House broadsheet find its mode into law of nature . TikToksuccessfully fought backagainst a commonwealth - floor ban on the app in Montana last year , arguing that the law was unconstitutional . A TikTok spokesperson previously characterize the legislating as a government seek to “ strip 170 million Americans of their Constitutional rightfield to free expression , ” suggest at the direction a future effectual battle would likely take .
While some member of the Senate demurred , others came out swinging . Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark R. Warner ( D - VA ) and Vice Chairman Marco Rubio ( R - FL ) issued a joint financial statement rapidly after the bill pass in the House .
“ We are united in our concern about the internal security threat posed by TikTok – a platform with tremendous power to influence and divide Americans whose parent company ByteDance remains de jure expect to do the bidding of the Chinese Communist Party , ” Warner and Rubio sound out in an emailed statement , adding that they planned to work together to pass the bill in the Senate . Their Senate committee , which is oftentimes briefed on interior security system matters , is specially relevant afford the nature of the concerns extract by TikTok ’s critics in Congress .
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Missouri Republican Josh Hawley , who frequently sows business organization about China , registered his support for a Senate version of the TikTok bill following the vote . “ NOW is the clip to play on TikTok and stop China spying , ” Hawley wrote on X. “ The Senate should take up this flier immediately . ” Still , Hawley enjoin Axiosthat the legislation is potential to die a “ death by a thousand cut ” if the Senate takes it up at all , given the sleeping accommodation ’s failure to regularise giving tech company .
Senator Marsha Blackburn , another Senate Republican hawkish on China , also verbalise her financial backing for pushing a version of the House TikTok bill through . “ I am so proud of that the House moved their statute law ahead … That is a very good sign , ” Blackburn sound out in an emailed command .
For Senate Republicans , there ’s another massive wrinkle in the war on TikTok . Former President Donald Trump , who himself pioneer the idea of a forced TikTok sale four years ago , is no longer in funding of a TikTok crackdown . Trump explain his sharp about - face on TikTok by pointing to the benefit a ban or force divestiture could have on Meta , which suspended the former president ’s account over his office in inciting violence on January 6 .
“ Without TikTok , you may make Facebook handsome , and I count Facebook to be an enemy of the mass , ” Trump told CNBC . Trump ’s line on TikTok may have changedfollowing a late meetingwith billionaire Republican conferrer Jeffrey Yass , who owns a 15 % stake in TikTok ’s Chinese parent company ByteDance .
With President Biden call up for the TikTok bill ’s enactment while Democrats except , and tough - on - China Republicans falling out of step with their company ’s own loss leader , TikTok ’s fate in the U.S. is far from sealed .
As clip ticktack on , TikTok gains an opening to put to work against the statute law on Capitol Hill . And TikTok creators and their followers have more fourth dimension toregister their own opposition to the card , calling attention to the massive chunk of the American electorate that stands to be alien by a ban on TikTok in an election yr .
The bill that could blackball TikTok passes in the House
