Lawmakers in Washington have been working for over a year to address the national security concerns surrounding TikTok, an app with ties to China. While a proposal to force TikTok to sever ties with its Chinese owner or ban the app initially fizzled, a group of lawmakers worked behind the scenes to draft a bill that would force TikTok to be sold by its Chinese owner, ByteDance, or risk being banned. The bill passed the Senate, upending the future of an app with 170 million users in the United States.
Lawmakers and their aides spent nearly a year working on the bill in secrecy to avoid triggering TikTok’s lobbying efforts. They collaborated with the Justice Department and the White House to ensure the bill was legally sound and could withstand legal challenges. The speed at which the bill moved through Congress, from being introduced to passing the Senate, was remarkably fast for Washington, earning it the nickname “Thunder Run.”
The concerns surrounding TikTok stem from fears that the Chinese government could influence the app to serve Beijing’s interests, including interfering in American elections. TikTok has pushed back against these accusations, stating that the Chinese government has no role in the company and investing significant resources in addressing concerns. However, the recent efforts by lawmakers caught TikTok off guard. While the app is unlikely to disappear from U.S. users’ phones immediately, the bill is the first of its kind to potentially result in a wide ban of a foreign app.
Key lawmakers spearheaded the effort to address TikTok’s national security concerns, guided by the support of the White House and the Justice Department. They drafted the bill in secrecy, meeting with administration officials to write the bill in a way that could defend against legal challenges while recognizing the national security threat posed by TikTok’s Chinese ownership. The bill gained bipartisan support in the House and Senate despite TikTok’s lobbying efforts.
The House swiftly passed the bill, but its future in the Senate was uncertain. Senators considered amending the bill to include more details about national security concerns related to TikTok, which could have significantly slowed down the process. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson attached the bill to a package of popular Republican measures, pushing the Senate to act. After making a key amendment to extend the deadline for a TikTok sale from six to nine months, the bill passed the Senate overwhelmingly.
President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law, marking a significant step in addressing national security concerns related to TikTok. Despite opposition from TikTok and various advocacy groups, the bill’s passage demonstrates a rare show of bipartisanship in Washington and a decisive move to address potential threats posed by foreign-owned applications. This coordinated effort by lawmakers, in collaboration with federal agencies, showcases the speed and efficiency with which legislation can be enacted when faced with pressing national security concerns.
