TikTok ban's fate is uncertain in the Senate, where there is less urgency to act

WASHINGTON — The House-passed bill that could ban TikTok faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where there is less urgency to act and senators have different theories about how to address national security concerns about the app's China-based owner.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he sees a need for action on TikTok because of its parent company's links to China.

“I certainly think it is a threat,” he said before the House vote. “Because under existing Chinese law any information any Chinese company collects, they have to share with the Chinese Communist Party. So it’s well documented that one of the strategies that Communist China has is to collect all this data and apply their artificial intelligence to do mass surveillance, and more.”

He added that the Senate won't act as quickly as the House did.

“We do things slowly over here, and this takes time,” Cornyn said.

The chamber will require 60 votes to break a filibuster, and senators have a range of concerns. Many say the national security threat posed by TikTok is urgent, and some are willing to support the House bill. Others want a broader approach that encompasses various foreign-controlled apps rather than targeting one company. Yet others worry that China will seek to retaliate against the U.S.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., was noncommittal on whether the Senate would vote on the House bill, telling reporters Tuesday, “I’ll have to consult, and intend to consult, with my relevant committee chairmen to see what their views would be.”

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, D-Va., and leading Republican Marco Rubio of Florida said in a joint statement Wednesday that they were "encouraged" by the bipartisan House vote, adding that