U.S. likely to enact a law soon that could ban TikTok nationwide

WASHINGTON — Legislation that could ban TikTok in the U.S. unless it cuts ties with its Chinese parent company is on a path to quickly get to President Joe Biden’s desk and be signed into law.

The bill, which has the backing of Biden and key members of Congress, would allow the administration to ban the popular video-sharing app nationwide if it does not divest from China-based ByteDance within one year.

A similar bill already passed the House in a lopsided, bipartisan 352-65 vote in March. But it’s been stalled in the Democratic-controlled Senate, where Commerce Chairwoman Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., had been looking to put her mark on the bill.

Now, the House is planning to package a slightly revised TikTok bill with billions in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, all but guaranteeing the potential TikTok ban will become law.

Under the strategy used by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., the House plans to pass the combined foreign aid and TikTok package Saturday night and send it to the Senate, setting up a possible vote in the upper chamber as early as next week.

In recent weeks, Johnson’s team worked closely with the White House on the package and Biden has already said he will swiftly sign into law the broader package, which also includes other GOP national security priorities like the REPO Act and sanctions against Iran. Biden backed the original TikTok ban legislation in the House as well, though his campaign has an account on the app.

The fast-track process for the TikTok bill comes as leaders in both parties, as well as national security officials, warn that the popular video-sharing app is a national security threat. There are worries that the Chinese Communist Party is using TikTok to access data and spy on its