U.S. House of Reps Pass New Bill That Bundles TikTok Ban and Foreign Aid

A TikTok ban in the United States is once again on the table for Congress. The United States House of Representatives passed a new bill banning the popular video-sharing app.

The 21st Century Peace through Strength Act bundles a few things, such as providing foreign aid to Ukraine and Israel, but it would also include a ban on the ByteDance-owned app TikTok. The vote regarding the divest-or-ban measure that would result in a TikTok ban passed in a vote of 360-58. Last month, the lower chamber of Congress passed a bill explicitly targeting a TikTok ban, but it saw no movement once it was sent to the Senate.

This bill also changes ByteDance’s deadline to sell the app, giving the company nine months instead of the six mentioned in the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act to sell TikTok to another company or investment group. However, the bill notes that the President can extend the deadline by 90 days if progress indicates a sale to the app is nearing completion.

While the previous TikTok ban bill last month saw no movement, the likelihood of the latest bill heading to a vote in the Senate and onto the President’s desk has increased because it bundles foreign aid to U.S.-allied countries. Though President Biden has signaled he supports a bill banning the app in the United States, it is ironic that the President’s campaign team joined the app earlier this year as part of their efforts to re-elect the President ahead of the 2024 election.

Another Shot at Trying to Ban TikTok

For the last several years, Capital Hill has discussed banning TikTok, with many citing that its ownership by a Chinese-based company threatens national security. Those who oppose the ban, such as the free speech organization the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), argue that a TikTok ban violates free speech.

The app is currently banned from being installed on Federal government-owned smartphones. Governments in over 30 states, including Florida, Maryland, and Vermont, have also imposed similar rules. The TikTok ban on a state level has also reached several colleges across the United States, such as Clemon University, which makes the app inaccessible to anyone connected to the wired and wireless networks on campus.

Since the first TikTok ban bill passed last month, the app has been vocal on its platform, with CEO Shou Zi Chew telling users last month to “make their voices heard.” Since then, the video app’s official account has made a subtle push by encouraging users to assist in avoiding a ban from occurring in the United States with the hashtag #KeepTikTok. In one video published earlier this month, TikTok published data that showed how many active users are in the United States and the financial impact that could be imposed on small businesses and creators if the ban happens.

Though the bill has yet to become law that would make a TikTok ban a reality, unless ByteDance sells, some individuals have vocally expressed interest in buying the app. One notable individual is former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.