In a decisive move, the House of Representatives voted 360-58 to advance legislation that could lead to the prohibition of TikTok in the United States unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, severs ties within a year.
The bill, among a package of measures voted on during a rare weekend session, is set for swift enactment into law.
The proposal grants the Biden administration authority to enforce a nationwide ban on the popular short-video app if ByteDance fails to divest it within the specified timeframe.
Earlier, a similar bill advocating a shorter divestment period of six months passed the Republican-led House with bipartisan support but faced delays in the Democrat-controlled Senate.
Senator Maria Cantwell, Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, expressed approval for the extended divestment period, emphasizing the necessity of adequate time for divestment.
Cantwell’s endorsement aligns with the House’s new proposal, indicating potential bipartisan consensus in the Senate.
