DC Enquirer
On Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed the national security package into law which included $60 billion for Ukraine, $26 billion for Israel, $8 billion for Indo-Pacific, significant amounts for humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and a bill that forces the parent company of TikTok, ByteDance, to sell the the popular social media platform to an American company within a year or face a permanent ban.
“The path to my desk was a difficult path. It should have been easier and it should’ve gotten there sooner,” Biden said in remarks after signing the bill. “But in the end we did what America always does, we rose to the moment.” The legislation faced considerable resistance from Republicans in the House, ultimaetly being unable to win the support from a majority of the majority. Despite this, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) forced the bill to the floor with the help of Democrats and successfully got the bill through the lower chamber. The Senate voted on Tuesday evening with 79 in favor, 18 against, and three abstaining.
In response to the bill, TikTok has vowed to take legal action. “This unconstitutional law is a TikTok ban, and we will challenge it in court,” TikTok said in a statement. “We believe the facts and the law are clearly on our side, and we will ultimately prevail. The fact is, we have invested billions of dollars to keep U.S. data safe and our platform free from outside influence and manipulation. This ban would devastate seven million businesses and silence 170 million Americans. As we continue to challenge this unconstitutional ban, we will continue investing and innovating to ensure TikTok remains a space where Americans of all walks of life can safely come to share their experiences, find joy, and be inspired.”
