The House of Representatives passed a series of bills including one that forces the sale or ban of TikTok and another bill that offers $95 billion in foreign aid for Ukraine, Israel, and other U.S. allies.
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On Saturday (April 20), ABC News reported that the U.S. House voted 360-58 on a bill that forces the sale of TikTok. The bipartisan vote marks the latest defeat for the app, which is currently owned by China-based company ByteDance.
As we’ve previously shared, officials in Washington have been in a battle with the social media company, which has over 170 million U.S. users. The bill passed by the House this weekend is said to closely resemble an earlier version approved in March that would ban TikTok from U.S. app stores unless the parent company sells to a new owner, and swiftly.
Additionally, the House attached the TikTok bill to another bill that sees the U.S. funding Ukrainian military equipment and Israeli missile defense. The move by the House reportedly puts pressure on Senate lawmakers, forcing them to quickly make a decision on all bills with a yes or no vote.
RELATED: The House Just Passed A Bill That Would Lead To A Nationwide Ban On TikTok If Its Chinese Owner Doesn’t Sell
If the version of the bill approved by the House on Saturday is signed, TikTok will have 270 days to find a new owner, which is more than the prior bill’s 6-month deadline. The new bill also gives the White House an option to extend the new deadline with another 90 days if President Joe Biden believes TikTok has made any progress in finding a new owner. j
As for the series of foreign aid bills passed on Saturday, it’s reported that $60.8 billion is being requested for Ukraine, $26.4 billion for Israel, and $8 billion for Taiwan and other Indo-Pacific allies. The bill for Ukraine was passed by a vote of 311-112-1. The bill for Taiwan passed overwhelmingly in the House by a vote of 385-34-1, and the House passed the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act by a vote of 366-58.
RELATED: Montana Becomes First State To Completely Ban TikTok; Law Likely To Be Challenged
Speaking on the series of TikTok and foreign aid bills, Joe Biden thanked the House members for passing the foreign aid package for Ukraine and Israel. He said that the package arrives at a “critical inflection point” for said nations. He added, “It comes at a moment of grave urgency, with Israel facing unprecedented attacks from Iran, and Ukraine under continued bombardment from Russia.”
He also acknowledged the “desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza, Sudan, and Haiti,” which is included in the funding. He further “urged the Senate to quickly send this package” to his desk so that he could “sign it into law and quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs.”
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