Do Oregon lawmakers support a potential ban on TikTok?

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – President Joe Biden signed a foreign aid package on Wednesday, which includes a provision requiring TikTok to break ties with its parent company ByteDance amid concerns from lawmakers over the social media platform’s Chinese ownership. If the company does not sell ownership to a U.S. company within one year, it could be banned in the U.S.

The package — the 21st Century Peace Through Strength Act, which includes $95 billion in foreign aid to countries such as Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan — passed the U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday in a 360-58 vote, and passed the U.S. Senate on Tuesday 79-18, as reported by the Associated Press.

Oregon lawmakers expressed mixed support for the TikTok provision.

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Senator Jeff Merkley (D) voted against the package and raised concerns about TikTok’s ownership.

“Senator Merkley voted against the national security supplemental funding bill that included the TikTok bill. He is concerned about risks that stem from foreign ownership of large social media platforms, including risks to national security, to the protection of user’s data, to the manipulation of algorithms and data to support foreign propaganda,” a spokesperson for Sen. Merkley told KOIN 6 News. “He supports requiring TikTok to sell to diminish these risks while allowing the millions of Americans who use TikTok to continue to do so.”

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In a press release issued Wednesday, Sen. Ron Wyden (D) lauded the package’s passing for foreign aid, but warned the TikTok provision will not protect Americans’ data.

“I have serious concerns about any app that gives unfriendly foreign governments access to Americans’ private data, and I believe there is a legitimate security risk caused by TikTok’s relationship to its China-based corporate parent,” Wyden said. “However, I remain concerned that this bill could have negative effects on free speech around the world, does too little to protect Americans’ privacy from being sold to China through third parties, and provides broad authority that could be abused by a future administration to violate Americans’ First Amendment rights. I plan to watchdog how this legislation is implemented, and will blow the whistle if the executive branch oversteps beyond the purpose of the bill.”

Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-01) previously voted against the standalone bill in the House, explaining in a March 13 press release that targeting the company is the wrong approach and that more needs to be done to protect personal information, national security, and the electoral system from foreign interference – adding, “I also have serious constitutional concerns about this bill. The First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution enshrines the protection of free speech and a press free from fear of retribution from the government. Protecting this right is a cornerstone of our democracy, and one that I am committed to upholding. We should return to the table and negotiate a more comprehensive and effective approach to data privacy.”

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Bonamici voted for the foreign aid package, telling KOIN 6 News she was disappointed that House Republicans tied the TikTok provision to the foreign aid.

“I do not support banning TikTok. When this issue came before me in a standalone bill, I voted no because we need comprehensive data privacy policies, it targets a specific and very popular platform, and I have First Amendment concerns. The bill I voted for recently includes desperately needed provisions to address the fentanyl crisis, including provisions that would crack down on fentanyl traffickers. Unfortunately, the House Republican leadership included the unrelated TikTok provisions in the bill,” Bonamici said.

Republican representatives Cliff Bentz (OR-02) and Lori Chavez DeRemer (OR-05) also supported the package.

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“It is paramount that we take action to protect Americans from potential surveillance, data breaches, and targeted political messaging orchestrated by apps being controlled by adversarial foreign powers like the People’s Republic of China,” Bentz stated. “This bill provides a critical framework to safeguard our national security interests while minimizing disruptions to users and businesses.”

Chavez-DeRemer said, “Congress has received classified briefings that have made TikTok’s national security threat clear, and that’s reflected in the overwhelming bipartisan support this bill received in both the House and the Senate. To be clear, the bill I voted for does not ban the app – it requires apps controlled by foreign adversaries, which is the case with TikTok’s parent company ByteDance and China, to divest so they are no longer controlled by countries that pose significant national security risks. This is the right thing to do for our country and Americans’ security and privacy. To anyone frustrated with this bill: Ask TikTok to do the right thing and sever its ties with the Chinese Communist Party.”

Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-03) also voted in favor of the package. His office could not be immediately reached for comment.

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Congresswoman Val Hoyle (D-04) voted against the package because of the provisions that would “result in an effective ban” of TikTok.

In an April 20 press release, Hoyle said, in part, “I have been clear on this and voted against a similar bill – H.R. 7521, the so-called Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act – earlier this year. This is not just a TikTok problem, it’s a problem with social media and tech companies across the board. That is exactly why we need to take a broader approach and ensure all social media platforms are held to the same standards of data privacy and ethical user engagement.”

Congresswoman Andrea Salinas (D-06) supported the package, telling KOIN 6 News, “I strongly support the right to free speech. I also have deep concerns about the Chinese Communist Party having unfettered access to Americans’ data. Protecting our privacy and national security has to be a top priority, which is why I voted to force the Chinese parent company ByteDance to divest from TikTok. Doing so would remove China from the equation and allow Americans to continue enjoying an app they love without having to worry about their data being compromised.”

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Meanwhile, TikTok said they will challenge the potential ban on the app.

In a statement on Wednesday, the company said, “This unconstitutional law is a TikTok ban, and we will challenge it in court. 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.”

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