Schumer, Cantwell Struggle on Path Forward for US TikTok Ban

Sana Pashankar, Bloomberg News

Signage outside TikTok Inc. offices in Culver City, California, US, on Wednesday, March 20, 2024. By passing a bill that could ban video-sharing app TikTok in the US, the House of Representatives took one of the most aggressive legislative moves the country has seen during the social media era. Photographer: Bing Guan/Bloomberg , Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) -- US legislation that would ban the popular TikTok app remains stalled in the Senate, where key Democrats struggled Wednesday to reach consensus.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer met with Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, who has said she doesn’t want to rush legislation that would force Chinese parent ByteDance Ltd to divest itself of the video-sharing app used by 170 million people in the US.

“I think really the issue is, what is it we’re trying to solve, do we have the language that solves it, and does it uphold in court,” Cantwell told Bloomberg News after the meeting.

The legislation passed the US House by a wide majority last month but it faces opposition in the Senate from both parties.

Some opponents say the measure impedes on Americans’ right to free speech and could harm the growing number of entrepreneurs, business owners, and influencers who rely on the app to make a living. Others, like Cantwell, have expressed concern about court challenges regarding a law singling out one company. And Senator Rand Paul, a Kentucky Republican, has predicted it would be struck down.

Read More: TikTok Sell-or-Ban Push to Slow as Bill Hits Senate Tumult

The bill has also garnered support from a significant number of senators, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. They say that ByteDance must comply with the requests of the Chinese government and therefore poses a data privacy and national security concern, especially in an election year.

Schumer has not clarified when he plans to bring the bill to a vote on the House floor but has listed it as a legislative priority. President Joe Biden has said that if the House-passed bill appeared on his desk, he would sign it.

Cantwell said that she and Schumer would meet again, this time with Intelligence Committee Chairman Mark Warner, who has publicly advocated for the bill. Warner added that the meeting may take place early next week.

--With assistance from Steven T. Dennis and Zach C. Cohen.