The TikTok ban bill, along with other bipartisan legislation directed at China, may soon "progress" with the US Senate resuming in the coming weeks, according to Democrat Sen. Chuck Schumer.
First reported by Reuters, Schumer said Congress "have the opportunity to make progress on bipartisan bills" once it returns from its two-week recess.
(Photo : Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images)
Schumer did not disclose his standing on the bill but rather shaded towards his Republican colleagues to not "allow the ultra-right wing of their party to derail progress on these bipartisan bills."
The New York senator earlier highlighted the Senate's need to focus more on the proposed Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the funding towards Ukraine than on TikTok.
Senate to Hold onto TikTok Ban Bill Amid Pushbacks
The statement comes after several senators indicated to carefully deliberate on the proposed ban after the US House of Representatives quickly passed the bill amid strong backlash from its users.
Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell previously proposed another public hearing on the supposed security concerns on the app before deciding to push through with the bill.
It is worth noting that several senators have declared intentions for reelection in the upcoming voting polls this November, many of which use TikTok for their campaigns to appeal to younger voters.
Also Read: TikTok Ban and the US Government: A Case of Restrictions, State Control, and Espionage Fears
Data Safety Concerns Touted Ahead of TikTok Ban Hearing
Similar concerns regarding the platforms' affiliation with China have been touted by lawmakers for continuing to push the proposed Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.
Under the proposed act, all ByteDance-owned apps, including TikTok, will be banned across the country to protect Americans from foreign government interference. ByteDance's headquarters is based in China.
TikTok, which platforms 170 million users in the US, has been advised to separate from its parent company to avoid the ban if the bill ever comes through.
As of writing, no evident proof that TikTok is leaking US users' data and algorithms to the Chinese government aside from supposed insider reports.
Its US division stores all American users' data on the cloud server provided by Texas-based Oracle Corp.
TikTok earlier dismissed the government's allegations towards the social media.
Related Article: What Happens if TikTok is Banned in the US?
