President Biden Signs HR 815 into Law, Potentially Paving Way for TikTok Ban
WASHINGTON, DC — President Joe Biden has signed HR 815 into law, which includes measures that could lead to a nationwide ban on TikTok. The legislation was finalized by federal lawmakers on Tuesday and could result in TikTok being banned from all US app stores unless its Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, sells the platform within approximately nine months.
The bill, passed by a bipartisan Senate vote of 79-18, grants the president the authority to issue a one-time extension of ninety days to ByteDance. This extension is contingent on the identification of a divestment plan, significant progress towards its execution, and binding legal agreements that ensure the completion of the separation before the extension’s expiration.
HR 815, a comprehensive package of legislation, also includes provisions for aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, among other foreign affairs measures. In a statement released on Tuesday, President Biden commended the Senate for its efforts but focused his remarks on the foreign aid components of the bill without directly mentioning the potential TikTok ban.
