A political advocacy group linked to ex-Vice President Mike Pence is pushing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to schedule a vote on a bill that might forbid TikTok.
Advancing American Freedom has started a new ad backing the bill, which would make TikTok's China-based parent company sell the popular app or face a ban from U.S. app stores and web hosting services.
The $2 million ad campaign will run in Washington D.C. and several crucial Senate swing states, including Montana, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, according to Politico.
“Chinese TikTok is building a profile on every American user and has become a digital fentanyl,” the ad says. “Republicans and Democrats in Washington agree on one thing — we need to stop China by stopping TikTok.”
The House easily passed the Protecting Americans From Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act last month in a 352-65 vote. However, the bill has since stalled in the Senate.
Following the House vote, Schumer appeared noncommittal about bringing the legislation to the floor.
“The Senate will review the legislation when it comes over from the House,” the Senate majority leader said in a statement at the time.
Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner (D-Va.), who has supported the TikTok bill, also said late last month that he didn’t have the “foggiest idea” when a vote might be held.
“They moved obviously very aggressively and quickly in the House. I’m not sure the Senate has that same kind of timetable,” Warner said.
