How Texas representatives voted on bill targeting TikTok

Posted: Mar 13, 2024 / 11:16 AM CDT

Updated: Mar 13, 2024 / 03:22 PM CDT

WASHINGTON (KXAN) — The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation by a wide margin that’s intended to force TikTok to cut ties with its Chinese owners or face a national ban of the app.

The bill passed Wednesday morning by a vote of 352-65. It now heads to the U.S. Senate for consideration, while President Joe Biden previously indicated he’d sign this legislation into law.

The bill, which is called the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, would create an ultimatum for TikTok’s owner ByteDance to either sell the platform or face a block on sales from U.S. app stores. Supporters said these steps are necessary due to data security related to the app’s Chinese connections, while some opponents contend it’s an infringement on free speech.

Most members of the Texas Congressional delegation (32) voted in favor of the proposal, while only three voted against it. The only “present” vote came from a Texas representative: Democrat Jasmine Crockett of Dallas. Meanwhile, two Republican members — Kay Granger of Fort Worth and Roger Williams of Weatherford — did not cast a vote.

U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, supported the measure and released a statement Wednesday explaining his vote.

“Our national security is paramount and we must work together to ensure apps like TikTok are free from the harmful and malicious influence of the Chinese Communist Party,” Allred said. “The Chinese government remains the most active and persistent cyber threat to the United States. This is not a ban, instead it creates a system to preserve TikTok and protect our freedoms and privacy by requiring ByteDance to fully divest in TikTok. Apps like TikTok are so important to creators and businesses in Texas and across the country, and that is why I urge Republicans and Democrats to continue to work together to preserve this app, and pass this legislation protecting our national security.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Austin, sent out a statement laying out why he voted against the measure.

“I voted no on the TikTok forced sale bill. While I have serious data privacy concerns with TikTok, this bill was rapidly rushed to a vote by the Republicans with almost no public scrutiny — and that’s a recipe for unintended consequences,” Casar said. “We need well-vetted, robust protections for TikTok users. Today’s bill simply may not work.”