Today, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) joined Wake Up America on Newsmax to discuss H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. 

The bill, which passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, will protect Americans by preventing foreign adversaries, such as the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), from targeting, surveilling, and manipulating the American people through applications, like TikTok. 

Highlights and excerpts from the interview:

On Why H.R 7521 Passed with Strong Bipartisan Support: 

“This is important legislation to protect Americans from the Chinese Communist Party.

“TikTok is a tool that is controlled by ByteDance, and ultimately, the Chinese Communist Party.

“The legislation is a targeted approach to protect us from these applications that are controlled by foreign adversaries that are collecting massive amounts of data and can ultimately use that as a destructive tool to target American children.  

“The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed this bill that would force TikTok to make the choice as to whether or not it wants to remain controlled by ByteDance, and ultimately the Chinese Communist Party, or if there would be a sale of TikTok.

“The legislation is based upon national security concerns and the House took action.”

On the National Security Threats Posed by TikTok:

“The day that the Energy and Commerce Committee voted [on the bill], that morning TikTok blocked its users […] from even getting onto the app until they called their Member of Congress.

“We all were flooded by calls from individuals, some [from] kids who didn’t even know what Congress is, and they didn’t understand what was going on.

“This is just a small taste of what TikTok is capable of doing.

“TikTok is collecting massive amounts of data on Americans. [There are] 177 million users. They are collecting location data, your contacts, your search history. We know that this is how the CCP operates in China. They collect data and they surveil ultimately to control their citizens.

“We cannot trust China to protect American user data or to uphold American values, like freedom. And that is why so many Members in the House, 352 Republicans and Democrats, believe that we must take action.

“It really is critical that we take action to protect America, to protect American users, and our children from TikTok and other apps that are controlled by foreign adversaries.”

On the Necessity for the Senate to Act:

“I believe that the Senate needs to act. The overwhelming vote in the House sent a very strong message to the Senate.

“I know that the Senate received a classified briefing and Senator Mark Warner and Senator Marco Rubio have come out in support of this legislation. Other Senators are also coming on board, believing that we must take action.”