“TikTok is a tool of the Chinese Communist Party”

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) joined Fox News to discuss House passage of 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:

“We know that TikTok has repeatedly been caught in this lie that it is not beholden to the Chinese Communist Party through ByteDance, and yet we have internal recording from employees that have said ‘everything is seen by China.’ 

“We know that China surveils its own citizens. We know that the Chinese Communist Party cannot be trusted with American user data.

“We cannot trust them to protect American values like freedom. That’s why the House voted overwhelmingly [today] […] 352 yes votes to force TikTok to break away from ByteDance.”

[…]

“TikTok really has the choice to make. This is not a ban. This is TikTok deciding whether or not it remains with its current ownership structure, ByteDance, and ultimately controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, or if divests.

“If it breaks away from ByteDance, it will continue to operate in the United States of America.

“That’s why the bill does—it’s a very narrow, specific legislation that we’ve working on for months to take into account the national security concerns.”

[…]

“This is a tool of the Chinese Communist Party, and we need to be taking action to protect American user data.”

[...]

“The legislation is focused on the national security threat. This is about data that would be controlled by foreign adversaries. We are not getting into content at all—I think that’s a very important note to make."

[…]

“This bill is unique in that its targeting foreign adversaries. We’re working separately on legislation for privacy, data security, and believe that a national data privacy and security bill is very important for protecting Americans and protecting Americans—as well as our kids—online.”

CLICK HERE to read Chair Rodgers’ statement on H.R. 7521.

CLICK HERE to for what top conservative voices are saying.