Photo illustration: Avishek Das/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images.
Momentum against TikTok is brewing in Congress, where House Republicans are marking up legislation to empower President Biden to ban the app.
Why it matters: The U.S. government's security review of TikTok has dragged on for years, and lawmakers are growing impatient to appear strong against potential Chinese threats.
Driving the news: The Deterring America’s Technological Adversaries Act (DATA Act) is being marked up in the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday.
What they're saying: “Currently the courts have questioned the administration’s authority to sanction TikTok. My bill empowers the administration to ban TikTok or any software applications that threaten U.S. national security,” said Foreign Affairs Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas).
The other side: The bill needs substantial bipartisan support to pass the Senate, but Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), the top Democrat on Foreign Affairs, told Axios that he expects Democrats both on the committee and in the Senate will oppose it.
Congress has already restricted its staffers' use of TikTok on government devices.
What we're watching: Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, is expected to roll out his own TikTok bill soon that could also empower bans on other Chinese companies.