Niagara Leader

Washington, DC — Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24) today voted in favor of H.R. 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which would ensure the safety of Americans' data and the national security of the United States from threats posed by foreign adversary-controlled applications such as TikTok. This bill, which Tenney cosponsored, passed the House by a vote of 352-65, with one present vote.

In response to the passing of the bill, Congresswoman Tenney expressed, "Congress has heard consistently from the intelligence community about the serious threats posed by TikTok to our national security." She further stated, "With over 170 million users, TikTok is the Chinese Communist Party's propaganda megaphone, using the App to manipulate and exploit users' data for its own surveillance and monetary gains."

The bill aims to address concerns related to foreign adversary-controlled applications and their potential threats to national security. Specifically targeting applications owned by countries such as China, Iran, Russia, or North Korea, the legislation requires these applications to divest ownership of the foreign adversary or face prohibition from operating in the United States.

Regarding the misinformation spread about the bill, Congresswoman Tenney clarified, "This bill does not apply to U.S.-owned companies, so the risk of weaponization of this legislation against U.S. social media companies is not applicable." She emphasized that the focus is on safeguarding sensitive data from adversaries and preventing their influence on American platforms.

"With a decisive and critical measure prohibiting the Chinese Communist Party from controlling the TikTok application, I remain dedicated to cracking down on the CCP's malign influence," Congresswoman Tenney affirmed. The passage of H.R. 7521 signifies a step towards ensuring that individuals and businesses using such applications are protected from potential threats to their data and privacy.