Cathy McMorris Rodgers - the Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee | Official U.S. House headshot
Cathy McMorris Rodgers - the Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee | Official U.S. House headshot
House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers has declared a strong stance against the social media platform TikTok, emphasizing the need to protect Americans' data and national security from foreign adversaries. In a recent address, Chair Rodgers highlighted the dangers posed by applications like TikTok, controlled by foreign adversaries, particularly the Chinese Communist Party.
Rodgers expressed concerns about how the Chinese Communist Party can exploit platforms like TikTok to manipulate and influence the American people. She stated, "This is just a small taste of how the CCP weaponizes applications it controls to manipulate tens of millions of people to further its agenda."
The Committee is considering two key bills in response to these threats. One of them, H.R. 7521, aims to ban foreign adversary-controlled applications such as TikTok. Rodgers explained, "At its core, H.R. 7521 is about banning foreign adversaries, such as China, from targeting, surveilling, and manipulating the American people through apps like TikTok."
Regarding the divestment of TikTok, Rodgers made it clear that the Chinese Communist Party has a choice to make. She stated, "We have given TikTok a clear choice: divest from your parent company, which is beholden to the Chinese Communist Party, and remain operational in the United States, or side with the Chinese Communist Party and face a ban. The choice is theirs."
Additionally, the Committee is addressing the issue of data brokers sharing Americans' sensitive information with foreign adversaries through H.R. 7520. Rodgers commended Ranking Member Pallone for leading this initiative, stating that it is crucial in preventing the misuse of personal data.
In conclusion, Rodgers emphasized the importance of protecting American values and freedoms against the threats posed by foreign adversary-controlled applications. She thanked bipartisan efforts in the Committee, including Ranking Member Pallone and other members, for their collaboration in addressing these critical issues.
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