Former Vice President Mike Pence’s policy group is pressuring Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to advance legislation that would force the Chinese-backed company ByteDance to divest from TikTok in a new $2 million ad campaign being launched this week.
Advancing America’s Freedom, a conservative advocacy group founded by Pence, debuted the 30-second ad on Tuesday featuring Schumer’s own comments against TikTok. The ad is set to air on TV and on digital platforms across several swing states such as Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.
“TikTok is building a profile on every American user and has become a digital fentanyl,” the voiceover in the ad states. “Republicans and Democrats in Washington agree on one thing: We need to stop China by stopping TikTok. Call Sen. Chuck Schumer to bring the TikTok bill to a vote.”
The ad comes after the House overwhelmingly voted in favor of a bill to force ByteDance, the Chinese-based owner of TikTok, to divest itself from the popular social media platform. The legislation was met with bipartisan support as both Republicans and Democrats have expressed national security concerns and have backed widespread restrictions for years.
However, some lawmakers expressed concerns with the way the legislation was structured, raising questions about how such a measure would be enforced. The legislation wouldn’t implement an outright ban on the app — instead, it would block it from U.S. app stores and web hosting services if ByteDance refused to sell its ownership.
Although the bill passed in a 352-65 vote in the House, its future in the Senate remains unclear. The leaders of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA) and Marco Rubio (R-FL), have pushed for the bill’s swift passage. However, Democratic leadership has been noncommittal, while some conservatives have reconsidered their stance after former President Donald Trump came out against the bill.
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Senators, like their House counterparts, can expect a push from TikTok advocates to vote against the bill should it come to the floor. Groups, including the conservative Club for Growth, have reportedly come out in opposition to the legislation. Notably, the Club for Growth has ties to Jeff Yass, who is an investor in ByteDance.
It’s not clear if or when Schumer will bring the bill up for a vote. The Washington Examiner contacted the Senate majority leader’s office for comment.