Selective border security, LGBT ideology: 5 things to know about the omnibus bill
4. It contains a ban on the use of TikTok on government devices
While the omnibus bill primarily consists of appropriations by various government agencies, it also contains pieces of legislation originally introduced as standalone measures. As concerns about the national security threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party persist, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has worked to pass the No TikTok on Government Devices Act.
The $1.7 trillion spending package includes the text of the No TikTok on Government Devices Act, which works “to prohibit certain individuals from downloading or using TikTok on any device issued by the United States or a government corporation.”
Since the bill contains text requiring the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to “develop standards and guidelines for executive agencies requiring the removal of any covered application from information technology” within 60 days of the legislation’s enactment, it will likely go into effect in late February.
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Hawley elaborated on the justification behind the bill in a statement released following the U.S. Senate’s unanimous passage of his standalone legislation on Dec. 14. “TikTok is a Trojan Horse for the Chinese Communist Party. It’s a major security risk to the United States, and until it is forced to sever ties with China completely, it has no place on government devices,” he said. The House held Hawley’s bill on the desk and never voted on the standalone bill. Hawley did not vote for the omnibus bill that included his legislation.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: [email protected]
