U.S. TikTok bill could get public hearing, Senate committee chair says – National [Video]

Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell on Wednesday said she is considering holding a public hearing on a TikTok crackdown bill after lawmakers got a closed-door briefing from U.S. national intelligence and Justice Department officials.

“It’s important to get it right,” Cantwell told reporters, and declining to offer a precise timetable on next steps.

The U.S. House voted 352-65 on March 13 to force Chinese-based ByteDance to divest short video app TikTok within six months or face a ban.

Cantwell said senators want legislation to address concerns about TikTok.

“The key point here is getting a tool that can be used to stop foreign actors from doing deleterious things that might harm U.S. citizens,” Cantwell said. “We’re get it get done and we’re not going to take forever.”

Cantwell said she plans to meet this week with one of the House sponsors of the legislation, Rep. Mike Gallagher, a Republican who chairs a select committee on …