Congress moves to ban TikTok — How NJ representatives voted

WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday passed a bill that would lead to a nationwide ban of the popular video app TikTok if its China-based owner doesn't sell its stake, as lawmakers acted on concerns that the company's current ownership structure is a national security threat.

TikTok, which has more than 150 million American users, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd.

The lawmakers contend that ByteDance is beholden to the Chinese government, which could demand access to the data of TikTok’s consumers in the U.S. any time it wants. The worry stems from a set of Chinese national security laws that compel organizations to assist with intelligence gathering.

This is how New Jersey's congressional delegation voted

Donald Norcross — Democrat, 1st District

YES

Jeff Van Drew — Republican, 2nd District

YES

Andy Kim — Democrat, 3rd District

NOT VOTING

Chris Smith — Republican, 4th District

YES

Josh Gottheimer — Democrat, 5th District

YES

Frank Pallone Jr. — Democrat, 6th District

YES

Tom Kean Jr. — Republican, 7th District

YES

Rob Menendez — Democrat, 8th District

YES

Bill Pascrell — Democrat, 9th District

YES

Donald Payne Jr. — Democrat, 10th District

YES

Mikie Sherrill — Democrat, 11th District

YES

Bonnie Watson Coleman — Democrat, 12th District

YES

Andy Kim, D-N.J. 3rd District, the only congressional member from New Jersey to miss the vote, was criticized by his U.S. Senate opponent for the absence.

Kim's office said he would have stood alone among the state's delegation in voting no.

House passage of the bill is only the first step. The Senate would also need to pass the measure for it to become law, and lawmakers in that chamber indicated it would undergo a thorough review. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he'll have to consult with relevant committee chairs to determine the bill's path.

President Joe Biden has said if Congress passes the measure, he will sign it.

The House vote is the latest example of increased tensions between China and the U.S. By targeting TikTok, lawmakers are tackling what they see as a grave threat to America's national security — but also singling out a platform popular with millions of people, many of whom skew younger, just months before an election.

A TikTok spokesperson, Alex Haurek, said in a statement after the vote that the bill was jammed through as part of a secretive process.

"We are hopeful that the Senate will consider the facts, listen to their constituents, and realize the impact on the economy, 7 million small businesses, and the 170 million Americans who use our service,” Haurek said.