#Socialites, get a load of this: President Joe Biden signed a $95 billion war aid measure this Thursday, providing even more assistance to Ukraine, Israel, sender well as Taiwan. The legislation also includes a provision that could lead to the sale or ban of the popular social media platform TikTok in the United States.
The signing of the bill comes after a challenging battle with Republicans in Congress over the urgent need to support Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion. Despite the delay caused by the funding impasse, efforts are underway to provide immediate military assistance to Ukraine. The initial aid package, totaling around $61 billion, will include resources such as air defense capabilities, artillery rounds, and armored vehicles to bolster Ukrainian forces. The Biden administration’s push for foreign aid faced obstacles but ultimately received bipartisan backing, leading to the passage of the comprehensive aid package.
In addition to aid for Ukraine, the legislation allocates funds to support Israel, provide humanitarian aid to Gaza, and assist allies in the Indo-Pacific region. Additionally, the bill includes measures to address the assets of Russian oligarchs and a provision regarding the future of TikTok in the U.S. As previously reported, President Biden’s administration has expressed concerns about the potential national security risks associated with TikTok, the popular social media platform owned by a China-based company. There have been warnings from U.S. officials that the Chinese government could access user data through TikTok and potentially use it for spying or manipulation purposes.
The decision to potentially force the sale of TikTok within a year has sparked debate and concerns, particularly among younger users and advocates of the platform. Despite initial opposition, the provision was included in the aid package. It requires ByteDance to sell TikTok within that time frame or else face a nationwide ban in the U.S.
“The path to my desk was a difficult path. It should have been easier and it should’ve gotten there sooner,” Biden said Wednesday after signing the bill. “But in the end we did what America always does, we rose to the moment.”
Pres. Biden: "I just signed into law the national security package that was passed by the House of Representatives this weekend and by the Senate yesterday. It's going to make America safer, it's going to make the world safer and it continues America's leadership in the world." pic.twitter.com/G2ByA6GHip
— CSPAN (@cspan) April 24, 2024
TikTok has already promised to fight the measure.
“This unconstitutional law is a TikTok ban, and we will challenge it in court,” the company wrote in a Wednesday statement on X following President Biden’s signing. “This ban would devastate seven million businesses and silence 170 million Americans.”
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