The White House urged Congress to quickly pass the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology Act, or RESTRICT Act, compiled by Democratic Senator Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Republican Senator John Thune.

The bill will give the Commerce Department the authority to impose restrictions relating to information and communications technology, including banning Chinese video-sharing app TikTok and other overseas tech companies, if they pose a threat to national security. Warner said the US government must make more efforts to clearly identify security risks from using TikTok.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee on March 1 passed the US Technology Adversaries Deterrence Act (DATA), which also allows the government to ban TikTok and applications that threaten national security. The House Democrats opposed DATA, calling the move "hasty" and requiring careful consultation with experts.

Source: VOV5