Rep. Latta Joins NewsNation to Talk About Protecting Americans' Data from the CCP (3.13.24)

and we are following breaking news the house does have enough votes to pass a bill that would ban Tick Tock Alena Shi is on Capitol Hill with a co-sponsor of that bill uh Alina what do we know well we have Congressman bob L with us here thank you so much for uh speaking with us today we're looking right now right we're seeing do you think this it's looking like it's going to pass overwhelmingly but what do you think looking at this with me right now well we look at the number there I think it's it's overwhelming for multiple reasons this is something the house has been working on for over a year when Mr Chu from Tik Tock appeared before us in committee I asked him the question if anyone in communist China could see this information this data from American users of the app and yes it could be was a response so we also had security briefings and that's one of the other big concerns here is the National Security of not only the United States but also making sure that we protect our citizens out there because of the U communist Chinese being able to access their information so as far as accessing information we've heard kind of both sides they're saying oh you know China could have access from the parent company but they don't actually haven't done anything yet there hasn't been proof but then they're saying okay well we can see uh the geolocation and if there was access to that information from American users if they wanted so what is I guess possible under Chinese ownership well multiple things number one look at the algorithms it's what what they want Americans to see and how that information is being disseminated to Americans it's the information that Americans are actually transferring over to them when they're on their app on their phones or any place they're using uh Tik Tok and I think it's important to point this out this is not a ban on Tik Tock what this is is that Tik Tock is owned by bite dance and under communist Chinese law anything that the Communist Chinese government wants if you're a Chinese company you have to give it to the to the government so what what we're saying in the legislation is if they if bite dance which is the parent divest themselves of Tik Tok Tik talk can still be an app being used here in the United States and it looks like the bill just passed is what we're hearing right now so what do you what do you make of that what's your initial reaction to that well I think uh it's it's good because again I want to make sure that Americans protected you know like when the other day when Tik Tock was concerned about what was happening and so all of a sudden they sent out to 170 plus million users in this country saying you can't access your app unless you contact your uh representative I have no problem with people contacting us but I think it also proved our point that the control that they have because we had people calling our offices I'm just calling because I have if I don't call you I can't use my Tik Tok anymore you know we had people calling with threats we had people calling saying they' commit suicide if they couldn't be on Tik Tok so this this are the concerns that are out there you I but we want to make sure that Americans are protected but again as I said this is not a ban uh bite dance can devest themselves of this but you know the Communist Chinese want our information the former president Donald Trump he tried to pass this before it didn't work why did it work this time well I think there multiple reasons in this one first of you we've had we've had the hearing in the in the Energy and Commerce Committee which I'm a member of we again we had the initial meeting in the hearing with Mr Chu from uh Tik tock there's been a lot of work done by the China select committee along with this and so you had parallel things going on but I think all the different things that uh people have seen uh around this country of all of the things that the Comm Chinese are accessing you know medical records are being stolen and you go through the entire gam of what's out there and I think it's really built a case out there and so I think that's why we had such a huge vote today uh for passage and wrapping this up because I know you got to be somewhere so thank you again but Congress when um margerie Hiller green she said she's banned on American apps not just Chinese apps what's your reaction to that well I didn't hear what she said but again what would happen is if if something would happen with Tik Tock that bite dance would not divest themselves of there's 180 days for the for them that uh different platforms here in the United States couldn't hold care of the app but Americans could access their information back that they've got out there with Tik Tok so they could transfer that to another app so we again we I think the bill uh worked out very very well for the American people for their safety security and uh hopefully now this bill will see uh some light of day over in the Senate and they'll see what overwhelming support that we have forward here if they can move forward on it speaking of moving forward how do we move forward from this point on what should Americans watching at home expect now well I think right off the bat that as this bill it goes over to the Senate you know there's been some discussion over there and but I but again I think that the Senate needs to hear the exact same things that we've heard I'm not sure again what they have been doing overall concerning Tik Tock or other National Security concerns because again when we're talking about our adversaries it's kind with China it's Russia it's Iran and North Korea so when that's what's going to have to be looked at when they get over to the Senate and uh hopefully they can get this bill move for and those are the only countries I those are the only countries at this time those are the four are that are that if you look at with the the four that we're concerned about those what concerned adversarial got it Congressman any last thoughts before I let you go well again I just want to assure everybody this is not a band because if bite dance does divest Tik Tock could be picked up by another uh company that's trusted and then you can still use Tik Tok all right well thank you so much thank you so much for being here and we'll send it back to you guys but again you heard it uh the bill has passed overwhelmingly 2third of the vote was needed in the house it's future in the Senate we'll see where that what that has in store from now so I'll send it back to you all right we will Alina sherazi thank you for that up to the minute reaction really interesting