What Do You Think of TikTok?

Every month, more than 150 million people actively use TikTok. The app continues to gain popularity – especially amongst teenagers. Those millions of users’ privacy and security is jeopardized, and their data is manipulated by TikTok’s relationship with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). That relationship stems from TikTok’s owner, ByteDance.

Although ByteDance is not a state-owned enterprise, it is important to note that the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) 2017 National Intelligence Law requires all citizens and businesses to assist in intelligence work, which includes sharing data. This law could even allow the CCP to collect and track all TikTok users' data, including data from other platforms, even when a user is not using the TikTok application. Unless TikTok and its algorithm can be separated from the CCP, the app's use jeopardizes our country's safety and the privacy of its users.

This week, the House of Representatives passed overwhelmingly bipartisan legislation by a vote of 352-65. This legislation prevents foreign adversaries, such as China, from targeting, surveilling, and manipulating the American people through online applications like TikTok.

It’s important to emphasize this bill only applies to applications controlled by foreign adversaries—specifically, China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia—and is based solely on national security concerns, not content-based concerns.

Ensuring Veterans Have Access to the Health Care They Earned

Thousands of Wisconsin veterans rely on the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (Lovell FHCC) in North Chicago, Illinois to provide care, which is why we cannot afford to jeopardize the quality and availability of care to any veteran. Last week, the Department of Veterans Affairs implemented a new Electronic Health Record (EHR) system at Lovell FHCC.

In the past, there have been complications ranging from software failures to incorrect patient records that have directly impacted the care veterans need and have earned. That’s why I requested the VA provide my office with details on every issue with the EHR and how it has been resolved. In addition, I asked for the VA to provide contacts and resources to my office that I can pass along to the veterans that could potentially be affected by the EHR roll out.

CLICK HERE to read more.

FSC Hearing: Examining the CFPB’s Latest Action to Restrict Competition in Payments

This week, the Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Inclusion held a hearing entitled: “Bureaucratic Overreach or Consumer Protection? Examining the CFPB's Latest Action to Restrict Competition in Payments.”

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) continues to try to increasingly expand its regulatory authority over our economy. Our subcommittee investigated these actions by the CFPB and their impact on Americans who use payment apps and other online services.

During the hearing, I questioned how the CFPB interacts with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in areas where the FTC has jurisdiction, the inadequacies of the CFPB’s regulatory process, and how poorly drafted CFPB rules may discourage innovation and job creation in the U.S.

Watch the full hearing below:

Improving Voter Confidence in Our Elections

Americans deserve to have confidence in our elections. Concerning news has recently come to light that the Biden administration is using taxpayer dollars to conduct get-out-the-vote efforts. There are serious concerns that these activities will be conducted for partisan advantage. Our election results may be partisan, but neither party should be using taxpayer funds to influence our elections. This week, I called on the Department of Education to provide details on this unsettling use of taxpayer funds.

Elections should also be free from undue private influence. In recent years, we have seen millions of dollars in private money flow unchecked to states and local governments’ elections offices. Unlike political contributions, these funds are unregulated in many cases. “Zuckerbucks”, a shorthand term for the private funding provided to states and localities beginning with the 2020 election has sowed distrust in our elections. I’m working to stop this undue private influence in our elections.

The more confident Americans are in their elections, the more likely they are to participate. I will continue to work to increase confidence in our elections.

Working to Enforce Financial Sanctions on Iran

Iran has a central role in funding Hamas and other terrorist groups that seek to destroy Israel and attack American personnel throughout the region. This underscores the urgent need to use every financial tool in our box to deny the largest state sponsor of terrorism revenue.

I called on President Biden this week to re-establish deterrence and ramp up sanctions pressure to prevent Iran from initiating a larger regional conflict in the Middle East. Specifically, I urged President Biden to not renew a sanctions waiver that allows Iran access to $10 billion.

Despite the continued attacks on Americans and our interests in the Middle East, the Biden administration chose to renew the waiver and allowed Iran access to the funds. I remain hopeful that President Biden will change course on this issue, and I will continue working to make it harder for state sponsors of terrorism, like Iran, to finance terrorist organizations, including Hamas.

CLICK HERE to read more.

On Wisconsin,

Bryan Steil
Member of Congress

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