Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., envisions many changes to this country's legislative agenda when the Republican-controlled Congress convenes in early January.
Among the items high on the list: the prospective banning of the TikTok app within the U.S. government.
"The [House] Democrats control too much right now," Van Drew told Newsmax Friday afternoon, while appearing on "John Bachman Now" with hosts John Bachman and Bianca de la Garza. "Legislation already went through the Senate, but [outgoing Speaker] Nancy Pelosi blocked it in the House.
"... Pelosi obviously loves TikTok," Van Drew said.
The Chinese-based tech company ByteDance owns TikTok. This association has become a growing concern among U.S. lawmakers, amid fears of American users unwittingly allowing the Chinese government to access private data — permission that could include computer passwords or even access to private financial and medical information.
Earlier this week, South Dakota became the first U.S. state to ban TikTok on all government-issued networks, phones, laptop, tablets and desktop computers.
Van Drew would like to see the federal government invoke a similarly strong stance against TikTok.
However, the New Jersey Republican acknowledged that's difficult to do right now, when the White House is seemingly resistant to change.
President Joe Biden and his staff "allowed TikTok to come into the White House" and do recordings about their visit, lamented Van Drew. "Obviously, [Biden] thinks it's great. Otherwise, he wouldn't allow that to occur."
Van Drew continued his rant about the White House's supposed enabling of TikTok, saying, "This is really sick stuff. Not only are we weak [as a country], but we're actually allowing people that could harm us, the Chinese Communist Party ... monitor our republic and those that are involved in the government.
"This has to stop," said Van Drew, while adding the House Republicans have "much work to do" next year, in terms of cleaning up the outgoing House Democrats' legislative mess.
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