Washington, D.C. – TikTok has claimed under oath that Americans’ data has always been stored outside of Communist China. But this week, the company confirmed to me that there are in fact certain creators whose data is stored in China.
TikTok’s response makes it crystal clear that Americans’ data is still exposed to Beijing’s draconian and pervasive spy regime—despite the claims of TikTok’s misleading public relations campaign.
Weekly Rundown
Following a recent announcement that Uber will allow minors to request rides and travel without an accompanying adult, I joined a bipartisan group of Senators in seeking additional information from Uber and Lyft about how they plan to combat trafficking on their apps, including what kind of training and resources are available for drivers to recognize and respond to trafficking.
American life sciences companies engage in critical research and development, and it is essential that we protect their intellectual property rights. I introduced the No Free TRIPS Act to protect the intellectual property of American life sciences innovators from falling into the hands of foreign adversaries like Communist China. The bill would prohibit the Biden administration from negotiating or affirming any withdrawal, suspension, waiver, or modifications to the World Trade Organization (WTO) TRIPS Agreement, without explicit authorization from Congress.
Given the important role tourism and entertainment play in Tennessee, I introduced the bipartisan Coronavirus Relief for Transportation Services (CERTS) Act to ensure the transportation industry is not faced with exorbitant tax fees on grants they received during the pandemic.
One of my favorite things about serving as a Senator is welcoming Tennesseans to our nation’s capital. This week, I met with the Tennessee Electric Cooperative, Congressional Award Gold Medalists, Nashville Songwriters Association, and some young leaders from Nashville.
Along with Senator Blumenthal, I met with parents of children who died or were harmed because of social media to discuss the urgent need for passage of our bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act. The bill would protect children online and hold Big Tech accountable. We are so encouraged that the legislation now has the support of 39 senators and hundreds of advocacy groups.
Marsha’s Roundup
ICYMI
- Hunter Biden’s status as the son of a president shields him from any significant accountability. Tennesseans know that Hunter Biden received a sweetheart deal from the U.S. Department of Justice. At the same time, the Biden administration and the FBI are going after Joe Biden’s opponents. This is the most recent example of two tiers of justice at work. Read more here.
- The U.S. is the only democratic nation where artists are not compensated for the use of their songs on the radio. On World Music Day, I called for the passage of my bipartisan American Music Fairness Act to recognize music creators’ property rights. Read more here.
- The Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding eligible private nonprofit (PNP) organizations in Tennessee of the July 17th deadline to submit disaster loan applications for physical damages that occurred from severe storms, straight-line winds and tornadoes from March 1sr-3rd, 2023. Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at disasterloanassistance.sba.gov and should apply under SBA declaration # 17932.
- For those of you who are planning on traveling internationally, please make sure your passports are current. At this time, the State Department is taking months to process passport requests. If you have any questions about this process, please call any of our state offices for additional information.
- If you’re planning a visit to our nation’s capital this summer or fall, please contact our office as soon as possible to see which tours are available. Tours with the White House and Capitol tend to fill up months in advance. You can register for a Capitol tour using the Capitol Visitor Center portal.
- Is there something you want to see in the Blackburn Report? Email my office to share!
