WASHINGTON—Today, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) released the following statement regarding the upcoming ban of TikTok on January 19th:
“Countless Arizonans, including Arizona small businesses, use TikTok to express themselves, grow their businesses, and share content with friends and family. I know all too well how much of a threat China is to our national security, but it is key we continue toward finding a solution that balances our national security interests with Arizonans’ First Amendment right to freedom of speech.
“That is why I believe we must extend the deadline to find this balanced approach.”
As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and the then-Ranking Member of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations, Gallego introduced legislation to counter the Chinese Communist Party’s influence in Latin America, secured provisions in the National Defense Authorization Act to compel the Defense Department to issue a report on China-Russia defense coordination, and worked to strengthen cooperation and coordination between the U.S. and Taiwan.
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