Headline RoundupApril 24th, 2024

Biden Signs Bipartisan $95B Foreign Aid Bill, Including TikTok Sale Requirement

Summary from the AllSides News Team

President Joe Biden signed a bill on Wednesday that will provide assistance to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan over the coming years while also requiring that TikTok’s owner sell the app within 9 months. 

Foreign Aid: The legislation provides $60.8 billion for Ukraine in its fight against Russia,  $26.3 billion for Israel and humanitarian relief, and $8.1 billion for allies in the Indo-Pacific region to shore up defenses against China. The U.S. is reportedly already preparing to send military aid worth $1 billion to Ukraine.

TikTok Ban: The new law also gives TikTok owner ByteDance nine months to divest from the popular social media app, after which TikTok would be banned from U.S. app stores. Biden has the option to extend the deadline by another three months if a deal is close.

For Context: The package faced significant hurdles in the House, where after months of negotiations a group of hardline Republicans threatened to oust Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) over the measure. Still, the legislation passed with broad bipartisan support, including the backing of Democratic and Republican leaders in both houses.

How the Media Covered It: Coverage across the spectrum generally focused on Biden’s remarks. Coverage in mainstream left-rated outlets tended to frame the bill positively; The Guardian (Lean Left bias) called it “a bipartisan legislative victory.” On the other hand, while Fox News (Right bias) did not appear to publish an article on the signing itself by Wednesday afternoon, it did highlight that the Biden campaign would remain on TikTok despite the new law.

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