The United States would implement a ban on the popular social media platform TikTok if its China-based owner does not sell its stake within a year, according to a legislation passed on Saturday by the House.

During the weekend, a new language was voted on which included a fourth bill with various foreign policy suggestions. One of the proposals in this bill was to restrict the activities of ByteDance, the company behind the widely-used social media app TikTok.

In an attempt to expedite the process, legislators merged the legislation with foreign aid in order to push through a ban. This strategy appeared to be successful as support for the ban increased rapidly, resulting in a final vote to pass it on Saturday afternoon.

The proposed legislation is presented as a measure for protecting the country’s security, and it is under the pretense of national security that legislators are pushing for the separation of TikTok from China. This bill on national security addresses concerns regarding Russia, China, and Iran, which includes the implementation of fresh sanctions against all three nations.

The legislation additionally permits the United States government to confiscate Russian properties and redirect those funds to Ukraine. It specifically focuses on combating criminal groups involved in the trafficking of fentanyl. Furthermore, it mandates that the parent company of TikTok must either divest the app or risk being prohibited in the United States.

In his statement on Saturday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin emphasized the importance of strong and consistent U.S. leadership in addressing the ongoing challenges that threaten our core security interests.

According to the Associated Press, the legislation that was expected to pass, potentially including restrictions on TikTok, may be approved and put into effect as early as next week. However, some legislators are not convinced that the app will disappear, at least not in the near future.

Following a compromise, the most recent edition of the measure will proceed to the Senate.

On Saturday, President Biden expressed his urgency for the Senate to promptly pass this package and send it to his desk for him to sign into law.