DIX44040: 3/13 Raja Update (Pictures included!)

Monday, March 13, 2023

3/13 Raja Update (Pictures included!)

Hi Sandeep,

This week, Congressman Raja joined Fredricka Whitfield on CNN to discuss the security risks that the popular social media app, TikTok, poses to Americans. The Congressman explained to Fredricka that because TikTok is owned by a Chinese company that is required to follow Chinese Communist Party intelligence laws, "the CCP ultimately controls the content on TikTok." When asked what legislation he supports that would protect Americans' user data and security, the Congressman told her, "I support my own bill which is the only bicameral, bipartisan bill in Congress. Basically what it would do is very simple: either a social media app, such as TikTok, controlled by an adversarial regime—in this case the Chinese Communist Party—should not be allowed to operate, or it should be forced to sell its assets to an American company that would control the user data and algorithms that provide the content for more than 100 million Americans."

On Wednesday, Congressman Raja helped lead a bipartisan group of lawmakers in pushing for a ban of stock trading among members of Congress at a House Administration hearing. At the hearing, the Congressman set out a plan that would cover all members, spouses and dependents, requiring them either to divest by placing their assets in a qualified blind trust or to move entirely into mutual and exchange-traded funds and U.S. treasury bills, notes or bonds. The Congressman emphasized, "Maintaining the public's faith in government is pivotal to preserving Congress' institutional legitimacy."

On Saturday, Congressman Raja enjoyed joining old friends and meeting new ones in St. Patrick's Day parades throughout Illinois' 8th Congressional District. In the morning, he walked with the Greater Palatine Area Democrats at Durty Nellie's annual parade, while partaking in the festivities with the Kane County Dems at St. Charles' annual parade in the afternoon. See attached pictures: