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A tiny group of lawmakers huddled in private about a year ago, aiming to keep the discussions away from TikTok lobbyists while bulletproofing a bill that could ban the app.

A new measure attempts to force the Senate’s hand on passing legislation to ban TikTok or mandate the app’s sale.

Global digital rights advocates are watching to see if Congress acts, worried that other countries could follow suit with app bans of their own.

The California Democrat Ro Khanna pointed to the need for a federal data privacy law, and a Democrat and a Republican in the Senate suggested sympathy for the calls to ban the app.

The legislation received wide bipartisan support, with both Republicans and Democrats showing an eagerness to appear tough on China.

The bill, which would force TikTok’s Chinese parent to sell the popular social media app, faces a difficult path in the Senate.

With both parties eager to demonstrate a willingness to be tough on China, bipartisan legislation to force the Chinese owners of the platform to divest or face a ban was moving forward.