(TMTPOST)— The House Energy and Commerce Committee has pushed forward a bill on Thursday, prompting teenage TikTok users to ask their legislators to reconsider their stance on the issue via phones.

The House committee voted unanimously for the bill that aims to restrict TikTok's presence in U.S. app stores unless the platform, which boasts approximately 170 million American users, is separated from its China-linked parent company, ByteDance, within 165 days.

If the bill becomes law, ByteDance would have to divest TikTok. Failure to comply within the deadline would make it illegal for app store operators, including Apple and Google, to offer TikTok for download. The legislation also contemplates similar restrictions for other apps deemed to be "controlled by foreign adversary companies."

Following the committee's vote, the company issued a statement, saying, "This legislation has a predetermined outcome: a comprehensive ban on TikTok in the United States. The government is attempting to strip 170 million Americans of their constitutional right to free speech. This will harm millions of businesses, deprive artists of their audience, and disrupt the livelihoods of countless creators nationwide."

Numerous House staffers report an influx of calls, predominantly from individuals they suspect to be teenagers, expressing concerns about a bill that they fear could lead to the complete shutdown of the popular video app.

TikTok officials are urging users to call lawmakers through a pop-up within the app. The pop-up contends that a "total ban" would violate users' freedom of expression and negatively impact millions of businesses.

Before the vote, legislators received a classified briefing addressing national security concerns related to Chinese ownership of TikTok.

Chief Democratic member of the committee, Representative Frank Pallone, said on Thursday that he hopes the bill "will force the divestment of TikTok, and Americans will be able to continue using this platform and similar ones without worrying about the risks posed by our adversaries operating and controlling them."

The legislation, jointly proposed by the Chairman of the House China Task Force, Republican Representative Mike Gallagher, and the Chief Democratic member of the committee, Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, addresses national security concerns related to Chinese ownership of the application.

Gallagher remarked, "As long as it's divested, TikTok can continue to exist, and people can do anything they want on it." He urged ByteDance investors in the U.S. to support the sale, saying, "This is not a ban—it can be seen as a surgery to remove a tumor and thus save the patient through this process."

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre praised the bill on Wednesday, noting that the administration hopes to see it completed so that it can be sent to the president's desk.

The popularity of the application may make passing the bill challenging in an election year. Last month, even President Joe Biden's reelection campaign started using TikTok.

Democratic Senator Mark Warner expressed some concerns about whether naming specific companies aligns with the Constitution but mentioned that he would carefully review the bill. Warner had previously introduced another bill last year, aiming to give the White House new authority over TikTok.

In late November, a federal judge blocked Montana's first statewide ban on TikTok, citing infringement on users' freedom of speech.

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), led by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, requested ByteDance to sell its stake in TikTok in March 2023, or face the possibility of the application being banned. However, no action has been taken by the U.S. administration.

TikTok has responded that it neither has nor will share U.S. user data with the Chinese government.

This new legislation aims to strengthen the legal authority in dealing with TikTok. Former President Donald Trump, a Republican, attempted to ban TikTok in 2020, but it was blocked by a federal court.