Senators Introduce Another Internet of Things Bill

Congressional interest in the Internet of Things persists, with a new bill aimed at using the network of connected devices to advance American industry. 

The new bipartisan bill introduced Tuesday directs the Federal Communications Commission to report on the spectrum required to support the Internet of Things. It also proposes creating a working group, made up of public and private sector representatives, to advise Congress on planning for and encouraging the growth of that network as well as how the federal government can adopt the Internet of Things. 

The Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act, or the DIGIT Act, was introduced by Sens. Deb Fischer, R-Neb.; Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H.; and Brian Schatz., D-Hawaii.

The DIGIT Act is one of many recent congressional actions related to the Internet of Things. Last March, that same group of lawmakers introduced an Internet of Things resolution calling for a national strategy on the topic. Both houses have held hearings about potential costs and benefits of IoT over the past couple of years.

The bill proposes that the working group examine topics such as spectrum needs, federal technology grants, consumer protection, and privacy and security. The FCC study would address spectrum issues, such as the role of licensed and unlicensed spectrum in a highly connected world, according to the bill. 

(Image via Macrovector/Shutterstock.com)