The way forward for the growth of Internet of Things in the United States would soon become a law as the bipartisan DIGIT Act was passed by the country’s Senate late last week.
Originally introduced in 2016 and again in 2017, the bill was re-upped last year by Sens. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Cory Gardner, R-Colo., and Cory Booker, D-N.J.
Known as the Developing and Growing the Internet of Things (DIGIT) Act, the bill seeks to facilitate the growth of IoT technologies in the US.
“With our bipartisan bill now one step closer to becoming law, we’ll be able to realise the full potential of the Internet of Things, and help the private and public sectors work together to produce well-informed policies on connected technology,” said Senator Schatz.
The bill would convene a working group of federal entities and experts from the private and academic sectors tasked with providing recommendations to Congress on how to facilitate the growth of connected IoT technologies.
The group’s recommendations would focus on how to plan for, and encourage, the development and deployment of the IoT in the U.S.
“As America moves toward an increasingly connected future, the DIGIT Act will ensure that we remain a technological leader,” said Senator Fischer. “I am grateful for the work of the bipartisan Senate IoT Working Group on this bill, which would spur innovative solutions across industries to benefit our nation’s families, communities, and businesses. I look forward to the House’s consideration of this legislation.”
Meanwhile, the DIGIT Act also directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to complete a report assessing spectrum needs required to support the Internet of Things
“As connected technology continues to evolve, it’s critical that Congress and the federal government leverage innovation developed in the private sector, and I’m glad the Senate passed the bipartisan DIGIT Act. This bill will improve coordination between the federal government and the technology industry and create opportunities for further deployment of secure IoT devices. I look forward to working with Senators Fischer, Booker, and Schatz to get this bill signed into law,” said Senator Gardner.
The DIGIT Act is supported by: The App Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, CTIA, the Competitive Carriers Association, the Computing Research Association, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), Intel, the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the Security Industry Association, the Semiconductor Industry Association, the Telecommunications Industry Association, and VMware.
