Fischer, Gardner offer bipartisan bill to support growth of IoT-related technologies

U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduced bipartisan legislation to ensure the prioritization, spectrum planning and interagency coordination exist to support and spur growth of the Internet of Things (IoT).

“As connected technology continues to evolve, it’s critical that Congress update federal policy to keep pace with innovation in order to keep America competitive,” said Sen. Gardner.

Sen. Fischer on May 22 sponsored the Developing and Growing the Internet of Things (DIGIT) Act, S. 1611, with bill cosponsors Sens. Gardner and Brian Schatz (D-HI).

If enacted, S. 1611 would authorize a federal working group that included private sector stakeholders tasked to provide recommendations to Congress on how to grow connected IoT technologies, according to a summary provided by the lawmakers’ offices.

“The DIGIT Act would prioritize coordination of private sector experts with government agencies to help Congress create smarter policies,” Sen. Fischer said. “With this bill, we can continue to foster innovative solutions that deliver economic and societal benefits across many different sectors -– from transportation to agriculture.”

The same-named S. 88, which Sens. Fischer and Gardner unveiled in January 2017, received voice vote approval from the U.S. Senate in August 2017, but the measure stalled in a U.S. House Energy and Commerce subcommittee.

“I’m proud to join once again with the Senate IoT Working Group in our bipartisan efforts to promote long-term planning for our connected future with the Internet of Things,” said Sen. Fischer.

Sen. Gardner added that he anticipates reviewing the impact of new technologies to “find legislative solutions that will unleash the power of American entrepreneurship to create jobs and boost economic growth.”

S. 1611 has the support of several groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Competitive Carriers Association, the Consumer Technology Association, Intel, the Information Technology Industry Council, the Telecommunications Industry Association, and many others.