Senate Commerce members want hearing on Internet of Things.

Four members of the Senate Commerce Committee asked its leaders for a hearing on the Internet of Things. “The proliferation of connected products is sparking a number of important policy questions related to consumer protection, security, privacy, technical standards, spectrum capacity, manufacturing, regulatory certainty, and public-sector applications, among many others,” said Sens. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Deb Fischer, R-Neb., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, in a joint letter Monday (http://1.usa.gov/1ybBonU). “Now is the time to start building a robust public record through testimony and questions.” The letter is addressed to Chairman Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., and ranking member John Thune, R-S.D. A hearing would be appropriate during the lame-duck session around the winter holidays, they suggest, citing “millions of Americans” who will be “shopping for new tech products during the upcoming holiday season.” Thune “would certainly welcome such a hearing and will work with the chairman to see what may be possible yet this year,” a GOP committee aide told us, saying the “level of interest is certainly understandable due to the growth in use of such technologies and builds on various conversations that Senator Thune has been having with fellow committee members.” Rockefeller’s office didn’t comment.