Senate Commerce Approves Bill Calling for National IoT Strategy

Legislation calling for a national strategy on developing IoT, including the establishment of a federal-led working group to help foster innovation in this area, was approved by the Senate Commerce Committee Wednesday after a markup. The panel passed a substitute amendment for the Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things (Digit) Act and OK'd three minor amendments to the legislation, which now heads to the full Senate for a vote. Sens. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., Cory Booker, D-N.J., Deb Fischer, R-Neb., and Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, introduced the Digit Act (S-2607) in March (see 1603010053). "Our bill would foster dialogue between the private and public sectors to promote collaboration and well-informed policies moving forward," they said in a joint statement. "It would also help ensure spectrum availability, encourage innovation, and protect consumers." More than 50 billion devices are expected to be connected to the Internet by 2020 and could potentially generate trillions of dollars in economic activity globally, the bill said. It also has support from the technology sector, including the Competitive Carriers Association, CTA and Telecommunications Industry Association, the statement said.