Bill Summary
The Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act (DIGIT Act) is a piece of legislation designed to support the development and implementation of the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT refers to the growing number of connected devices and the potential for them to generate economic activity in various sectors. The Act recognizes the importance of prioritizing and coordinating efforts to support the IoT and calls for the convening of a federal working group to provide recommendations and a report to Congress. This working group, along with a steering committee, will identify any regulatory barriers and challenges hindering the development of the IoT and make recommendations for action. The Act also calls for the Federal Communications Commission to assess current and future spectrum needs for the IoT and report their findings to Congress. The goal of this legislation is to promote secure, scalable, and interoperable solutions for the IoT that benefit businesses, governments, and consumers.
Possible Impacts
1. The legislation could affect individuals who work in the technology sector by creating potential new jobs and opportunities for innovation in the development of Internet of Things technologies.
2. It could affect consumers by potentially lowering costs and improving efficiency in industries such as transportation, energy, and healthcare through the use of Internet of Things devices.
3. It could impact individuals' privacy and security, as the legislation calls for consideration of policies that protect users of the Internet of Things and enhance the security of critical infrastructure.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1611 Referred in House (RFH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 1611
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 9, 2020
Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
AN ACT
To ensure appropriate prioritization, spectrum planning, and
interagency coordination to support the Internet of Things.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Developing Innovation and Growing
the Internet of Things Act'' or the ``DIGIT Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS.
(a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(1) the Internet of Things refers to the growing number of
connected and interconnected devices;
(2) estimates indicate that more than 125,000,000,000
devices will be connected to the internet by 2030;
(3) the Internet of Things has the potential to generate
trillions of dollars in new economic activity around the world
in the transportation, energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and
health care sectors and in other sectors that are critical to
the growth of the gross domestic product of the United States;
(4) businesses across the United States can develop new
services and products, improve the efficiency of operations and
logistics, cut costs, improve worker and public safety, and
pass savings on to consumers by utilizing the Internet of
Things and related innovations;
(5) the Internet of Things will--
(A) be vital in furthering innovation and the
development of emerging technologies; and
(B) play a key role in developing artificial
intelligence and advanced computing capabilities;
(6) the United States leads the world in the development of
technologies that support the internet, the United States
technology sector is well-positioned to lead in the development
of technologies for the Internet of Things, and the appropriate
prioritization of a national strategy with respect to the
Internet of Things would strengthen that position;
(7) the Federal Government can implement this technology to
better deliver services to the public; and
(8) the Senate unanimously passed Senate Resolution 110,
114th Congress, agreed to March 24, 2015, calling for a
national strategy for the development of the Internet of
Things.
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that policies
governing the Internet of Things should--
(1) promote solutions with respect to the Internet of
Things that are secure, scalable, interoperable, industry-
driven, and standards-based; and
(2) maximize the development and deployment of the Internet
of Things to benefit all stakeholders, including businesses,
governments, and consumers.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Communications Commission.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Commerce.
(3) Steering committee.--The term ``steering committee''
means the steering committee established under section 4(e)(1).
(4) Working group.--The term ``working group'' means the
working group convened under section 4(a).
SEC. 4. FEDERAL WORKING GROUP.
(a) In General.--The Secretary shall convene a working group of
Federal stakeholders for the purpose of providing recommendations and a
report to Congress relating to the aspects of the Internet of Things
described in subsection (b).
(b) Duties.--The working group shall--
(1) identify any Federal regulations, statutes, grant
practices, budgetary or jurisdictional challenges, and other
sector-specific policies that are inhibiting, or could inhibit,
the development or deployment of the Internet of Things;
(2) consider policies or programs that encourage and
improve coordination among Federal agencies that have
responsibilities that are relevant to the objectives of this
Act;
(3) consider any findings or recommendations made by the
steering committee and, where appropriate, act to implement
those recommendations;
(4) examine--
(A) how Federal agencies can benefit from utilizing
the Internet of Things;
(B) the use of Internet of Things technology by
Federal agencies as of the date on which the working
group performs the examination;
(C) the preparedness and ability of Federal
agencies to adopt Internet of Things technology as of
the date on which the working group performs the
examination and in the future; and
(D) any additional security measures that Federal
agencies may need to take to--
(i) safely and securely use the Internet of
Things, including measures that ensure the
security of critical infrastructure; and
(ii) enhance the resiliency of Federal
systems against cyber threats to the Internet
of Things; and
(5) in carrying out the examinations required under clauses
(i) and (ii) of paragraph (4)(D), ensure to the maximum extent
possible the coordination of the current and future activities
of the Federal Government relating to security with respect to
the Internet of Things.
(c) Agency Representatives.--In convening the working group under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall have discretion to appoint
representatives from Federal agencies and departments as appropriate
and shall specifically consider seeking representation from--
(1) the Department of Commerce, including--
(A) the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration;
(B) the National Institute of Standards and
Technology; and
(C) the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration;
(2) the Department of Transportation;
(3) the Department of Homeland Security;
(4) the Office of Management and Budget;
(5) the National Science Foundation;
(6) the Commission;
(7) the Federal Trade Commission;
(8) the Office of Science and Technology Policy;
(9) the Department of Energy; and
(10) the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
(d) Nongovernmental Stakeholders.--The working group shall consult
with nongovernmental stakeholders with expertise relating to the
Internet of Things, including--
(1) the steering committee;
(2) information and communications technology
manufacturers, suppliers, service providers, and vendors;
(3) subject matter experts representing industrial sectors
other than the technology sector that can benefit from the
Internet of Things, including the transportation, energy,
agriculture, and health care sectors;
(4) small, medium, and large businesses;
(5) think tanks and academia;
(6) nonprofit organizations and consumer groups;
(7) security experts;
(8) rural stakeholders; and
(9) other stakeholders with relevant expertise, as
determined by the Secretary.
(e) Steering Committee.--
(1) Establishment.--There is established within the
Department of Commerce a steering committee to advise the
working group.
(2) Duties.--The steering committee shall advise the
working group with respect to--
(A) the identification of any Federal regulations,
statutes, grant practices, programs, budgetary or
jurisdictional challenges, and other sector-specific
policies that are inhibiting, or could inhibit, the
development of the Internet of Things;
(B) situations in which the use of the Internet of
Things is likely to deliver significant and scalable
economic and societal benefits to the United States,
including benefits from or to--
(i) smart traffic and transit technologies;
(ii) augmented logistics and supply chains;
(iii) sustainable infrastructure;
(iv) precision agriculture;
(v) environmental monitoring;
(vi) public safety; and
(vii) health care;
(C) whether adequate spectrum is available to
support the growing Internet of Things and what legal
or regulatory barriers may exist to providing any
spectrum needed in the future;
(D) policies, programs, or multi-stakeholder
activities that--
(i) promote or are related to the privacy
of individuals who use or are affected by the
Internet of Things;
(ii) may enhance the security of the
Internet of Things, including the security of
critical infrastructure;
(iii) may protect users of the Internet of
Things; and
(iv) may encourage coordination among
Federal agencies with jurisdiction over the
Internet of Things;
(E) the opportunities and challenges associated
with the use of Internet of Things technology by small
businesses; and
(F) any international proceeding, international
negotiation, or other international matter affecting
the Internet of Things to which the United States is or
should be a party.
(3) Membership.--The Secretary shall appoint to the
steering committee members representing a wide range of
stakeholders outside of the Federal Government with expertise
relating to the Internet of Things, including--
(A) information and communications technology
manufacturers, suppliers, service providers, and
vendors;
(B) subject matter experts representing industrial
sectors other than the technology sector that can
benefit from the Internet of Things, including the
transportation, energy, agriculture, and health care
sectors;
(C) small, medium, and large businesses;
(D) think tanks and academia;
(E) nonprofit organizations and consumer groups;
(F) security experts;
(G) rural stakeholders; and
(H) other stakeholders with relevant expertise, as
determined by the Secretary.
(4) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the steering committee shall submit to
the working group a report that includes any findings or
recommendations of the steering committee.
(5) Independent advice.--
(A) In general.--The steering committee shall set
the agenda of the steering committee in carrying out
the duties of the steering committee under paragraph
(2).
(B) Suggestions.--The working group may suggest
topics or items for the steering committee to study,
and the steering committee shall take those suggestions
into consideration in carrying out the duties of the
steering committee.
(C) Report.--The steering committee shall ensure
that the report submitted under paragraph (4) is the
result of the independent judgment of the steering
committee.
(6) No compensation for members.--A member of the steering
committee shall serve without compensation.
(7) Termination.--The steering committee shall terminate on
the date on which the working group submits the report under
subsection (f).
(f) Report to Congress.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the working group shall submit to
Congress a report that includes--
(A) the findings and recommendations of the working
group with respect to the duties of the working group
under subsection (b);
(B) the report submitted by the steering committee
under subsection (e)(4), as the report was received by
the working group;
(C) recommendations for action or reasons for
inaction, as applicable, with respect to each
recommendation made by the steering committee in the
report submitted under subsection (e)(4); and
(D) an accounting of any progress made by Federal
agencies to implement recommendations made by the
working group or the steering committee.
(2) Copy of report.--The working group shall submit a copy
of the report described in paragraph (1) to--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives; and
(C) any other committee of Congress, upon request
to the working group.
SEC. 5. ASSESSING SPECTRUM NEEDS.
(a) In General.--The Commission, in consultation with the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration, shall issue a notice
of inquiry seeking public comment on the current, as of the date of
enactment of this Act, and future spectrum needs to enable better
connectivity relating to the Internet of Things.
(b) Requirements.--In issuing the notice of inquiry under
subsection (a), the Commission shall seek comments that consider and
evaluate--
(1) whether adequate spectrum is available, or is planned
for allocation, for commercial wireless services that could
support the growing Internet of Things;
(2) if adequate spectrum is not available for the purposes
described in paragraph (1), how to ensure that adequate
spectrum is available for increased demand with respect to the
Internet of Things;
(3) what regulatory barriers may exist to providing any
needed spectrum that would support uses relating to the
Internet of Things; and
(4) what the role of unlicensed and licensed spectrum is
and will be in the growth of the Internet of Things.
(c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Commission shall submit to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy
and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report summarizing the
comments submitted in response to the notice of inquiry issued under
subsection (a).
Passed the Senate January 8, 2020.
Attest:
JULIE E. ADAMS,
Secretary.