WASHINGTON, DC - The Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection, chaired by Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH), held a legislative hearing today to examine the SMART IoT Act, a draft bill led by Chairman Latta and Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT). The SMART IoT Act directs the Secretary of Commerce to conduct a study on the state of the internet-connected devices industry, a promising step towards supporting innovation and removing government barriers to growth.
“This subcommittee has engaged in historic bipartisan work with the SELF DRIVE Act this Congress and I am pleased to see that cooperation continue with the SMART IoT Act discussion draft," said Chairman Latta. “When safely applied to autonomous vehicles, the Internet of Things holds the potential to significantly reduce traffic fatalities, and make our roads safer while also reducing costs through more efficient fuel consumption."
In his opening statement, full Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden said, “While America has changed, many of our regulations have not. That is one of the purposes of the legislation we will discuss today."
“The SMART IoT Act will create the first compendium of essentially who is doing what in the IoT space," he added.
Mr. Tim Day, Senior Vice President, Chamber Technology Engagement Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce testified regarding the importance of avoiding inconsistent, restrictive, or duplicative regulation in the IoT space. He told #SubDCCP, “Much like the Internet’s earlier phases, IoT will flourish under a flexible, non-regulatory policy regime."
Mr. Day continued, “The lesson for IoT is clear: farsighted regulatory policies that relieve regulatory barriers have a positive effect on the growth of technologies and services. The winners in this process equally are clear: consumers, who not only benefit from enhanced and expanded services, but also from the economic growth and increased opportunities that flow from them."
Mr. Tim Day looks on as members deliver their opening statements
Ms. Michelle Richardson, Deputy Director, Center for Democracy and Technology, Freedom, Security, and Technology Project, added, “CDT has always recommended that the government take a soft touch in shaping technology and has endorsed the use of voluntary standards, especially relating to cybersecurity.’
Ms. Dipti Vachani, Vice President, Internet of Things Group, General Manager, Platform Management and Customer Engineering, Intel Corporation, discussed the draft legislation, commenting, “Indeed, the SMART IoT Act will create the foundational work for a national IoT strategy that prioritizes IoT growth in the U.S. and investment in technologies that can accelerate these benefits for America’s communities and businesses."
Ms. Dipti Vachani responds to a member’s question
The SMART IoT Act builds on the committee’s #DisrupterSeries, which explores the opportunities created by IoT technology for consumers and industries, as well as how federal policies can impact its growth. Last year, #SubDCCP hosted a bipartisan IoT Showcase that featured 21 participants from across the country displaying how they are using this innovative technology.
The Majority Memorandum, witness testimony, and an archived webcast are available online HERE.
