In-brief: A bipartisan group of lawmakers issued a Senate Resolution today calling for a comprehensive national plan for developing the Internet of Things.
The U.S. Congress isn’t typically thought of as a hotbed of innovation or a body populated with early adopters. After all, it was just this week that one prominent Senator, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, boasted of never having sent an e-mail message.
But on the topic of the Internet of Things, the Senate appears to be anxious to get out in front, rather than trail behind. Specifically, a Senate Resolution this week sponsored by a bi-partisan group of lawmakers calls on the U.S. to develop a comprehensive plan to encourage development of The Internet of Things.
As reported by the web site Nextgov, Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb) teamed with Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). The group issued a “sense of the Senate” resolution citing the need for a national strategy to support development of the Internet of Things, “in a way that maximizes the promise connected technologies hold to empower consumers, foster future economic growth, and improve our collective social well-being.”
The lawmakers call on the U.S. to accelerate development of the IoT in a way that spurs innovation and “responsibly protects against misuse” – a possible reference to security and privacy concerns.
The Sense of the Senate resolution calls on the government to look for ways to use Internet of Things technology to improve the efficiency of government itself and the quality of life for U.S. residents.
The Sense of the Senate resolution comes in the wake of a Senate hearing on the Internet of Things last month, in many of the same lawmakers, members of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, raised issues regarding data privacy, security and ownership raised by the Internet of Things.
