Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act

Summary: Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act or the DIGIT Act (Sec. 2) This bill expresses the sense of Congress that policies governing the Internet of Things (IoT) should maximize the potential and development of the growing number of connected and interconnected devices to benefit businesses, governments, and consumers. (Sec. 4) The Department of Commerce must convene a working group of federal stakeholders to provide recommendations and a report to Congress regarding the IoT. The bill establishes a steering committee to be composed of stakeholders outside the federal government to advise the working group. The working group must: (1) identify federal laws and regulations, grant practices, budgetary or jurisdictional challenges, and other sector-specific policies that inhibit IoT development; (2) consider policies or programs that encourage and improve coordination among federal agencies with IoT jurisdiction; (3) implement recommendations from the steering committee; (4) examine how federal agencies can benefit from, use, prepare for, and secure the IoT; and (5) consult with nongovernmental stakeholders.  The steering committee must advise the working group about laws, budgets, spectrum needs, individual privacy, security, small business challenges, and any international proceedings or negotiations affecting the IoT.  Within 18 months after enactment of this bill, the working group must report its findings and recommendations, its reasons for inaction on steering committee recommendations, and an accounting of any progress by federal agencies to implement recommendations.  (Sec. 5) The Federal Communications Commission must: (1) seek public comment on the IoT's spectrum needs, regulatory barriers, and growth with licensed and unlicensed spectrum; and (2) submit a summary of those comments to Congress.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Developing Innovation and Growing 
the Internet of Things Act'' or ``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 50,000,000,000 
        devices will be connected to the Internet by 2020;
            (3) the Internet of Things has the potential to generate 
        trillions of dollars in new economic activity around the world;
            (4) businesses across the United States can develop new 
        services and products, improve operations, simplify logistics, 
        cut costs, and pass savings on to consumers by utilizing the 
        Internet of Things and related innovations;
            (5) the United States leads the world in the development of 
        technologies that support the Internet and the United States 
        technology sector is well-positioned to lead in the development 
        of technologies for the Internet of Things;
            (6) the United States Government can implement this 
        technology to better deliver services to the public; and
            (7) 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 maximize the potential and 
development 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 of the Internet of Things;
            (2) consider policies or programs that encourage and 
        improve coordination among Federal agencies with jurisdiction 
        over the Internet of Things;
            (3) consider any findings or recommendations made by the 
        steering committee and, where appropriate, act to implement 
        those recommendations; and
            (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 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.
    (c) Agency Representatives.--In convening the working group under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall have discretion to appoint 
representatives 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, 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 energy, agriculture, and 
        health care sectors;
            (4) small, medium, and large businesses;
            (5) think tanks and academia;
            (6) nonprofit organizations and consumer groups;
            (7) rural stakeholders; and
            (8) 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) 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;
                    (C) policies or programs 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;
                    (D) the opportunities and challenges associated 
                with the use of Internet of Things technology by small 
                businesses; and
                    (E) 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 
                energy, agriculture, and health care sectors;
                    (C) small, medium, and large businesses;
                    (D) think tanks and academia;
                    (E) nonprofit organizations and consumer groups;
                    (F) rural stakeholders; and
                    (G) 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) Termination.--The steering committee shall terminate on 
        the date on which the working group submits the report under 
        subsection (f) unless, on or before that date, the Secretary 
        files a new charter for the steering committee under section 
        9(c) of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).
    (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 of 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 to support the 
        growing Internet of Things;
            (2) what regulatory barriers may exist to providing any 
        needed spectrum for the Internet of Things; and
            (3) what the role of licensed and unlicensed 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 August 3, 2017.

            Attest:

                                                JULIE E. ADAMS,

                                                             Secretary.