DIGIT Act

To ensure appropriate policies, planning, interagency coordination, and spectrum availability to support the Internet of Things. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act DIGIT Act 2. Findings; sense of Congress (a) Findings Congress finds that— (1) the Internet of Things (2) estimates indicate that more than 50,000,000,000 devices will be connected to the Internet by the year 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 country 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 United States 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. 3. Definitions In this Act: (1) Appropriate committees of Congress The term appropriate committees of Congress (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate; and (B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives. (2) Commission The term Commission (3) Secretary The term Secretary (4) Steering committee The term steering committee (5) Working group The term working group 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 related 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 current use of Internet of Things technology by Federal agencies; and (C) the preparedness and ability of Federal agencies to adopt Internet of Things technology in the future. (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 National Science Foundation; (4) the Federal Communications Commission; (5) the Federal Trade Commission; and (6) the Office of Science and Technology Policy. (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 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 regard 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 promote or are related to the privacy of individuals who use or are affected by the Internet of Things; (D) policies or programs that may enhance the security of the Internet of Things; (E) policies or programs that may protect users of the Internet of Things; (F) policies or programs that may encourage coordination among Federal agencies with jurisdiction over the Internet of Things; and (G) 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 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 agriculture and health care sectors; (C) small, medium, and large businesses; (D) think tanks and academia; (E) nonprofits 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 its own agenda in carrying out its duties 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 such suggestions into consideration in carrying out its duties. (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 in accordance with section 9(c) (f) Report to Congress Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the working group shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes— (1) the findings and recommendations of the working group with respect to the duties of the working group under subsection (b); (2) the report submitted by the steering committee under subsection (e)(4), as the report was received by the working group; (3) recommendations for action or reasons for inaction, as applicable, on each recommendation made by the steering committee in the report submitted under subsection (e)(4); and (4) an accounting of any progress made by Federal agencies to implement recommendations made by the working group or the steering committee. 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 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 appropriate committees of Congress a report summarizing the comments submitted in response to the notice of inquiry issued under subsection (a).

Summary: Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act or the DIGIT Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce to convene a working group of federal stakeholders to provide recommendations and a report to Congress regarding the Internet of Things (IoT) for the growing number of connected and interconnected devices. The bill establishes a steering committee to be composed of stakeholders outside the federal government to advise the working group. The bill expresses the sense of Congress that IoT policies should maximize the potential and development of the IoT to benefit all stakeholders, including businesses, governments, and consumers. 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; and (4) examine how federal agencies can benefit from, use, and prepare for the IoT. The working group must consult with nongovernmental stakeholders. The steering committee must advise the working group about spectrum needs, individual privacy, security, 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. The Federal Communications Commission must seek public comment on the IoT's spectrum needs and submit a summary of those comments to Congress.