Senate Unanimously Approves Resolution to Expand US IoT Initiatives

On March 24, the U.S. Senate approved Senate Resolution 110 that was proposed earlier in the month. The resolution, introduced by Senators Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska.), Cory A. Booker (D-New Jersey), Kelly Ayotte (R-New Hampshire), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), was designed to promote economic growth in the IoT and greater consumer empowerment to develop and use M2M devices.

“The United States is well positioned to lead the world in innovation policy. Our bipartisan resolution commits our nation to a strategy for the Internet of Things,” said Fischer. “It incentivizes the use of new technologies and seeks to maximize consumer opportunity and economic growth. This forward-thinking initiative is an important first step in ushering new ideas and innovations for years to come.”

Booker sees the initiative as a boon to enhancing public programs. He said, “The Internet of Things has unbounded potential to impact our economy, society, and individual well-being. Passing this resolution underscores our strong commitment to fostering innovation, protecting consumers, and finding solutions to our toughest problems through technology-driven solutions.”

This is the end of the first part of a process that began with a 2013 FTC workshop attended by all four sponsoring Senators. In January, the FTC released a report on IoT security and on March 24 announced that it will establish a new IoT commission. Paired with this resolution, the U.S. is making big strides in talking about the importance of M2M, but it remains to see what action will be taken.