Janice Schakowsky: “I thank my good friend and colleague from Ohio for introducing this legislation and shepherding it through committee and…”

“I thank my good friend and colleague from Ohio for introducing this legislation and shepherding it through committee and onto the floor. The SMART IoT, Internet of Things, Act is a product of bipartisan cooperation. As I did during subcommittee markup, I want to thank Chairman Latta and Congressman Welch for their leadership on this issue, going back to the IoT Working Group in the 114th Congress. This bill will require the Commerce Department to survey the varieties of connected devices available and examine the Federal role in this space. The study conducted under this bill should serve as the foundation for future legislative efforts as we work to ensure that Internet-connected devices are deployed to the benefit of the American consumer. The SMART IoT Act is being considered under suspension of the rules after committee consideration under regular order. After a series of hearings on the Internet of things, Republican and Democratic staff worked together on a discussion draft of the bill. Earlier this year, we held a legislative hearing where we heard testimony from the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Chamber of Commerce, and Intel. That hearing raised several issues that we should continue to examine; including privacy, security, and safety. We are leaving major consumer protection issues unresolved in this area and other areas.…”