Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-WA) and Darrell Issa (R-CA) are the co-chairs of the Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, Courts and the Internet, called the Congressional Caucus on the Internet of Things (IoT).
The ‘Internet of Things’ has come to refer to the use of network connectivity to the Internet to enable devices and systems. The IoT is a rapidly developing and broad space affecting the use of devices from cooking equipment to health technology and cars.
Issues in IoT Development: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is currently developing a report on IoT, and future agency regulatory action of both new and traditional industries engaged in connected devices will have implications for future interoperability and development. Additionally, as user engagement increases, there will be likely be policy debate about data sharing and privacy implications. The future of a thriving IoT marketplace will also be affected by spectrum policy and other federal management systems.
Purpose of the Caucus: The IoT Caucus will focus on educating Members on the development of innovative technology and public policy in the ‘Internet of Things’ space. The Caucus will inform Members about new opportunities and challenges in health, transportation, home, workplace, and more as everyday devices take advantage of network connectivity to create new value.
Some interesting facts about Congressional use of IoT:
- Rep. DelBene wears a Microsoft Band on her wrist with mobile apps. Surely she’s using it in the Capitol? No, her staff replied.
- Sen. Harry Reid’s office uses Evoko tablets that let staffers pre-schedule conference rooms via their computer or phone, but it’s an internal system that no one else has access to.
- House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer’s office talked up his new iPhone app, Whipwatch, which blasts out push-notice alerts when there’s about to be a floor vote. It’s a nice improvement on an outdated system but is really just a mobile app.
Did someone say "Smart Cheetos"? There are indeed networked vending machines in service all around Washington, notifying drivers which ones need to be restocked, but not in the Capital. Jim Gousha, a machine repairman fixing a fan on a Pepsi machine in the basement of the Russell Senate Office Building, said his company doesn’t have any deployed in the Capitol.
The reason was explained by Stephen Ayers, the architect of the Capitol, who wrote that Congress has plenty of advanced technology, smart lighting that senses the level of daylight, carbon monoxide sensors that know when the garages need fresh air.
But, he wrote, “None of it is connected to the Internet.”
It turns out that Congress has a deliberate “air gap” between its own networks and the Internet that the rest of us use. Lawmakers and their staff can still browse the Web from their computers, through a firewall. It's buildings' high-tech internal systems that don't connect at all. “From my perspective,” Ayers said, “the Internet of Things is currently focused on the homeowner or personal market, and has yet to display the necessary security features for widespread commercial use.”
In other words, no matter how much some members of Congress want to cheerlead the adoption of the IOT, the people who protect Congress don’t quite trust the technology enough to use it.
It’s tempting to see this as kind of a metaphor for Capitol Hill, cluster of buildings disconnected from the rest of America in the most literal way possible. But Congress’ air gap isn’t unique: Others also exist around nuclear power plants, classified military networks and other systems where a break-in could be catastrophic.
And in a way, it’s kind of reassuring: If anyone maliciously hacks in and scrambles the Senate meeting room schedule, they’ll know it’s probably an inside job.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
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