HR 686 Introduced – IOT Support

Last month Rep. Paulsen (R,MN) introduced HR 686, the Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things (DIGIT) Act. This is a companion bill to S 88 that was introduced in the Senate. That means that the language of the bill is the same and it allows for work to begin on the bill in both houses of Congress at the same time, instead of sequentially.

Paulsen sponsored a very similar bill (HR 5117) in the 114^th Congress. No action was taken on that bill, at least partially because Paulsen was not a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and his co-sponsor {Rep. Welch (D,VT)} was not an influential member of that Committee. The same holds true for this session as well; except that Welch’s influence has increased some because this is his second term in the House. The bill will probably not see action in committee.

The bill would probably be approved in committee if considered and would similarly pass if it made it to the floor of the House since no regulatory authority or new spending is provided.

Bills Introduced – 01-24-17

With both the House and Senate leaving for an extended weekend (a proforma session for both houses on Friday) there were 152 bills introduced. Of those 9 bills may be of specific interest to readers of this blog:

HR 625 To provide for joint reports by relevant Federal agencies to Congress regarding incidents of terrorism, and for other purposes. Rep. Aguilar, Pete [D-CA-31]

HR 642 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to enhance the partnership between the Department of Homeland Security and the National Network of Fusion Centers, and for other purposes. Rep. Barletta, Lou [R-PA-11]

HR 666 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Insider Threat Program, and for other purposes. Rep. King, Peter T. [R-NY-2]

HR 677 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear intelligence and information sharing functions of the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security and to require dissemination of information analyzed by the Department to entities with responsibilities relating to homeland security, and for other purposes. Rep. McSally, Martha [R-AZ-2]

HR 678 To require an assessment of fusion center personnel needs, and for other purposes. Rep. McSally, Martha [R-AZ-2]

HR 686 To ensure appropriate spectrum planning and interagency coordination to support the Internet of Things. Rep. Paulsen, Erik [R-MN-3]

HR 697 To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to improve the management and administration of the security clearance processes throughout the Department of Homeland Security, and for other purposes. Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]

HR 701 To direct the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to conduct a study to determine appropriate cybersecurity standards for motor vehicles, and for other purposes. Rep. Wilson, Joe [R-SC-2] 

S Res 23 A resolution establishing the Select Committee on Cybersecurity. Sen. Gardner, Cory [R-CO]

HR 625 will only be of interest here if it includes specific language addressing cybersecurity, chemical security, or chemical transportation security issues.

Hopefully HR 642 will also address the types of expertise needed at fusion centers.

HR 666 will probably be reintroduced to avoid the religious connotations of the bill number.

HR 677 is probably very similar to HR 2200 introduced in the last session and passed in the House by a nearly unanimous vote. Another bill that was not taken up by the Senate.

HR 678 is probably similar to HR 3503 introduced in the last session and passed by a voice vote. And yet another one.

I suspect that HR 686 is a companion bill to S 88 introduced earlier this month in the Senate.

HR 697 may be similar to HR 3505 introduced in the last session. I did not cover that bill because it did not really address the security clearance process for the private sector organizations to aid information sharing.

Hopefully HR 701 will specifically address the relationship between independent security researchers, NHTSA and auto companies.

Establishing a Select Committee on Cybersecurity sounds like a way to raise the profile of cybersecurity issues. Unfortunately, it will also make law making on the topic more difficult as it will add another committee silo through which cybersecurity related bills will have to pass. Inter-committee politics does almost as much to slow down the legislative process as does partisan politics.