Mark Warner on the Internet of Things Act

From U.S. Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), this form letter to Virginia correspondents is being shared for the benefit of the outside correspondents who sent me e-mail for Senators Warner and Kaine's benefit about two bills that came up for votes recently. U.S. readers may follow these bills on Popvox.

https://www.popvox.com/us/bills/115/s19

https://www.popvox.com/us/bills/115/s88

Since I don't own rights to the correspondence of elected officials, this type of posts will continue to be shared here free of charge. Some background information follows, below:

"

Thank you for contacting me regarding the Developing Innovation and Growing the Internet of Things Act (S.88). I appreciate the benefit of your views on this important issue.

As you know, on January 10, 2017, this legislation was introduced by Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) and has been referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Should the Senate consider this legislation or similar proposals in the future, I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind.

Again, thank you for contacting me. For further information or to sign up for my newsletter please visit my website at http://www.warner.senate.gov.

Sincerely,
MARK R. WARNER
United States Senator
"

Background information shared by Priscilla King:

1. These bills authorize the use of federal funds to construct more cell phone and wireless transmission towers. These towers would support an "Internet of Things" that some hope might reduce interference between one type of wireless device and another, and others fear might adversely affect individual privacy by, e.g., allowing a stranger's "smart car" to broadcast messages to or receive messages from an individual's "smart phone."

2. Many fear that building more of these towers closer to places where humans live and work would raise levels of radiation and risks for various disease conditions. Some correspondents from the Northern States claim that this is happening in their areas. Factors influencing the development of cancer, autism, and degenerative conditions that develop in old age are diabolically hard to study in any scientific way; this web site suspends judgment, but does think it would be useful to medical science if suspected factors were isolated in specific "test" areas where the incidence of these diseases could be compared with "control" areas.

3. What I have seen in Gate City, Virginia, is that since a new cell phone tower was built--high on Moccasin Ridge, well away from people's homes and work sites--people have felt free to punish, rather than work with, the Scott County Telephone Co-operative, whose employees have indulged in the type of arrogant behavior typical of tenured employees in any company that is perceived as exercising a monopoly. More of the people I know now rely on cell phones only than pay to maintain real phones, although cell phone service is more expensive, less reliable, a suspected risk factor in diseases, and less satisfactory in every way.

4. On the Internet, although complaints about excessive wireless transmission devices are coming from correspondents in the U.S., the "godfather" managing this correspondence and claiming that "safer devices are available" is associated with Microsoft Canada.

That's all I know. Over to the geeks...