US lawmakers re-introduce smart cities bill

Proposed US legislation which advocates funnelling hundreds of millions of dollars into smart city developments has been brought back before lawmakers. Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, senator Maria Cantwell and congressman Ben Ray Luján have re-introduced the Smart Cities and Communities Act to promote the advancement of smart cities. DelBene says: “Utilising smart technologies to our advantage will allow cities to invest in clean infrastructure projects that reduce pollution, create good-paying jobs, and e
May 17, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Proposed US legislation which advocates funnelling hundreds of millions of dollars into smart city developments has been brought back before lawmakers.

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, senator Maria Cantwell and congressman Ben Ray Luján have re-introduced the Smart Cities and Communities Act to promote the advancement of smart cities.

DelBene says: “Utilising smart technologies to our advantage will allow cities to invest in clean infrastructure projects that reduce pollution, create good-paying jobs, and expand our middle class.”

The bill, originally introduced in 2017, authorises $220 million for smart city investments for over five years and will also:

  • Enhance federal coordination of smart city programmes, including improved reporting and demonstration of the value and utility of smart city systems.
  • Provide assistance and resources to local governments interested in implementing relevant technologies.
  • Develop a skilled and tech-savvy domestic workforce.
  • Improve the quality and performance of smart city technologies while assessing and enhancing cybersecurity and privacy protections.

Tommy Ross, senior policy director at Business Software Alliance, has applauded the decision to re-introduce the bill.

“Smart cities are the future and it’s important that governments have the resources they need to advance workforce development initiatives and enhance cybersecurity and privacy protections for the US economy,” he adds.

UTC

Related Content

  • June 4, 2015
    Multi-modal’s long road into the transportation mainstream
    Andrew Bardin Williams looks at 20 years of multimodal transport in the Sun Belt and beyond and the key requirement for user engagement. Phoenix residents will head to the polls in August to decide whether to implement a three-tenths of a cent sales tax to fund the city’s new multimodal transportation plan. It will be the second transportation-related sales tax hike in the past 15 years yet city officials and advocates expect the resolution to easily pass—despite the strong anti-tax environment that has dom
    Read More
  • June 14, 2018
    Fluor: here's how to fix US infrastructure
    US president Donald Trump’s comments about the country’s ‘crumbling infrastructure’ led many in the ITS sector to spot an opportunity to help with other solutions. David Seaton of Fluor ponders the scale of what’s required and considers some projects which have boosted mobility We can no longer wait for future generations to address this nation’s crumbling infrastructure. We need to act now. The problem is substantial, to say the least. The American Society of Civil Engineers predicts that failing to clo
    Read More
  • February 14, 2014
    Atkins appoints senior ITS program manager
    Suzanne Murtha has joined Atkins’ federal business unit as a senior program manager based in the company’s Alexandria, Virginia office. Murtha will work to grow Atkins’ business in the intelligent transportation market, with a focus on connected and automated vehicles. A 17-year veteran of the ITS industry, Murtha also serves as executive director of OmniAir Consortium, a Washington, DC-based trade association that advocates and promotes the development of and certification for the ITS industry. Before j
    Read More
  • May 10, 2019
    Wi-SUN: here’s why mesh networking works
    There are several networking options available for smart city planners. Phil Beecher of Wi-SUN Alliance makes the case for wireless mesh networks when it comes to rolling out IoT solutions The Internet of Things (IoT) is growing fast. Connecting thousands of sensors and control systems in bi-directional networks is paving the way for a new generation of smart city and transport infrastructures. For many of these applications, wireless connectivity is essential where cable installation is not practical.
    Read More

Highlighted Content