Chertoff defends Real ID mandate
By Audrey Hudson
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
February 14, 2007
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff yesterday defended the federalization of driver's licenses and asked a Senate panel not to block the Real ID law, but he urged members to make security changes in the visa waiver program.
Mr. Chertoff said he is "pretty adamant" that the new identification for all U.S. citizens go into effect May 2008.
"We don't want to keep kicking the can down the road," Mr. Chertoff told the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
Sen. Susan Collins, Maine Republican and ranking member, will sponsor an amendment giving states more time to comply with the Real ID Act.
"It has been two years since the Real ID Act passed, and yet we don't have detailed regulations or guidance from the department setting forth the standards that the states are going to have to follow," Miss Collins said.
Sen. John W. Warner, Virginia Republican, said that if states are mandated to follow federal guidelines, the federal government should carry the cost.
"I can understand the need to get some delay if they were not going to fund it," Mr. Warner said.
The regulations will be issued later this month and will be subject to a comment period before being finalized.
"I do want to make it clear that one of the reasons it's taking awhile is we have actually done quite a bit of consultation even in the preliminary stage with state officials and privacy advocates and other folks," Mr. Chertoff said.
He also said the Senate should legislate changes in the visa waiver program to secure international flights and ensure foreign visitors are not terrorist threats or do not overstay.
"We are not going to sacrifice security for the sake of facilitating travel among our allies," Mr. Chertoff said.
The waiver program allows visitors from most European countries to travel to the U.S. without a visa for up to 90 days. About 18 million visitors enter the U.S. every year under the program.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20070213-111641-9285r.htm
The Sun News
New Mexico Legislature Opposes Plan for National ID Card
Leland Lehrman
The Joint Memorial is Sponsored by Senator Michael Sanchez and Representative Ken Martinez
Editor’s Note: The happiest moment of New Mexico’s political life this year came when we found out that both houses of our State Congress will be sponsoring a joint memorial “opposing the creation of a national identification card, and the implementation of the Real ID Act of 2005.” A fascist-communist style internal passport law, the Real ID Act of 2005 calls for implementation by 2008, with all costs to be borne by the states. This confrontation, which is happening nationwide between the Federal Government and the States, represents the most important State’s Rights issue since the Civil War. In this case, the State’s Rights case is excellent, since the Real ID act is both unconstitutional and totally unamerican.
http://thesun-news.com/indexold.htm
It'll cost 11 billion. Sure it will. Expect cost to go up, and up, and keep on going up.
Study Says Real ID Act Will Cost $11 Billion, be Logistics Nightmare
September 21, 2006 By Gina M. Scott
A comprehensive analysis of the somewhat controversial federal Real ID Act by the National Governors Association (NGA), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) revealed that the Act will cost states $11 billion over the first five years of implementation. At this point Congress has allocated only $40 million for the implementation of the Act. "States feel it is vitally important for Congress and the administration to understand the substantial fiscal and operational cost of altering state systems," said NGA Executive Director Raymond C. Scheppach.
According to the results, implementing the Real ID Act will be not only a tremendous cost, but also a logistics problem. There are 245 million drivers in America, and each one must physically re-enroll at a state DMV to verify their identity with the appropriate documents, all by May 2008. "It is impracticable for states to renew all 245 million drivers' licensees in five years," said NCSL Executive Director William T. Pound. Instead, the recommendation is to implement a 10 year, progressive re-enrollment schedule, which is similar to the British Identity Act 2006. "We think states should be provided the flexibility to delay revivifying certain populations in order to maximize resources," Pound added.
Another issue is the lack of definite statutes from the Department of Homeland Security, which in turn is delaying the implementation of the cards. The report recommends that the Department of Homeland Security recognize the technological innovation of the states, recognize that some states have already moved towards compliance with similar security measures and that the Real ID Act is hindering innovation in some states where they have had to put development on hold, waiting for the final statutes.
In regards to technology, some of the "electronic verification systems which are necessary to electronically verify an individual's identification documents do not exist or are not fully operational at this time," Pound explained.
http://www.govtech.net/news/news.php?id=101128
Do not miss Devvy Kidd article well researched
THE NATIONAL ID IS NOT MANDATORY
By: Devvy Kidd
August 21, 2006
NewsWithViews.com
"Each State, in ratifying the Constitution, is considered as a sovereign body, independent of all others, and only to be bound by its own voluntary act. In this relation, then, the new Constitution will, if established, be a FEDERAL, and not a NATIONAL constitution." --James Madison, Federalist No. 39, January 1788
http://www.newswithviews.com/Devvy/kidd208.htm
Don't want national ID? Surrender your passport
People who opt out of 'voluntary' scheme must 'forgo the ability' to travel abroad
Posted: March 10, 2007
1:15 p.m. Eastern
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
British citizens who refuse to provide personal details for the planned "voluntary" national identification card have been told they will be denied passports and be unable to leave the UK.
James Hall, CEO of the Identity and Passport Service, the agency charged with running the National Identity Scheme to provide ID cards to all residents of the UK, confirmed many privacy advocates' fears this week when he revealed those who opt out of the program will be unable to obtain or renew travel documents.
Hall made the revelation during a national "webchat" where questions were submitted by the public.
In response to a questioner asking what would happen to those who refused to join the nearly $11 billion program, Hall answered, "There is no need to register and have fingerprints taken - but you will forgo the ability to have a passport."
According to a government website:
The National Identity Scheme is an easy-to-use and extremely secure system of personal identification for adults living in the UK. Its cornerstone is the introduction of national ID cards for all UK residents over the age of 16.
Each ID card will be unique and will combine the cardholder's biometric data with their checked and confirmed identity details, called a "biographical footprint". These identity details and the biometrics will be stored on the National Identity Register. Basic identity information will also be held in a chip on the ID card itself.
Additionally, applicants for the ID cards, which will first be issued in 2009 to anyone seeking a passport, will be required to supply personal details, including second homes and driver's license and insurance numbers.
Phil Booth, of the privacy-advocacy group NO2ID, told the London Daily Mail, "The idea that ID cards scheme is voluntary, and people can opt out, is a joke.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=54644
Excellent research
Biofuel More on Real ID
D. Mindock
Thu, 01 Mar 2007 07:57:39 -0800
Yeah for Maine. I hope we can get Illinois to opt out of this big step to a
police state.
D. Mindock
By Steven Yates
February 18, 2007
NewsWithViews.com
Last month, Maine became the first state to pass legislation declining
participation in the national ID system mandated by the Real ID Act of 2005.
State-level legislation either repudiating Real ID, asking Congress to
repeal its worst privacy-violating provisions, or asking for a delay while
states study the issue, exists in various stages (sometimes passed by one
House but not the other), or is being considered, in other states: as of
this writing, the list consists of Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, Missouri,
Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Vermont, Washington State, and Wyoming.
In other words, a state-led rebellion against Real ID is brewing. Let's
review the relevant history.
The Real ID Act of 2005 was passed by Congress not on its own (nonexistent)
merits but folded into the larger Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act
for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsumani Relief, 2005 (PL 109-13)
as its Division B. This bill, which included appropriations for the Iraq
War, was considered must-pass by Congress and signed into law by President
Bush on May 11, 2005. This means that the Real ID Act was passed as the
equivalent of a stealth measure
federalize our driver's licenses but hand them over to the Department of
Homeland Security. It calls for the creation of mammoth databases of
information on law-abiding U.S. citizens. It places state Departments of
Motor Vehicles (DMVs) in the position of having to become domestic spies
dangers (e.g., of identity theft). It was signed into law despite the
opposition of dozens of groups all across the political spectrum.
An impact analysis released last September by the National Governors
Association, the National Conference of State Legislatures and the American
Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators is devastating. These groups
show that efforts to implement Real ID will create a massively expensive
logistic and bureaucratic nightmare. State DMVs have neither the technology
nor the manpower to implement this gigantic unfunded federal mandate
verification of documents. The cost to my state (personal correspondence
from the executive director of South Carolina DMV) could range from $25 to
$28 million, with recurring costs in the $10 million to $11 million range.
The study just cited estimates the total cost of implementing Real ID at
over $11 billion over a five year period, with upfront costs of around $1
billion! The costs to individual U.S. citizens attempting to obtain or renew
a driver's license? Unknown, although I have one estimate at $100!
This analysis overlooks a crucial point: the Real ID Act is
unconstitutional! The Constitution does not give any branch or any agency of
the federal government this kind of power! It should come as no surprise,
however, if no one associated with this thing has read our country's
founding document. Thus, as matters currently stand, unconstitutional or
not, Real ID goes into effect on May 11, 2008. When it goes into effect,
here is what we are looking at: without a Department of Homeland Security
approved conversion of one's driver's license or other personal ID into the
Real ID, law-abiding U.S. citizens will not be able to board an airplane,
open a bank account, collect Social Security, obtain a passport, enter
federal buildings or otherwise do business with the federal government or
other commercial endeavors requiring federally-mandated standards of
personal identification...
http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/msg68998.html
No comments:
Post a Comment