REAL ID's ugly sister, PASS ID (UPDATE)
Jul 13, 2009 13:46:32 GMT -5
Post by avordvet on Jul 13, 2009 13:46:32 GMT -5
Lieberman, GOP Slam Napolitano's Real ID Revisions
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 6:10 PM
WASHINGTON -- Leading senators from both parties expressed a willingness Wednesday to revamp the nation's stalled plan to secure driver's licenses in an effort to thwart terrorists.
But some senators raised concerns about elements of a new plan supported by the Obama administration.
"I'm not surprised we are here today," Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said Wednesday as the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs committee he chairs opened a hearing to re-evaluate the Real ID Act passed after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Lieberman said Congress passed the Bush administration program to secure licenses issued by state motor vehicle departments without any debate.
But Bush's Real ID plan has been stalled well short of nationwide implementation by opposition in the states. Thirteen states have voted to not participate in the Real ID program and almost as many others have objected. Right now, no one in the country has a Real ID card.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and representatives from the National Governors Association pushed hard for the new plan they say would meet the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission and save states big money along the way. They also said the plan they back, known as Pass ID, builds on what was required in a Real ID.
"We're not starting from scratch here, because really Pass ID is a Real ID fix," Napolitano said.
The National Governors Association estimates the current law would cost states $4 billion while the new plan could cut the costs to between $1.3 billion and $2 billion.
Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, introduced the Pass ID legislation last month. Akaka and other members of the Homeland Security committee would like to get a version of the bill passed before the end of the year.
The 2001 terrorist attacks were the main motivation for the original law. The hijacker who flew a plane into the Pentagon, Hani Hanjour, had four driver's licenses and ID cards from three states.
Real ID-compliant driver's licenses would have several layers of security to prevent forgery, such as verification of birth certificates, Social Security numbers and immigration status.
The Pass ID, by contrast, would not put the home addresses of victims of domestic violence or people in the witness protection program on licenses.
Pass ID also would not require that birth certificates be confirmed with the agency that issued them. Lieberman said relaxing this Real ID provision could lead to a situation where "the license itself would be valid, but the identity documents by which it was based would not."
Unlike the Real ID plan, the Pass ID plan would not require that people have the new driver's licenses to board airplanes. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, expressed concerned this could undermine the purpose of having a secure driver's license.
"Driver's licenses could be the keys to the kingdom for terrorists bent on destruction," said Collins, the top Republican on the committee.
Under both plans, if the traveler does not have a secure identification card, the traveler will go through additional security screening by the Transportation Security Administration.
In response to resistance from states, the last administration issued extensions for states to meet the requirements of the Real ID Act.
Under the current law, states have to certify by Dec. 31 they are complying with the Real ID standard to validate immigration status in order to issue a driver's license. Residents of states that don't follow the new standard will not be allowed to board airplanes with their driver's licenses after the end of this year.
Napolitano said the Bush administration program is unrealistic because it's too expensive, and the technology necessary to meet the security standards is not available.
"By Dec. 31, no state will have issued a Real ID compliant identification document," said Napolitano, a former governor whose own state of Arizona voted not to participate. "We cannot have national standards for driver's licenses when the states themselves refuse to participate."
Civil liberties groups say the Pass ID would violate privacy rights in the same way the Real ID does. Twenty-four advocacy groups for privacy and other causes _ including the American Civil Liberties Union, Citizens Against Government Waste and the National Network to End Domestic Violence _ sent Congress a letter opposing both identification programs.
© 2009 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
www.newsmax.com/insidecover/us_secure_drivers_licenses/2009/07/15/236077.html
For those of you unfamiliar with the REAL ID Program (National ID Card): www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2009....-of-government/
The REAL ID is nothing more than a National ID Card which would be used to track the movements of citizens both INCONUS and OUTCONUS. it would be merged into a data base containing "Data Mined" Personal and Biometric information (new "health care reform bill" provision)
The REAL ID Act was an offshoot from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)- Total Information Awareness (TIA) epic.org/privacy/profiling/tia/
The Federal Government told the states "you will get on board with the REAL ID Program or lose federal funding in many areas and your states citizens will be held up at the border, airports, federal buildings, etc." The States beat back the attack by claiming unfunded mandate instead of calling it blatantly unconstitutional, as they should have.
When a lot of states still refused to cooperate and some even passed legislation denying the FEDS entry, the FEDS all of a sudden act nice and "give" the States an "extension" on REAL ID implementation: news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-9885311-38.html
With so many States refusing to cooperate, and with public knowledge and a potential backlash on the REAL ID program, the government decided on a new track... The PASS ID Act: www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s1261/show
CATO@Liberty, Does the PASS ID Act Protect Privacy?:www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/07/07/does-the-pass-id-act-protect-privacy/
DHS couldn't get all they wanted, so they roll out PASS ID while killing the evil REAL ID, they revert to incrementalisim, just get the foot in the door for a start.
And to make it worse some states and groups WELCOME this attack on freedom and privacy...
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Press Release
States welcome revision of costly, unfunded mandate
WASHINGTON -- After nearly four years of pushing for changes to the onerous, costly REAL ID Act of 2005, the National Conference of State Legislatures applauds Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and George Voinovich (R-OH) for introducing the Providing for Additional Security in States' Identification Act of 2009--the PASS ID Act. The bipartisan legislation was introduced on Monday, June 15, and will now move to the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee for review.
This legislation will strengthen national security by offering real solutions within a framework that is more workable for states. REAL ID, which was originally estimated to cost nearly $13 billion, preempted state laws and imposed numerous inflexible and onerous requirements on states.
The PASS ID Act takes positive steps toward addressing state legislatures' implementation challenges with the REAL ID. NCSL urges Congress to continue to work with NCSL and its members as this legislation moves through the congressional process and to take all possible efforts to ensure state costs for implementation of the Real ID, and any corrective legislation, be fully funded by the federal government.
"NCSL is encouraged by the introduction of the PASS Act, because it would repeal Real ID and replace it with a system that will ensure greater safety and security without sacrificing privacy and without incurring exorbitant costs that REAL ID imposed," said Carl Tubbesing, NCSL's deputy director in the Washington, D.C., office. "We applaud the sponsors for recognizing the shortcomings of REAL ID and for working with states to bring about these much-needed changes."
NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system. www.ncsl.org/?TabId=17677
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 6:10 PM
WASHINGTON -- Leading senators from both parties expressed a willingness Wednesday to revamp the nation's stalled plan to secure driver's licenses in an effort to thwart terrorists.
But some senators raised concerns about elements of a new plan supported by the Obama administration.
"I'm not surprised we are here today," Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., said Wednesday as the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs committee he chairs opened a hearing to re-evaluate the Real ID Act passed after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Lieberman said Congress passed the Bush administration program to secure licenses issued by state motor vehicle departments without any debate.
But Bush's Real ID plan has been stalled well short of nationwide implementation by opposition in the states. Thirteen states have voted to not participate in the Real ID program and almost as many others have objected. Right now, no one in the country has a Real ID card.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and representatives from the National Governors Association pushed hard for the new plan they say would meet the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission and save states big money along the way. They also said the plan they back, known as Pass ID, builds on what was required in a Real ID.
"We're not starting from scratch here, because really Pass ID is a Real ID fix," Napolitano said.
The National Governors Association estimates the current law would cost states $4 billion while the new plan could cut the costs to between $1.3 billion and $2 billion.
Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii, introduced the Pass ID legislation last month. Akaka and other members of the Homeland Security committee would like to get a version of the bill passed before the end of the year.
The 2001 terrorist attacks were the main motivation for the original law. The hijacker who flew a plane into the Pentagon, Hani Hanjour, had four driver's licenses and ID cards from three states.
Real ID-compliant driver's licenses would have several layers of security to prevent forgery, such as verification of birth certificates, Social Security numbers and immigration status.
The Pass ID, by contrast, would not put the home addresses of victims of domestic violence or people in the witness protection program on licenses.
Pass ID also would not require that birth certificates be confirmed with the agency that issued them. Lieberman said relaxing this Real ID provision could lead to a situation where "the license itself would be valid, but the identity documents by which it was based would not."
Unlike the Real ID plan, the Pass ID plan would not require that people have the new driver's licenses to board airplanes. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, expressed concerned this could undermine the purpose of having a secure driver's license.
"Driver's licenses could be the keys to the kingdom for terrorists bent on destruction," said Collins, the top Republican on the committee.
Under both plans, if the traveler does not have a secure identification card, the traveler will go through additional security screening by the Transportation Security Administration.
In response to resistance from states, the last administration issued extensions for states to meet the requirements of the Real ID Act.
Under the current law, states have to certify by Dec. 31 they are complying with the Real ID standard to validate immigration status in order to issue a driver's license. Residents of states that don't follow the new standard will not be allowed to board airplanes with their driver's licenses after the end of this year.
Napolitano said the Bush administration program is unrealistic because it's too expensive, and the technology necessary to meet the security standards is not available.
"By Dec. 31, no state will have issued a Real ID compliant identification document," said Napolitano, a former governor whose own state of Arizona voted not to participate. "We cannot have national standards for driver's licenses when the states themselves refuse to participate."
Civil liberties groups say the Pass ID would violate privacy rights in the same way the Real ID does. Twenty-four advocacy groups for privacy and other causes _ including the American Civil Liberties Union, Citizens Against Government Waste and the National Network to End Domestic Violence _ sent Congress a letter opposing both identification programs.
© 2009 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
www.newsmax.com/insidecover/us_secure_drivers_licenses/2009/07/15/236077.html
For those of you unfamiliar with the REAL ID Program (National ID Card): www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2009....-of-government/
The REAL ID is nothing more than a National ID Card which would be used to track the movements of citizens both INCONUS and OUTCONUS. it would be merged into a data base containing "Data Mined" Personal and Biometric information (new "health care reform bill" provision)
The REAL ID Act was an offshoot from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)- Total Information Awareness (TIA) epic.org/privacy/profiling/tia/
The Federal Government told the states "you will get on board with the REAL ID Program or lose federal funding in many areas and your states citizens will be held up at the border, airports, federal buildings, etc." The States beat back the attack by claiming unfunded mandate instead of calling it blatantly unconstitutional, as they should have.
When a lot of states still refused to cooperate and some even passed legislation denying the FEDS entry, the FEDS all of a sudden act nice and "give" the States an "extension" on REAL ID implementation: news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-9885311-38.html
With so many States refusing to cooperate, and with public knowledge and a potential backlash on the REAL ID program, the government decided on a new track... The PASS ID Act: www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s1261/show
CATO@Liberty, Does the PASS ID Act Protect Privacy?:www.cato-at-liberty.org/2009/07/07/does-the-pass-id-act-protect-privacy/
DHS couldn't get all they wanted, so they roll out PASS ID while killing the evil REAL ID, they revert to incrementalisim, just get the foot in the door for a start.
And to make it worse some states and groups WELCOME this attack on freedom and privacy...
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Press Release
States welcome revision of costly, unfunded mandate
WASHINGTON -- After nearly four years of pushing for changes to the onerous, costly REAL ID Act of 2005, the National Conference of State Legislatures applauds Senators Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and George Voinovich (R-OH) for introducing the Providing for Additional Security in States' Identification Act of 2009--the PASS ID Act. The bipartisan legislation was introduced on Monday, June 15, and will now move to the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee for review.
This legislation will strengthen national security by offering real solutions within a framework that is more workable for states. REAL ID, which was originally estimated to cost nearly $13 billion, preempted state laws and imposed numerous inflexible and onerous requirements on states.
The PASS ID Act takes positive steps toward addressing state legislatures' implementation challenges with the REAL ID. NCSL urges Congress to continue to work with NCSL and its members as this legislation moves through the congressional process and to take all possible efforts to ensure state costs for implementation of the Real ID, and any corrective legislation, be fully funded by the federal government.
"NCSL is encouraged by the introduction of the PASS Act, because it would repeal Real ID and replace it with a system that will ensure greater safety and security without sacrificing privacy and without incurring exorbitant costs that REAL ID imposed," said Carl Tubbesing, NCSL's deputy director in the Washington, D.C., office. "We applaud the sponsors for recognizing the shortcomings of REAL ID and for working with states to bring about these much-needed changes."
NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system. www.ncsl.org/?TabId=17677