About a month or so ago I sent out an EFF form letter to my local Congressman about the Real ID Act of 2005. The Act sets ridiculous requirements for State-issued IDs, such as driver's license. Of course, in keeping with the current administration's absurd behavior, no funding has been provided to meet these requirements. Moreover, the legislation is yet another knee-jerk reaction to 9/11. Of course, I find it extremely unlikely that Real ID would have stopped 9/11 from occurring, or, for that matter, that a lack of an American ID would have any impact, either.
See the form-letter response below. For more information on this worthless legislation, please see the EFF Real ID Act page.
The following was sent to me via email on 8/17/2007. Click here to contact Congressman Davis. Note, btw, the handy invocation of 9/11 as justification for stupid legislation. How much longer must we accept 9/11 as the debate trump card for all things idiotic?!?
Dear Mr. Tomhave:Thank you for contacting me regarding the effort to repeal the Real ID Act of 2005. I appreciate hearing from you on this issue.
As you may know, the REAL ID Act of 2005 aims to restore confidence in our national security system by closing key loopholes. The measure establishes minimum document and issuance standards for federal acceptance of state-issued driver's licenses and personal identification cards, reforms our laws to prevent terrorists from abusing our asylum system, waives federal laws to the extent necessary to expeditiously complete gaps in the San Diego border security fence, and reforms our alien removal laws to deal with alien terrorists who have infiltrated the United States.
While all of the provisions in the REAL ID Act are important, my primary focus has been on ID security, because this provision originated in the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, of which I am the ranking member.
When the 9/11 Commission examined how the hijackers boarded the plane they determined that all but one had acquired some form of U.S. identification, with most having committed fraud. This convinced the commission that federal standards for the issuance of identity documents, including driver's licenses, were critical in curtailing such occurrences. This is a matter of national security and I believe that we should not provide such a hospitable environment for fraudulent behavior in the future. This is why the federal government needs documents that it can trust, and it is within its right -- and our responsibility -- to establish minimum standards for federal acceptance.
Many critics of the Real ID Act of 2005 believe the act is an unfunded mandate and infringes on civil liberties. They worry about protecting states' sovereignty and citizens' privacy. While I understand these concerns, I must respectfully disagree with the effort to repeal Real ID.
It is not a National ID, but rather a federal attempt to help states implement their own regulations and meet appropriate standards to ensure identity security for their citizens. I am aware that some states will need more time to reconfigure their systems, and I have asked Chairman Waxman to convene a hearing that will asses how to meet the Real ID Act's security mandates in the most efficient and cost-effective manner possible. Additionally, DHS has offered states the ability to delay full implementation from the original May 2008 deadline. Although initial costs of Real ID have been high due to lost time, the recurring costs will be much lower because of federal assistance and a decrease in fraud.
The tragic events of September 11, 2001, woke up our nation to the perilous realties of the modern world. We must learn from mistakes made in the past and do whatever we can to ensure the safety of our homeland and the livelihood of each and every American citizen.
Again, thank you for contacting me. Please continue to keep me informed of any further issues of importance to you.
Sincerely,
Tom Davis
Member of Congress
