Sensenbrenner Urges Prompt Action to Secure Driver's Licenses, Cites Success in Curbing REAL ID Program Costs

WASHINGTON, June 27, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Citing the risks to national security and public safety from additional delays in rolling out voluntary security upgrades at DMVs, Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI) advocated for prompt adoption of REAL ID compliant driver's licenses.

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Rep. Sensenbrenner and other credentialed security experts speaking at a meeting in Washington described state agencies' successes in achieving the REAL ID security upgrades without imposing burdens on recession-era state budgets. Federal grants have defrayed most of the REAL ID upgrade costs, Sensenbrenner said, of about $300 million – one-quarter of the cost estimates floated by some critics.

"There's a big difference between $300 million and $12 billion," Sensenbrenner said, as he refuted charges that the REAL ID law was an unfunded mandate or part of a federal identity databank, "which I oppose."

Rep. Sensenbrenner joined three other panelists at the June 22 Heritage Foundation event, "Making REAL ID a Reality: Next Steps for Congress." The panel included Julie Myers Wood, former Homeland Security Department assistant secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Jack Martin, Federation for American Immigration Reform special projects director; and Brian Zimmer, Coalition for a Secure Drivers License president.

Rep. Sensenbrenner outlined the benefits already achieved via the REAL ID law, cited some remaining challenges in its implementation and debunked myths publicized by its critics.

Real ID is a good law. It has been slow [in] being implemented but I would think that within the next couple of years there will be at least 40 states that meet the minimum standards on Real ID. And we have to keep pressuring governors and state legislators to do it because it is in the interests of their citizens that their driver's licenses be used for federal purposes rather than forcing them to go up and get another form of federally approved ID.

In February, Rep. Sensenbrenner joined with House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) and House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter King (R-NY), in a letter to Homeland Security Department Secretary Janet Napolitano that cited problems caused by executive branch delays in REAL ID implementation.

The three lawmakers expressed concern that Secretary Napolitano would compound those problems by extending a regulatory deadline for states to comply with the REAL ID Act final rule. Shortly thereafter, Secretary Napolitano extended the deadline.

Brian Zimmer, Coalition for a Secure Driver's License president, applauds Rep. Sensenbrenner's continuing work on secure ID issues and diligent oversight of related Homeland Security Department programs: Congressman Sensenbrenner's leadership should be commended. Once again, he pointed out what REAL ID does, but more importantly, what it doesn't do. Ironically, as the Congressman noted, states that choose to opt out of REAL ID, such as Montana and Oklahoma, will effectively force their citizens to obtain a national ID – the U.S. Passport. As we all know, a Passport is more expensive, takes longer to get and does not provide any of the privacy protections contained within the REAL ID Act. REAL ID makes real sense and states should use the federal funding available to implement it.

To view the Heritage Foundation's event, "Making REAL ID a Reality: Next Steps for Congress," click here or visit http://www.heritage.org/Events/2011/06/Real-ID

To find more quotes from the Rep. Sensenbrenner from the panel, click here or visit http://secure-license.org/article/making-real-id-reality-panel-quotes

About the Coalition for a Secure Driver's License

The Coalition for a Secure Driver's License (CSDL) is a 501 (c)(3) non-partisan, not for profit, crime prevention, educational public charity, supported by donor contributions from across the United States. Our slogan, "Working to protect the identity of every American", embodies our commitment to higher standards for both government and private entities that issue identity credentials, especially state agencies that issue driver's licenses and ID cards. CSDL undertakes research addressing best practices for DMVs, compliance with federal laws, identity fraud prevention and related identity management topics. CSDL continuously collects data from each state and territory motor vehicle agency on their current identity verification and anti-counterfeit measures. CSDL's newsletter has over 9,000 subscribers in 50 states. CSDL's website is www.secure-license.org.

Mailing address: 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 880, Washington, DC 20004

Additional Background on REAL ID Act of 2005

The REAL ID Act was signed into law May 11, 2005, when it became Public Law 109-13. The regulations were issued in final form by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on May 11, 2008, after then DHS Secretary Chertoff extended the deadline to coincide with the three year lapse before the law was enacted. The REAL ID Act has five titles, of which Title Two addresses driver's license rules. In brief, Title 2 of the REAL ID Act directed the Department of Homeland Security to establish minimum security standards for state motor vehicle agencies. The Act was quite specific and proscriptive, because Congressional analysis had identified the areas in which the states' rules were absent or weak with regard to preventing imposters, including foreign terrorists, from exploiting those vulnerabilities. The law is binding on the federal government and states that documents which do not meet the standards cannot be accepted by the federal agencies after certain deadlines. The deadline for state compliance was extended by current DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano to January 15, 2013.

SOURCE Coalition for a Secure Driver's License