Posted on 05/11/2005 8:16:56 AM PDT by listenhillary
By Declan McCullagh
Last-minute attempts by online activists to halt an electronic ID card failed Tuesday when the U.S. Senate unanimously voted to impose a sweeping set of identification requirements on Americans. The so-called Real ID Act now heads to President Bush, who is expected to sign the bill into law this month. Its backers, including the Bush administration, say it's needed to stop illegal immigrants from obtaining drivers' licenses.
If the act's mandates take effect in May 2008, as expected, Americans will be required to obtain federally approved ID cards with "machine readable technology" that abides by Department of Homeland Security specifications. Anyone without such an ID card will be effectively prohibited from traveling by air or Amtrak, opening a bank account, or entering federal buildings.
After the Real ID Act's sponsors glued it to an Iraq military spending bill, final passage was all but guaranteed. Yet that didn't stop a dedicated cadre of privacy activists from trying to raise the alarm in the last few days.
UnRealID.com, which calls the legislation a "national ID card," says that more than 10,800 people filled out its online petition to senators.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation hastily created a "Stop The Real ID Act!" campaign last week, and the ACLU denounced the bill as a measure that would create "a system ripe for identity theft." Security guru Bruce Schneier offered his own negative critique.
If the Real ID Act had been a standalone piece of legislation--instead of being embedded in an unrelated military spending bill--its passage in the Senate might have been less certain.
The House approved it in February by a relatively narrow vote of 261-161, and some senators had condemned it. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., warned last month that the Real ID Act creates "de facto national ID cards" and the National Immigration Law Center said it will make it harder even for legal immigrants and citizens to get drivers' licenses.
Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner, a Wisconsin Republican and Real ID Act sponsor, applauded the Senate vote on Tuesday. "The Real ID is vital to preventing foreign terrorists from hiding in plain sight while conducting their operations and planning attacks," Sensenbrenner said. "By targeting terrorist travel, the Real ID will assist in our war-on-terror efforts to disrupt terrorist operations and help secure our borders."
Interesting. I hope this stops illegal immigrants, but I'm still a little unsure about it.
They will close our southern border now or after this takes effect?
Who knows? Maybe they're just waiting to bring all the illegal immigrants they can before 2008 so the Mexicans can take over America.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
My take on this is that it helps to pave the way for Social Security reform in that a function of SSA is to "identify" Americans by way of their SS # and birth date. Additionally, if this law was in effect before 9-11, Mohammed Atta might possibly have been arrested and deported prior to 9-11 because he would not have had a driver's license when he was pulled over in Florida 2 months prior.
Will it be required for voting?
In addition, the national ID card will become effective just months before the strong possibility that the Democrats re-occupy the White House. Of course, the Dems would never abuse this increase in Federal power.
Yes. We're already moving cashless and paperless. I just don't want anything implanted in my body.
Any type of ID can be counterfeited. Why should this be any different? Will the card make a significant difference? I hope so.
I presume this card will carry a picture of the owner?
Gee, I hope they're gonna use a nice camera.
Will it be required for voting?
They tout this as a victory? Line up for the slaughter my friends!
This is a sad day IMHO.
v/r
That's a hundred vote margin on 422 votes cast (about 24%). Must be the new math because it's hardly narrow.
What do you mean by slaughter?
...Will it be required for voting?...
Who is worth voting for?
let him who hath understanding reckon the number of the beast...for it is a human number the number is six hundred and sixty six.
I certainly hope so!!! And perhaps it will start in Wisconsin ... wonder if the 2008 enactment is timed for the next election? Probably right 'after' if the Dem's have their way.
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