Posted on 08/20/2007 9:50:10 PM PDT by hedgetrimmer
The United States expressed strong support Monday for using high-technology driver's licences as alternatives to passports when crossing the Canada-U.S. border, saying Vermont is developing them.
Canada had been lobbying American officials to endorse licences, saying the plan to require passports is already seriously denting tourism and could damage trade.
The move came as President George W. Bush sat down with Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Montebello, Que., before a tri-lateral summit with Mexico.
More states are expected to announce formal plans in the coming days to work on licences that contain proof of citizenship as well as identity.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Vermont's plan "helps us strike the right balance between security and facilitation, incorporating 21st-century technology and innovation."
"I'm pleased we will be able to provide this more reasonable option for Vermonters who travel frequently to Canada," said Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas.
"As we move forward with this innovative initiative, we must continue to include our northern neighbours whose economic and security interests are linked directly to our own."
The Vermont licences will be slightly more expensive than standard ones. They will contain security features similar to a U.S. passport.
Washington state and British Columbia were the first to reach an agreement with the Homeland Security to launch a pilot project looking at driver's licences.
Ontario has been particularly keen on improving its licences.
There have been long delays in acquiring passports on both sides of the border.
People flying into the United States were supposed to require a passport starting in January. But Chertoff was forced to announce a break for American air travellers until the end of September.
He also announced that Canadians and Americans entering the U.S. by car or boat won't need a passport - or an acceptable alternative - until at least the summer of 2008.
Regular driver's licences and birth certificates will suffice for several months starting next Jan. 31.
While that was some consolation to critics, a precise date is required to avoid confusions, they said.
The so-called Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was passed by Congress in 2004 in a bid to plug security holes after the 2001 terrorist attacks.
“In a closed door meeting where no newspeople or cameras were allowed. How about naming some names?”
Sigh.................
Didn’t the 9/11 scumbag hijackers have drivers licenses? Yeah, this is a good idea.
Press Release
For Immediate Release
June 11, 2007
Peterson Announces Relaxed Travel Restrictions
within Western Hemisphere
Washington, DC - U.S. Rep. John E. Peterson, R-Pleasantville, announced that the Departments of State and Homeland Security have relaxed current travel restrictions for U.S. citizens traveling abroad within the Western Hemisphere in response to an overwhelming backlog of passport applications.
In a statement jointly released by the State and Homeland Security Departments, travel changes are as follow: “U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda who have applied for but not yet received passports can nevertheless temporarily enter and depart from the United States by air with a government issued photo identification and State Department official proof of application for a passport through September 30, 2007. Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the child’s proof of application.”
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) was mandated by Congress in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for citizens and legitimate international visitors. WHTI requirements for air travel took effect on January 23, 2007 and have largely been the cause of this current backlog.
Travelers who have not applied for a passport should not expect to be accommodated. U.S. citizens with pending passport applications can obtain proof of application at: http://travel.state.gov. This accommodation does not affect entry requirements to other countries. Americans traveling to a country that requires passports must still present those documents.
Constituents taking advantage of this new temporary exemption can print-out the online passport status check that may be accessed through http://travel.state.gov/passport. This status check can be used to prove that a passport application has been received by the State Department.
For information about the passport application process, the status of a passport application, or an emergency passport, contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) at 1-877-487-2778.
Constituents are also strongly encouraged to contact Congressman Peterson’s district office at 814-238-1776 with any questions regarding the passport application process.
Peterson added: “My staff is here to assist anyone with specific international travel questions. I do, however, urge all travelers not to wait until a few days before your departure scheduled date. Short notice limits our ability to best serve one’s passport needs.”
http://www.house.gov/list/press/pa05_peterson/passport.html
And California wants to give drivers licenses to illegal aliens. Some states already do.
FYI
Just remember that all new drivers licenses and passports will work best if you put them in the microwave for thirty seconds...
Canada had been lobbying American officials to endorse licences
here we go, again....
There, now it's correct.
NAU loves WHTI ping
Oh, I could spend hours trying to figure out what caps mean, when I read a post. Someone posted STFU, and I actually thought I figured it out - “So the Friends Understand”..........
OK. What does “WHTI” mean? If it’s not family friendly........
never mind......;-)
How about letting people present their passport istead of their driver’s license? Makes just as much sense.
We all have to get new DL’s in Texas in ‘08. Proof of citizenship is required.
http://www.kvue.com/news/local/stories/112706kvuedriverslicensechanges-eh.3050bcea.html
Yup. That’ll do it. Just leave it up to this country’s departments of driver license and highway safety.
All I see happening here is the imposition of the National ID card at the state level to go around the relatively recent passport requirement, one which the US Govt. imposed anyway, and the issuance of passports is something the US Govt. controls.
Here we go again. National ID disguised as drivers licenses.
I have no problem with states requiring proof of citizenship in obtaining a drivers license. I have huge problems with drivers licenses being federalized in any way!
A passport is a specific legal document, recognized with certain protocols under international law. Replacing that with a US driver’s license that may or may not mean something and whose definition is subject to Congressional whims, disturbs me.
Why the heck would anyone want to do that? Other than criminal stupidity?
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