The Washington
Times
www.washingtontimes.com
By Audrey Hudson
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published October 7, 2004
Proposed federal standards for new driver's licenses contained in the
intelligence-reform bill moving through Congress creates a national
identification card, according to civil liberties groups on both sides
of the aisle.
The Senate passed its
intelligence-reform bill yesterday by a 96-2 vote, and the House is
expected to vote on its version by the end of the week.
Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican and one
of the amendment's sponsors, defended the legislation that was quietly
added Friday. However, he said the provision still needs work, which
could be completed when both bills are hammered out in conference
committee.
"I think it's a good amendment,
and it deserves a lot of discussion, but it needs the administration's
input," Mr. McCain said.
Asked if the bill
would create a national identification card, Mr. McCain said, "I don't
think so, that's not really what I was trying to do, but I thought it
was a good amendment."
Opponents say,
however, the House provision goes a step further and creates a
tri-national identification card by requiring states to create and share
databases among themselves and with Mexico and Canada.
"A lot of conservatives are concerned about
this idea," said James Plummer, policy director for Consumer Alert, a
free-market advocacy group.
The American
Civil Liberties Union is also lobbying against the House and Senate
measures, and agrees the lower body's attempt to share information
across borders is a dangerous precedent.
"They are setting the gold standard for what
is an acceptable identification document," said Marv Johnson,
legislative counsel for the ACLU. "By sharing and putting all of this
data together, essentially what you are going to end up with is a
national identification card."
The section
pertaining to driver's licenses forbids federal agencies from
recognizing current licenses that do not meet the new standards two
years after the law takes effect.
The new
standards would be set by the Homeland Security and Transportation
departments, and would include what proof of identity applicants will be
required to show to obtain a license. The federal standards are a "back
door" for licenses to become the de facto national identification cards,
Mr. Johnson said.
Licenses must meet the new
standards or face rejection by federal officials, who require that
licenses be shown to fly on commercial aircraft.
More than 30 advocacy, civil liberties and
conservative groups sent letters to every senator Sept. 20 predicting
that the September 11 commission report would lead to a national ID card
and asked that it be rejected.
Opponents say
such a card would not prevent terrorism, and would instead be an
expensive program that directs resources away from more effective
counterterrorism measures. The estimated costs for the program range
widely, with one at $4 billion and another at between $25 billion and
$30 billion.
"The creation of a national ID
card or system is a misplaced, superficial quick fix to the terrorist
threat," the letter says. "A national ID system would not effectively
deter terrorists and, instead, would pose serious threats to the rights
of freedom and equality of everyone in the U.S."
•Brian DeBose contributed to this report
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Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
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