Of Course He Did, He's A Doof

Homeland Security Secretary Defends Real ID Card System
BOSTON - U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff defended a federal move toward a secure driver's license identification system Wednesday before state legislators who are actively opposing the proposal on both financial and philosophical grounds.
Two hours after Chertoff's speech at the National Conference of State Legislatures, delegates called for repeal of the law unless it is changed, and unless Congress provides an initial $1 billion by December 31 to pay for implementation.
Chertoff was late in arriving for his appearance at an NCSL general session because of a storm system moving through Boston.
State Sen. Richard Moore of Massachusetts, chair of NCSL Standing Committees, began work on a series of proposed resolutions as he awaited Chertoff's arrival.
"The cloaking device has been taken off his airplane and he has landed," Moore joked later. "He should be here as soon as he clears TSA security and they confiscate all the gels and liquids in his baggage."
Chertoff, a former federal appeals court judge and Harvard law graduate, received a polite but cool reception upon arrival, especially when compared with that afforded later to U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D- California).
Chertoff said over 8,000 kinds of personal identification are presented every year at border entry points to the U.S. He said the 9/11 Commission recognized the importance of ensuring the authenticity of identifying documents.
"It is simply unreasonable to expect our border inspectors to be able to detect forgeries on documents that range from baptismal certificates from small towns in Texas to cards that purport to reflect citizenship privileges in a province somewhere in Canada. We've got to find a way to rationalize this system," he said.
Secretary Chertoff said congressional enactment of the Real ID law recognized that most people rely on their driver's licenses as the principle form of identification for a variety of non-driving matters such as boarding airplanes and entering federal buildings.
"If we are going to accept those licenses for those other purposes then I think we do have a right and obligation to see that those licenses do in fact reflect the identity of the person who is presenting them," he said.
Chertoff acknowledged that states face financial challenges in complying with the law, although he said an initial cost estimate of $14 billion over 10 years might have been too high.
He said the administration of President George W. Bush would try to obtain congressional approval of funding to cover costs of an electronic network allowing for interconnection with existing state databases in order to verify identification.
"But I also recognize that there will be some state responsibility. The actual point of delivery, your motor vehicle office, is going to be funded by the state," he said. "There is going to be an irreducible expense that falls on you and that's part of the shared responsibility because obviously the licenses are principally state documents."
Compliance begins May 11, 2008. States face a 2013 deadline for completing the process.
Legislatures in Montana, New Hampshire and other states already have decided not to comply with Real ID.
"I want to be clear about this. This is not a mandate. A state doesn't have to do this. But we've been very clear, and the law is very clear," Chertoff said.
"If a state doesn't have, at the end of the deadline, Real ID compliant licenses then the state cannot expect that those licenses will be accepted for federal purposes," he said. As a result, residents of states without compliant licenses will have to use passports, military ID, or other documents for air travel and other purposes.
"I realize that may not seem like much of a choice," Chertoff said.
He said that while some states oppose Real ID, others have embraced it.
"I should say this. A number of states, including the biggest states, heartily endorse Real ID ... I don't think it's been a complete negative reaction. States like California, New York, Arizona are very interested and are making progress toward Real ID," Chertoff said.
"There are some people who are philosophically opposed to the whole thing. I don't think we can afford to derail this," he said.
Later, when the NCSL business meeting resumed, legislators overwhelmingly approved a resolution charging that Congress and the Administration have failed to address "the fatal shortcomings" of Real ID, "including in the area of securing personal identification and biological data."
The resolution urges Bush and Congress to fully fund state implementation through a grant program, and to provide at least $1 billion before the end of the year one-time, up-front costs to states.
Barring changes in the Real ID law and the $1 billion, NCSL urged Congress to repeal the law.