FWIW I recieved this just a few minutes ago. Emphasis added by me in bold and comments in ().
Greg
Greg
Below is a response to the recent comments I received from you:
Dear Mr. Tarpley:
Thank you for contacting me. I appreciate hearing from you regarding minimum standards for state drivers' licenses and personal identification cards and would like to respond to your concerns.
In the aftermath of the tragic terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, Congress has worked diligently to address the weaknesses in our nation's ability to identify and react to intelligence information regarding potential terrorist threats. On December 17, 2004, the president signed into law S. 2845, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-458). This bill was a critical first step in enhancing our intelligence infrastructure and capabilities as we continue fighting the global war on terror.
For example, in response to the rising problem of identification fraud, the Senate included in the Intelligence Reform bill various provisions to establish minimum national standards for drivers' licenses and personal identification cards. These provisions require that each driver's license or identification card include specific individual information, contain physical security features to prevent fraud, and have common machine-readable technology.
Since that time, both Congress and the Administration have looked at ways to continue to strengthen our borders and secure our families at home. On February 10, 2005, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 418, the REAL ID Act of 2005, legislation that would tighten national standards for State driver's licenses, make it more difficult for foreign nationals to claim asylum, and authorize the completion of a security fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Recently, I joined my colleagues to unanimously pass the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2005 for Defense, the Global War on Terrorism, and Tsunami Relief (H.R. 1268). The REAL ID Act was added as an amendment to H.R. 1268 by the House of Representatives and was included in the conference report passed by the Senate on May 10, 2005. While I agree that we need to look at ways to strengthen our borders, I do not believe that the Emergency Supplemental was the appropriate vehicle for that debate. (amen to that)
Our immigration policies need to show a balance between securing our borders and being open to individuals who come to this country seeking freedom and a better way of life. I am hopeful that in the future we will have a more comprehensive debate on immigration reform. However, it was imperative to get funding to our troops as quickly as possible, and I therefore voted with my colleagues to unanuimously pass the Emergency Supplemental.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. If you have any additional questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Mel Martinez
United States Senator
