Missouri would refuse to participate in the federal government’s REAL ID Act under a bill winning overwhelming approval in the House. But a counter-argument has been made as a Senate committee considers the measure.
Rep. Jim Guest (R-King City) sponsors HCR 20 now in the Senate. He sees REAL ID as an invasion of privacy, "We’re suppose to be a government of the people, by the people and for the people, not a government to be feared."
His bill passed the House on a vote of 146-to-4.
Congress approved REAL ID in 2005. It came as a recommendation of the 9/11 Commission. It sets standards for driver’s licenses issued by the states; standards that must be met for the driver’s license to be approved as federal identification.
"I’m very sympathetic to Rep. Guest’s concerns about federal intrusion," Peter Gadiel tells the Senate committee reviewing HCR 20. Gadiel is a board member of the Coalition for a Secure Driver’s License and President of 9/11 Families for a Secure America . Gadiel tells Senators REAL ID doesn’t establish a national ID and doesn’t require any additional information than now required to get a driver’s license. He says it is required to make America more secure. Gadiel’s son was killed in the North Tower of the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Neil Berro with the Coalition for Secure Driver’s Licenses has told the committee compliance is necessary to protect America. He points out the 9/11 terrorists used driver’s licenses to infiltrate the country. Berro says the driver’s license has become standard identification. Berro rejects arguments that the REAL ID is essentially implementation of a national identification card. In fact, he argues that compliance with REAL ID would keep the country from moving to a new national identification card.
Download/listen Brent Martin reports (:60 MP3)
