[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11741-S11742]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. COLEMAN:
  S. 28. A bill to amend section 7209 of the Intelligence Reform and 
Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
  Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill I 
introduce today--the Northern Border Travel Facilitation Act--be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 28

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Northern Border Travel 
     Facilitation Act''.

     SEC. 2. STATE DRIVER'S LICENSE AND IDENTIFICATION ENROLLMENT 
                   PROGRAM.

       Section 7209 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism 
     Prevention Act of 2004 (Public Law 108-458; 8 U.S.C. 1185 
     note) is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(e) State Driver's License and Identification Card 
     Enrollment Program.--
       ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security shall establish a State Driver's License and 
     Identity Card Enrollment Program as described in this 
     subsection (hereinafter in this subsection referred to as the 
     `Program') and enter into a memorandum of understanding with 
     an appropriate official of each State that elects to 
     participate in the Program.
       ``(2) Purpose.--The purpose of the Program is to permit a 
     citizen of the United States who produces a driver's license 
     or identity card that meets the requirements of paragraph (3) 
     or a citizen of Canada who produces a document described in 
     paragraph (4) to enter the United States from Canada without 
     providing any other documentation or evidence of citizenship.
       ``(3) Admission of citizens of the united states.--A 
     driver's license or identity card meets the requirements of 
     this subparagraph if--
       ``(A) the license or card--
       ``(i) was issued by a State that is participating in the 
     Program;
       ``(ii) meets the requirements of section 202 of the REAL ID 
     Act of 2005 (division B of Public Law 109-13; 49 U.S.C. 30301 
     note); and
       ``(iii) includes the United States citizenship status of 
     the individual to whom the license or card was issued; and
       ``(B) the State that issued the license or card--
       ``(i) has a mechanism that is approved by the Secretary of 
     State to verify the United States citizenship status of an 
     applicant for such a license or card;

[[Page S11742]]

       ``(ii) does not require an individual to include the 
     individual's citizenship status on such a license or card; 
     and
       ``(iii) manages all information regarding an applicant's 
     United States citizenship status in the same manner as such 
     information collected through the United States passport 
     application process and prohibits any other use or 
     distribution of such information.
       ``(4) Admission of citizens of canada.--
       ``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, if the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security determine that an identity document issued by the 
     Government of Canada or by the Government of a Province or 
     Territory of Canada meets security and information 
     requirements comparable to the requirements for a driver's 
     license or identity card described in paragraph (3), the 
     Secretary of Homeland Security shall permit a citizen of 
     Canada to enter the United States from Canada using such a 
     document without providing any other documentation or 
     evidence of Canadian citizenship.
       ``(B) Technology standards.--The Secretary of Homeland 
     Security shall work, to the maximum extent possible, to 
     ensure that an identification document issued by Canada that 
     permits entry into the United States under subparagraph (A) 
     utilizes technology similar to the technology utilized by 
     identification documents issued by the United States or any 
     State.
       ``(5) Admission of children.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall 
     permit an individual to enter the United States without 
     providing any evidence of citizenship if--
       ``(A) the individual--
       ``(i) is less than 16 years old;
       ``(ii) is accompanied by the individual's legal guardian; 
     and
       ``(iii) is entering the United States from Canada or 
     another country if the Secretary permits an individual to 
     enter the United States from that country under the Program 
     pursuant to paragraph (6)(A); and
       ``(B) such legal guardian provides a driver's license or 
     identity card described in paragraph (3), a document 
     described in paragraph (4), or other evidence of citizenship 
     if the Secretary permits an individual to enter the United 
     States using such evidence under the Program pursuant to 
     paragraph (6)(B).
       ``(6) Authority to expand.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision of law, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of 
     Homeland Security may expand the Program to permit an 
     individual to enter the United States--
       ``(A) from a country other than Canada; or
       ``(B) using evidence of citizenship other than a driver's 
     license or identity card described in paragraph (3) or a 
     document described in paragraph (4).
       ``(7) Relationship to other requirements.--Nothing in this 
     subsection shall have the effect of creating a national 
     identity card or a certification of citizenship for any 
     purpose other than admission into the United States as 
     described in this subsection.
       ``(8) State defined.--In this subsection, the term `State' 
     means any of the several States of the United States, the 
     Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the 
     Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, Guam, 
     the Virgin Islands of the United States, or any other 
     territory or possession of the United States.
       ``(9) Schedule for implementation.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary of Homeland Security and 
     the Secretary of State shall implement the Program not later 
     than December 31, 2009.
       ``(B) Admission prior to implementation.--During the time 
     period beginning on the date of the enactment of the Northern 
     Border Travel Facilitation Act and ending on the date that 
     the Program is implemented, the Secretary of Homeland 
     Security shall permit an individual who is a citizen of the 
     United States or Canada to enter the United States from 
     Canada if that individual can demonstrate United States or 
     Canadian citizenship to the satisfaction of the Secretary. 
     Birth certificates issued by a State, or by the Government of 
     Canada or by the Government of a Province or Territory of 
     Canada, or a citizenship certificate or card issued by the 
     Government of Canada shall be deemed to be a satisfactory 
     demonstration of citizenship under this subparagraph.''.
                                 ______