[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 6]
[Senate]
[Page 8964]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              REAL ID ACT

  Mr. TESTER. Mr. President, today my home State of Montana becomes the 
fourth State in the Nation to declare its opposition to the REAL ID Act 
by enacting binding legislation that opts Montana out of REAL ID. With 
it, my State is opting out of the onerous regulation, blatant invasion 
of privacy, and the high cost of compliance that will come from 
implementing REAL ID.
  I congratulate my Governor, Brian Schweitzer, and both houses of the 
Montana State Legislature. Both houses of the legislature approved this 
legislation unanimously. Thirteen other States have anti-REAL ID 
legislation that has passed one of the houses of the legislature. In 
Montana and the rest of these States, opposition to this poorly 
constructed law is bipartisan.
  That is why I am pleased to once again offer my support for the 
Identification Security Enhancement Act, introduced by Senator Akaka 
and Senator Sununu--another bipartisan show of opposition to the REAL 
ID Act.
  Why is there so much opposition to REAL ID beyond the beltway? It 
comes down to three reasons. First, the REAL ID Act puts massive new 
Federal regulations on the States. From new databases and fraud 
monitoring, to new network and data storage capacity, the States will 
be tasked with an enormous range of new regulations and requirements. 
Once REAL ID becomes effective, every State's Department of Motor 
Vehicles will have to play immigration official by reconciling 
discrepancies in social security numbers with the Social Security 
Administration. DMVs will have to require proof of ``legal presence'' 
in the United States from immigrants.
  I am for a strong immigration policy. I believe we ought to enforce 
our borders and enforce the laws we have on the books. But it is 
completely unreasonable for the Federal Government to put that job on 
the Montana Department of Motor Vehicles, or any other State's DMV.
  And these new regulations carry with them a hefty pricetag. DHS now 
estimates that Real ID will cost the states and their taxpayers $23.1 
billion.
  Finally, REAL ID raises some very real privacy concerns. Data mining 
and data theft have become all too common phrases for too many 
Americans who resent having their personal information collected by the 
government, or worse, having it stolen from the government. We all 
recall the massive potential problems that arose from the theft of 
personal data from the VA last year. I have no doubt that the databases 
called for in REAL ID will be an even greater target for data thieves.
  We can do better than REAL ID. Senator Akaka's legislation shows 
that. Today, Montana adds its voice to those calling for the Federal 
Government to go back to the drawing board. Let's listen to what 
Montana has to say.

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