[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 87 (Friday, May 6, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 23953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9200]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

49 CFR Subtitle A

[Docket No. OST-2005-20434]


Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Commiteee on Minimum Standards for 
Driver's Licenses and Personal Identification Cards

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), DOT.

ACTION: Suspension of advisory committee meeting.

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SUMMARY: This document suspends the meeting of the Negotiated 
Rulemaking Advisory Committee on Minimum Standards for Driver's 
Licenses and Personal Identification Cards scheduled for May 10-13, 
2005. The reason for the action is impending Congressional action, in 
the near future, concerning the ``REAL ID Act.'' This legislation would 
repeal section 7212 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention 
Act of 2004, which provides the authority for the negotiated rulemaking 
on this subject.

DATES: The May 10-13, 2005, meeting of the advisory committee is 
suspended immediately.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert C. Ashby, Deputy Assistant 
General Counsel for Regulation and Enforcement, Office of the General 
Counsel, at (202) 366-9310 ([email protected]); Department of 
Transportation, 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590, room 10424.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 17, 2004, the President signed 
into law the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. 
(Pub. L. 108-458). Title VII of that Act is known as the 9/11 
Commission Implementation Act of 2004 (the 9/11 Act). Subtitle B of the 
9/11 Act addresses terrorist travel and effective screening. Among 
other things, Subtitle B, section 7212, mandated the issuance of 
minimum standards for State-issued driver's licenses and personal 
identification cards (Section 7212) that will be accepted by Federal 
agencies for official purposes.
    Section 7212 directed the Department of Transportation to issue 
rules with the assistance of a negotiated rulemaking advisory 
committee, composed of representatives of the Departments of 
Transportation and Homeland Security, State agencies that issue 
driver's licenses, State elected officials, and other interested 
parties. The Department formed such an advisory committee, which met on 
April 19-21, 2005.
    Congress has nearly completed work needed to pass the ``REAL ID 
Act,'' (a part of S. 1268), which repeals section 7212. As provided in 
the charter for the advisory committee, the committee--and the 
negotiated rulemaking process of which it is a key part--will terminate 
upon enactment of legislation repealing section 7212. Because we 
anticipate that the REAL ID Act will become law in the very near 
future, we are reluctant to ask committee members to commit the time 
and effort to the advisory committee next week, so the Department in 
this notice announces the suspension of the meeting of the committee 
that had been scheduled for May 10-13, 2005. If Congress enacts the 
REAL ID Act, the Department will issue another Federal Register notice, 
which will formally terminate the advisory committee and the regulatory 
negotiation process.

    Issued this 4th day of May, 2005, in Washington, DC.
Jeffrey A. Rosen,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 05-9200 Filed 5-4-05; 2:05 pm]
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