Past Issues :: 2007 March 1 :: Act Now
Demand that Oregon lawmakers reject the federal Real ID Act
Tucked inside a "must-pass" Iraq War/Tsunami relief supplemental
bill, the Real ID act was slipped through Congress in May 2005, creating
the first national identification card. On many levels this is bad
legislation that must be stopped before implementation:
- Increase risk of identity theft. The Act would create a universal identification data bank and mandate “common machine readable technology” throughout all 50 states, increasing the risk of information being accessible to thieves.
- Increased bureacracy. The Act imposes new, broad-reaching requirements on how IDs are issued and verified, and the new ID would become a requirement to enter federal buildings and fly on commercial airline flights.
- Increased obstacles. With new regulations in place, people who have lost their documents due to natural disasters, homelessness, and the cost to restore those documents will face greater hardships in simply obtaining a drivers license and may even be denied essential services if they cannot get an ID.
- Another state tax. There is no federal money to create the system, placing the costly burden on the backs of states and state taxpayers, either through increased fees or taxes.
- No evidence of a safer community. This act was passed under the auspices of Homeland Security, but there is no evidence to suggest it will prevent terrorism.
This law cannot go into effect without the action of the states, and many states have already passed or are in the process of passing legislation opposing the Real ID Act, including Washington. States have a choice to reject this new form of surveillance on the American public by opposing the law and making it ineffective on a national level.
Make sure Oregon stands up for its citizens and dismantles the Real ID Act.
What you can do…
- Urge your state representative to oppose HB 2270, a proposal from the governor, and your state senator to oppose SB 424, a proposal from Sen. Rick Metsger (D-Mount Hood). Tell them not to pass legislation this session when there are no federal rules or funds to pay for it. You can send e-mail to your state senator or representative from this website.
- Learn more. Visit the Oregon ACLU website for more information about the Real ID Act.
