ALAWON: American Library Association Washington Office Newsline Volume 14, Number 9 February 4, 2005 In This Issue: Oppose Title II of the "Real ID Act"-Call your Representative Today Issue: We are writing to ask library supporters to call their Representative and urge her or him to oppose Title II of the Real ID act (H.R. 418). Title II would require people applying for or renewing driver's licenses and identity cards to prove their "lawful presence" in the United States and would create a nationwide database of information on the holders of the licenses and cards. ALA is concerned with Title II because driver's licenses are commonly used by the public as a means of identification for obtaining a library card. Additionally, in some states public bodies have already been prohibited from accepting non-U.S. identification cards for receipt of public services - including library services. No one should be denied access to a library because of restrictions on availability of driver's licenses or personal identification cards. Opposing Title II is consistent with the Resolution on Privacy and Standardized Driver's Licenses and Personal Identification Cards (#20.1) passed at the January 2005 ALA Midwinter Meeting. View the resolution online at: http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/ogr/councildocs/councildocs.htm Although library advocates called for a public hearing to consider the important impacts of this bill, a hearing did not and will not occur. H.R. 418 will be considered and voted on in the House next week. Background: In addition to requiring people applying for or renewing driver's licenses and identity cards to prove their "lawful presence" in the United States, Title II would require linking of all state driver's license databases and require all states to subscribe to a "Driver License Agreement," making the data available to Canada and Mexico as well as other states. Thus, all the information in the database about U.S. residents will be available to Canada and Mexico, and all 50 states and territories -- with no protections on the data. The database may grow to contain far more information than relevant to driving. HR 418 requires that the database shall contain "at a minimum," all information contained on the driver's license. There is no upper limit to what other information may eventually be contained in the database. HR 418 repeals current law requiring that the regulations promulgated shall include procedures and requirements to protect privacy rights. To view the text of HR 418 go to Thomas at http://thomas.loc.gov/ and search for HR 418. Call your House of Representative members today (or by Monday, February 7th close of business at the latest) and urge them to oppose Title II of HR 418. Your Message: *Urge your Representative to oppose Title II of HR 418, a provision that would affect the ability of a member of the public to obtain a driver's license or personal identity card by requiring people applying for or renewing driver's licenses and identity cards to prove "lawful presence" in the United States. *Relate why this is a concern for libraries like yours: Driver's licenses are commonly used by the public as a means of identification for obtaining a library card. Additionally, in some states public bodies have already been prohibited from accepting non-U.S. identification cards for receipt of public services - including library services. *No one should be denied access to a library because of restrictions on availability of driver's licenses or personal identification cards. * Title II of HR 418 would require linking of all state driver's license databases and make the data available to Canada and Mexico as well as other states with no privacy protections on the data. *The database would contain "at a minimum," all information contained on the driver's license, but there is no limit to what other information could eventually be contained in the database. * HR 418 repeals provisions of the recently passed Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-458) that require that the regulations implemented national standards for driver's licenses and personal identification cards protect civil liberties and privacy rights. *Thank you for your support opposing Title II of the Real ID Act. ****** Remember: You Can Call Any MEMBER OF CONGRESS Toll-Free: 1-800-839-5276 ****** ALAWON (ISSN 1069-7799) is a free, irregular publication of the American Library Association Washington Office. 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