DHS chief to promote cheaper secure licenses

[July 15, 2009]  WASHINGTON (AP) -- Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano is promoting a new program to make driver's licenses more secure that would cost less than the plan pushed by the Bush administration.

On Wednesday, she was to testify before a Senate committee considering legislation that would replace the former administration's Real ID card plan with something called a Pass ID. Those who support the new program say it would not gut the security requirements in current law. But others say the new ID would relax rules enacted after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Bush's Real ID plan has been stalled well short of nationwide implementation by opposition in the states. Twelve states have voted not to participate, and others have raised complaints.

The National Governors Association helped write the new proposal. As Arizona governor, Napolitano said the Bush administration did not collaborate enough with governors in the development of its plan for implementing the congressionally mandated program. The governors group said the current law would cost states $4 billion while the new plan could cut the costs to between $1.3 billion and $2 billion.

The 2001 attacks were the main motivation for the original law. The hijacker-pilot who flew a plane into the Pentagon, Hani Hanjour, had four driver's licenses and ID cards from three states.

[Associated Press; By EILEEN SULLIVAN]

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