ID act offers false sense of security

To the editor:

I was deeply saddened to see that U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson supported House Resolution 418, the Real ID Act of 2005, which will establish a national ID card through each state's license bureau.

The law establishes a federally coordinated database that will share personal information on American citizens with Canada and Mexico. It authorizes the secretary of homeland security to expand the information included in driver's licenses to include biometric information such as retina scans, DNA information and even radio-frequency information.

This law redefines terrorism in broad new terms that could include members of firearms rights and pro-life groups or other such groups as determined by whoever is in power at the time. This bill was opposed by the National Governors Association because it violates the law on unfunded mandates. It was passed by a majority Republican vote in the House on Feb. 10. To date it has not come to a Senate vote.

Organizations that promoted this bill and also donated to Emerson were the National Association of Realtors ($7,000), National Auto Dealers Association ($10,000), National Bill Wholesalers Association ($10,000) and United Parcel Service ($8,500). [Source: Opensecrets.org.]

HR 418 offers us a false sense of greater security at the cost of taking a gigantic step toward making America a police state.

JAMES M. McCLELLAN, Sikeston, Mo.