Joe Lieberman: “I congratulate Senator Collins for her leadership and for having created a context in which the administration now has…”

“I congratulate Senator Collins for her leadership and for having created a context in which the administration now has come forward, finally, with the regulations pursuant to the so-called REAL ID Act, which does create some flexibility for States to comply with the requirement but also doesn't eliminate it because it is an important one. This is in the nature of this glorious governmental system of ours, the wisdom of the Founders more than two centuries ago to create the checks and balances. The legislature acts, Congress acts, the executive branch begins to work on implementation, States--this could actually be a textbook. Incidentally, I said to my friend I cannot say enough that it was my honor, too many years ago, in teaching a course at Yale to have the current occupant of the chair, the Senator from Ohio, Mr. Brown, as my student. He learned very well. He taught me a lot, actually, as time went on. This sounds like we are back in the classroom talking about the relationships in government. It was, I believe, the advocacy of Senator Collins that produced a reasonable result without the need for a specific legislative action. I do want to go back and set this in context because the overall purpose is a critically important one to the quest for homeland security.”