Bill Nelson: “I want to speak as to how I am going to vote. Clearly, the necessity of funding for all of our troops requires a ``yes''…”

“I want to speak as to how I am going to vote. Clearly, the necessity of funding for all of our troops requires a ``yes'' vote on this legislation. I gladly do that. I do want to express my concerns about this so-called REAL ID part that was put in in the dead of night, without the notification that was promised to the minority and without the informing of all the various Senators who were part of the conference committee. This is not the way we should be doing legislation. It ought to be in the full light of day. That is why they refer to making legislation is like making sausage-- you don't know what all is in it. With regard to this REAL ID Act, the concern that I have is that we are going to have an invasion of people's privacy without having carefully considered it through committee hearings and through full debate of the issue. For something that is as important to so many Americans as a driver's license, we are going to start on the road of the invasion of privacy. I do not think this is the way to establish what is, in effect, the first step for a national identification card. I don't think this is the way to do it, in the dead of night, by stealth and sleight of hand. Second, I think Senators are going to get an earful if they are starting to get the rumblings that I am getting from constituents in my State.…”