Lamar Smith: “I support this bill because it represents a fundamental shift in the debate here in Washington. The question is no…”

“I support this bill because it represents a fundamental shift in the debate here in Washington. The question is no longer about how much to increase Federal spending as it has been these last few years. And it isn't even whether or not to cut Federal spending. Instead, the question is now by how much to cut Federal spending. I know that in order to cut the budget, hard choices must be made. Unfortunately, this bill makes two incorrect choices. First, H.R. 1473 rescinds $13 million from funding for the REAL ID hub. Second, the bill cuts $25 million from the exit portion of U.S.- VISIT. The 9/11 hijackers each used fraudulently obtained drivers' licenses and identification cards from several different states. In response, the 9/11 Commission recommended that, ``The federal government should set standards for the issuance of birth certificates and sources of identification, such as drivers licenses.'' So Congress passed, and the President signed into law, the ``REAL ID Act of 2005.'' Unfortunately this administration does not take this law seriously. In fact, the administration tries at every opportunity to undercut the congressional mandate. Most recently the Obama administration issued a 20-month extension for states to comply with REAL ID. Such extensions simply leave Americans vulnerable to those who want to do us harm. We should do whatever we can to ensure that the administration and states implement REAL ID. Taking funds away from it is a mistake.…”