Traveler's card might just pave the way for a national ID card

USA Today | June 8 2005

When my family members fly on an airliner, I would like to think America has a system to ensure that they are not seated next to someone on a terrorist watch list. But this is not the case. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) does screen passengers against terrorist watch lists, but the system is horribly flawed. It's like putting three dead bolts on the front door and leaving the back door wide open.

What ID card do you show at an airport? Most passengers use their driver's licenses. How difficult is it to obtain a counterfeit driver's license? Not very. Seven of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers had Virginia driver's licenses, yet none lived there. America needs a better system for identification.

Many Americans worry about creating a national ID card. I have serious concerns, too. But we have reached a point where the lack of a ID card may be a greater threat than the creation of such a system.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., recently changed his mind. Twenty years ago, as governor of Tennessee, he vetoed a bill requiring photos on driver's licenses. He saw it as a breach of privacy. Today, he is calling for national ID cards - with photos and biometrics.

Why the change?

The reason he and others have changed their minds is that the creation of national ID cards is something akin to medical procedures - they all have risks, but when the risk of inaction becomes greater than the risk of action, action becomes the better choice.

Today, 15 European democracies have national ID cards. The United Kingdom debated the issue for several years after 9/11 and has recently decided to move forward with such a system. Our debate should begin now, and it should begin with these four questions:

1. Does an organization and system exist that can ensure ID credentials are properly issued?

2. Does the technology exist to create IDs that cannot be altered or counterfeited?

3. Can we build an affordable system?

4. Does the public feel secure that such a system would protect privacy?

Today, the answers are: no, yes, yes, no. It is unlikely that the public will support a national identity system until we can obtain four yeses. Is this possible? Absolutely, but much work is needed.

The first question (ensuring credentials are properly issued) will be the most difficult to resolve. It will require that we first answer other questions, many involving immigration and illegal aliens. The last question (privacy) is the one that causes many to object, but technologies exist that can help alleviate those "Big Brother" fears. Even so, a national ID remains, for now, out of reach. But the country is taking incremental steps worth embracing.

A month ago, President Bush signed the Real ID Act to establish national standards for state-issued driver's licenses. The good news: It may be a step toward improving identification at airports. The bad news: It won't take effect until 2008, and that may be too late.

Scrutiny by Congress

Thursday, the House Committee on Homeland Security will hold a public hearing to examine options for travelers' IDs, including privately issued ones. Frequent travelers could have the option to pay for such a card. They would be fingerprinted, retina-scanned and background-checked so that the TSA could speed them through security.

The card, similar to TSA's pilot program "Registered Traveler," would allow TSA to focus on other passengers who might actually have nefarious plans. This is a winning strategy for all homeland security programs - focus resources where the threat is highest.

A national identity card is what we ultimately need, but until then, we should consider privately issued travelers cards. They would be voluntary with limited costs to taxpayers and, most important, would assist TSA in ensuring safe travel for my family, and yours.