F. James Sensenbrenner, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Fifth District, Wisconsin

The United States Senate this afternoon voted unanimously to adopt the conference report that includes the REAL ID Act of 2005. The vote was 100-0 in favor of the report, a "must-pass" bill that contains within it the essential provisions of H.R. 418 by U.S. Representative and Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee F. James Sensenbrenner, who this afternoon issued this statement of gratitude to President Bush and a number of Senators who supported his legislation:

"The REAL ID is vital to preventing foreign terrorists from hiding in plain sight while conducting their operations and planning attacks.  By targeting terrorist travel, the REAL ID will assist in our War on Terror efforts to disrupt terrorist operations and help secure our borders.

"I am grateful for the White House's strong support of this border security legislation.  In addition, Senators Frist, McConnell, Santorum, Specter, Kyl, Sessions, Brownback, DeWine, and Cornyn were among those very helpful in shepherding this legislation through the Senate and I wish to thank them."

More than 600 organizations have criticized the REAL ID Act of 2005 for its content and/or for the way it was passed. The "process-oriented" criticisms have focused on a lack of open debate on the merits of the bill, while the "content-oriented" objections have involved the alleged anti-undocumented immigrant aspects of the legislation, which would require all 50 states to deny driver's licenses to individuals who cannot demonstrate their right to be legally present within U.S. borders.

In addition to these complaints, security experts have argued that the passage of the REAL ID Act of 2005 will reduce, rather than enhance, the national and homeland security of the United States.

To link to commentary on this point, written by Counterpane Security Founder and Chief Technology Officer Bruce Schneier, click here.

On the other side, one proponent of the REAL ID Act, Daneen G. Peterson, in a guest commentary today on the MichNews.com website, says that the "chorus of complaints against the Real ID Act" comes from the "pro-illegal alien crowd."

To access the text of the REAL ID Act of 2005, as contained in the H. R. 1268 Conference Report , click here.

The "must-pass" legislation containing the REAL ID Act of 2005 now becomes "must-sign" legislation as it goes to the White House for the signature of President Bush as he returns from his most recent tour of Europe, where he re-iterated his calls for "freedom" and "checks and balances" in the former Soviet Republic, now the independent nation-state, of Georgia.