Now that the incoming majority party has gone on record with their intent to implement the remaining recommendations in the 9/11 commission report, 245 million people (that's the number of licensed drivers and ID holders to the uninitiated) are waiting to see if they'll be paying double for their next driver's license and waiting in line at DMV twice as long as before.

Our license and ID holders are not alone. 

The mainstream media, and other bloggers, have now underscored what I said in my November 9 blog entry:  driver's license security was a key component of the 9/11 commission report.  And today there has been no comprehensive driver's license reform implemented.

Just take a look at reporter's Spencer Hsu and Dan Eggen's November 11 article in the Washington Post.  Their piece makes a point of mentioning that Real ID has yet to be implemented and that it happens to be one of the more controversial elements of the 9/11 report. 

I agree.

Eggen and Hsu say,  "A battle also looms over whether to pay for or delay Real ID, a multibillion-dollar effort to standardize state driver's licenses."

This is true.  And for the sake of all our drivers nationwide, AAMVA hopes Congress, through DHS, pays the $11 billion tab and delays Real ID until at least 2010.

Until next time, stay safe behind the wheel.

Jason D. King
VP, Public Relations & Info. Serv.
AAMVA
jking@aamva.org