Up to 85,000 Air Travelers Could be Stranded without a Compliant ID Card
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Gary Peters (MI) and Debbie Stabenow (MI), co-chair of the Senate Great Lakes Task Force, led a bipartisan effort to urge the Trump Administration to allocate at least $320 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) in the fiscal year (FY) 2021 President’s budget request. In a letter to the heads of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Environmental Protection Agency, Peters, Stabenow and a bipartisan group of Senators highlighted the GLRI’s core mission of preserving the health and vibrancy of this critical economic driver, source of fresh drinking water and natural resource through their efforts to combat invasive species, decrease pollution and remediate contaminated areas.
“DHS’s efforts will play a crucial role in ensuring that the public is aware of the deadline and takes the necessary steps to acquire compliant identification. Additionally, it is critical that the Department do everything possible to ensure that Americans are not needlessly prevented from boarding flights to engage in business and tourism and visit family and friends. DHS should also develop contingency plans to deal with disruption at airports,” Peters and his colleagues wrote.
In a letter to DHS Acting Secretary Chad Wolf, Peters and his colleagues noted the need for contingency plans to address air travel interruptions in the event that large numbers of travelers present insufficient identification on or after the deadline. The letter also requested updates on the Department’s ongoing public awareness campaign about the REAL ID switch.
As Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Peters is dedicated to keeping Michiganders safe, protecting our national security and ensuring air travel security. Michiganders must obtain a REAL ID before the October 1st deadline to prevent possible disruption in their travel. Michigan REAL ID- compliant cards have a gold star in the upper right corner. Although domestic air travel will still be permitted with a passport, it is best to keep all your identification accurate and up to date. Michiganders looking to update their ID can find out more from the Michigan Secretary of State’s office.
Peters was joined in sending the letter by U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI), Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, U.S. Representatives Bennie Thompson (D-MS) and Mike Rogers (R-AL), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and U.S. Representatives Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Sam Graves (R-MO), Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Read the full letter to Acting Secretary Wolf here.
The Honorable Chad F. Wolf
Acting Secretary
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
2707 Martin Luther King Jr Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20528-0525
Dear Acting Secretary Wolf:
We write to inquire about the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s plans regarding the upcoming REAL ID Act implementation deadline. Under DHS’s stated plans, beginning October 1, 2020, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a REAL ID-compliant driver’s license (or other acceptable form of ID) to fly within the United States. DHS has stated that the agency has no plans to extend the October 1, 2020, compliance deadline.
We are increasingly concerned about potential disruptions to air travel if significant numbers of travelers present themselves at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints without acceptable forms of identification. According to TSA, only 27 percent of Americans have been issued a REAL ID-compliant license. Furthermore, a recent survey revealed only 43 percent of Americans are aware of the deadline and concluded that 85,000 travelers could be denied access to their flights on the first day of implementation of REAL ID at airports if preparedness does not improve.
DHS’s efforts will play a crucial role in ensuring that the public is aware of the deadline and takes the necessary steps to acquire compliant identification. Additionally, it is critical that the Department do everything possible to ensure that Americans are not needlessly prevented from boarding flights to engage in business and tourism and visit family and friends. DHS should also develop contingency plans to deal with disruption at airports.
We are encouraged by the Department’s increased public awareness campaign. As the leadership of key congressional committees with interest in this topic, we will continue to hold the Department accountable on this matter and request that you keep us informed of the Department’s progress. To help inform our committees’ oversight, please describe by February 7, 2020, the Department’s efforts to develop contingency plans to prepare for potential disruptions at screening checkpoints that may accompany the October 1, 2020, deadline should a significant number of travelers arrive without a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or other acceptable forms of identification (e.g. passport, military ID).
We appreciate your prompt attention to this important matter and look forward to working with you to ensure America’s air transportation system remains safe, secure, and efficient.
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