Department of Homeland Security
Release Date: June 20, 2008
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced today Fiscal Year 2008 REAL ID Demonstration Grant awards totaling nearly $80 million to assist states in improving the security of state-issued driver’s licenses (DL) and identification documents (ID). Grants will fund state-specific projects like improving the physical security of licenses, upgrading facility security, and modernizing document imaging and storage. Funding will also be provided for the development and testing of a verification hub that will enable states to query federal and non-federal document-issuing authorities and verify applicant source documents.
“Americans overwhelmingly want secure identification, and this funding will help those states working to provide it,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “We’ve made it more affordable for states to implement REAL ID by dramatically cutting costs and providing various and considerable funding options, and we’re requesting additional funding next year.”
The REAL ID Program addresses a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission to enhance the security, integrity and protection of licensing and identification systems across the country. More than $58 million has previously been allocated for state-specific implementation projects that facilitate REAL ID compliance.
Each of the 48 states and territories who applied for Fiscal Year 2008 REAL ID Demonstration Grants will be awarded a portion of the available funding. Awards are based on an application’s overall effectiveness in meeting criteria identified in the grants application kit, and the number of DLs and IDs issued. Projects will focus on achieving material compliance, such as collecting applicants’ photos at the start of the application process and incorporating additional physical security features into DLs and IDs. Other funded projects that advance REAL ID implementation, include transitioning to centralized DL and ID production, improving data records for driver’s licenses, and upgrading source document imaging and storage.
The department has also pledged to fund in this grant cycle the implementation of a verification hub to be built and governed by the states. The hub will act as a central router to provide timely, accurate, and cost-effective verification to motor vehicle departments of an applicant’s source documents. States will be able to seamlessly verify the identity, lawful status and social security number of an applicant through this common interface.
The department has awarded $17 million to Missouri to lead the development of the verification hub. Four other states – Florida, Indiana, Nevada, and Wisconsin – will each receive $1.2 million to partner with Missouri for verification hub testing and implementation. Other states and territories will eventually connect to the verification hub and have the capability to verify applicants’ source documents.
These investments are essential to reducing and impairing the use of stolen, borrowed, altered, or counterfeit source documents widely used to obtain state-issued documents. For more information on the REAL ID Demonstration Grant program, or to learn more about REAL ID, please visit www.dhs.gov/realid.
FAIR USE NOTICE: This blog may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes, to advance understanding of human rights, democracy, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues, etc. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use’, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.
Dandelion Salad 
Eagle,
“It was not from a country outside our borders.”
You realize that much of our government and our “owners” have duel citizenship with Israel, right ? Chertoff himself is Zionist, and I believe has dual citizenship w/ Israel.
I don’t even point the finger to Israel alone, as they’re not inherently the suspect; they’ve been infiltrated.
We’re under the same ‘spell’ that has been prevailing from under the cradle for 60-100 years.
This is NOT good and will NOT IMPROVE anything. It is a grave mistake for the American people to believe these new IDs will make us more secure. THEY WON’T. They already have systems in place where any driver’s license and license plate information, can be checked, by any police department in the country from any part of the country. Even Mexican driver’s licenses can be verified. The illusion of protecting us from an INVISIBLE over-seas enemy is just a fear tactic that this government is using to control the populous. We need to pay attention to what our OWN government is doing to us, not an imaginary enemy. The Real ID is going to be used to “TRACK” us like animals. It does NOT provide any additional benefit as they are claiming. I know that I am taking a chance sharing this, but as of today, I think I still have freedom on speech. And using the 9/11 Commission as an excuse is worthless as we already know who was involved the event of 9/11. It was not from a country outside our borders. Propaganda is big, and, as an American who dearly loves this country, it’s fall is devastating. We must QUIT BEING SHEEPLES and STAND UNITED for what our beloved country truly stands for. We MUSTSAVE the Constitution, our Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence.
BE PART OF THE SOLUTION, NOT PART OF THE PROBLEM.
The government should be using these millions of dollars for the needs of the American people, not for their power grab of our country. The New World Order MUST NOT PREVAIL.
We must Stand Together –
We the People, By the People, and For the People.
THINK FOR YOURSELF! QUESTION WHAT IS HAPPENING!
WAKE UP AMERICA BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!