U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Montana Attorney General Tim Fox today released the following statement on the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) rejection of Montana’s application for an extension on REAL ID compliance:
“Montanans have spoken loud and clear: we don’t want REAL ID and we don’t want the federal government infringing on our personal privacy,” Daines stated. “I’m going to work to pursue every legislative fix I can to safeguard Montanans’ civil liberties and personal privacy.”
“Montana has emphatically rejected the invasion of personal privacy by requiring sharing of private information with the federal government, and other states, through the REAL ID Act, and I fully support that decision,” Fox stated. “I ask Congress to respect the basic rights of all Americans and support Senator Daines’ efforts to repeal this law.”
Earlier this year, Daines introduced legislation to repeal the REAL ID Act of 2005. Daines’ legislation will ensure that the 2007 Montana law banning compliance with REAL ID driver’s license mandates is protected.
REAL ID’s will be required to access federal installations on January 30, 2017.