WASHINGTON – Senator Susan Collins, R-Me., Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, on Friday applauded the Administration’s decision to extend the Dec. 31 deadline that states had to comply with the REAL ID Act, giving the American traveling public a reprieve over the holidays. She issued this statement:
“I support Secretary Napolitano’s decision to extend the deadline for states. A failure to extend this deadline could have caused unnecessary delays for airline passengers from many states, including Maine, during this busy holiday travel season.
“Congress, the Department of Homeland Security, and the states must use this temporary extension to continue legislative and regulatory efforts that address privacy and cost concerns with REAL ID while still providing for secure identification documents, as the 9/11 Commission recommended. I will continue to work with the Secretary to address these critical security issues and the inherent flaws in REAL ID.”