Archivist of the United States Announces Establishment of the National Declassification Center

/PRNewswire/ -- Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero announced today the establishment of the National Declassification Center (NDC) within the National Archives and Records Administration.

The creation of the NDC is specified in the new Executive Order on Classified National Security Information signed by President Obama on December 29, 2009. Specifically, the NDC is charged with streamlining declassification processes, facilitating quality assurance measures, and implementing standard training for declassification reviewers.

In making the announcement, Mr. Ferriero said, "The Federal government has reached a watershed moment in records declassification. The current backlog is so huge that Americans are being denied the ability to hold government officials accountable for their actions. By streamlining the declassification process, the NDC will usher in a new day in the world of access, allowing the National Archives to make more records available for public scrutiny much more quickly."

Initially, the NDC will be located at the National Archives College Park, MD facility and focus on clearing the backlog of referrals in reviewed documents both in Federal records and in Presidential materials. Dr. Michael Kurtz, Assistant Archivist for the Office of Records Services, Washington will serve as Acting Director of the NDC pending the selection of a permanent director. The NDC will be advised by an inter-agency Policy Planning Group made up of senior managers from the Departments of State, Defense, and Energy as well as the Central Intelligence Agency, Director of National Intelligence, the Information Security Oversight Office, and the National Archives.

"The establishment of the NDC provides a unique opportunity for the National Archives and its agency colleagues to create new strategies to protect essential national security and release hundreds of millions of pages to researchers and the public," said Dr. Kurtz

In anticipation of the establishment of the NDC, an inter-agency Program Management Team that has begun examining current declassification review processes throughout the government. The National Archives is working with the Defense Change Management Organization to conduct a study to determine how processes can be improved by reducing process cycle time, defects and costs. The recommendations from this effort will be incorporated into the new NDC processes.

Public input, questions and comments may be sent to NDC@nara.gov . Information about upcoming forums and NDC initiatives may be found at the NDC website: http://www.archives.gov/declassification.

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Another take on the REAL ID...

If you read my blogs regularly you'll remember one from a few days ago about the REAL ID. If you missed it, scroll down on the right and you'll find it. Here's another viewpoint from the Libertarian Party:

No license to license
The federal government needs to get real with the Real ID Act

Quick Quotes:
Shane Cory, Executive Director, Libertarian Party
• "The federal government can prattle all it wants about the benefits of a license that meets federal standards, but the states don't recognize the right of the federal government to tell them how to issue their licenses."

Bob Barr, Board Member, Libertarian National Committee
• "The massive database that would be created by the Real ID Act, containing all manner of private information on citizens, is potentially one of the most privacy-invasive laws in the history of our country."

Andrew Davis, National Media Coordinator, Libertarian Party
• "[Chertoff] fails to understand that while Americans want their privacy protected, they want it protected from the government. Giving the government greater access to our information is what Americans are against."

Washington, D.C. - While Friday's press conference with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff outlined new steps towards implementing federally mandated requirements for state-issued driver's licenses, the Libertarian Party is calling to scrap the program altogether. "It's time for the federal government to get real with the Real ID," says Libertarian Party Executive Director, Shane Cory.

"The program is an unmitigated disaster," says Cory, "and one the federal government fails to recognize. The federal government can prattle all it wants about the benefits of a license that meets federal standards, but the states don't recognize the right of the federal government to tell them how to issue their licenses. It's a states' rights issue as much as it is a privacy issue."

The Real ID Act imposes costly federal mandates for procedures used by states in issuing driver's licenses. Despite the mandates, Congress provides no funding for implementation, leaving the states fully responsible for the expenses.

So far, 17 states have passed laws or resolutions rejecting the Real ID Act mandates imposed by DHS. These states include Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington. Twenty-one other states have either introduced legislation or had legislation pass in one chamber opposing the Real ID.

"Anything less than scrapping this offensive national identification card law is unacceptable," said former Congressman and current Libertarian National Committee board member Bob Barr while applauding the decision by DHS to further delay implementation of the Real ID Act. "The massive database that would be created by the Real ID Act, containing all manner of private information on citizens, is potentially one of the most privacy-invasive laws in the history of our country."

"Chertoff does not speak for most Americans like he says," says Andrew Davis, national media coordinator for the Libertarian Party. "He fails to understand that while Americans want their privacy protected, they want it protected from the government. Giving the government greater access to our information is what Americans are against."

The Libertarian Party believes the Real ID act is unconstitutional because it violates the Tenth Amendment, which delegates powers such as driver's licensing to the states. The LP also feels the Real ID act is an intrusion of a citizen's right to privacy from the government, and does little to prevent terrorism or illegal immigration--two of the chief justifications used by the Department of Homeland Security.

"What seems like a more plausible outcome of the Real ID?" asks Cory. "A terrorist attack is thwarted because the attacker can't get a fake ID, or Americans are exposed to increased identity theft and privacy risks?"

The Libertarian Party is America's third largest political party, founded in 1971 as an alternative to the two main political parties. You can find more information on the Libertarian Party by visiting www.lp.org. The Libertarian Party proudly stands for smaller government, lower taxes and more freedom.

REAL ID.. REAL trouble?

I vaguely remember some discussion about the REAL ID but it didn't register on my radar screen... I thought it was in the discussion phase, did not realize it was "real." Boy did I miss one!

It seems that generally it is just a standardization of driver's licenses. I can understand why that's a good idea.

I can also understand why this is a tough one for many. While the government says it's not a national ID card and that they aren't going to gather info, this could very easily be construed as the first step (or the next step depending on your view point) to having that much-feared national ID.

It's also going to cost a chunk of change for state's to comply.

(According to a study conducted by NCSL, the National Governors Association and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the act will cost states more than $11 billion to implement over five years and will have a major impact on services to the public.
To date, Congress has appropriated only $90 million to assist states with implementation of the Real ID, of which only $6 million has been obligated. The President's FY 2007 and FY 2008 budget proposals did not include any funds to assist states with the implementation of the Real ID. - http://www.ncsl.org/realid/)

Georgia is one of the states that has asked for a waiver. If granted the state's deadline for compliance may be extended to Dec. 31, 2009.

I can see a major mess on the horizon. Some states will comply, others will refuse, others will ask for a waiver. To travel we'll be required to have the ID unless a waiver has been granted. It's difficult enough already to get on an airplane due to all the extra security steps (which, if I had any confidence they worked wouldn't bother me). Can you imagine taxing the brain of those tasked with checking IDs at the airport?

Georgia is home to the Atlanta Airport. It's an international airport and usually lands at the top of the busiest airport list. What are the chances of it becoming the terrorist mecca for travel?

I'm all for security, I want to catch every single potential nasty who's out to hurt anyone. I lean toward thinking this is a good idea. However, I also think it's another one of those governmental unfunded mandates. Great idea. No money to make it work.

What do you want to bet that Dec. 31, 2009 becomes 2010, 2012, 2020... ?

I'll make one more observation. I wonder some days if we aren't on a slippery slope that's going to lead toward a loss of freedoms we'll regret handing over to the government someday. On the flip side, I like the idea of knowing I can walk in a crowded mall, go to my local church, flying to visit family or enjoy a game at a packed stadium without thinking about being blown up.

Here's a few links to some info floating around about it:

"The REAL ID Act requires that a REAL ID driver’s license be used for “official purposes,” as defined by DHS. In the proposed rule, DHS is proposing to limit the official purposes of a REAL ID license to those listed by Congress in the law: accessing a Federal facility; boarding Federally-regulated commercial aircraft; and entering nuclear power plants. DHS may consider expanding these official purposes through future rulemakings to maximize the security benefits of REAL ID."

Homeland Security
REAL ID Proposed Guidelines: Questions & Answers
What is REAL ID?
REAL ID is a nationwide effort intended to prevent terrorism, reduce fraud, and improve the reliability and accuracy of identification documents that State governments issue.
http://www.dhs.gov/xprevprot/laws/gc_1172767635686.shtm

New ID rules may complicate air travel
WASHINGTON - Millions of air travelers may find going through airport security much more complicated this spring, as the Bush administration heads toward a showdown with state governments over post-Sept. 11 rules for new driver's licenses. By May, the dispute could leave millions of people unable to use their licenses to board planes, but privacy advocates called that a hollow threat by federal officials.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080112/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/secure_driver_s_licenses

From Wikipedia:
The REAL ID Act of 2005 requires people entering federal buildings, boarding airplanes or opening bank accounts to present identification that has met certain security and authentication standards. The Act is Division B of an act of the United States Congress titled Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on Terror, and Tsunami Relief, 2005. It implements the following:
Establishing national standards for state-issued driver's licenses and non-driver's identification cards;
Waiving laws that interfere with construction of physical barriers at the borders;
Updating and tightening the laws on application for asylum and deportation of aliens for terrorist activity;
Introducing rules covering "delivery bonds" (rather like bail bonds but for aliens who have been released pending hearings);
Funding some reports and pilot projects related to border security; and
Changing visa limits for temporary workers, nurses, and Australian citizens.

Real Nightmare
AT A GLANCE . . .
The Real ID Act of 2005 would turn our state driver’s licenses into a genuine national identity card and impose numerous new burdens on taxpayers, citizens, immigrants, and state governments – while doing nothing to protect against terrorism. As a result, it is stirring intense opposition from many groups across the political spectrum. This Web site provides information about opposing Real ID.