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The House of Representatives is scheduled to take up Rep. Sensenbrenner's REAL ID Act (H.R. 418) this WEDNESDAY, with a vote likely THURSDAY, FEB.10. (See below for details.)

Help get this vital homeland security/immigration reform legislation passed in its entirety by calling and faxing your legislators now through Thursday.

Action Needed Now through Thursday:

1. SEND FREE FAXES...Type your zip code into the take action now box to send a free, editable fax to your legislators urging a yes vote and immediate enactment of H.R.418.
   
    
2. BURN UP CONGESSIONAL PHONE LINES...Follow up you faxes with phone calls and emails reiterating your support for the REAL ID Act. Find your elected officials contact information here on our web site or call the capitol switchboard (House - 202-225-3121; Senate - 202-224-3121) and ask to be connected. (See below for talking points.)
   
    
3. SPREAD THE WORD...forward this to others and urge them to take action.

Sample Message to House Representatives:

"As your constituent, I strongly urge you to vote YES for House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner's (R-WI) REAL ID Act, H.R. 418. Please support H.R. 418 in its entirety and oppose all amendments to water down this important legislation.

If enacted, H.R. 418 will keep driver's licenses and state ID cards out of the hands of illegal aliens and the terrorists among them, prevent terrorists from easily gaining political asylum, bar entry of aliens with ties to terrorist groups, and improve security along our borders.
These reforms were specifically called for by the 9/11 Commission and are critically important to the work of defending our nation from terrorists.

Help protect America...vote in favor of the REAL ID Act, oppose all efforts to dilute this vital homeland security legislation, and see that these reforms are enacted and implemented immediately."

Sample Message to Senators:

"As your constituent, I strongly urge you to support provisions to implement recommendations of the 9/11 Commission that are expected to be approved by the House as part of the Iraq/Afghanistan military supplemental appropriation bill.

These provisions, authored by Judiciary Committee Chairman Sensenbrenner (R-WI), would implement 9/11 Commission recommendations on standards for issuing driver's licenses and identity documents, preventing terrorists from gaining political asylum in the U.S., bar entry of aliens with ties to terrorist groups, and improved security along our borders.

When the House sends over this legislation do not allow these provisions to be stripped from the bill or otherwise diluted by the addition of any amnesty, guest worker, or other liberalizing immigration provision.

Preventing terrorist from entering our country and then blending in to the vast and diverse fabric of our nation is every bit as important as infiltrating terrorist networks overseas.

These provisions were specifically called for by the 9/11 Commission, and the important work of defending our nation from terrorists will not be complete until all of these recommendations are enacted and implemented."

Legislative Details:

On January 26, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and 115 cosponsors introduced the REAL ID Act (H.R. 418).

This homeland security/immigration reform legislation will keep driver's licenses and state ID cards out of the hands of illegal aliens and the terrorists among them, prevent terrorists from gaining political asylum in the U.S., bar entry of aliens with ties to terrorist groups, make it easier to deport terrorists, and improve security along our borders by closing a three mile gap in a border fence along the San Diego/Mexico border.

Open-border advocates continue to fight Sensenbrenner's efforts, putting special interests ahead of immigration enforcement and homeland security. In fact, we have learned that amendments may be offered during House consideration to water-down some of the vital reforms in the REAL ID act, namely, the asylum reforms.

The House is scheduled to take up H.R. 418 this Wednesday, with a vote likely Thursday, Feb. 10.

If approved, House leadership has promised to attach H.R.418 to the next must-pass bill, which will likely be the military supplemental spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Once that bill is cleared by the House, including the contents of H.R. 418, it will be sent on to the Senate where strong resistance is expected.

For more information and additional talking points, read our press release, House Judiciary Chairman Sensenbrenner Introduces Bill to Complete Homeland Security Reform.

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NewsMax.com Wires
Thursday, Feb. 10, 2005

WASHINGTON - The White House offered a qualified endorsement Wednesday of House legislation to prohibit immigrants from using state driver's licenses as identification for boarding airliners and entering federal buildings.

The proposed bill also would make it easier for judges to deport people claiming political asylum.

The administration said it "strongly supports" the bill the House began debating Wednesday but wants it altered to ensure that new barriers are not erected for refugees seeking asylum. It also asked Congress to remove limits on the number of asylum recipients who can obtain permanent U.S. residency.
In a statement of administration policy, the White House also said it wants the bill to clarify the definition of "official purpose" for which immigrants' driver's licenses and identification cards would still be accepted by federal agencies.

"I am very happy the administration has clarified its position and they're on board trying to make our borders more secure," said Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis, the bill's sponsor.

Sensenbrenner, who says the legislation is needed to prevent terrorists from taking advantage of U.S. immigration policies, proposed an amendment late Tuesday to lift the annual ceiling of 10,000 on the number of political refugees who receive permanent residency.

More than 150,000 people granted asylum in the country are waiting to become legal permanent residents, said Bill Strassberger, a Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesman.

Asylum measures in the bill have drawn heavy criticism from several religious and human rights groups and Democrats. The driver's license measure is also opposed by most governors and state motor vehicle departments

The administration also said it supports attempts to restrict entry for non-citizens, but some provisions in the bill would need tweaking "to ensure consistency with foreign policy priorities."

Rep. Lois Capps, D-Calif., circulated a letter among House members pointing out that the bill if enacted would have prohibited Palestinian Leader Mahmoud Abbas from taking President Bush up on his invitation to visit the country.

"President Mahmoud Abbas is somebody who we've met with, who we have confidence in, who we think is an important and necessary interlocutor to help bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians," said Adam Ereli, a State Department spokesman.