Real ID will 'strengthen' Americans' privacy, Chertoff says
 

*Source: News Blog (News.com) (http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9771953-7.html)*
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WASHINGTON--In another attempt to head off privacy advocates' attacks on the Bush administration's Real ID plans (http://news.com.com/Homeland+Securit...-6163509.html), Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the national-identification scheme will actually "strengthen" personal privacy by providing added protection against identity theft.

In written testimony Chertoff submitted (http://homeland.house.gov/SiteDocume...0841-10943.pdf) (PDF) on Wednesday to the U.S. House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee, he made another pitch for his department's requirements, which generally say that starting on May 11, 2008, Americans will need a federally approved, "machine readable" ID card to travel on an airplane, open a bank account, collect Social Security payments or take advantage of nearly any government service.

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