James Sensenbrenner, October 23, 2004

The 9/11 reform bill is currently snagged by the Senate's refusal to address three critical issues: Should states continue to issue driver's licenses to illegal aliens? Should we tighten our asylum system that terrorists exploited to such deadly effect? Have we ensured the military chain of command is not broken in our intelligence restructuring?

The military chain of command is a life-or-death issue for our war fighters in Iraq and Afghanistan. Getting this issue wrong to get a bill could have deadly consequences. House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter and many military leaders have articulated concerns that I share about the current bill in this area.

Intelligence-reform efforts will be wasted if we fail to address other security loopholes that the 9/11 hijackers studied to hatch their deadly plans. Once the 19 hijackers arrived here, they were able to secure 63 validly issued driver's licenses. Using these licenses, they were able to blend in and eventually board U.S. planes. Learning from this, the 9/11 Commission Report -- which this legislation is based upon -- recommends that the federal government "set standards for the issuance of birth certificates and other sources of identification, such as driver's licenses. Fraud in identification documents is no longer just a problem of theft." The House sought to implement this recommendation with tough security standards for driver's licenses. The Senate, thus far, has largely rejected this approach. What is controversial about setting strong standards to stop another Hani Hanjour from receiving a driver's license?

The House also sought to address asylum abuse, especially loopholes that terrorists use. The mastermind of the first World Trade Center attack and an Egyptian immigrant who killed two people at the Los Angeles airport in 2002 exploited our asylum system to remain in the U.S. Yet the Senate wants to study asylum abuse and not take action.

I fear that passage of the current bill, which fails to comprehensively address the problems exposed by 9/11, will not do enough to prevent another 9/11. Congress can get a good bill -- that addresses intelligence reform, terrorist asylum abuse and security for driver's licenses -- when the Senate decides it's willing to tackle these vital issues.

Congressman James Sensenbrenner, a Republican, represents the Fifth Congressional District of Wisconsin. He serves as chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary. The Fifth District of Wisconsin forms an arc surrounding Milwaukee to the North and West, and includes parts of Jefferson, Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, and all of Ozaukee and Washington counties.