There are a number of very serious issues with the Real ID Act ("Act to require new IDs," Feb. 16) that I feel must be addressed. In the article, I am quoted saying that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has the final responsibility to outline what data the new ID card's magnetic strip will record. This consolidation of power in DHS without clearly articulated oversight is the first reason to be concerned about this bill. A second problem with the bill is that it is a federally mandated program with no funding mechanism that is being forced on states already short of money.

The millions of dollars Pennsylvania will be required to put into this federal program could be better spent through PHEAA grants or the governor's new health care initiative.

Furthermore, the Real ID Act allows for the waiving of laws that might interfere with construction of border barriers and restricts court reviews of those waivers. This most obviously raises potential environmental issues.

The Real ID Act passed because it was attached to a military spending bill. It is fundamentally flawed, and the states that are opting out are in the right.