Pick A Card, Any Card: Secure ID Technology

On Thursday, October 18, 2007, the Subcommittee held a hearing on the question of how to make a “secure” identification document. Concerns about immigration, homeland security, and identity theft have created demand for a “tamper-proof” identification card, but the details of what features such a card would require are unclear.

This hearing examined the different technology options such as chips, security printing, and other commercially available technologies to learn the relative levels of security that different technologies provide, as well as the costs and scalability associated with each.

Programs discussed included e-passports, HSPD-12, REAL ID, and others.

The following witnesses testified:

Panel I

Ms. Kathy Kraninger, Director, Screening Coordination Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Mr. Benjamin Brink, Assistant Public Printer for Security and Intelligent Documents, Government Printing Office

Ms. Bonnie Rutledge, Director, Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles

Mr. David Temoshok, Director for Identity Policy and Management, U.S. General Services Administration

Panel II

Mr. Neville Pattinson, Gemalto Inc., representing the Secure ID Coalition

Mr. Reed Stager, Digimarc Corporation, representing the Document Security Alliance

Ms. Kathy Alsbrooks, Lasercard Corporation