http://www.washtimes.com/national/20020719-90562710.htm

July 19, 2002

Security bill loses ID card, TIPS

By Ellen Sorokin

THE WASHINGTON TIMES

House Majority Leader Dick Armey, in his markup

of legislation to create a Homeland Security

Department, yesterday rejected a national

identification card and scrapped a program that would

use volunteers in domestic surveillance.

Mr. Armey, chairman of the House Select Committee

on Homeland Security, included language in his markup

of the legislation to prohibit the Justice Department

from initiating the Terrorism Information and

Prevention System, also called Operation TIPS.

Mr. Armey's bill also would create a "privacy

officer" in the Homeland Security Department, which he

said was the first ever established by law in a

Cabinet agency. Mr. Armey said this person would

"ensure technology research and new regulations from

the department respect the civil liberties our

citizens enjoy."

The TIPS program would have allowed volunteers,

including letter carriers and utility workers whose

routines make them well-positioned to recognize

suspect activities, to report suspect behavior to the

Justice Department. It was scheduled to begin next

month in 10 cities, with 1 million informants

initially participating in the program.

"Mr. Armey believes there are other and better

ways to involve citizens in the protection of the

homeland," said Richard Diamond, the congressman's

press secretary. "There are traditional ways of

pitching in, helping out, like becoming a volunteer

firefighter."

The 216-page bill, sponsored by Mr. Armey, Texas

Republican, also bars the creation of national

identification cards, despite President Bush's support

for them. "Authority to design and issue these cards

shall remain with the states," Mr. Armey said.

In addition, the bill would indefinitely postpone

a Dec. 31 deadline for airports to screen checked bags

for explosives and would give immunity from lawsuits

to some technology companies involved in national

security.

Since the announcement earlier this week of its

creation, Operation TIPS has attracted criticism from

across the political spectrum.

Supporters argued that the program is aimed at

encouraging people with certain jobs - those that take

them into neighborhoods - to watch for suspect

activity.

Attorney General John Ashcroft's spokeswoman,

Barbara Comstock, said the agency had no intention for

people to enter or have access to people's homes. The

idea is to organize information from people whose jobs

take them through neighborhoods, Ms. Comstock said.

Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge also

defended the program. "The last thing we want is

Americans spying on Americans," he said. "That's just

not what the president is all about, and not what the

TIPS program is all about."

But civil rights groups, such as the American

Civil Liberties Union and the conservative Rutherford

Institute, said Operation TIPS could turn ordinary

citizens into "government-sanctioned peeping Toms."

The U.S. Postal Service also said this week that it

would not allow letter carriers to be involved with

the program.

Yesterday, the groups praised Mr. Armey's

decision. "Majority Leader Armey has taken a

courageous step in insisting that we protect our

privacy in the fight against terror," said Rachel

King, an ACLU legislative counsel. "There is no place

in America for either an internal passport or for

utility workers and cable technicians to become

government-sanctioned peeping Toms."

Democrats also applauded the move. "I think they

did a good job on the privacy issues," said House

Minority Whip Nancy Pelosi of California, who also is

a member of the select committee.

The House Select Committee on Homeland Security

is likely to alter the measure when it is considered

today, as is the full House when it reaches the floor

next week. Overall, the bill would give Mr. Bush much

of the huge new Cabinet agency he requested to

safeguard Americans from terrorism at home.

The Senate has finished hearings on the new

department but is not expected to take up the issue

for a few weeks.

The proposal to delay indefinitely the Dec. 31

deadline for all checked airline bags to be screened

for explosives drew immediate fire from Rep. James L.

Oberstar, Minnesota Democrat and ranking member on the

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

In a letter to colleagues, Mr. Oberstar said the

new Transportation Security Administration, which

would become part of the Homeland Security Department

under Mr. Armey's bill, repeatedly has assured

Congress that it can meet the deadline.

"Although this deadline is demanding, it is not

impossible," Mr. Oberstar wrote, noting that the law

allows each airport to set a new, unlimited deadline

if the Dec. 31 date cannot be met.

Republican leaders and Democrats also continued

to negotiate whether to give Mr. Bush flexibility in

making personnel decisions, which the president said

he needs to respond quickly to terrorist threats.

Opponents say it could wreck civil service workers'

protections and undermine unions collective

bargaining.

Key lawmakers also reached an agreement with the

White House to give Mr. Bush some authority to

transfer up to 2 percent of the money in the Homeland

Security Department budget for two years, with some

strings attached, instead of the 5 percent

discretionary power he had sought.

This article is based in part on wire service reports.