IDs for an Inclusive Democracy Act
This bill directs the Social Security Administration (SSA) to produce and make available at no cost to individuals over the age of 14 a means of identification (ID) sufficient to satisfy certain identification requirements (i.e., requirements otherwise satisfied by a driver's license or state ID).
The ID must include a photograph, specified information, and certain security features, and must generally be valid for 10 years.
SSA must develop and implement a campaign to educate the public about the ID, including how an individual can obtain and use one.
The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) must develop and implement a process that enables individuals to apply for and renew an ID through USPS, modeled after the process for passport applications.
The bill also establishes a task force to set forth requirements for the production and distribution of the new IDs. The task force must (1) issue a report outlining such requirements, including procedures to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of any information obtained from applicants seeking assistance with the ID process; and (2) develop and publish voluntary best practices for nonprofit organizations and entities that serve vulnerable populations on assisting individuals with the application process.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1457 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1457
To require the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration to
produce and make available at no cost to certain individuals in the
United States an identification for the purpose of allowing such
individuals to meet certain identification requirements, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 21, 2025
Mr. Casten (for himself, Ms. Lee of Pennsylvania, Ms. Scanlon, Mr.
Thanedar, Mr. Deluzio, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, and Mrs. Watson Coleman)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration to
produce and make available at no cost to certain individuals in the
United States an identification for the purpose of allowing such
individuals to meet certain identification requirements, and for other
purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``IDs for an Inclusive Democracy
Act''.
SEC. 2. FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION CARDS.
(a) In General.--Not later than 3 years after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of the Social Security
Administration shall produce and make available at no cost to
individuals in the United States who submit an application under
subsection (f) an identification pursuant to the requirements in the
report issued by the Task Force on Federal Identification Cards under
section 3(i) that can be presented by such individuals to satisfy
certain identification requirements.
(b) Use of Identification.--With respect to an individual, the
identification described in subsection (a) shall be deemed sufficient
to satisfy identification requirements to the same extent and for the
same purposes that any driver's license or identification card issued
by a State is accepted to satisfy such requirements.
(c) Content of Identification.--With respect to an individual, the
identification described in subsection (a) shall include--
(1) the full name of the individual;
(2) the date of birth of the individual;
(3) the gender of the individual, which shall include an
option for male, female, and X (representing an unspecified or
other gender identity), as attested by the individual;
(4) a photograph of the individual;
(5) a unique identification number;
(6) the date the identification was issued to the
individual; and
(7) the date on which the identification is no longer
valid.
(d) Security Features of Identification.--The identification
described in subsection (a) shall include--
(1) physical security features to make the identification
resistant to tampering, counterfeiting, duplicating, and
fraudulent use; and
(2) common machine-readable identity information based on
defined minimum data elements as determined by the Task Force
on Federal Identification Cards established under section 3(a).
(e) Period of Validity of Identification.--
(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), with
respect to an individual, the identification described in
subsection (a) shall be valid for the 10-year period which
begins on the date the identification is issued by the
Commissioner of the Social Security Administration to the
individual.
(2) Special rule for certain individuals.--Notwithstanding
paragraph (1), in the case of an individual with a valid
identification--
(A) who is under the age of 18, such identification
shall only be valid during the period beginning on the
date the identification is issued to the individual and
ending on the date the individual reaches the age of
18, after which the individual may submit an
application for a renewal under subsection (f)(2); and
(B) who reaches 65 years of age or older during the
period the identification is valid, the identification
of such individual shall be deemed valid upon the
expiration of the 10-year validity period for such
identification without requiring a renewal of such
identification.
(f) Eligibility Requirements.--
(1) In general.--To receive an identification under this
section, an individual who is at least 14 years of age or older
shall submit an application at such time and containing such
information as the Task Force on Federal Identification Cards
established under section 3(a) determines appropriate.
(2) Renewal application.--To receive a renewal of the
identification described in subsection (a), an individual shall
submit an application at such time and containing such
information as the Task Force on Federal Identification Cards
established under section 3(a) determines appropriate, except
that an individual shall not be required to provide documents
that include the personally identifiable information of such
individual unless any of such personally identifiable
information has changed with respect to the most recent
application submitted by the individual.
(g) Public Education Campaign.--Not later than 6 months before the
date the identification is made available to individuals under
subsection (a), the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration
shall develop and implement a campaign to educate the public with
respect to the identification described in subsection (a), including
how an individual can receive and use such an identification to satisfy
certain identification requirements.
(h) Postal Service Application Process.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Postmaster General of the United
States Postal Service shall, in consultation with the
Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, develop and
implement a process pursuant to the requirements of paragraph
(2) that enables individuals to apply for the identification
described in subsection (a) through the United States Postal
Service, including a process with respect to an application for
a first-time identification and a renewal of such
identification, which shall be modeled after the process with
respect to applications for a passport through the Postal
Service.
(2) Process requirements.--The process developed under
paragraph (1) shall include, with respect to an individual, an
option to--
(A) receive full service at a post office location,
including by providing photography services at no cost
to the individual;
(B) submit an application online through the
website of the Postal Service;
(C) mail a written application described in
subsection (f) through the mail service of the Postal
Service at no cost to the individual; and
(D) with respect to an approved identification of
an individual, receive such identification through mail
service to the individual's address or a post office
location, at the option of the individual.
(i) State Defined.--In this section, the term ``State'' means each
of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa,
and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
SEC. 3. TASK FORCE ON FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION CARDS.
(a) Establishment.--There is established a Task Force on Federal
Identification Cards (in this section referred to as the ``Task
Force'') for the purpose of determining the requirements to produce and
make available the identification described in section 2(a).
(b) Membership.--The Task Force shall be composed of at least 9
members as follows:
(1) The Commissioner of the Social Security Administration.
(2) At least 1 representative from the Election Assistance
Commission.
(3) At least 1 representative from the Domestic Policy
Council.
(4) At least 1 representative from the United States Postal
Service.
(5) At least 1 representative from the Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau.
(6) At least 1 representative from the Department of
Housing and Urban Development.
(7) At least 1 representative from the Department of
Education.
(8) At least 1 representative from the Department of Labor.
(9) At least 1 representative from the Department of
Veterans Affairs.
(10) The Commissioner of the Social Security
Administration, in collaboration with the representatives
described in paragraphs (2) through (9), may appoint such other
individuals with relevant expertise or experience as the Task
Force shall determine appropriate and the Task Force shall,
with respect to any such appointees, make efforts to ensure
that populations that have been disproportionately affected by
the lack of access to identification are represented.
(c) Deadline for Appointment.--All appointments to the Task Force
shall be made not later than 8 months after the date of the enactment
of this Act.
(d) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Task Force shall be filled in
the same manner as the original appointment.
(e) Prohibition on Compensation of Federal Employees.--Members of
the Task Force who are full-time officers or employees of the United
States may not receive additional pay, allowances, or benefits by
reason of their service on the Task Force.
(f) Travel Expenses.--Except as provided in subsection (e), each
member shall receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of
subsistence, in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter
I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
(g) Support Staff; Administrative Services.--
(1) Support staff.--The Commissioner of the Social Security
Administration, any representatives from the Election
Assistance Commission, and any representatives from the
Domestic Policy Council shall provide support staff for the
Task Force.
(2) Administrative services.--Upon the request of the Task
Force, the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration,
any representatives from the Election Assistance Commission,
and any representatives from the Domestic Policy Council shall
provide any information, administrative services, and supplies
that such Commissioner and representatives jointly consider
necessary for the Task Force to carry out its duties under this
section.
(h) Nonapplicability of Federal Advisory Committee Act.--The
Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the
Task Force.
(i) Report on Requirements for Producing and Making Identifications
Available.--
(1) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Task Force shall issue a report
regarding the requirements to produce and make available the
identification described in section 2(a).
(2) Prohibiting unauthorized disclosure of information.--
The Task Force shall include in the report issued under this
subsection a requirement that the Commissioner of Social
Security and the Postmaster General shall establish procedures
to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of any information
obtained with respect to individuals who seek assistance in
obtaining the identification described in section 2(a).
(j) Development of Voluntary Best Practices.--Not later than 1 year
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Task Force shall
develop and publish recommendations for voluntary best practices for
nonprofit organizations and entities that provide services to
vulnerable populations with respect to how such organizations and
entities can assist individuals to obtain the identification described
in section 2(a), which shall include--
(1) recommendations with respect to how such organizations
and entities can provide full service to individuals to obtain
such identification; and
(2) recommendations to minimize the barriers faced by such
individuals, including individuals from groups which have been
disproportionately affected by the lack of access to
identification, in obtaining documentation of the information
necessary to obtain the identification.
(k) Termination.--The Task Force shall terminate on the date the
identification is made available to individuals under section 2(a).
SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be
necessary to carry out this Act.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
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