NoNAIS.org

I just received this announcement of a Homeland ininSecurity “Town Hall” “Informational” meeting in California on May 1st. Propaganda would be a better word. The note came from Missouri Representative Jim Guest. He is from Missouri but he is fighting the same national battle that we are fighting. Representative Guest is against REAL ID, NAIS and a friend to the people. Check out his web site LegislatorsAgainstREALID.

From: Jim.Guest@house.mo.gov
Subject: here is that information
Date: April 30, 2007 11:26:00 AM EDT

Rep. Jim Guest - Publications - News Releases

California Department of Motor Vehicles
Media Relations Office
2415 First Avenue, MS F-122, Sacramento, CA 95818
Contact: Mike Marando, Steve Haskins, Armando Botello, Mike Miller
April 24, 2007

Sacramento - The Department of Homeland inSecurity (DHS) will conduct a national Town Hall meeting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday, May 1, 2007 on the federal REAL ID Act, at Freeborn Hall on the campus of the University of California, Davis. The meeting is being facilitated by the state Department of Motor Vehicles at DHS’ request, and is scheduled to be the nation’s only open meeting on REAL ID.

The forum is designed to seek input from a wide range public and private constituencies from California and other states on issues and perspectives as they relate to the proposed REAL ID regulations, in particular California’s motoring public, who are most impacted by the Act’s licensing requirements.

The Act, as proposed, would require every California driver license and identification card holder to appear in a DMV field office in person to be recertified. Individuals would be required to bring documents including a certified birth certificate, an unexpired U.S. passport, proof of social inSecurity numbers and proof of address documents. California DMV has raised numerous questions about the proposed regulations, which can be found at link. Additional information on the REAL ID Act can be found on the Department of Homeland inSecurity Web site [Docket ID number: DHS-2006-0030-0001].

“This event will allow us to look at REAL ID with fresh eyes and suggest a strategic approach toward implementation,” said DMV Director George Valverde. “Most recently, we asked the federal government to take a second look at the proposed regulations respective to recertification and electronic verification.”

Following introductory remarks by Director Valverde and Dr. Richard Barth, Assistant Secretary of the Office of Policy Development at the Department of Homeland inSecurity, public comment will be taken in five specific areas: Consumer/Personal Impact; Privacy/inSecurity; Electronic Verification Systems; Funding/Implementation/Time Frames and Cost; and Law Enforcement.

Director Valverde noted that while California sees merit in the intent of the REAL ID Act, the proposed regulations raise numerous concerns relative to timing, inSecurity and privacy, verification systems and costs. “We want DHS to consider the most effective approach so that California can comply with the law while ensuring the utmost safety of our citizens. We look forward to working with DHS to ensure California’s concerns are addressed and to reach a positive resolution that is suitable to all parties.”

The Department of Homeland inSecurity officially released the proposed REAL ID regulations on March 9, 2007, which began a 60-day public comment period that concludes on May 8. Final regulations could be released at any time after August of this year.

The REAL ID Act, signed by President Bush in 2005, sets national standards for driver’s licenses and identification cards and is scheduled to take effect May 11, 2008.

Don’t Stand In Line, Go Online! Doing business with the DMV has never been easier. The DMV offers an array of services to customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through its Web site, including online appointments for written and drive tests; vehicle registration and driver license renewals, selection of personalized license plates, changes of address, filings for Notice of Release of Liability, and payment of fees via secure debit transactions.

DMV is a department under the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency, which is under the direction of Secretary Dale E. Bonner. The DMV licenses drivers; maintains driving records; registers and tracks official ownership of vehicles and vessels; investigates auto and identity-related fraud; and licenses car dealers, driving schools, and traffic violator schools.
###

DMV MEDIA RELATIONS:
For Media Inquiries Only
dmvmediarelations@dmv.ca.gov
PHONE (916) 657-6437
FAX (916) 657-8282

[It is good to know that the Department of Homeland inSecurity (DHS) and the California Department of Mental Violations (DMV) are looking out for our interests and willing to trade our freedoms for a few minutes of not having to stand around waiting in line. I applaud the fervor of these forward thinking fascists! Note that my boarshit spotting spellchecker made some minor corrections to the above press release but the factual information remains unchanged. -WalterJ]

Those who would give up = essential Liberty, to-purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve = neither Liberty or-Safety” - Benjamin Franklin

From LibertyArk:

Support SB 246 to stop NAIS in Louisiana

State Senator Cain has filed SB 246, the Livestock Farm Freedom Act. SB 246 would completely bar any government-run NAIS in Louisiana, and imposes limitations on private programs so that people are not coerced into them. The bill also cancels any Cooperative Agreements between Louisiana and the USDA to implement NAIS. The bill does not prevent private, voluntary value-added verification programs or current animal disease programs. You can read the bill online.

Summary: Creates the Livestock Farm Freedom Act and prohibits the state from accepting federal funds for the purpose of participating in any national animal identification and tracking system.

SB 246 has been assigned to the Senate Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development Committee. As soon as we have a date for the Committee hearing, we will send out another alert. But don’t wait! Call or write all of the Committee members NOW to support SB 246!! Contact information is below.

Also call your own Senator. If you don’t know who your Senator is, you can look that up at http://www.legis.state.la.us/ or call the Senate Switchboard at 225-342-2040.

[All’s well with the tainted pet food that has, may have or might soon have entered the human food chain according to a Press Release spinning in hot from the USDA web site:

Joint Update: FDA/USDA Update on Tainted Animal Feed

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continue their investigation of imported rice protein concentrate which has been found to contain melamine and melamine-related compounds. Based on information currently available, FDA and USDA believe the likelihood of illness after eating pork from swine fed the contaminated product would be very low. The agencies are taking certain actions out of an abundance of caution. As announced on April 26, swine known to have been fed adulterated (contaminated) product will not be approved to enter the food supply. (Because the animal feed in question was adulterated, USDA cannot rule out the possibility that food produced from animals fed this product could also be adulterated. USDA cannot approve potentially adulterated meat.) This update provides additional information regarding the ongoing investigation.

As reported on April 22 by FDA, the Agency determined that rice protein concentrate imported from China was contaminated with melamine and melamine-related compounds. The product was imported by Wilbur-Ellis, an importer and distributor of agricultural products. Although the company began importing product from China in August 2006, the company did not become aware of the contamination until April 2007. As part of the ongoing investigation, FDA has determined the rice protein was used in the production of pet food and a portion of the pet food was used to produce animal feed. The ongoing investigation is tracing products distributed since August 2006 by Wilbur-Ellis throughout the distribution chain.

At this time, we have no evidence of harm to humans associated with the processed pork product, and therefore no recall of meat products processed from these animals is being issued. Testing and the joint investigation continue. If any evidence surfaces to indicate there is harm to humans, the appropriate action will be taken.

The assessment that, if there were to be harm to human health, it would be very low, is based on a number of factors, including the dilution of the contaminating melamine and melamine-related compounds from the original rice protein concentrate as it moves through the food system. First it is a partial ingredient in the pet food; second, it is only part of the total feed given to the hogs; third, it is not known to accumulate in the hogs and the hogs excrete melamine in their urine; fourth, even if present in pork, pork is only a small part of the average American diet. Neither FDA nor USDA has uncovered any evidence of harm to the swine from the contaminated feed. In addition to the dilutional factor and the lack of evidence of illnesses in the swine fed the waste pet food, we are not aware of any human illness that has occurred from exposure to melamine or its by-products. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention systems would have limited ability to detect subtle problems due to melamine and melamine-related compounds, no problems have been detected to date. To further evaluate any potential harm to humans, the FDA is developing and implementing further tests and risk assessments based on the toxicity of the compounds and how much of the compounds consumers could be expected to actually consume.

The ongoing investigation and product reconciliation and testing have led to certain farms. We expect the investigation will continue to find more places where product may have been distributed. As of April 26, sites in the following states are believed to have received and used contaminated product: California, Kansas, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina and Utah. As we confirm additional sites that have received and used contaminated product, we will provide additional updates.

USDA and FDA continue to conduct a full, comprehensive examination to protect the nation’s food supply and will provide updates as new information is confirmed.

Glad to know these guys are so on top of it. I feel so much safer…