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
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.
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the date on which the identification is no longer valid.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.