Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Commiteee on Minimum Standards for Driver's Licenses and Personal Identification Cards, 23953 [05-9200]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 87 / Friday, May 6, 2005 / Proposed Rules the Captain of the Port or his or her designated representative. Dated: April 15, 2005. John E. Cameron, Commander, U.S. Coast Guard, Captain of the Port, Charleston, South Carolina. [FR Doc. 05–9036 Filed 5–5–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910–15–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Office of the Secretary 49 CFR Subtitle A [Docket No. OST–2005–20434] Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Commiteee on Minimum Standards for Driver’s Licenses and Personal Identification Cards AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), DOT. Suspension of advisory committee meeting. ACTION: SUMMARY: This document suspends the meeting of the Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee on Minimum Standards for Driver’s Licenses and Personal Identification Cards scheduled for May 10–13, 2005. The reason for the action is impending Congressional action, in the near future, concerning the ‘‘REAL ID Act.’’ This legislation would repeal section 7212 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, which provides the authority for the negotiated rulemaking on this subject. DATES: The May 10–13, 2005, meeting of the advisory committee is suspended immediately. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert C. Ashby, Deputy Assistant General Counsel for Regulation and Enforcement, Office of the General Counsel, at (202) 366–9310 (bob.ashby@dot.gov); Department of Transportation, 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590, room 10424. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 17, 2004, the President signed into law the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. (Pub. L. 108–458). Title VII of that Act is known as the 9/11 Commission Implementation Act of 2004 (the 9/11 Act). Subtitle B of the 9/11 Act addresses terrorist travel and effective screening. Among other things, Subtitle B, section 7212, mandated the issuance of minimum standards for State-issued driver’s licenses and personal identification cards (Section 7212) that will be accepted by Federal agencies for official purposes. VerDate jul<14>2003 14:58 May 05, 2005 Jkt 205001 Section 7212 directed the Department of Transportation to issue rules with the assistance of a negotiated rulemaking advisory committee, composed of representatives of the Departments of Transportation and Homeland Security, State agencies that issue driver’s licenses, State elected officials, and other interested parties. The Department formed such an advisory committee, which met on April 19–21, 2005. Congress has nearly completed work needed to pass the ‘‘REAL ID Act,’’ (a part of S. 1268), which repeals section 7212. As provided in the charter for the advisory committee, the committee— and the negotiated rulemaking process of which it is a key part—will terminate upon enactment of legislation repealing section 7212. Because we anticipate that the REAL ID Act will become law in the very near future, we are reluctant to ask committee members to commit the time and effort to the advisory committee next week, so the Department in this notice announces the suspension of the meeting of the committee that had been scheduled for May 10–13, 2005. If Congress enacts the REAL ID Act, the Department will issue another Federal Register notice, which will formally terminate the advisory committee and the regulatory negotiation process. Issued this 4th day of May, 2005, in Washington, DC. Jeffrey A. Rosen, General Counsel. [FR Doc. 05–9200 Filed 5–4–05; 2:05 pm] BILLING CODE 4910–62–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 49 CFR Part 571 [Docket No. NHTSA 2005–20791] Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT. ACTION: Denial of petition for rulemaking. AGENCY: SUMMARY: This document denies a petition for rulemaking submitted by the Fire Equipment Manufacturers Association (FEMA) to require all new light duty trucks to be equipped with fire extinguishers. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For legal issues: Mr. George Feygin, Office of the Chief Counsel, phone (202) 366– 2992. For technical issues: Mr. Charles R. Hott, Office of Crashworthiness PO 00000 Frm 00012 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 23953 Standards, NVS–113, phone (202) 366– 0247. You can reach both of these officials at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh St., SW., Washington, DC 20590. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 14, 2004, NHTSA received a petition from FEMA to require all new light duty trucks 1 to be equipped with fire extinguishers.2 FEMA is an international group of leading fire protection manufacturers working together to educate the public about fire prevention to save lives and reduce property damage. Member companies manufacture fire protection products. FEMA stated that the safety benefits of fire extinguishers in all new light trucks justify rulemaking to require the installation of portable fire extinguishers. FEMA also stated that fires are a common occurrence on America’s highways and in automobile crashes. FEMA noted that according to the Traffic Safety Facts 2001, there were 14,000 automobile accidents where fire was involved, representing 0.1 percent of all vehicles involved in traffic crashes. Of those 14,000 accidents, 1,657 proved to be fatal and 5,000 involved injury. FEMA further stated that automobile crashes involving fires are more deadly. FEMA also provided data showing that crash related fires represent two percent of the total vehicle fires in the United States. FEMA enclosed a report from the National Fire Protection Association 3 showing that there were 307,000 fires in all motor vehicles in 2002. FEMA contends that requiring fire extinguishers in new light trucks can help slow down the spread of fires because all fires start small, and it is crucial to keep the fire at bay long enough to rescue any occupants in order to prevent loss of life or injury. FEMA stated that swift use of portable fire extinguishers is likely to prevent small fires from becoming more significant and dangerous, and that this will provide rescuers with additional time to save occupants. FEMA further contends that increasing the number of fire extinguishers on roads increases the chance that vehicles passing an automobile fire can help rescue occupants. FEMA stated that fire 1 The United States Department of Transportation, Traffic Safety Facts 2003 defines ‘‘light duty trucks’’ as ‘‘trucks of 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating or less, including pickups, vans, truck-based station wagons, and utility vehicles.’’ 2 See Docket No. NHTSA–2004–16856–44. 3 Fire Loss in the United States During 2002, National Fire Protection Association, September 2003. E:\FR\FM\06MYP1.SGM 06MYP1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 87 (Friday, May 6, 2005)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 23953]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-9200]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Office of the Secretary

49 CFR Subtitle A

[Docket No. OST-2005-20434]


Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Commiteee on Minimum Standards for 
Driver's Licenses and Personal Identification Cards

AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), DOT.

ACTION: Suspension of advisory committee meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: This document suspends the meeting of the Negotiated 
Rulemaking Advisory Committee on Minimum Standards for Driver's 
Licenses and Personal Identification Cards scheduled for May 10-13, 
2005. The reason for the action is impending Congressional action, in 
the near future, concerning the ``REAL ID Act.'' This legislation would 
repeal section 7212 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention 
Act of 2004, which provides the authority for the negotiated rulemaking 
on this subject.

DATES: The May 10-13, 2005, meeting of the advisory committee is 
suspended immediately.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert C. Ashby, Deputy Assistant 
General Counsel for Regulation and Enforcement, Office of the General 
Counsel, at (202) 366-9310 (bob.ashby@dot.gov); Department of 
Transportation, 400 7th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590, room 10424.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 17, 2004, the President signed 
into law the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. 
(Pub. L. 108-458). Title VII of that Act is known as the 9/11 
Commission Implementation Act of 2004 (the 9/11 Act). Subtitle B of the 
9/11 Act addresses terrorist travel and effective screening. Among 
other things, Subtitle B, section 7212, mandated the issuance of 
minimum standards for State-issued driver's licenses and personal 
identification cards (Section 7212) that will be accepted by Federal 
agencies for official purposes.
    Section 7212 directed the Department of Transportation to issue 
rules with the assistance of a negotiated rulemaking advisory 
committee, composed of representatives of the Departments of 
Transportation and Homeland Security, State agencies that issue 
driver's licenses, State elected officials, and other interested 
parties. The Department formed such an advisory committee, which met on 
April 19-21, 2005.
    Congress has nearly completed work needed to pass the ``REAL ID 
Act,'' (a part of S. 1268), which repeals section 7212. As provided in 
the charter for the advisory committee, the committee--and the 
negotiated rulemaking process of which it is a key part--will terminate 
upon enactment of legislation repealing section 7212. Because we 
anticipate that the REAL ID Act will become law in the very near 
future, we are reluctant to ask committee members to commit the time 
and effort to the advisory committee next week, so the Department in 
this notice announces the suspension of the meeting of the committee 
that had been scheduled for May 10-13, 2005. If Congress enacts the 
REAL ID Act, the Department will issue another Federal Register notice, 
which will formally terminate the advisory committee and the regulatory 
negotiation process.

    Issued this 4th day of May, 2005, in Washington, DC.
Jeffrey A. Rosen,
General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 05-9200 Filed 5-4-05; 2:05 pm]
BILLING CODE 4910-62-P

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.