Inside This Issue...

The AAMVA and IRP, Inc. offices will be closed on Monday, Feb. 18, 2008 in observance of the President's Day holiday. Offices will reopen during regular business hours on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

The Social Security Identity Theft Prevention Act (HR 5405) was introduced in the House on Feb. 13, 2008. The bill intends to protect seniors from identity theft and strengthen our national security by providing for the issuance of a secure Social Security card. The text of the legislation is available online at http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.05405:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has forwarded a request for an extension of a currently approved collection of information on warning devices to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). These warning devices are designed to be carried mandatory in buses and trucks that have a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 10,000 pounds and voluntarily in other vehicles. The devices are used to warn approaching traffic of the presence of a stopped vehicle, except for devices designed to be permanently affixed to the vehicles. Comments on the information collection request (ICR) must be submitted on or before March 17, 2008. View the Federal Register notice for more details.

West Virginia University (WVU) is the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) lead academic partner in biometrics research, under the terms of an agreement signed Feb. 6, 2008 on the WVU campus. The agreement, signed by WVU President Mike Garrison and FBI Assistant Director Bush, leverages the University’s academic research and knowledge in the biometric identification arena and identifies WVU as the academic arm of the FBI’s Biometric Center of Excellence. WVU’s role is to provide biometrics research support to the FBI and its law enforcement and national security partners, and serve as the FBI liaison to the academic community of biometric researchers nationwide. The FBI Science and Technology Branch is creating a Biometric Center of Excellence to coordinate biometric and identity management activities within the FBI and partner with other U.S. Government agencies. The FBI Biometric Center of Excellence will facilitate research, development, training and other activities related to biometric technologies and systems. Through the FBI Biometric Center of Excellence, the FBI will provide quality biometric services and technologies to fight terrorism and aid in investigative and intelligence efforts. WVU’s National Science Foundation (NSF) Center for Identification Technology Research (CITeR) is the internationally recognized biometric research asset that enabled the new partnership. CITeR faculty and students have a well established history of forming academic teams to address specific areas of research and of reaching out to other academic institutions to form multi-university collaborations based on the needs of sponsored research. View the press release on the FBI's Web site.

The Senate cleared the Cameron Gulbransen Kids and Cars Safety Act of 2007 (HR 1216) on Feb. 14, that would require additional child safety features on new cars. Under the measure, all new cars would be outfitted with power windows that automatically reverse when they detect an obstruction to prevent children from being strangled or trapped. In addition, cars with automatic transmissions would need anti-rollaway systems that would stop a car before a child gets caught underneath.

On Feb. 13, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stating that progress has been made in implementing its management and mission functions in the areas of acquisition, financial, human capital, information technology, and real property management; border security; immigration enforcement and services; aviation, surface transportation, and maritime security; emergency preparedness and response; critical infrastructure protection; and science and technology. In general, DHS has made more progress in its mission areas than in its management areas, reflecting an initial focus on protecting the homeland. While DHS has made progress in implementing its functions in each management and mission area, the GAO identified challenges remaining in each of these areas. These challenges include providing appropriate oversight for contractors; improving financial management and controls; implementing a performance-based human capital management system; implementing information technology management controls; balancing trade facilitation and border security; improving enforcement of immigration laws, enhancing transportation security; and effectively coordinating the mitigation and response to all hazards. DHS’s 5-year anniversary provides an opportunity for the department to review how it has matured as an organization. GAO will continue to assess DHS’s progress in addressing high-risk issues. In particular, GAO will continue to assess the progress made by the department in its transformation and information sharing efforts. Read the entire report on GAO's Web site.

On Feb. 15, 2008, David M. Walker, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) announced his intention to resign his position, effective March 12, 2008, in order to accept the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the newly established Peter G. Peterson Foundation. Walker has been Comptroller General of the United States since November 1998. During his tenure, the GAO has undergone a major transformation during which the agency's role has expanded while its visibility, viability and performance have improved significantly. In addition to leading this effort, Walker has worked to modernize the accountability profession both domestically and internationally. He has also been an outspoken advocate of the need for federal policymakers to address the fiscal and other key sustainability challenges and government transformation needs facing the United States. The Peterson Foundation will be dedicated to engaging in various actions designed to educate and activate Americans, especially younger Americans, the business community and the media, while also seeking and supporting sensible policy solutions to a range of sustainability and transformation challenges. Peterson has committed to contribute at least $1 billion to the Foundation and related efforts over the next several years. Walker noted that his decision was motivated by his desire to maximize his ability to make a real and lasting difference to address the fiscal, entitlement, health care, energy, education and other major sustainability challenges facing the United States. Gene Dodaro, GAO's Chief Operating Officer (COO) will serve as Acting Comptroller General upon Walker's departure. A press release is available on the GAO Web site.

On Feb. 14, the Department of the Treasury and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued the first-ever "Citizens' Guide" highlighting certain important short and long-term financial information in the 2007 Financial Report of the United States Government. The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), which audits the U.S. government's consolidated financial statements included in the Financial Report, has for some time urged the creation of a user-friendly summary report, one that policymakers and the American people are likely to read and understand. The Guide shows that over the past three years the government's short-term finances have improved: revenues rose, deficits declined, and government costs remained relatively constant. At the same time, the Guide clearly shows that the federal government faces serious and growing financial challenges in the years ahead. The "Citizen's Guide" can be found at http://www.gao.gov/financial/fy2007financialreport.html.

Secretary Chertoff testified on the President’s 2009 budget request for $50.5 billion before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Feb. 13, 2008, and before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Feb. 14, 2008. This is a 7 percent increase over the FY 2008 enacted level excluding emergency funding. The Secretary said, "Six years after Sept. 11, 2001, we are moving beyond operating as an organization in transition to a Department diligently working to protect our borders and critical infrastructure, prevent dangerous people and goods from entering our country, and recover from natural disasters effectively." Read Chertoff's testimony on the Department of Homeland Security Web site.

As AAMVA celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, it is good time to reflect on why AAMVA continues to be a successful organization. Read Keith Kiser's entire blog at: http://blog.aamva.org/2008/02/11/finding-success-in-aamva.aspx.

The deadline for the Customer Service Excellence (CSE) awards has been extended until March 31, 2008. For more information regarding the CSE awards and how you can honor individuals, teams and organizations that have made a difference within their agency or the community, click here.

For the second time in a year, the New York Times' Chris Jensen has dug into motor vehicle fraud crimes and exclaimed, "Eureka, NMVTIS." Jensen has done his homework on this piece just as he did his previous articles. Read the entire blog regarding the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System (NMVTIS) at:  http://blog.aamva.org/2008/02/15/sounds-like-everyone-gets-nmvtis.aspx

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• Nevada – Use of MSRP to Calculate Fees (Ends 02/15/08)

The next AAMVA CIO Outreach conference call is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 25, 2008, from 4:00-5:00 p.m. EST. These meetings address information technology issues which are relevant to the Chief Information Officers (CIOs) of the Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMVs) in both the United States and Canada, and concerns which are relevant to their day-to-day jobs. A copy of the draft agendas and minutes from previous meetings can be found on AAMVA's Web site in the IT Discipline area. The conference call telephone number and conference ID can be found at the top of the agenda. Please send requests for future agenda topics to Greg Sensiba via e-mail or at (703) 908-2822.