The Clinton Administration's zeal for expanded police powers, mentioned in last week's "Articles of Impeachment," showed up in a couple of additional quiet moves recently that threaten far-ranging encroachment on privacy and personal rights.

In one, FBI head Louis "People Must Not B." Freeh snuck a provision into the Justice Dept. funding bill which would require phone companies to give cops the precise location of cellular phone users. The rider substantially amends the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act of 1994. A court order, nominally needed for normal wiretaps, may not be needed for Lou's roaming tracker.

Situations that would allow for a non-court ordered location ID include such catchall categories as the suspicion of a felony, pursuit of a fugitive, or threats to human safety. The plan would use existing technology to allow 911 emergency operators to pinpoint the locations of cellular callers.

Freeh is also angling to remove Federal Communications Commission jurisdiction on the issue. Cell phone makers had appealed to the FCC after the FBI continued to push for new powers in talks designed to make sure cell phones were at least as tappable as land-lines. Industry and public interest groups are also precluded, under the shift in procedure, from commenting on the FBI's new communications standards.

In another development, civil libertarians have long been concerned about state desires to develop a "national ID card" that could be combined with modern technology to keep exhaustive tabs on any and all citizens ("National Identity Cards," ETS! #9, Nov. 5, 1996). Now, it looks like it might be happening--by regulatory fiat, and with few people noticing.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a notice on June 17 that would effectively turn state drivers' licenses into national ID cards. The proposed rule would require all states to modify their drivers' licenses to create a uniform national drivers' license. It would also prohibit government agencies from accepting any identification besides the authorized identity card.

The proposed rule would also encourage states to include the persons' Social Security number either in written form on the face of the license or in electronic form of all drivers' licenses. If a state does not wish to include the SSN on the license, it must minimally require every license applicant to provide the number. Why operation of a motor vehicle ought to be tied to a person's retirement fund is a question nobody seems to have asked. True lovers of conspiracy theories will note the convenient timing with proposals for the administration of Social Security by private corporations--but then, state licensing departments are selling them information on you already.

The DOT is basing its rule on provisions in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. Reps. Ron Paul (R-TX) and Bob Barr (R-GA) have introduced H.R. 4217, the Freedom and Privacy Restoration Act of 1998, which would repeal the immigration Act's provisions on identification.

More information on the proposed rule is available at http://www.epic.org/privacy/id-cards/