Under the REAL ID Act, states may only issue a temporary driver’s license or personal identification card, valid for one year, to noncitizens whose period of authorized stay is indefinite. H.R. 3398 would amend the REAL ID Act of 2005 to allow citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau to be issued regular driver’s licenses or personal identification cards that are valid for the maximum period of validity, which is up to eight years. Citizens of those countries can travel to the United States without a visa, and live and work in the U.S. indefinitely.
Based on information from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of the Interior, CBO estimates that enacting H.R. 3398 would have no significant effect on the federal budget because it would not materially affect the duties or responsibilities of executive branch agencies.
