Speech #970233671

My concern in this area began in early 1977. when Frances Knight. then Director of the Passport Office. called my attention to a report which had just been issued by the Federal Advisory Committee on False Identification (FACFI). The report culminated a 2year study conducted under the auspices of the Justice Department. and concluded that false identification crime was a serious national problem that had been virtually ignored. Criminals use false credentials as a shield to prevent law enforcement authorities from discovering their activities in drug trafficking. credit card fraud. passport fraud. illegal immigration. welfare fraud. terrorist activities. and other aspects of organized crime. The cost to American taxpayers was estimated at over $16 billion annually in 1976 when the FACFI report was issued. This was a modest estimate then. and testimony before the subcommittee suggests that the problem is even greater now.