A Silver Lining?

Once the Intelligence Reform Bill finally passed I was concerned because some of the provisions that House Republicans wanted in the bill, notably preventing illegal aliens from obtaining driver's licenses, (though this is supposed to be addressed early next year) were not in the final bill.

Michelle Malkin points out here that some

immigration-related provisions [did make] it into the "intel reform" bill. The final product gives lie to the criticism that immigration/homeland security was "extraneous" to the measure.

Well thank goodness it wasn't all for naught. I thought this was going to be another toothless political mishmash that looks good on resumés but doesn't actually do anything useful.

H.R. 10 -- the controversial House version -- included important provisions to beef up the Border Patrol, detention space, interior enforcement, identity fraud, terrorist travel, and streamlining of the deportation process. Many of these made it through.

Though I am still very concerned about the driver's license issue (I am wavering in my opposition to National ID Cards however) I have faith in Rep. Sensenbrenner to bring this up next Congress. Maybe we will actually start making progress on the joke that is "Homeland Security".

She also has a nice excerpt from this that is worth reading as well.