RFID In Government Issued ID?

RFID! writes, "The Department of Homeland Security's Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee published a draft report that poured cold water on using RFID in government-mandated identity cards and documents (PDF link). But this met with some consternation among the DHS bureaus that plan to use RFID in this way and the businesses eager to sell the technology to the government, and now a vote on the report has been delayed until December."

Comments

Ouch

[TubeSteak]

This report does more than just "pour cold water" on RFIDs

From the Executive Summary:

"There appear to be specific, narrowly defined situations in which RFID is appropriate for human identification. Miners or firefighters might be appropriately identified using RFID because speed of identification is at a premium in dangerous situations and the need to verify the connection between a card and bearer is low.

But for other applications related to human beings, RFID appears to offer little benefit when compared to the consequences it brings for privacy and data integrity. Instead, it increases risks to personal privacy and security, with no commensurate benefit for performance or national security."

"no commensurate benefit for national security"
Translation: This will not protect you from the terrorists.
And really, isn't that
A) the big goal of all these changes?
B) how everyone is justifying their budget?