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[John Young <jya@pipeline.com>]

   10-3-95. Wash Rag:


   "Employment Database Proposal Raises Cries of 'Big
   Brother'."

      Critics say that in its zeal to combat illegal
      immigration, Congress is steering the nation toward an
      "Orwellian nightmare," an era of all-knowing federal
      oversight whereby officials will be able to verify
      citizenship by using high-tech national identification
      cards. So far, no member of Congress has openly called
      for a national ID card, at least by that name.

      Rep. Bill McCollurn (R-Fla.) said he intends to offer an
      amendment on the House floor to create a "more secure"
      Social Security card with a photo, a hologram and
      "perhaps a biometric identifier."

      Microchip technology can make ID cards especially
      intrusive. According to an analysis by the Cato
      Institute, one newly patented ID card can hold a photo
      and 1,600 pages of text. Another identification system
      developed by a major defense contractor consists of a
      microchip the size of a grain of rice that can be
      implanted under the skin with a syringe and read with a
      scanner.


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