Echoing a blog post from yesterday, Senators Tom Udall, Jeff Bingaman and Rep. Ben Ray Luján, all Democrats, issued a statement today saying that the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, has contingency plans in place in case Congress does not pass the PASS ID legislation. These include extending the deadline for states to comply with the REAL ID standards beyond December 31.

“We fully understand the anxiety this situation has caused New Mexico holiday travelers, but we have received every assurance that there is no need for them to worry,” said Bingaman, Udall and Luján. “Anyone planning to travel with a state-issued identification will not be hindered.”

The reassurances came on a conference call with DHS officials, the statement says.

The DHS prefers that PASS ID legislation, an alternative to the current law, the REAL ID Act, be passed. However, with the Senate currently embroiled in debate over health care, that seems increasingly unlikely.

Senators Udall and Bingaman had sent a letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napalitano asking for an extension. Previously, state officials had asked for the extension as well.

Lujan, who sits on the House Committee on Homeland Security, also had previously sent a letter to Napalitano asking for an clarification on what would happen at the start of the year.