The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) granted Missouri an extension to comply with new Real ID requirements.The extension was requested by Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens and Missouri Sens. Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt to John Kelly of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.“I appreciate Secretary Kelly’s action, which will ensure Missouri families are able to continue traveling and using their IDs at federal facilities while the new law is being implemented,” said Blunt. “I will continue working with Gov. Greitens and DHS to ensure a smooth transition.”The Real ID Act was passed after Sept. 11 to increase national security. Regarding identification, it establishes a federal standard for state-issued identification. That standard ID is required before boarding airplanes, entering federal buildings and other facilities.McCaskill and Blunt wrote to Kelly in late June encouraging his agency to give Missouri the extension. The letter stated that Greitens OK’d a bill into law requiring the Missouri Department of Revenue to issue Real ID compliant driver’s licenses, unless an applicant does not want one.Grietens also requested temporary relief from federal enforcement of the Real ID Act, the letter said.“If an extension is not granted, passengers will be unable to board commercial aircraft using a Missouri driver’s license beginning Jan. 22, 2017,” the letter from the senators stated. “The extension is needed in order to give the state Department of Revenue adequate time to begin using Real ID compliant licenses.”State officials anticipate that Missouri will be Real ID compliant by Feb. 28, 2019.McCaskill also praised DHS for granting the extension.“It’s important that Missourians are able to continue business as usual while the state works on transitioning to new IDs,” said McCaskill, the top-ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.“I was glad to work with Homeland Security Secretary Kelly and my colleague Sen. Blunt in order to help Missouri get this extension.”Real ID Act