HELENA - Senators Jon Tester and Max Baucus called a May 11 deadline for compliance with federal Real ID rules "arbitrary and ineffective." They're asking Department of Homeland Security to exempt states from it. Homeland Security shot right back.

Agency spokesman Russ Knocke suggested that the senators "neglected to read the law" passed by Congress, which actually set the date. Montana is one of just a few states that have so far have refused to seek an extension to identification rules by March 31.

Knocke says that come May 11th, there will be "very real implications" for residents of states whose leadership chooses against REAL ID compliance. At a minimum, he says they'll be subjected to extra screenings at airports and federal buildings.

The agency says Montanans could travel with a passport to avoid the extra scrutiny. Baucus and Tester were joined by two other senators asking Homeland Security to scrap the deadline or face questions about the process.