<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Even before 9/11 they do a background check and won't issue them to anyone who remotely looks like a security risk.</font>
Excuse me, but before 9/11 it took only 10 minutes to apply for INSPASS and receive one at LAX INSPASS office. Renewal also took 10 minues flat. (I'm a non-US citizen.)
I don't think the agent did any background check other than just scanning my passport and looking up INS records.