Congressman Darrell Issa, District 48 | Official U.S. House headshot
Congressman Darrell Issa, District 48 | Official U.S. House headshot
Washington – In response to the House of Representatives passing H.R. 6610, the Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act, Congressman Darrell Issa, co-led by Rep. Jim Costa, Rep. María Elvira Salazar, and Rep. Nikema Williams, have expressed their satisfaction and hopes for the future.
"The Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act is the solution Americans deserve in the wake of a two-year-long passport backlog that impacted 50 million of our fellow citizens and still takes more than a month to process an application. With the House’s approval, we are now one step closer to transforming our flawed process, preventing future backlogs, and setting the system right for decades to come," said Rep. Issa.
"American taxpayers shouldn’t have to face long delays to get their passport. It has impacted many of my constituents who have medical, work, and family obligations. This legislation takes a multi-approach towards tackling the backlog and modernizing our passport system," expressed Rep. Costa.
"We are now four years after the start of the pandemic and the State Department is still behind on processing passports for my constituents. Three months for a passport is way too long. The House of Representatives is addressing an important issue that all Americans are still being forced to deal with. Let’s clean the mess up at the State Department and bring this critical service back to order," added Rep. Salazar.
The bipartisan legislation, H.R. 6610, aims to modernize the passport issuance process and prevent future backlogs by deploying various tools. The bill enacts performance standards for the passport system, introduces a tracking tool for congressional caseworkers, and requires the implementation of text/email notifications for applicants at each stage of the issuance process.
Additionally, the legislation mandates the development of an app for submitting passport applications, expands the Online Passport Renewal system, and sets up a working group to collaborate with private sector technology providers to enhance the passport system further.
The U.S. Travel Association has endorsed the bill, recognizing its importance in streamlining the passport application and renewal process for American travelers.
For more details on the bill text and endorsements, visit the provided links.
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