Issa, Costa, Salazar, and Williams Applaud House Passage of Legislation to Modernize the Passport System

Washington – Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6610, the Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act by voice vote. This bipartisan legislation is authored by Congressman Darrell Issa (CA-48) and co-led by Rep. Jim Costa (CA-21), Rep. María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), and Rep. Nikema Williams (GA-05).

H.R. 6610 is a comprehensive modernization of the passport issuance process from document submission through the processing of finished documents. The bill deploys numerous tools to address problems exposed by the post-COVID backlog, ensures that the State Department Bureau of Consular Affairs’ processing capabilities avoid such backlogs in the future, and streamline the application and processing experience for American travelers.

“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.” said 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,” said Rep. Salazar.

Specifically, H.R. 6610:  

• Enacts the first set of performance standards for the passport system.
• Requires the Bureau of Consular Affairs to set up a tool to allow congressional caseworkers to track the status of a passport through the passport process.
• Requires the Bureau to implement a system for text/email notifications to applicants for each stage of the issuance process and reminder notifications for renewal.
• Requires the Bureau to develop an app for submitting passport applications, receiving notifications, and any other communications with the State Department such as evacuation requests overseas.
• Requires the Bureau to expand the Online Passport Renewal (OPR) system to accept new passport applications, including online document submission.
• Implements rules-based software products to process routine renewal applications while maintaining the integrity of the U.S. passport.
• Requires the Bureau of Consular Affairs to set up a working group to liaise with private sector technology providers for the purpose of identifying commercial products that can further improve the passport system and encourages the Buruea to pilot at least three such technology solutions.
• Requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a comprehensive review of the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ information technology infrastructure.

The bill has received the endorsement of the U.S. Travel Association. Read the endorsement letter here.

The bill text can be found here.