North Miami-Dade News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On August 18, 2023, Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) co-introduced the bipartisan Passport Modernization Act in response to the unprecedented passport delays at the Department of State.

“Hundreds of my constituents contact my office every day with the same issue – it takes way too long to get a new passport,” said Rep. Salazar. “This bill will bring these wait times down immediately by hiring new staff, modernizing our system, and getting the State Department back on track.”

In May 2023, Rep. Salazar joined nearly 200 of her colleagues in the House of Representatives in a letter to the State Department demanding answers for sustained delays in passport processing times. These delays ultimately led to an influx in passport requests at congressional district offices around the country, including Rep. Salazar’s Miami District Office.

The Passport Modernization Act will enable the State Department to better serve the American people by increasing staff, updating the online passport system, and increasing congressional oversight.

Specifically, this bill will:

• Provide Special Hiring Authority to the Secretary of State to hire exclusively Passport and Visa Examining Series (GSA Code 0967) for three years; 
• Require the Secretary to provide quarterly reports on processing times, delays and methods that are being used to eradicate the backlog;
• Require the Department of State to modernize the online passport filing system; and
• Require the GAO to conduct a report on National Passport Information Center operations.

Co-sponsors include: Reps. Buddy Carter (R-GA), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Cory Mills (R-FL), Max Miller (R-OH), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-OR), Daniel Webster (R-FL), Seth Moulton (D-MA), and Susie Lee (D-NV).

Read the full bill text here.

Original source can be found here.