North Miami-Dade News

The House of Representatives passed the Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act (H.R. 6610), a bill aimed at reducing long wait times for passport renewals, introduced by Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA). Rep. Salazar expressed concern over the delays, stating, "Two months for a passport is way too long." She emphasized the importance of addressing the issue and bringing the passport processing service back to order.

The legislation, which garnered unanimous support from the House Foreign Affairs Committee, aims to streamline the passport application and processing experience for American travelers. Rep. Issa highlighted the significance of the bill, saying, "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."

Rep. Costa also underscored the impact of delays on constituents, stating, "American taxpayers shouldn’t have to face long delays to get their passport." The bill, supported by 30 other cosponsors, takes a multi-approach towards tackling the backlog and modernizing the passport system.

Key provisions of the Passport Issuance and Backlog Elimination Act include setting a service standard of processing passport applications in 30 days, providing surge hiring authorities, expanding the Online Passport Renewal system, and mandating a text and email notification system for application status.

The legislation also accelerates the passport renewal process through technology adoption, requires a review of the passport issuance system by the Government Accountability Office, and increases congressional oversight over State Department modernization efforts.

This marks Rep. Salazar’s fourth bill to be passed in the House of Representatives this Congress, signaling progress towards improving passport services for Americans.