Legis Daily

Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act

USA118th CongressHR-6610| House 
| Updated: 3/20/2024
Darrell Issa

Darrell Issa

Republican Representative

California

Cosponsors (34)
Nikema Williams (Democratic)Clay Higgins (Republican)Lisa Blunt Rochester (Democratic)Chrissy Houlahan (Democratic)Warren Davidson (Republican)Mike Collins (Republican)Dina Titus (Democratic)Maria Elvira Salazar (Republican)Lloyd Smucker (Republican)Thomas H. Kean (Republican)Joaquin Castro (Democratic)Richard Hudson (Republican)Hillary J. Scholten (Democratic)Roger Williams (Republican)Alma S. Adams (Democratic)Sydney Kamlager-Dove (Democratic)Pramila Jayapal (Democratic)Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democratic)Brandon Williams (Republican)Jim Costa (Democratic)Janice D. Schakowsky (Democratic)Michael R. Turner (Republican)Derrick Van Orden (Republican)Colin Z. Allred (Democratic)Juan Ciscomani (Republican)Josh Gottheimer (Democratic)Michael Lawler (Republican)Jenniffer González-Colón (Republican)Nick LaLota (Republican)Jesús G. "Chuy" García (Democratic)Grace Meng (Democratic)Bradley Scott Schneider (Democratic)Katie Porter (Democratic)Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Republican)

Foreign Affairs Committee, Foreign Relations Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act This bill addresses issues related to the passport issuance process, including by providing the Department of State with emergency hiring authorities. Under this bill, the State Department may hire additional personal services contractors to meet the exigent needs of the Bureau of Consular Affairs from FY2024 through FY2026. The State Department may have up to 100 such positions at any given time, and such positions may not be for longer than two years. Furthermore, the bureau must award or expand contracts to implement certain information technology (IT) programs. Specifically, these contracts shall be to (1) provide a digital dashboard to congressional offices to track individual passport applications; (2) establish a program to provide automated messages and notifications to passport applicants, such as notifications of application errors; (3) establish a mobile application to allow passport applicants to communicate with the State Department and submit documents; (4) expand the online passport renewal system to also accommodate routine first-time adult passport applications; and (5) provide rules-based tools to screen online passport renewal applications with no changed biographical information against commercial databases. The bureau must also solicit the private sector for proposals about commercially available technologies that may improve the passport issuance process. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) must report to Congress a comprehensive review of the passport issuance process, including opportunities to enhance the process. The bureau must periodically report to Congress on its progress in implementing the GAO's recommendations.

Bill Text Versions

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3 versions available

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Timeline
Dec 6, 2023
Introduced in House
Dec 6, 2023
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Dec 13, 2023
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Dec 13, 2023
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 46 - 0.
Mar 19, 2024
Mrs. Wagner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Mar 19, 2024
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1198-1201)
Mar 19, 2024
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6610.
Mar 19, 2024
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1198-1200)
Mar 19, 2024
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1198-1200)
Mar 19, 2024
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Mar 20, 2024
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  • December 6, 2023
    Introduced in House


  • December 6, 2023
    Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.


  • December 13, 2023
    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held


  • December 13, 2023
    Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 46 - 0.


  • March 19, 2024
    Mrs. Wagner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.


  • March 19, 2024
    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1198-1201)


  • March 19, 2024
    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6610.


  • March 19, 2024
    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1198-1200)


  • March 19, 2024
    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1198-1200)


  • March 19, 2024
    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.


  • March 20, 2024
    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

International Affairs

Computers and information technologyCongressional oversightDepartment of StateEmployee hiringGovernment studies and investigationsPerformance measurementPublic contracts and procurementVisas and passports

Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act

USA118th CongressHR-6610| House 
| Updated: 3/20/2024
Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act This bill addresses issues related to the passport issuance process, including by providing the Department of State with emergency hiring authorities. Under this bill, the State Department may hire additional personal services contractors to meet the exigent needs of the Bureau of Consular Affairs from FY2024 through FY2026. The State Department may have up to 100 such positions at any given time, and such positions may not be for longer than two years. Furthermore, the bureau must award or expand contracts to implement certain information technology (IT) programs. Specifically, these contracts shall be to (1) provide a digital dashboard to congressional offices to track individual passport applications; (2) establish a program to provide automated messages and notifications to passport applicants, such as notifications of application errors; (3) establish a mobile application to allow passport applicants to communicate with the State Department and submit documents; (4) expand the online passport renewal system to also accommodate routine first-time adult passport applications; and (5) provide rules-based tools to screen online passport renewal applications with no changed biographical information against commercial databases. The bureau must also solicit the private sector for proposals about commercially available technologies that may improve the passport issuance process. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) must report to Congress a comprehensive review of the passport issuance process, including opportunities to enhance the process. The bureau must periodically report to Congress on its progress in implementing the GAO's recommendations.

Bill Text Versions

View Text
3 versions available

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Dec 6, 2023
Introduced in House
Dec 6, 2023
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Dec 13, 2023
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Dec 13, 2023
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 46 - 0.
Mar 19, 2024
Mrs. Wagner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
Mar 19, 2024
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1198-1201)
Mar 19, 2024
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6610.
Mar 19, 2024
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1198-1200)
Mar 19, 2024
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1198-1200)
Mar 19, 2024
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Mar 20, 2024
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
  • December 6, 2023
    Introduced in House


  • December 6, 2023
    Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.


  • December 13, 2023
    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held


  • December 13, 2023
    Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 46 - 0.


  • March 19, 2024
    Mrs. Wagner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.


  • March 19, 2024
    Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1198-1201)


  • March 19, 2024
    DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6610.


  • March 19, 2024
    Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1198-1200)


  • March 19, 2024
    On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1198-1200)


  • March 19, 2024
    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.


  • March 20, 2024
    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
Darrell Issa

Darrell Issa

Republican Representative

California

Cosponsors (34)
Nikema Williams (Democratic)Clay Higgins (Republican)Lisa Blunt Rochester (Democratic)Chrissy Houlahan (Democratic)Warren Davidson (Republican)Mike Collins (Republican)Dina Titus (Democratic)Maria Elvira Salazar (Republican)Lloyd Smucker (Republican)Thomas H. Kean (Republican)Joaquin Castro (Democratic)Richard Hudson (Republican)Hillary J. Scholten (Democratic)Roger Williams (Republican)Alma S. Adams (Democratic)Sydney Kamlager-Dove (Democratic)Pramila Jayapal (Democratic)Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democratic)Brandon Williams (Republican)Jim Costa (Democratic)Janice D. Schakowsky (Democratic)Michael R. Turner (Republican)Derrick Van Orden (Republican)Colin Z. Allred (Democratic)Juan Ciscomani (Republican)Josh Gottheimer (Democratic)Michael Lawler (Republican)Jenniffer González-Colón (Republican)Nick LaLota (Republican)Jesús G. "Chuy" García (Democratic)Grace Meng (Democratic)Bradley Scott Schneider (Democratic)Katie Porter (Democratic)Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Republican)

Foreign Affairs Committee, Foreign Relations Committee

International Affairs

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Computers and information technologyCongressional oversightDepartment of StateEmployee hiringGovernment studies and investigationsPerformance measurementPublic contracts and procurementVisas and passports