South Lake Today

Washington, D.C. — Florida Congressman Daniel Webster, R-Clermont, recently co-introduced the bipartisan Passport Modernization Act, a bill to make the passport application process easier and more efficient. 

“My office has heard from countless constituents as they have faced frustrating delays with their passport applications,” said Rep. Webster. “This legislation will bring much needed changes to help bring down wait times, modernize our processes and improve accountability to better serve the American people.” 

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. 
• Require the GAO to conduct a report on National Passport Information Center operations.

 The bill follows a May 16th letter Rep. Webster and more than 160 colleagues sent to the State Department with specific questions regarding their internal communications and processes for passport applications to understand the challenges facing the State Department. 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), Maria Salazar (R-FL), Seth Moulton (D-MA), and Susie Lee (D-NV).

Original source can be found here.