Bill Sponsor
House Bill 6610
118th Congress(2023-2024)
Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act
Active
Active
Passed House on Mar 19, 2024
Overview
Text
Introduced
Dec 6, 2023
Latest Action
Mar 20, 2024
Origin Chamber
House
Type
Bill
Bill
The primary form of legislative measure used to propose law. Depending on the chamber of origin, bills begin with a designation of either H.R. or S. Joint resolution is another form of legislative measure used to propose law.
Bill Number
6610
Congress
118
Policy Area
International Affairs
International Affairs
Primary focus of measure is matters affecting foreign aid, human rights, international law and organizations; national governance; arms control; diplomacy and foreign officials; alliances and collective security. Measures concerning trade agreements, tariffs, foreign investments, and foreign loans may fall under Foreign Trade and International Finance policy area.
Sponsorship by Party
House Votes (1)
Senate Votes (0)
checkPassed on March 19, 2024
Status
Passed
Type
Voice Vote
Voice Vote
A vote in which the presiding officer states the question, then asks those in favor and against to say "Yea" or "Nay," respectively, and announces the result according to his or her judgment. The names or numbers of senators voting on each side are not recorded.
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)
Summary

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.

Text (3)
March 20, 2024
March 19, 2024
December 6, 2023
Actions (11)
03/20/2024
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
03/19/2024
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
03/19/2024
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1198-1200)
03/19/2024
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)
03/19/2024
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6610.
03/19/2024
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1198-1201)
03/19/2024
Mrs. Wagner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
12/13/2023
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 46 - 0.
12/13/2023
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
12/06/2023
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
12/06/2023
Introduced in House
Graphics
H.R.6610 118 Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act
Public Record
Record Updated
Jul 24, 2024 3:12:51 PM