Congress Tries to Reduce Passport Delays

Hoping to reduce the mountainous backlog of passport requests, and stem the flow of calls from angry constituents with blown travel plans, the House of Representatives has passed a bill that would allow the State Department to rehire retired, but passport-experience personnel.

Approved by a voice vote, the bill S. 966 would suspend through Oct, 1, 2010, rules denying pension payments to retirees who return to their jobs and exceed specific hours-worked limits. Retired foreign service passport adjudicators would be rehired on a temporary basis.

The House-passed version of the bill make some technical changes to a similar bill already passed by the Senate. The Senate is expected to pass the final version of the bill later this week, sending it to President Bush for his signature.

Waiting times for passports grew from six to over 12 weeks after a terror-fighting law requiring passports for air travel to Canada, Mexico and Bermuda went into effect last January.

On June 8, the Bush Administration temporarily suspended the passport requirement as long as travelers provide proof they had applied for a passport. The temporary suspension, however, has not reduced the waiting time for applicants planning to travel to other international destinations.

The State Department has projected it will process almost 18 million passport applications during 2007, compared to only 12 million in 2006.

From October through April of 2007, the State Department reported issuing 8.6 million passports, a 33 percent increase over the same period in 2006, and more passports than were issued in any single full year before 2003.

Also See:
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