I 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2745 

To refund passport processing fees and international travel costs as a result 

of unreasonable delays in passport application processing times, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 15, 2007 

Mr. COOPER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, 

in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To refund passport processing fees and international travel 

costs as a result of unreasonable delays in passport application processing times, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Passport and Travel 

5 Cost Reimbursement Act of 2007’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 

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1 (1) The Department of State has failed to an2 ticipate the increased level of demand for passports 

3 after implementing new Western Hemisphere Travel 

4 Initiative rules required by Congress. 

5 (2) This failure has cost United States citizens 

6 many thousands of dollars in unused or cancelled 

7 transportation, accommodation, and tour reserva8 tions. 

9 (3) The Department’s proposal to refund fees 

10 for failed expedited processing provides insufficient 

11 relief to citizens who lost large sums of money 

12 through no fault of their own. 

13 (4) The United States Government has an obli14 gation to deal honestly and fairly with all individuals 

15 who come into contact with it, and to remedy any 

16 hardship that arises as a result of its negligence. 

17 SEC. 3. REFUND OF PASSPORT PROCESSING FEES. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State shall re19 fund to an eligible United States citizen the fee paid by 

20 such citizen in connection with a properly completed and 

21 submitted application for a United States passport if such 

22 citizen applied or applies for such passport at any time 

23 between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2007, and 

24 the time for processing of such passport with respect to 

25 such citizen took— 

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1 (1) 12 or more weeks in the case of a regular 

2 application; or 

3 (2) 3 or more weeks in the case of an expedited 

4 application. 

5 (b) APPLICATION FOR REFUND.—To be eligible to re6 ceive a refund under subsection (a), a United States cit7 izen shall submit to the Secretary an application for a re8 fund at such time, in such manner, and containing such 

9 information as the Secretary may require. 

10 SEC. 4. REFUND OF INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL COSTS. 

11 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State shall re12 fund to a United States citizen eligible for a refund of 

13 a passport processing fee under section 3 the cost incurred 

14 by such citizen for payment for an economy-class or com15 parable ticket, subject to subsection (b), on an inter16 national flight departing from a point in the United States 

17 if such flight was or is scheduled to depart at any time 

18 between January 23, 2007, and December 31, 2007, and 

19 if such citizen was or is unable to travel aboard such flight 

20 because such citizen was or is unable to timely acquire 

21 a passport and such citizen missed or cancelled such flight 

22 (b) REDUCTION IN AMOUNT OF REFUND.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall reduce 

24 the travel cost refund under subsection (a) by an 

25 amount equal to the amount that the airline opermstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS

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1 ating the flight on which such citizen was scheduled 

2 to travel has refunded to such citizen as a result of 

3 such citizen’s inability to travel aboard such flight, 

4 in accordance with the refund policies of such air5 line. 

6 (2) BUSINESS-CLASS OR FIRST-CLASS TICK7 ET.—A citizen who submits an application for a re8 fund under this section shall be limited to a refund 

9 in an amount equal to the cost of an economy-class 

10 or comparable ticket for the international flight on 

11 which such citizen was or is unable to travel, subject 

12 to any reduction under paragraph (1). 

13 (c) INFORMATION.—The Secretary shall request from 

14 airlines a list of United States citizens who paid for tickets 

15 for international travel with such airlines but who did not 

16 travel with such airlines during the time period specified 

17 in subsection (a). 

18 (d) APPLICATION FOR REFUND.—To be eligible to re19 ceive a refund under subsection (a), a United States cit20 izen shall submit to the Secretary an application for a re21 fund at such time, in such manner, and containing such 

22 information as the Secretary may require. 

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1 SEC. 5. ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN INDIVID2 UALS. 

3 The Secretary of State is authorized to provide to a 

4 United States citizen who is eligible for a refund under 

5 sections 3 and 4 assistance if the Secretary determines 

6 that such citizen has suffered an extraordinary financial 

7 hardship, such as any provable tour costs, as a result of 

8 a delay in passport application processing times and 

9 missed or cancelled international travel. 

10 SEC. 6. CERTIFICATION. 

11 The Secretary of Homeland Security and the Sec12 retary of State may not implement the plan required 

13 under section 7209(b) of the Intelligence Reform and Ter14 rorism Prevention Act of 2004 (Public Law 108–458; 8 

15 U.S.C. 1185 note) with respect to the establishment of 

16 a single implementation date for sea and land borders 

17 until such time as such Secretaries have submitted to Con18 gress in writing a certification that the passport agencies 

19 of the Department of State are able to process applica20 tions for passports with minimal disruption to the travel 

21 plans of United States citizens. 

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