I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6595 
To expedite and expand provision of American Citizen Services worldwide 
during the COVID–19 pandemic, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 22, 2020 
Mr. CASTRO of Texas introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs 
A BILL 
To expedite and expand provision of American Citizen Serv-
ices worldwide during the COVID–19 pandemic, and for 
other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Expanding Vital Amer-
ican Citizen Services Overseas (EVACS) Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) There is an unprecedented need for Amer-
ican Citizen Services from the Department of State 
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and its posts globally during the COVID–19 pan-
demic. 
(2) Consistent intake of new Foreign Service 
Officers and Foreign Service Specialists is integral 
to protecting Americans worldwide. 
(3) American Citizen Services include, among 
other services, emergency passports, consular reports 
of birth abroad, virtual or in-person welfare visits of 
United States citizens who are imprisoned or hos-
pitalized, emergency financial assistance, and repa-
triation of United States citizens, as well as repatri-
ation of remains when deaths occur abroad. 
(4) Consular systems worldwide, as well as pre-
viously established crisis management task force pro-
cedures, are unable to handle the remote workload 
and requirements for social distancing simulta-
neously. 
(5) The Department of State has increased 
need for personal protective equipment for its staff 
worldwide as they fulfill the mission to provide 
American Citizen Services and perform other essen-
tial diplomatic duties. 
(6) Current United States laws and regulations 
are not adequate to meet worldwide needs such as 
the sudden demand for evacuation of United States 
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citizens, combined with reduced or nonexistent pri-
vate airline capacity, and the reduced staffing capa-
bilities and remote processing of American Citizen 
Services requests. 
SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
The Secretary of State should take steps to ensure 
the expedited and expanded provision of American Citizen 
Services from the Department of State during the 
COVID–19 pandemic and future global emergencies. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ACS; AMERICAN CITIZEN SERVICES.—The 
terms ‘‘ACS’’ and ‘‘American Citizen Services’’ refer 
to the range of services provided to United States 
nationals by the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the 
Department of State, and at the Department’s over-
seas posts. 
(2) APPROPRIATE
CONGRESSIONAL
COMMIT-
TEES.—The term ‘‘appropriate congressional com-
mittees’’ means— 
(A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of 
the Senate; and 
(B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of 
the House of Representatives. 
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(3) COVERED INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘‘covered 
individual’’ means a United States citizen, United 
States national, lawful permanent resident, or the 
immediate family members of a United States cit-
izen, a United States national, or a lawful perma-
nent resident. 
(4) DECLARED COVID–19 PANDEMIC PERIOD.— 
The term ‘‘declared COVID–19 pandemic period’’ 
means the period of the national emergency declared 
by the President under the National Emergencies 
Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) with respect to the 
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID–19). 
SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE FOR COVERED INDIVIDUALS OVER-
SEAS. 
(a) PETITIONING FOR INTRACOUNTRY TRAVEL FOR 
UNITED STATES PERSONS IN CERTAIN COUNTRIES.— 
The Secretary of State shall petition the government of 
any country that closes borders and airspace or places 
travel restrictions due to COVID–19 to make provisions 
with the United States embassy, consulate, or other diplo-
matic mission responsible for consular services in that 
country to assure covered individuals can travel 
intracountry to United States Government evacuation 
points or to access commercial travel when possible. 
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(b) WAIVER OR REIMBURSEMENT OF TRAVEL EX-
PENSES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State shall 
waive any travel expenses paid by the Department of 
State on or after December 31, 2019, for any cov-
ered individual who is evacuated from a foreign 
country and repatriated to the United States due to 
travel restrictions implemented in response to 
COVID–19 or any future pandemic or international 
crisis, as determined by the Secretary. 
(2) PROMISSORY NOTES.—Any promissory note 
signed by a covered individual to reimburse the De-
partment of State for travel expenses described in 
paragraph (1) shall be null and void. 
(3) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 4 of 
the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 
(22 U.S.C. 2671) is amended by adding at the end 
the following new subsection: 
‘‘(e) EXCEPTION FROM REIMBURSEMENT REQUIRE-
MENT FOR CERTAIN COMMUNICABLE DISEASE-RELATED 
EXPENSES.—In the case of a communicable disease for 
which the Federal Government has issued a travel alert 
or travel warning, the reimbursement requirements under 
subsections (b)(2)(A)(ii) and (d) shall not apply.’’. 
(4) REIMBURSEMENT.— 
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(A) AUTHORIZATION.—The Secretary of 
State shall reimburse covered individuals who 
were evacuated from a foreign country on or 
after December 31, 2019, and repatriated to 
the United States due to travel restrictions de-
scribed in paragraph (1) for travel expenses as-
sociated with such evacuation and repatriation, 
including the costs of commercial or charter 
flights and any ground transportation expenses 
associated with travel to the foreign airport and 
from the domestic airport to their homes in the 
United States. 
(B) PROCESS.—The Secretary of State 
shall develop an online process through which 
United States citizens may submit claims for 
reimbursement for travel expenses described in 
subparagraph (A). 
(c) FUNDING.—The Secretary of State may use 
amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the 
Department of State in any appropriations Act for paying 
expenses related to overseas evacuations to pay for the 
travel expenses described in subsection (b)(1). 
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