I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5620 
To waive the passport fees for first responders proceeding abroad to aid 
a foreign country suffering from a natural disaster. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 21, 2023 
Mr. ISSA (for himself, Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana, 
Mr. BEYER, Mr. LAMALFA, Ms. NORTON, Mr. WILSON of South Caro-
lina, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. PHILLIPS, Ms. SALAZAR, 
Mr. WALTZ, Mr. GIMENEZ, and Mr. GUEST) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition 
to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To waive the passport fees for first responders proceeding 
abroad to aid a foreign country suffering from a natural 
disaster. 
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 ‘‘First Responders Pass-
port Act of 2023’’. 
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SEC. 2. PASSPORTS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1 of the Act of June 4, 
1920 (22 U.S.C. 214; 41 Stat. 750; commonly referred 
to as the ‘‘Passport Act of 1920’’), is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (b) as sub-
section (d); and 
(2) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—There shall be collected and paid 
into the Treasury of the United States a fee, prescribed 
by the Secretary of State by regulation, for the filing of 
each application for a passport (including the cost of pass-
port issuance and use) and a fee, prescribed by the Sec-
retary of State by regulation, for executing each such ap-
plication, except that the Secretary of State may by regu-
lation authorize State officials or the United States Postal 
Service to collect and retain the execution fee for each ap-
plication for a passport accepted by such officials or by 
that Service. Such fees shall not be refundable, except as 
the Secretary may by regulation prescribe. 
‘‘(b) EXCEPTION
FOR PASSPORT FEE.—Notwith-
standing subsection (a), no passport fee shall be collected 
from any of the following: 
‘‘(1) An officer or employee of the United 
States proceeding abroad in the discharge of official 
duties, or from members of his immediate family. 
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‘‘(2) An American seaman who requires a pass-
port in connection with his duties aboard an Amer-
ican flag-vessel. 
‘‘(3) A widow, widower, child, parent, grand-
parent, brother, or sister of a deceased member of 
the Armed Forces proceeding abroad to visit the 
grave of such member or to attend a funeral or me-
morial service for such member. 
‘‘(4) An individual or individuals abroad, re-
turning to the United States, when the Secretary de-
termines that foregoing the collection of such fee is 
justified for humanitarian reasons or for law en-
forcement purposes. 
‘‘(5) At the discretion of the Secretary, an indi-
vidual, including a volunteer, who— 
‘‘(A) is operating under a contract, grant, 
or cooperative agreement with the United 
States Government to proceed abroad to a for-
eign country to participate in search, rescue, 
and other related disaster relief operations 
within such foreign country within the first 7 
days after a natural disaster affecting such for-
eign country; and 
‘‘(B) is required pursuant to such contract, 
grant, or cooperative agreement to be available 
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to so proceed abroad immediately upon notice 
from the United States Government. 
‘‘(c) EXCEPTION FOR EXECUTION FEE.—No execu-
tion fee shall be collected for an application made before 
a Federal official by a person excused from payment of 
the passport fee under this section.’’. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the end 
of the first full fiscal year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Sen-
ate a report on the number of waivers of fees for the exe-
cution and issuance of passports to first responders under 
section 1 of the Act of June 4, 1920, as amended by sub-
section (a) of this section, for such fiscal year. 
SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 
shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 
titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 
Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 
by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro-
vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 
vote on passage. 
Æ 
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