Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act

Bill: 118-hr-6610
Sponsor: Rep. Issa, Darrell E. [R-CA-48]
Introduced: 2023-12-06 in the House
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Department of State
Employee hiring
Government studies and investigations
Performance measurement
Public contracts and procurement
Visas and passports

Summary:
action_date: 2023-12-06
text: 

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. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2024-03-20
text: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
action_date: 2024-03-19
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2024-03-19
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H1198-1200)
action_date: 2024-03-19
text: 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)
action_date: 2024-03-19
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6610.
action_date: 2024-03-19
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H1198-1201)
action_date: 2024-03-19
text: Mrs. Wagner moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
action_date: 2023-12-13
text: Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 46 - 0.
action_date: 2023-12-13
text: Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
action_date: 2023-12-06
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
action_date: 2023-12-06
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2023-12-06
text: Introduced in House