First Responders Passport Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-5620
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Issa, Darrell E. [R-CA-48]
Introduced: 2023-09-21
Policy area: Immigration
Latest action: action_date: 2023-09-21
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, 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.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5620 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 Carolina , 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 determined 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.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the First Responders Passport Act of 2023 . 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 subsection (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 passport issuance and use) and a fee, prescribed by the Secretary of State by regulation, for executing each such application, except that the Secretary of State may by regulation authorize State officials or the United States Postal Service to collect and retain the execution fee for each application 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 Notwithstanding 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. (2) An American seaman who requires a passport in connection with his duties aboard an American flag-vessel. (3) A widow, widower, child, parent, grandparent, 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 memorial service for such member. (4) An individual or individuals abroad, returning to the United States, when the Secretary determines that foregoing the collection of such fee is justified for humanitarian reasons or for law enforcement purposes. (5) At the discretion of the Secretary, an individual, including a volunteer, who— (A) is operating under a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement with the United States Government to proceed abroad to a foreign 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 foreign country; and (B) is required pursuant to such contract, grant, or cooperative agreement to be available to so proceed abroad immediately upon notice from the United States Government. (c) Exception for execution fee No execution 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 Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report on the number of waivers of fees for the execution and issuance of passports to first responders under section 1 of the Act of June 4, 1920, as amended by subsection (a) of this section, for such fiscal year. 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, provided that such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.