By Chris Jennewein
Times of San Diego
SAN DIEGO — Legislation by Rep. Darrell Issa to modernize the U.S. passport system and eliminate backlogs is moving forward in Congress.
Issa’s Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act won unanimous approval in the House Foreign Affairs Committee this month and is expected to go for a vote before the full House in January.
The backlog in processing was a problem for many Americans as tourist travel resumed in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The collapse of the passport system represents a signature failure that upended and inconvenienced tens of millions of Americans who have the right to expect far more of their government,” said Issa, a Republican who represents East County.
He said his bill “will not only address many of the problems that led to the backlog but also deliver modernizations that are overdue and will set the system right for decades to come.” Key points in the legislation include:
–A service standard of processing passport applications in 30 days after receipt of documents and creating a user-friendly experience
–Surge hiring authority to solve current and future backlogs
–Expansion of the Online Passport Renewal system to accommodate first-time adult passport applications
–A text and email notification system for application status and passport applications
–Accelerating the passport renewal process by increasing use of software in passport adjudication
–A top-to-bottom review of the passport issuance system by the Government Accountability Office
–Accelerating the adoption of commercially available technology solutions
–Increasing congressional oversight over State Department modernization efforts
The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Maria Salazar of Florida and supported by Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the Foreign Affairs Committee’s ranking Democrat.
“It has been almost four years since the start of the pandemic. There is no excuse for forcing the American people to wait more than three months for a passport,” said Salazar. “Our legislation cleans up this mess at the State Department and puts this critical government service back on track.”
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Chris Jennewein is the publisher and editor of Times of San Diego, with which San Diego Jewish World shares stories under auspices of the San Diego Online News Association.