,i  #aae? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #fgjg  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,septemb] #e1         
#bjah,mr4 ,gonzalez ( ,texas 7= himself1
 ,mr4 ,gomez1 & ,mr4 ,espaillat7        
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to
 ! ,committee on ,=eign ,affairs  ,a    
,,bill  ,to e/abli% c]ta9 /&>ds = !     
adjudication ( ,unit$ ,/ates passport   
applications1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4    
,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !   
,we/]n ,hemisph]e ,travel ,initiative   
,improvem5t ,act ( #bjah4  #b4 ,f9d+s2  
def9ition  7a7 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds !  
foll[+3  7#a7 ,all claims ( ,unit$      
,/ates citiz5%ip & nationality mu/ be   
treat$ ) ! utmo/ respect & c>e1 )       
adh]5ce to proc$ures necess>y &         
suffici5t to gu>d aga9/ ! s]i\s risk (  
,unit$ ,/ates citiz5s & nationals be+   
depriv$ ( ! rights1 privileges1 &       
b5efits att5dant to su* citiz5%ip &     
nationality or ! d5ial ( valid claims   
!reto4  7#b7 ,! "r to travel abroad &   
return home is an important & protect$  

elem5t ( ,unit$ ,/ates citiz5%ip4 ,?is  
"r %\ld n be d5i$ on ! basis ( race or  
ance/ry or = reasons t are arbitr>y &   
caprici\s4  7#c7 ,millions ( ,unit$     
,/ates citiz5s live 9 ,unit$ ,/ates     
bord] communities & regul>ly cross !    
bord] = family1 "w1 bus9ess1 & p]sonal  
reasons1 & passports or o!r con=m+      
docum5ts are requir$ to d s4  7#d7 ,9   
rec5t ye>s1 c]ta9 ,unit$ ,/ates citiz5s 
liv+ or born 9 ,/ates bord]+ ,mexico h  
be5 =mally or effectively d5i$ ,unit$   
,/ates passports z a result ( a process 
t (t5 lacks due process1 imposes a      
height5$ burd5 ( pro( on c]ta9 passport 
applicants1 & results 9 decisions t are 
inadequately support$ by an evid5ti>y   
record4  7b7 ,def9itions  7#a7          
,applicant ,! t]m applicant means a     
p]son :o submits a ,unit$ ,/ates        
passport application4  7#b7 ,secret>y ,!
 t]m ,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate
 & any individual designat$ by !        
,secret>y ( ,/ate to adjudicate ,unit$  
,/ates passport applications "u an ,act 

to regulate ! issue & validity (        
passports1 & = o!r purposes 7,july #c1  
#aibf2 #bb ,u4,s4,c4 #baa;a74  #c4      
,confirmation & cl>ification ( /&>ds =  
adjudication ( ,unit$ ,/ates passport   
applications by ,secret>y ( ,/ate  7a7  
,9 g5]al  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y    
%all adjudicate ,unit$ ,/ates passport  
applications 9 an individualiz$1        
evid5ce-bas$ mann]4  7#b7 ,individualiz$
 assessm5t ,at e /age ( ! passport      
application adjudicatory process "u     
p>agraph 7#a71 includ+ any reque/s =    
additional evid5ce & rul+s on ! m]its ( 
an application1 ! ,secret>y's decisions 
respect+ ,unit$ ,/ates passport         
applications %all be bas$ on an         
assessm5t ( individual circum/ances &   
evid5ce4  7#c7 ,prohibition ,an         
applicant's race1 e?nicity1 or ance/ry  
may n be a factor tak5 into acc\nt 9 !  
passport application adjudicatory       
process "u p>agraph 7#a74  7b7 ,proce$+s
  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,an applicant %all      
e/abli% by a prepond]ance ( ! evid5ce at

 all /ages ( ! passport application     
adjudicatory process1 includ+ 9 proce$+s
 "u section #cfj ( ! ,immigration &     
,nationality ,act 7#h ,u4,s4,c4 #aejc71 
t su* applicant is a ,unit$ ,/ates      
citiz5 or national4  7#b7 ,prohibition  
,! ,secret>y %all n utilize or apply any
 height5$ burd5 ( pro( :5 evaluat+ !    
citiz5%ip or nationality ( an applicant 
& %all apply su* prepond]ance ( !       
evid5ce /&>d requir$ "u p>agraph 7#a7 9 
a uni=m & consi/5t mann] to all passport
 applications4  7#c7 ,writ+ ,any        
det]m9ation by ! ,secret>y t an         
applicant has n met ! burd5 ( prov+     
,unit$ ,/ates citiz5%ip or nationality  
by a prepond]ance ( ! evid5ce %all be   
made 9 writ+1 /ate ! reasons = !        
,secret>y's det]m9ation1 & be provid$ to
 ! applicant 9 a timely mann]4  7c7     
,acceptance ( c]ta9 evid5ce ,a bir?     
c]tificate sign$ by a midwife1 doctor1  
or o!r p]son au?oriz$ "u ,/ate law to   
sign su* a docum5t1 or a previ\sly issu$
 ,unit$ ,/ates passport1 %all con/itute 

prima facie evid5ce ( ,unit$ ,/ates     
citiz5%ip or nationality &1 abs5t       
individualiz$ evid5ce t a bir? did n    
take place 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 %all      
satisfy ! prepond]ance ( ! evid5ce /&>d 
= demon/rat+ an applicant's ,unit$      
,/ates citiz5%ip or nationality4