,i #aah? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ebcc ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,( ,,repres5tatives ,augu/ #ah1 #bjbc,mr4 ,c>t] ( ,georgia 7= himself1 ,mrs4 ,*avez-,de,remer1 ,ms4 ,lee ( ,nevada1 ,mr4 ,mill] ( ,ohio1 ,mr4 ,mills1 ,mr4 ,m\lton1 ,mr4 ,nunn ( ,i[a1 ,ms4 ,salaz>1 ,mr4 ,s*iff1 ,ms4 ,titus1 & ,mr4 ,web/] ( ,florida7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign ,affairs ,a ,,bill ,to am5d ! ,passport ,act ( ,june #d1 #aibj1 to make c]ta9 improvem5ts ) respect to exp5diture & o!r au?orities1 & = o!r purposes4 #a4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act1 ! foll[+ def9itions apply3 7#a7 ,appropriate congressional committees ,! t]m appropriate congressional committees means ! ,committee on ,=eign ,relations ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on ,=eign ,affairs ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives4 7#b7 ,dep>tm5t ,! t]m ,dep>tm5t means ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate4 7#c7 ,secret>y ,! t]m ,secret>y means ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate4 #b4 ,passport fee exp5diture au?ority ext5sion 7a7 ,we/]n hemisph]e travel initiative fee ,to make p]man5t ! ,we/]n ,hemisph]e ,travel ,initiative fee1 section #a7;b7 ( ! ,passport ,act ( ,june #d1 #aibj1 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bad7;b77#a77 is am5d$-- 7#a7 9 p>agraph 7#a71 by /rik+ 7#a72 & 7#b7 by /rik+ p>agraphs 7#b7 & 7#c74 7b7 ,passport fees ,section #a7;b7 ( ! ,passport ,act ( ,june #d1 #aibj1 z am5d$ by subsection 7a71 %all be appli$ ?r\gh fiscal ye> #bjbh by /rik+ su* co/s & ins]t+ ! co/s ( provid+ consul> s]vices4 7c7 ,mod]nization ( passport process+ ,a portion ( ! exp&$ exp5diture au?orities provid$ 9 subsections 7a7 & 7b7 %all be us$-- 7#a7 to mod]nize consul> sy/ems1 ) an emphasis on passport & citiz5%ip s]vices2 & 7#b7 t[>ds a feasibility /udy on h[ ! ,dep>tm5t c\ld provide urg5t1 9-p]son passport s]vices to significant populations ) ! longe/ travel times to exi/+ passport ag5cies1 includ+ ! possibility ( build+ new passport ag5cies4 #c4 ,special hir+ au?ority = passport s]vices ,dur+ ! #c-ye> p]iod beg9n+ on ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate1 )\t reg>d to ! provisions "u sections #ccji ?r\gh #ccah ( title #e1 ,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 may directly appo9t c&idates to positions 9 ! competitive s]vice 7z def9$ 9 section #bajb ( su* title7 at ! ,dep>tm5t 9 ! ,passport & ,visa ,exam9+ ,s]ies #jifg4 #d4 ,qu>t]ly report on passport wait times ,n lat] ?an #cj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 & qu>t]ly !reaft] = ! foll[+ #c ye>s1 ! ,secret>y %all submit a report to ! appropriate congressional committees t describes-- 7#a7 ! curr5t e/imat$ wait times = passport process+2 7#b7 ! /eps t h be5 tak5 by ! ,dep>tm5t to r$uce wait times to a reasonable "t2 7#c7 ef=ts to improve ! roll\t ( ! onl9e passport r5ewal process+ program1 includ+ h[ mu* ( passport rev5ues ! ,dep>tm5t is sp5d+ on consul> sy/ems mod]nization2 7#d7 ! dem& = urg5t passport s]vices by major metropolitan area2 7#e7 ! /eps t h be5 tak5 by ! ,dep>tm5t to r$uce & meet ! dem& = urg5t passport s]vices1 p>ticul>ly 9 areas t are great] ?an #e h\rs driv+ "t f ! ne>e/ passport ag5cy2 & 7#f7 h[ ! ,dep>tm5t details its /aff & res\rces to passport s]vices programs4 #e4 ,passport travel advisories ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,dep>tm5t %all make prom95tly available 9 ,unit$ ,/ates regul> passports1 on ! fir/ #c pages ( ! passport1 ! foll[+ in=mation3 7#a7 ,a prom95t1 cle> advisory = all travel]s to *eck travel4/ate4gov = updat$ travel w>n+s & advisories4 7#b7 ,a prom95t1 cle> notice urg+ all travel]s to regi/] ) ! ,dep>tm5t prior to ov]seas travel4 7#c7 ,a prom95t1 cle> advisory-- 7,a7 not+ t _m c\ntries d5y entry to travel]s dur+ ! la/ #f mon?s ( _! passport validity p]iod2 & 7,b7 urg+ all travel]s to r5ew _! passport n lat] ?an #a ye> prior to its expiration4 #f4 ,/rategy to ensure access to passport s]vices = all ,am]icans ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y %all submit a /rategy to ! appropriate congressional committees1 ! ,committee on ,appropriations ( ! ,s5ate1 & ! ,committee on ,appropriations ( ! ,h\se ( ,repres5tatives = ensur+ reasonable access to passport s]vices = all ,am]icans1 :i* %all include-- 7#a7 a detail$ /rategy describ+ h[ ! ,dep>tm5t c\ld-- 7,a7 by n lat] ?an #a ye> aft] submission ( ! /rategy1 r$uce passport process+ times to an acceptable av]age = r5ewals & = exp$it$ s]vice2 & 7,b7 by n lat] ?an #b ye>s aft] ! submission ( ! /rategy1 provide ,unit$ ,/ates resid5ts liv+ 9 a significant population c5t] m ?an a #e-;h\r drive f a passport ag5cy ) urg5t1 9-p]son passport s]vices1 includ+ ! possibility ( build+ new passport ag5cies2 & 7#b7 a description ( ! specific res\rces requir$ to implem5t ! /rategy4 #g4 ,/r5g!n+ ! national passport in=mation c5t] 7a7 ,s5se ( congress ,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t passport wait times s9ce #bjba h be5 unacceptably long & h creat$ fru/ration among ^? seek+ to obta9 or r5ew passports4 7b7 ,onl9e *at feature ,! ,dep>tm5t %\ld develop an onl9e tool ) ! capability = cu/om]s to correspond ) cu/om] s]vice repres5tatives reg>d+ que/ions & updates p]ta9+ to _! application = a passport or = ! r5ewal ( a passport4 7c7 ,gao report ,n lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates %all initiate a review ( ,,npic op]ations1 :i* %all include an analysis ( ! ext5t to :i* ,,npic-- 7#a7 responds to con/itu5t inquiries by telephone1 includ+ h[ long con/itu5ts are kept on hold & _! ability to be plac$ 9 a queue2 7#b7 provides p]sonaliz$ cu/om] s]vice2 7#c7 ma9ta9s its telecommunications infra/ructure to ensure x effectively h&les call volumes2 & 7#d7 o!r relevant issues ! ,comptroll] ,g5]al deems appropriate4 #h4 ,/r5g!n+ passport cu/om] visibility & transp>5cy 7a7 ,onl9e /atus tool ,n lat] ?an #b ye>s aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,dep>tm5t %\ld mod]nize ! onl9e passport application /atus tool to include1 to ! greate/ ext5t possible1 /ep by /ep updates on ! /atus ( _! application1 includ+ ) respect to ! foll[+ /ages3 7#a7 ,submitt$ = process+4 7#b7 ,9 process at a lockbox facility4 7#c7 ,await+ adjudication4 7#d7 ,9 process ( adjudication4 7#e7 ,adjudicat$ ) a result ( approval or d5ial4 7#f7 ,mat]ials %ipp$4 7b7 ,additional in=mation ,! tool pursuant to subsection 7a7 %\ld include a display t in=ms ea* passport applicant (-- 7#a7 ! date on :i* 8 or h] passport application 0 receiv$2 & 7#b7 ! e/imat$ wait "t rema9+ 9 ! passport application process4 7c7 ,report ,n lat] ?an #ij days aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,assi/ant ,secret>y ( ,/ate = ,consul> ,affairs %all submit a report to ! appropriate congressional committees t outl9es a plan = coord9at$ compreh5sive public outrea* to increase public aw>5ess & und]/&+ (-- 7#a7 ! onl9e /atus tool requir$ "u subsection 7a72 7#b7 passport travel advisories requir$ "u section #d2 & 7#c7 passport wait times4