,,ii  #aah? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bbdi  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,july #aa1 #bjbc,mr4   
,lank=d 7= himself & ,mr4 ,ricketts7    
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign
 ,relations  ,a ,,bill  ,to improve !   
timel9ess1 resili5cy1 & transp>5cy (    
passport process+ op]ations1 & = o!r    
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,passport ,act ( #bjbc4    
#b4 ,s5se ( ,congress ,x is ! s5se (    
,congress t-- 7#a7 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate's
 h&l+ ( passport process+ dur+ & s9ce ! 
,,covid-#ai p&emic-- 7,a7 fell %ort (   
p]=mance b5*m>ks2  7,b7 did n meet !    
ne$s ( _! con/itu5ts2 &  7,c7 l$ to a   
loss ( confid5ce 9 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate2 
7#b7 ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate's failure to   
p]=m its duty to produce passports 9 a  
timely mann] l$ to unacceptable p]sonal 
h>d%ip & complications to ! travel plans
 = millions ( ,am]icans2 &  7#c7 !      
,,covid-#ai p&emic expos$ %ortcom+s 9 ! 
in=mation te*nology infra/ructure ( !   

,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate's passport process+   
functions1 :i* mu/ be correct$4  #c4    
,ensur+ timely adjudication ( passport  
applications  7a7 ,passport process+    
deadl9es ,! ,assi/ant ,secret>y ( ,/ate 
= ,consul> ,affairs 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is    
section z ! ,assi/ant ,secret>y71 9     
coord9ation ) ! ,deputy ,assi/ant       
,secret>y ( ,/ate = ,passport ,s]vices1 
%all ensure t all r\t9e applications = a
 passport or = ! r5ewal ( a passport are
 process$1 on av]age1 )9 #ab weeks ( !  
receipt ( su* application4  7b7 ,av]age 
passport process+ "t ,n less frequ5tly  
?an weekly1 ! ,assi/ant ,secret>y %all  
make publicly available on a website ( !
 ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate in=mation relat$ to !
 av]age expect$ process+ "t =           
applications = a passport & = ! r5ewal (
 a passport4  7c7 ,notification (       
failure ,to meet deadl9e ,if ! av]age   
process+ times ref]r$ to 9 subsection   
7b7 fail to meet ! #ab-week requirem5t =
 #d consecutive weeks-- 7#a7 ! ,assi/ant
 ,secret>y1 n lat] ?an #g days aft] su* 

failure1 %all notify ! appropriate      
congressional committees ( !            
circum/ances relat$ to su* failure2     
7#b7 ! ,assi/ant ,secret>y1 n lat] ?an  
#g days foll[+ ! initial notification "u
 p>agraph 7#a71 %all submit a second    
notification to ! appropriate           
congressional committees t-- 7,a7       
assesses ! factors contribut+ to !      
passport process+ delays2 &  7,b7       
includes a plan = return+ to compliance 
) ! #ab-week requirem5t ref]r$ to 9     
subsection 7a72 &  7#c7 ! ,assi/ant     
,secret>y %all cont9ue to submit weekly 
compliance plans to ! appropriate       
congressional committees & no p]sonnel f
 ! ,passport ,s]vices ,division ( !     
,bureau ( ,consul> ,affairs may be      
approv$ = telework or remote "w until ! 
,assi/ant ,secret>y c]tifies t ! av]age 
passport process+ "t is 9 compliance ) !
 #ab-week requirem5t = #c consecutive   
weeks4  #d4 ,/r5g!n+ passport process+  
op]ations dur+ seasons ( high dem&  7a7 
,reassignm5t ( p]sonnel ,if ! av]age    

passport process+ "t exce$s ! #ab-week  
requirem5t requir$ "u section #c7;a71 ! 
,secret>y ( ,/ate is au?oriz$ to        
reassign ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate p]sonnel :o d
 n "w = ! ,bureau ( ,consul> ,affairs to
 assi/ ) ! process+ & adjudication (    
passport applications until ! ,bureau is
 9 compliance ) su* requirem5t4  7b7    
,tra9+ plan  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,n lat] ?an  
#a ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is   
,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate1 9            
consultation ) ! ,assi/ant ,secret>y (  
,/ate = ,consul> ,affairs1 %all e/abli% 
a plan = tra9+ ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate        
p]sonnel :o d n "w = ! ,bureau (        
,consul> ,affairs to process &          
adjudicate passport applications4  7#b7 
,capacity ,! plan e/abli%$ pursuant to  
p>agraph 7#a7 %all ensure t !re are     
always a suffici5t numb] ( ,dep>tm5t (  
,/ate p]sonnel outside ( ! ,bureau (    
,consul> ,affairs :o are capable (      
process+ & adjudicat+ passport          
applications to prev5t a significant    
backlog ( unprocess$ passport           

applications dur+ anticipat$ p]iods (   
high dem&4  #e4 ,su/a9+ passport        
process+ op]ations dur+ national        
em]g5cies  7a7 ,prelim9>y plan ,n lat]  
?an #a ye> aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t (   
?is ,act1 ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate1 9        
consultation ) ! ,assi/ant ,secret>y (  
,/ate = ,consul> ,affairs1 %all submit a
 prelim9>y plan to ! appropriate        
congressional committees t outl9es h[ ! 
,bureau ( ,consul> ,affairs w su/a9     
passport process+ op]ations & functions 
9 ! ev5t ( a national em]g5cy t w>rants 
! susp5sion ( normal op]ations4  7b7    
,cont5ts ,! plan submitt$ pursuant to   
subsection 7a7 %all include-- 7#a7      
/rategies & plans = adjudicat+ passport 
applications 9 a secure mann]2  7#b7 an 
analysis ( ! feasibility ( p]=m+ any    
/eps ( ! passport adjudication process  
remotely2  7#c7 plans = su/a9+ /aff+ &  
infra/ructure on a limit$ & ongo+ basis2
 &  7#d7 plans = resum+ normal op]ations
 & r$uc+ any backlog ( applications t   
prev5t compliance ) ! #ab-week av]age   

passport process+ "t requirem5t "u      
section #c7;a74  7c7 ,notification (    
susp5sion ( normal passport process+    
op]ations  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,if ! ,presid5t
 decl>es a national em]g5cy "u !        
,national ,em]g5cies ,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4
 #afja et seq471 section #bjc ( !       
,int]national ,em]g5cy ,economic ,p[]s  
,act 7#ej ,u4,s4,c4 #agjb71 or section  
#eja ( ! ,rob]t ,t4 ,/af=d ,disa/]      
,relief & ,em]g5cy ,assi/ance ,act 7#ej 
,u4,s4,c4 #eaia71 or if ! ,secret>y (   
,heal? & ,human ,s]vices decl>es a      
public heal? em]g5cy "u section #cai ( !
 ,public ,heal? ,s]vice ,act 7#db       
,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d71 ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate1 
n lat] ?an #ae days aft] su* decl>ation1
 %all submit a report to ! appropriate  
congressional committees reg>d+ :e!r su*
 em]g5cy necessitates a susp5sion (     
normal op]ations = passport process+    
functions 9 ! ,bureau ( ,consul>        
,affairs4  7#b7 ,cont9uation ( passport 
process+ op]ations dur+ em]g5cy ,if !   
,secret>y ( ,/ate det]m9es t an em]g5cy 

ref]r$ to 9 p>agraph 7#a7 necessitates a
 susp5sion ( normal passport process+   
op]ations1 ! ,secret>y1 n lat] ?an #cj  
days aft] su* det]m9ation1 %all submit a
 report to ,congress t describes h[ !   
,bureau ( ,consul> ,affairs plans to    
su/a9 passport process+ op]ations dur+  
su* em]g5cy at ! mo/ productive level   
practicable4  #f4 ,/r5g!n+ passport     
cu/om] visibility & transp>5cy  7a7     
,onl9e /atus tool ,n lat] ?an #b ye>s   
aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !  
,assi/ant ,secret>y ( ,/ate = ,consul>  
,affairs %all develop a secure1 onl9e   
tool t provides in=mation to passport   
applicants ( ! /atus ( _! application 9 
! 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$4  7b7      
,additional in=mation ,! tool develop$  
pursuant to subsection 7a7 %all include 
a display t in=ms ea* passport applicant

 (-- 7#a7 ! date on :i* 8 or h] passport
 application 0 receiv$2  7#b7 ! e/imat$ 
numb] ( days until 8 or h] passport w be
 issu$2 &  7#c7 actions requir$ f !     
passport applicant to rem$y any         
defici5cies 9 ! application4  #g4       
,/r5g!n+ ! ,national ,passport          
,in=mation ,c5t]  7a7 ,s5se ( ,congress 
,x is ! s5se ( ,congress t ! ,national  
,passport ,in=mation ,c5t] 7ref]r$ to 9 
?is section z ,,npic7 has fail$ to      
adequately assi/ its cu/om]s4  7b7      
,onl9e *at feature ,n lat] ?an #cj days 
aft] ! date ( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 !  
,secret>y ( ,/ate %all direct ,,npic to 
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 #cj days aft] ! date 
( ! enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,comptroll]  
,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates %all initiate a
 review ( ,,npic op]ations1 :i* %all    
include an analysis ( ! quality ) :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/ructure4  #h4 ,exp&+ access to    
passport adjudication appo9tm5ts  7a7   
,f9d+ ,congress f9ds t s9ce ! susp5sion 
( normal op]ations 9 ,m>* #bjbj1 !      
,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate-- 7#a7 has adopt$ a   
policy ( n provid+ adjudication s]vices 
to individuals :o arrive at a passport  
ag5cy or c5t] )\t an appo9tm5t2 &  7#b7 
is (f]+ few] total adjudication         
appo9tm5ts4  7b7 ,s5se ( ,congress ,x is
 ! s5se ( ,congress t ! ,dep>tm5t (     
,/ate %\ld-- 7#a7 increase ! numb] (    
appo9tm5ts at ea* passport ag5cy & c5t] 
to a level t is consi/5t ) appo9tm5t    
(f]+s be=e ! susp5sion ( normal         
op]ations 9 ,m>* #bjbj2 &  7#b7 resume !
 practice ( provid+ adjudication s]vices
 to individuals :o arrive at a passport 
ag5cy or c5t] )\t an appo9tm5t 9 a mann]

 t is consi/5t ) ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate's  
approa* be=e ! susp5sion ( normal       
op]ations 9 ,m>* #bjbj4  #i4 ,elim9at+  
b>ri]s to onbo>d+ new employees ,not)/&+
 sections #ccbg & #cccj ( title #e1     
,unit$ ,/ates ,code1 ! ,secret>y ( ,/ate
 may make noncompetitive tempor>y       
appo9tm5ts or noncompetitive t]m        
appo9tm5ts to positions 9 ! competitive 
s]vice = ! critical hir+ ne$s ( !       
,passport ,s]vices ,directorate ( !     
,bureau ( ,consul> ,affairs             
7,,ca_/,,ppt74