The following is a note sent by Congressman Tiberi. What goes missing in all of this is that while the volume is certainly unprecedented, it was not unexpected. Remember, the law requiring passports for all foreign travel was passed three years ago. So, the agency was well aware that the volume was coming.
Yet, the government response to this issue is as expected; inept and inefficient.
Note: Even though we paid for expedited service, it took five weeks to obtain a passport. And, while FedEx website tracked each movement of our newborn's passport while it was in their possession, the Department of State website didn't provide a status of the passport until after we had already had it in hand, even though online status is included in the expedited fee. I wanted to report this breach of contract to the state's attorney general just for fun. Maybe if I get some time ... it would be fun to hear the response of one agency regarding another.
From Congressman Pat Tiberi:
Dear Friends,
The official start of summer this week, also means we’re in the midst of travel season. For many, traveling abroad this year has brought frustration and headaches because of new rules meant to make our nation safer and our borders more secure. In 2004, as part of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act, a measure was signed into law that said Americans would need passports when traveling to countries in the Western Hemisphere. Previously, you could travel to places like Mexico, Canada, and the Caribbean without a passport.
The rule was implemented this year for passengers who travel by plane, and the amount of people needing passports has certainly overwhelmed the processing system. There’s a backlog of passports that are causing some people to miss their trips. I signed a letter to Secretary of State Rice asking her to explore possible
solutions to this problem. Since then, the U.S. Passport Agency has implemented a temporary waiver of the rule requiring passports to travel to nations in the Western Hemisphere. Instead, you need a receipt saying you have applied for a passport, a government-issued identification, and whatever documents the foreign country requires for entry. This still doesn’t help travelers waiting for passports, who are flying to places in Europe, Asia, Africa, or Australia.
This waiver is a short-term fix for a longer term problem. While the passport reforms do help make us safer, these passport backlogs are frustrating. Some type of solution needs to be implemented because; next year people traveling by car or by boat will need passports, as well. I supported fellow Ohio Congressman Steve LaTourette when he sponsored a measure that would push the implementation of these new rules another year and a half, so they would not go into effect until at least
June 2009. That measure was included in the House-passed Homeland Security
spending bill. It must still pass the Senate and be signed by the president to take effect. This would give the U.S. Passport agency more time to prepare for the expected increase in passport applications. I look forward to working with my colleagues to see if there’s more that can be done to help solve the backlog problem.
In the meantime, my staff and I will do our best to help you receive information about the status of your passport request. You can visit my website and fill out an online request form to ask for assistance. There are also links to information about
travel requirements, processing times, and the latest updates from the U.S. Passport Agency. Just visit my website at http://tiberi.houseenews.net/mail/util.cfm?mailaction=clickthru&gpiv=1999945408.45950.96&gen=1&mailing_linkid=2648 and click on the passport icon on the right side of the page.
Pat TiberiMember of Congress
Ohio's 12th District
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