Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring attention to the extended processing times for passports, global entry applications, and tax returns. On average, Americans are waiting 2 to 4 months for passport renewals and 4 to 6 months for global entry appointments. Many are waiting even longer. There are also 2.6 million Americans still waiting on their 2023 tax refunds while facing hours-long wait times when calling the IRS. Since the start of this year alone, my office has assisted with more than 500 passport requests, nearly triple the number we assisted with all of last year. These numbers are unacceptable. This backlog exacerbates American citizens' frustration with Federal institutions and undermines their trust in our government's ability to serve them effectively. This is not the fault of our Federal workers. They are working tirelessly, including nights and weekends, to improve these delays, but they don't have the resources and bandwidth that they need. Now, House Republicans have proposed funding cuts to the IRS and the State Department that would only worsen these delays and the backlog, inhibiting Americans from accessing these essential services. Congress must reject these cuts and, instead, support these agencies with increased staffing and reliable funding. ____________________”