Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 6610. As we all recall, the State Department experienced an unprecedented level of demand for passports after a global slowdown in travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of our constituents were frustrated by the significant processing wait times they faced in securing their passports. As this bill moved through the Foreign Affairs Committee, we were pleased to learn that the State Department had achieved prepandemic passport processing times again. Nonetheless, the work we must undertake going forward is to ensure that the Bureau of Consular Affairs and other relevant department entities have the tools, analysis, and resources that they need to sustain ups and downs in consular demand. The State Department is already working to modernize and streamline its passport processing, and this legislation supports those efforts. This bill, as amended by the Foreign Affairs Committee, will further modernize passport processing through a range of important mechanisms. We must not saddle the department with unfunded mandates or inefficient solutions. Congress must offer guidance and support to ensure that the State Department can get the job of modernization done. Americans deserve the best practices and smartest technologies to inform the department's provision of consular services. Mr.…”