Letter to the Hon. Ian G. Brownlee, Acting Assistant Secretary Bureau of Consular Affairs - Espaillat Leads 50+ Colleagues in Letter Urging State Dept. to Reduce Unprecedented Passport Backlog

Letter

Dear Acting Assistant Secretary Brownlee:

In June of 2021, as many Americans began to prepare for a life post-COVID, there was an air of
excitement. Nationally, 41% of Americans were fully vaccinated and more than 50% were
partially vaccinated. During the height of the pandemic, people were deeply concerned about
losing jobs, housing and loved ones. After 15 months of isolation, people looked forward to
travelling internationally to attend postponed weddings and events, reconnect with family
members in other countries, and study abroad. Unfortunately, for many, obtaining a passport has
been rendered almost impossible due to staffing issues at State Department Passport Agencies
and an overwhelming yet foreseeable spike in demand. We ask that you immediately address this
situation so our constituents, who have refrained from travel for more than a year, can safely visit loved ones in other countries as needed.

When the pandemic forced a nationwide shut down in mid-March of last year, a large backlog of
passport applications formed as Bureau of Consular Affairs staff transitioned to remote work.
Additionally, as a result of travel restrictions and economic hardship, many postponed the
renewal of their passport and the associated cost until a time when they would be able to use it.
Given this foreseeable trend, it is unclear why more than a year later there was not more
forethought put into the inevitable wave of passport applications as travel restrictions eased and
the world opened back up. As a result of this backlog, our district offices have been receiving
hundreds of calls and casework requests per week, and they have been told the current
processing time is upwards of 20 weeks, nearly five times as long as the usual wait time. Even
emergency appointments have been impossible to arrange in some of the most dire
circumstances.

What's more, our staff have found it increasingly difficult to contact Passport Agency staff and
they rarely receive responses to congressional inquiries and requests. While some Passport
Agency staff have been helpful and responsive when our staff do get through, some have found
staff at certain offices to be unhelpful and dismissive. The constituents that come to our office
are desperate, and in many cases, poised to lose hundreds of dollars on unused plane tickets and
hotel reservations or miss important family events like weddings and funerals. Because our
offices are unable to receive reliable updates, we are unable to assuage our constituents' concerns. This issue has become so ubiquitous that there is currently language in the report to
accompany the FY 2022 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations bill
directing the allocation of funds toward stockpiling physical passport books and processing
passports in a timely manner.

In all this confusion and desperation, bad actors have obtained sought-after passport
appointments and are auctioning them off on social media. We have heard of constituents so
desperate for appointments that they have paid upward of $200 to obtain one. This shortage is
creating a black market and we have heard reports that State Department Passport Agencies are
allowing appointments that do not match scheduled names.

The time for action is long overdue. We urge you to reexamine your plan to reopen, adequately
staff and supply Passport Agencies, and provide a timeline for reducing this outrageous backlog.
While we understand that the pandemic introduced unprecedented challenges, the federal
government did not shut down, staffing was not significantly reduced, and there was no lapse in
appropriations for the operations of component agencies. After a year of desolation and
separation, it is unconscionable that Americans should have to face yet another bureaucratic
barrier. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to working with you to resolve this
issue.

Source