Newsletter For 6/11/07

Letter

Dear Friends:

As you have likely heard, the system for issuing new U.S. passports is experiencing major delays in the face of record demand. This spike in passport applications is the result of a new law that went into effect in January 2007 requiring Americans traveling by air within North America to have passports. The delays in issuing these passports have left many travelers - including many of my constituents - anxious about disruptions to their travel plans.

Last Friday, the Departments of State and Homeland Security announced a temporary response to this crisis. Through September 30, 2007, U.S. citizens who have applied for a passport, but have not yet received one, will still be allowed to travel by air to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda as long as they show an official State Department form proving that they have applied for a passport.

If you or someone you know needs to use this option, you can access the required form through the following page on my website. I also urge you to review the more complete information provided there, which explains the details of this new process.

This new response comes after months of pressure on the State Department from Members of Congress and other concerned Americans. In March, when Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice appeared before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations, I urged her to act to address the passport crisis. Meanwhile, my office has been working closely with constituents concerned that the delays might impede their travel. I welcome anyone who continues to face difficulty with the passport application process to contact my district office staff for assistance at the contact information below:

165 Western Avenue North, #17
St. Paul, MN 55102
Phone: (651) 224-9191
Fax: (651) 224-3056

Sincerely,

Betty McCollum Signature
Congresswoman Betty McCollum
Serving Minnesota's Fourth Congressional District

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