For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, May 23, 2007 

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Congressman Dan Boren joined today with two members of the Kansas congressional delegation in asking the U.S. State Department to quickly resolve the nationwide passport application backlog.  In a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Boren asked that the department consider opening a processing center in Oklahoma City or Wichita until the backlog is cleared.

 

“Hundreds of constituents have contacted my office for help with their passport applications,” Boren said.  “As we enter the summer travel season many are still waiting on passports they applied for months ago.”

 

New regulations require U.S. citizens who travel by air overseas to have a valid U.S. passport.  Mexico, Canada, Jamaica and other Caribbean countries are now subject to these rules.  The change took effect in January and has resulted in what the State Department has called “unprecedented demand” for new passports.

 

“The State Department is not prepared to handle this many applications,” Boren said.  “Computer system failures are making things worse.  The new rules are necessary to make our country more secure, but they have made it more difficult for Americans to travel abroad.”

 

Although there are more than 8,000 locations nationwide to submit a passport application, those applications are all processed at one of 13 regional passport agencies.  Most Oklahomans’ applications are processed at the facility in Houston, which has reported a backlog of 90,000 passports.

 

“My office is here to help in anyway we can,” Boren said.  “The backlog is slowing things down at all levels but we’ll do whatever we can to make sure travel plans aren’t affected.”

 

In an average year Boren’s office works on about 10 passport cases.  So far this year the office has worked on more than 120.  Constituents who need assistance with a pending passport are encouraged to contact Boren’s Claremore office at 918-341-9336.

####