HR-6997-119
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Sponsored by John Joyce (R-PA)
What it does
This bill would amend the Passport Act of 1920 to allow the Secretary of State to authorize qualifying public libraries — organized as nonprofits, charitable organizations, or trusts — to serve as official passport acceptance facilities. These libraries would be permitted to collect and keep the execution fee charged for processing a passport application, provided they comply with State Department regulations. The bill would also require the Secretary of State, within 30 days of enactment, to formally authorize any public library that already served as a passport acceptance facility before the bill's passage and was in compliance with existing regulations.
Who benefits
Residents of communities — particularly rural, low-income, or underserved areas — who lack convenient access to post offices or government offices that currently accept passport applications. Public libraries that would gain a new revenue stream from retained execution fees (currently $35 per application). Library systems and their staff who may expand services. First-time passport applicants, including lower-income families, who may find libraries more accessible or less intimidating than government offices. Local economies in areas where libraries become a new passport hub.
Who is hurt
U.S. Postal Service locations and state and local government offices that currently serve as passport acceptance facilities may see reduced application volume and the associated execution fee revenue. The federal government would forgo execution fee revenue that libraries retain rather than remit. Applicants in areas where libraries lack the capacity or staffing to maintain compliance with State Department regulations may face inconsistent service. Taxpayers could bear indirect costs if libraries require additional funding to meet compliance requirements.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that passport acceptance facilities are unevenly distributed across the country, leaving rural and low-income communities with limited access to a fundamental government service. They contend that public libraries already serve as trusted community anchors with established foot traffic, and that allowing them to retain execution fees creates a self-sustaining model that expands access without requiring new federal appropriations. The bill's bipartisan sponsorship — including members from both parties representing Pennsylvania districts — reflects broad agreement that geographic barriers to passport access are a practical problem worth addressing.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that adding passport acceptance duties to public libraries could strain already underfunded institutions, diverting staff time and resources from core library services like literacy programs and public computing access. They contend that the bill does not provide funding for libraries to meet State Department compliance requirements, potentially creating an unfunded burden on local governments and library systems. Critics may also argue that the USPS and existing government acceptance facilities already provide this service, and that the better solution is to expand those networks rather than create a new, less-regulated category of acceptance facility.