Joyce, Dean Introduce Bipartisan Solution to Restore Public Library Passport Services
Washington, D.C. – Congressman John Joyce, M.D. (PA-13) and Congresswoman Madeleine Dean (PA-4) introduced H.R. 6997, the Community Passport Services Access Act, bipartisan legislation that would allow 501(c)(3) non-profit, public libraries to continue to serve as passport acceptance facilities.
H.R. 6997 was introduced in response to a recent determination by the U.S. Department of State that, despite past and current practice, existing federal law does not explicitly allow for public libraries, which are organized as non-profit, charitable organizations, to collect and retain execution fees for processing passport applications. For many non-profit, public libraries, the ability to serve as a passport acceptance facility affords those organizations the ability to keep their doors open and serve countless communities.
Congressman Joyce and Congresswoman Dean were joined by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-5), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-6), Robert Bresnahan (PA-8), and Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) in introducing the legislation.
“The Community Passport Services Access Act is the direct result of the outreach I received from libraries in my congressional district that would be adversely impacted by recent changes. Families in our rural communities have come to rely on their local public libraries for accessible and convenient passport services and they deserve the certainty to know that these services will continue to be available,” said Congressman Joyce, M.D. “I’m grateful for Congresswoman Dean’s partnership in ensuring that affected libraries will be able to provide passport services and keep their doors open in our communities for years to come.”
“Our public libraries are a beacon — offering a breadth of resources right in our communities, including the ability to accept passport applications,” Congresswoman Dean said. “Pennsylvanians depend on the accessibility of passport acceptance facilities, and our libraries rely on this program for crucial revenue. At a time when more Americans than ever are seeking passports, the State Department must reinstate this sensible, time-saving option.”
“Libraries are more than just gateways to lifelong learning in our community. I want to thank Dr. Joyce for leading efforts to address this issue. I am pleased to join my Pennsylvania colleagues in a bipartisan effort to ensure that libraries can remain passport acceptance agencies and will advocate for this bill’s swift consideration and passage,” said Congressman Smucker. “I also want to thank the library directors, board members, local elected officials, and community members who shared their concerns with me about the impact of this decision. Their input was invaluable as the Pennsylvania Delegation worked together to address this issue.”
“Public libraries sit at the heart of our communities and increasingly serve as a gateway to essential federal services like passports. This bill ensures they can continue providing that access without diverting local dollars away from core community needs. It keeps services close to home, safeguards local resources, and protects taxpayers from being asked to subsidize a federal responsibility,” said Congressman Fitzpatrick.
"Libraries are the bedrock of communities across Pennsylvania and our nation. Ensuring that Americans can access passport services in the same trusted community spaces they already rely on and are familiar with is essential to making government more accessible and convenient for families and individuals alike. I am proud to support this bipartisan bill, which reaffirms the vital role libraries play in delivering essential services to our constituents including access to passport services," said Congresswoman Houlahan.
“For families in Northeastern Pennsylvania, getting a passport should not mean taking a day off work or driving hours just to access a federal service. Our local nonprofit libraries are already trusted hubs for the community, and this legislation simply gives them the tools to keep doing what they do best, serve people. Allowing libraries to receive processing fees ensures these services remain available, affordable, and right here at home, while strengthening the community institutions that so many NEPA families rely on,” said Congressman Bresnahan.
Statement from the Pennsylvania Library Association:
“The Pennsylvania Library Association is pleased to support the legislation introduced by Congressman John Joyce and Congresswoman Madeline Dean to allow public libraries that are non-profits to maintain their status as passport acceptance facilities.
Public libraries are geared to serve their communities and often provide weekend and evening hours to meet the needs of their communities. For decades, many public libraries in Pennsylvania and other states have provided an easy access point for US citizens to apply for passports for the first time. Often a one-stop service that includes taking passport photos, public libraries across both rural and urban communities have been diligent in meeting the standards required by the U.S. State Department. The unexpected sudden removal of public libraries that are structured as non-profit charitable organizations as the mere consideration of whether they are a qualified acceptance facility will have significant impact on citizens wishing to get a passport easily.
Public libraries organized as non-profit charitable organizations versus being a department of local municipal government have to meet the same standards as other entities to accept passport applications. These non-profit libraries have hired and trained staff, provided significant hours of availability, and used the photo fees to help underwrite the costs of library operations.
We are thrilled to see the bipartisan support of Congressman Joyce and Congresswoman Dean for the importance of public libraries serving their communities as passport acceptance facilities. Just because some public libraries operate as a non-profit organization does not mean that they are less qualified to serve their community. We appreciate both Congressman Joyce and Congresswoman Dean for their willingness to collaborate and find a legislative solution to continue the service at more than 26 non-profit public libraries in Pennsylvania who processed more than 41,000 passport applications last year!”
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