Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee
Introduced
In Committee
On Floor
Passed Chamber
Enacted
This bill mandates the automatic waiver of fees for critical documents , such as passports and licenses, for individuals and households impacted by major disasters. The intent is to alleviate financial burdens on disaster survivors who have lost essential identification or travel documents. The fee waiver is triggered when a major disaster, declared under the Stafford Act, leads to assistance being provided through the Individuals and Households Program and results in the destruction of a critical document. The President, in consultation with the relevant State Governor, is required to provide these waivers. To ensure public awareness, the Secretary of State and the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) must publicly announce the availability of these fee waivers on their respective websites. Furthermore, both the Secretary of State and the USCIS Director are required to submit annual reports to Congress detailing the number of waivers granted and their associated costs.
This bill mandates the automatic waiver of fees for critical documents , such as passports and licenses, for individuals and households impacted by major disasters. The intent is to alleviate financial burdens on disaster survivors who have lost essential identification or travel documents. The fee waiver is triggered when a major disaster, declared under the Stafford Act, leads to assistance being provided through the Individuals and Households Program and results in the destruction of a critical document. The President, in consultation with the relevant State Governor, is required to provide these waivers. To ensure public awareness, the Secretary of State and the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) must publicly announce the availability of these fee waivers on their respective websites. Furthermore, both the Secretary of State and the USCIS Director are required to submit annual reports to Congress detailing the number of waivers granted and their associated costs.