Cutting Passport Backlog Act

The Cutting Passport Backlog Act (H.R. 4410) would amend the Department of State Authorization Act of 2023 to extend the “special hiring authority” for passport services from a 3-year period to a 5-year period. This means the State Department could continue using a streamlined or flexible hiring framework for staff involved in passport operations for two additional years beyond the current expiration. The bill does not create new programs or provide new funding; rather, it prolongs an existing authority intended to help the department recruit and onboard personnel more quickly to address passport processing demands. The purpose, as indicated by the bill’s title, is to reduce or prevent backlogs in passport processing by ensuring the department can hire needed staff more rapidly over a longer window. The measure is narrowly focused on extending this hiring authority and does not alter other aspects of passport policy or funding.