I 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2177 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 14, 2011 Mr. Higgins (for himself and Ms. Hochul) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs A BILL To direct the payment of passport fees to the Department of State.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Passport Acquisition Savings and Security Act of 2011 or the PASS Act of 2011.

2.

Payment of passport fees

(a)

In general

Section 1(a) of the Act of June 4, 1920 (22 U.S.C. 214(a)), is amended, in the first sentence, by striking into the Treasury of the United States and inserting to the Department of State. (b)

Retention of fees

Any amount collected by the Department of State in fiscal year 2011 and each fiscal year thereafter as a fee for visas, passports, or other consular services may be credited as an offsetting collection to the appropriate Department of State appropriation, to remain available until expended, for the purpose of meeting the costs of providing such services and shall be available for the same purposes as the appropriation to which such amounts are credited. (c)

Rule of construction

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to affect or limit in any manner any fees collected by local governments for the purposes of processing passport applications submitted to the Department of State. (d)

Sense of Congress

It is the sense of Congress that new revenues directed to the Department of State under this Act should be used to reduce the costs of passports for consumers.