An amendment numbered 20 printed in part B of House Report 109-175 to require the Secretary of State to submit a report that describes the weakness of identification documents, including birth certificates, required for the issuance of passports; establish a requirement that all passport acceptance agents undergo background investigations and a comprehensive training program to improve document fraud detection efforts; expand the authority of the U.S. government to investigate cases of the illegal sale of U.S. passports and visas by U.S. government personnel; and authorize the Federal District Court for the District of Colombia to issue warrants in such cases and authorize special agents under the direction of the Director of the Diplomatic Security Service to execute such warrants.

1. Adds SEC. 217. PASSPORT SECURITY ENHANCEMENT at the end of title II

   Adds a section

   Inserted: SEC. 217. PASSPORT SECURITY ENHANCEMENT.

   Inserted: (a) Report on Documents Related to Passport Issuance.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that describes existing security weaknesses of identification documents, including birth certificates, required for the issuance of a passport, and that includes, in accordance with paragraph (3), recommended criteria for birth certificates that will be acceptable to establish valid proof of identity and national origin of individuals for the issuance of passports to such individuals.

   Inserted: (2) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with appropriate officials of States and cities identified as vital registration jurisdictions in the preparation of such criteria.

   Inserted: (3) Acceptance criteria.--The criteria referred to in paragraph (1) shall include the establishment of minimum acceptance criteria for identification documents issued by such jurisdictions, including criteria related to--

   Inserted: (A) vital records security and procedures;

   Inserted: (B) security paper and printing for birth certificates;

   Inserted: (C) customer identification requirements;

   Inserted: (D) issuance of birth certificates, including duplicates;

   Inserted: (E) controlling access to birth certificate records to prevent identity fraud;

   Inserted: (F) data element definitions to facilitate electronic exchange of birth and death registration information with the Department of State for purposes of issuing passports; and

   Inserted: (G) routine matching of all birth and death records.

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   Inserted: (b) Background Investigation and Establishment of Training Program for Passport Acceptance Agents.--

   Inserted: (1) Background Investigation.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall establish a mandatory requirement for background investigations of passport acceptance agents.

   Inserted: (2) Establishment of Training Program.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Under Secretary for Management of the Department of State, acting through the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Department, shall--

   Inserted: (A) establish a comprehensive training program for passport acceptance agents that includes instruction and training relating to identification document fraud detection, customer identification authentication, and the penalties for passport fraud by employees, agents, and passport applicants;

   Inserted: (B) establish a database that records when passport acceptance agents complete such training;

   Inserted: (C) require all newly appointed passport acceptance agents to complete such training before initial processing of passport applications; and

   Inserted: (D) establish a training schedule so that all existing passport acceptance agents have completed such training no later than three years after the date of the establishment of the training program under this paragraph.

   Inserted: (c) Expanded Authority of Special Agents.--Section 203 of the Omnibus Diplomatic and Antiterrorism Act of 1986 (Public Law 99-399; 22 U.S.C. 4823) is amended--

   Inserted: (1) in the first sentence, by striking "Special agent positions" and inserting "(a) Special agent positions"; and

   Inserted: (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:

   Inserted: "(b) In connection with investigations of corruption, waste, fraud, and abuse by officers and employees of the United States Government, including the illegal sale of United States passports and visas and other United States criminal offenses, the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia shall have authority to issue warrants with respect to properties within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States, as defined under section 7(9) of title 18, United States Code. Special agents under the direction of the Director of the Diplomatic Security Service shall have authority to execute such warrants.".

   Inserted: (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary, or to reprogram funds otherwise obtained through receipts from the issuance of passports and visas, to carry out this section.

   Original wording

   At the end of title II, add the following new section:

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As printed