Supporting the goals and ideals of National Passport Month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 327, legislation I sponsored to support the goals, ideals and creation of National Passport month.

I want to thank my colleague Congressman Danny Davis for managing the bill today and for his leadership on the Government Reform committee. I also want to thank the Ranking Member of the Committee, Congressman Waxman and the Chairman of the Committee, Tom Davis along with leadership on both sides of the aisle for bringing this bill to the floor today.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to express my appreciation to the over 55 co-sponsors of this bipartisan resolution for their support, and want to especially thank my colleague and the Republican lead on this effort, Congressman Chris Smith from New Jersey for his support.

This resolution is extremely straightforward and noncontroversial. It details and recognizes the value of international travel and requests the President to issue a proclamation calling on the Federal Government, States, localities, schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, other entities, and the people of the United States to observe National Passport month with appropriate ceremonies, programs, and activities.

The purpose of National Passport Month is to create a time to educate the public about the incredible opportunities available to those who obtain passports as well as the positive impact international travel has on individuals and the global community.

Today, less than 23 percent of Americans have a passport, thereby limiting their ability to travel outside the United States. As a result, millions of Americans are unable to take advantage of the enriching opportunities presented by international travel.

As the Senior Democratic woman on the House International Relations Committee, and a traveler myself, I understand and appreciate the value and importance of international travel.

There really is no substitute for the experience that you get from visiting other countries, from meeting the people, tasting the food and interacting with the culture. It changes the way we see the world. It broadens our horizons and deepens our appreciation for different countries and cultures and our shared humanity. It also helps us learn understanding, tolerance and mutual respect for other cultures.

Not only does travel provide enriching opportunities for the individual, it can also have

profound benefits to our Nation as a whole by allowing Americans to spread the message of freedom and democracy around the world. In addition, having a passport and traveling abroad enables Americans to see the American influence on the world first-hand, including the tremendous amount of humanitarian aid given by Americans through both the public and private sectors.

Americans of all ages are our best ambassadors and we should promote policies that encourage them to travel, to forge connections with people from other countries, to foster mutual understanding and tolerance and to help open new doors to peace.

The timing of our efforts could not be more critical. I think we can all recognize that America needs a boost in foreign public opinion and I am confident that connections made with American travelers can and will make a huge difference improving our image abroad.

So, for all of these reasons, when Lonely Planet, which I am pleased to say is located in Oakland in my district, first raised the idea of a national passport month, I immediately embraced it.

I am proud to have introduced H. Res. 327 and to be part of this campaign to recognize the importance of international travel, and I am overwhelmed by the support we have received. In April of this year, Lonely Planet presented me with over 5,000 petition signatures from people all over the country who support these efforts. And this campaign has the support of a broad coalition of over 70 supporting travel organizations and associations to corporations like American Express and Yahoo.

Moreover, the U.S. Department of State is on record in supporting September as National Passport month. I want to read a quote from its letter: ``Since September is a time of the year when schools are re- opening and many students are considering travel or study abroad, it is a highly appropriate month to promote public awareness of the value of the U.S. passport. The Department shares your appreciation of the U.S. passport and supports your resolution.''

So, today I'm pleased the House will go on record in support of proclaiming September National Passport Month.

Again, I want to thank all the supporters of this resolution and I look forward to working with you all to ensure the White House issues this proclamation in ample time for the inaugural National Passport month celebrations this September.

U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Legislative Affairs,

Washington, DC, August 29, 2005.

Dear Ms. Lee: Thank you for your letter addressed to

Secretary Rice regarding H. Res. 327, a resolution to

encourage President Bush to proclaim September National

Passport Month. It is a pleasure to acknowledge your comments

on the positive impact international travel has on

individuals and the global community. We, too, recognize the

value of travel as a means of enhancing international

understanding.

Even though the State Department will issue more than 10

million passports this fiscal year, still less than 23

percent of Americans have a passport. The Department strives

to make the process of issuing passports to U.S. citizens as

efficient and as courteous as possible. Since September is a

time of the year when schools are re-opening and many

students are considering travel or study abroad, it is a

highly appropriate month to promote public awareness of the

value of the U.S. passport. The Department shares your

appreciation of the U.S. passport and supports your

resolution.

Sincerely,

Matthew A. Reynolds,

Acting Assistant Secretary.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I will include for the record a statement from Representative Barbara Lee, who is the sponsor of this resolution. Congresswoman Barbara Lee could not be with us here today, though she sincerely wanted to be. In her absence, she asked me to give a few remarks on her behalf.

Congresswoman Lee would like to thank ranking member Waxman and the chairman of the Government Reform Committee, Tom Davis, along with the leadership on both sides of the aisle, for bringing this bill to the floor today. Representative Lee expresses her appreciation to the over 55 cosponsors of this bipartisan resolution for their support and she wants in particular to thank her Republican leader on the resolution, Congressman Chris Smith from New Jersey, for his support.

This resolution is extremely straightforward and noncontroversial. It details and recognizes the value of international travel and requests the President to issue a proclamation calling on the Federal Government, State localities, schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses and other entities and the people of the United States to observe National Passport Month with appropriate ceremonies, programs and activities.

As the senior Democratic woman on the House International Relations Committee and a traveler herself, Congresswoman Lee truly understands and appreciates the value and importance of international travel. As Congresswoman Lee notes in her statement for the record, there is no substitute for the experience that you get from visiting other countries. Travel changes the way we see the world. It broadens our horizons and deepens our appreciation for different countries and cultures. It also helps us to be more understanding, tolerant and to have respect for other cultures.

Not only does travel provide enriching opportunities for the individual, it can also have profound benefits to our Nation as a whole by allowing Americans to spread the message of freedom and democracy around the world. In addition, having a passport and traveling abroad enables Americans to see the American influence on the world firsthand, including the tremendous amount of humanitarian aid given by Americans throughout both the public and private sectors.

I agree with the Congresswoman, who states that Americans of all ages are our best ambassadors and we should promote policies that encourage them to travel, to forge connections with people from other countries, to foster mutual understanding and tolerance and to help open new doors to peace.

The timing of this resolution could not be more critical, because America needs a boost in foreign public opinion. When Lonely Planet, which is located in Representative Lee's district in Oakland, California, raised the idea of a National Passport Month, she immediately embraced it. In Representative Lee's statement for the record she notes how proud she was to introduce H. Res. 327 and to be part of the campaign to recognize the importance of international travel and how overwhelmed she was by the support she has received for the effort.

In April of this year, Lonely Planet presented her with over 5,000 petition signatures from people all over the country who support these efforts. This resolution has the support of a broad coalition of over 70 supporting travel organizations and associations. This includes corporations such as American Express and Yahoo and the State Department. In fact, Congresswoman Lee is submitting the letter of support from the State Department along with her statement today.

Representative Lee would like to thank all the supporters of the resolution, and notes that she looks forward to working with them to ensure that the White House issues the proclamation in ample time for the inaugural National Passport Month celebrations this September.

I, too, Mr. Speaker, would urge support for this resolution. And since we have had so many items on the agenda this evening coming out of Government Reform, I also want to simply state that it has indeed been a pleasure to work with the gentleman from California. I am not looking forward to another long session like this coming from Government Reform, but if it has to be, then I look forward to working with him.

I urge passage of this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 327) supporting the goals and ideals of National Passport Month.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, today in the United States, fewer than 23 percent of Americans have an issued passport, meaning that millions of our citizens are unable to take advantage of the culturally enriching opportunities presented by international travel. International travel can help promote understanding, tolerance and mutual respect for other

cultures and traditions around the world.

National Passport Month would support the goal of encouraging and inspiring Americans to participate in the educational opportunities that having a passport can provide.

By opening the doors to the rewards of traveling beyond the boarders and the equally important potential that we have to build bridges connecting cultures throughout the world, makes it extremely pertinent that we encourage especially the young and old to apply for past ports.

Mr. Speaker, recently it became necessary to have a passport to go into Mexico. Most Americans are not yet aware of that. I would particularly remind people listening tonight throughout the world and those who will read the official record of our proceedings here today that having a passport takes time. I would encourage people to have them before they intend to travel so that they are prepared for the quick trip from San Diego to Tijuana or the trip from here to Abu Dhabi.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I, too, urge passage and thank the gentleman from Illinois. It is a pleasure working on the Committee on Government Reform. It is also a privilege serving on the International Relations Committee, in which public diplomacy has been a major initiative that Chairman Hyde and Ranking Member Lantos have been reaching out and trying to have done.

There is no better public diplomacy than for Americans to reach out to people, perhaps from their ancestry or simply from an area of interest, by visiting. So I too encourage all the Members to vote for this, to travel themselves and to be the diplomats in public diplomacy that we need so badly in this time of strife throughout the world.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.