II
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 321
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 26, 2009
Mr. Voinovich (for himself, Mr. Tester, and Ms. Klobuchar) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State to accept passport cards at air ports of entry and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as
the Passport Card Travel Enhancement
Act of 2009
.
Passport card defined
In this Act, the term
passport card
means the document—
known as a passport card that is issued to a national of the United States on the same basis as a regular passport; and
that the Secretary of State began issuing during 2008.
Passport cards for air travel
Requirement To accept passport cards for air travel
Notwithstanding any regulation issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of State shall permit a passport card issued to a citizen of the United States to serve as proof of identity and citizenship of such citizen if such citizen is departing from or entering the United States through an air port of entry for travel that terminates or originates in—
Bermuda;
Canada;
a foreign country located in the Caribbean; or
Mexico.
Fees for passport cards
Neither the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Homeland Security may increase, or propose an increase to, the fee for issuance of a passport card as a result of the requirements of subsection (a).
Regulations
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security shall issue final regulations to implement this Act.