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Sensenbrenner
Contact: Raj Bharwani (202) 225-5101


Sensenbrenner Irate Over State Department’s Ineptness

Washington, DC, Jun 20 -

Menomonee Falls Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner reacted to comments made by State Department officials today over the current national backlog in US Passport applications by issuing the following statement:

“The State Department has had a couple of years to prepare for this scenario, one which I’m sorry to say has devolved into a nightmare. When Congress passed the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which I authored, as part of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, the clock started ticking. There was no surprise move, or last minute legislation, to take the State Department by surprise. To hear Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Maura Harty say ‘We simply did not anticipate Americans’ willingness to comply so quickly with the new law,’ is a poor excuse, demonstrating her and the State Department’s ineptness.

“In the current age of terrorism that we find ourselves, it is more important than ever that passport applications are properly vetted to ensure the safety of American citizens. Americans should be lauded for their recognition of the importance of possessing safe and secure travel documents. Remember, it was one of the observations of the 9/11 Commission that, ‘Fraud in identification documents is no longer just a problem of theft.’ In the hands of a terrorist, a valid ID accepted for travel in the US can be just as dangerous as a missile or bomb.

“The State Department’s lack of preparation has affected the ability of the Department of Homeland Security to implement the WHTI provisions Congress passed. From a conversation I had with DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff earlier today, I understand that these provisions will remain flexible till September of this year. I hope the State Department gets its act together - soon - because this extension jeopardizes the safety of the traveling American public, and does very little to inspire confidence in the federal government’s ability to protect us.”

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