hold on there's just too much going on in Congress lmao...
Makes passport cards free, except for expedited processing.
Rep. Lauren Underwood (D-IL) introduced this bill.
In committee, no House vote yet.
This bill, called the American Passport Card Accessibility Act, aims to eliminate the fees the State Department charges for new or renewed passport cards. However, fees for faster, expedited processing would still apply. Representative Lauren Underwood, a Democrat from Illinois, introduced this bill. It has been sent to the House Foreign Affairs Committee for review, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives.
Introduced Mar 4, 2026
This bill is currently in the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. For it to become law, it must first pass a vote in this committee, then be approved by the full House of Representatives. After that, it would move to the Senate for a similar process, and finally, if passed by both chambers, it would go to the President for signature.
If this bill passes, individuals would no longer have to pay the standard fee to get a new passport card or renew an existing one. This would make it less expensive for people traveling to Canada, Mexico, or certain Caribbean countries by land or sea, as a passport card is valid for these trips. However, if you need a passport card quickly, you would still be charged an extra fee for expedited service.
Supporters Say
Supporters would argue this bill makes international travel more accessible and affordable for Americans.
Critics Say
Critics might argue it would reduce government revenue or that the current fees are necessary to cover administrative costs.
This bill could be seen as a way to reduce financial barriers for Americans who wish to travel to neighboring countries or the Caribbean by land or sea, as passport cards are a cheaper and more convenient alternative to full passports for these specific types of travel. However, the government currently uses these fees to help fund the passport system, so eliminating them would require finding alternative funding or accepting reduced revenue.