Passport Backlog
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Monday urged the State Department to address the passport backlog and restore processing times to pre-pandemic levels. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Murphy specifically asked for a description of the Department’s strategy to address the backlog, a timeline for hiring more staff to meet demand, and an accounting of any additional resources needed. “Current wait times – up to 18 weeks for routine service and 12 for expedited service – well exceed pre-pandemic levels, and they are untenable for Americans seeking to resume international travel and reconnect with friends and loved ones abroad,” Murphy wrote. Murphy continued: “I understand the financial and personnel…