PASSPORTS 2008

According to research which the Dept of State commissioned, about 6 million Americans who did not have a passport would be required to apply for a passport to travel in the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (Caribbean, Canada or Mexico) by air or sea. In July alone the Passports Service issued 2 million passports with an equal number still pending.

With the implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, a large number of citizens were required to obtain passports which caused as much as a five month delay in processing time. The result of this change saw our constituents experiencing a severe delay in the time it took to receive their passports. This cost many constituents thousands of dollars in non-refundable airplane tickets. My District office had extended office hours in order to help as many constituents as possible obtain their passports. We assisted over 725 constituents by obtaining their passports in time to make their trips.

Seth Strege of St. Charles went to Germany with the Sister Cities Exchange. He said, "I deeply appreciated your assistance. Your office was so helpful and kind."

Liz Goss of Life Christian Church said regarding her mission trip to Costa Rica, "The trip was awesome. I had literally given up…I am so blessed by you and touched by how much you sacrificed to get my passport."

With the threat of missing a once in a lifetime experience of traveling to Israel with the Interfaith Partnership of Metro St. Louis, Joy and David Sterneck called the district office and said "we believe that you are our "angel."