Denver — Yesterday, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet urged U.S. Department of State Secretary Antony Blinken to direct resources to address application processing delays and the backlog of passport applications at the Colorado Passport Agency.
“Over the past several months, my office in Colorado has received an uptick in outreach from constituents who experience difficulty obtaining passports,” wrote Bennet in the letter. “Since February, my office has corresponded and assisted with passports for over 1,500 constituents and their family members. In many instances, they have waited for hours on the phone before being able to speak to a liaison, or they have spent hours corresponding with multiple passport offices to receive information on a single case.”
In his letter, Bennet urges Blinken to take immediate action to meet the increased demand for passports, including by hiring additional personnel in Colorado. Though Bennet and his office are in regular communication with the Colorado Passport Agency, the volume of applications and demand for passports make clear the need for increased staffing to clear the backlog and deliver passports on time.
Coloradans in need of assistance navigating the passport renewal and application process or regarding upcoming travel are encouraged to contact Senator Bennet’s Denver office by phone at 303-455-7600 or through email at casework@bennet.senate.gov.
The text of the letter is available HERE and below.
Dear Secretary Blinken:
I write regarding the significant and increasing passport application process delays that Coloradans face and urge you to allocate additional resources to address the ongoing backlog.
Over the past several months, my office in Colorado has received an uptick in outreach from constituents who experience difficulty obtaining passports. Since February, my office has corresponded and assisted with passports for over 1,500 constituents and their family members. In many instances, they have waited for hours on the phone before being able to speak to a liaison, or they have spent hours corresponding with multiple passport offices to receive information on a single case.
The passport agency in Aurora, Colorado has been working industriously to process applications and clear through this backlog. However, due to the sheer volume of requests for passport assistance that my office has received, I request additional staffing capacity to resolve the issue.
To that end, I urge you to quickly avail the Department of State of all its current authorities and budget to hire additional personnel for the Colorado Passport Agency. Thank you for your attention to this important issue; I look forward to working with you to resolve it.
Sincerely,