STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL PASSPORT INFORMATION CENTER.

SEC. 6105. STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL PASSPORT INFORMATION CENTER. (a) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that passport wait times since 2021 have been unacceptably long and have created frustration among those seeking to obtain or renew passports. (b) Online Chat Feature.—The Department should develop an online tool with the capability for customers to correspond with customer service representatives regarding questions and updates pertaining to their application for, or renewal of, a passport. (c) GAO Report.—Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this division, the Comptroller General of the United States shall initiate a review of National Passport Information Center (NPIC) operations, which shall include an analysis of the extent to which NPIC— (1) responds to constituent inquiries by telephone, including how long constituents are kept on hold and their ability to be placed in a queue; (2) provides personalized customer service; (3) maintains its telecommunications infrastructure to ensure it effectively handles call volumes; and (4) other relevant issues the Comptroller General deems appropriate.