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Week Ending March 17, 2006

S.1184 A bill to waive the passport fees for a relative of a deceased member of the Armed Forces proceeding abroad to visit the grave of such member or to attend a funeral or memorial service for such member.

The bill waives the $47 to $97 international travelers pay for passports if they are a widow, widower, child, parent, grandparent, brother, or sister of a deceased member of the armed forces if the trip is to visit the soldier’s grave or attend a funeral or memorial service.

Sponsor: Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent. Passed House by voice vote March 14, 2006.

Cost to the taxpayers: Under current law, passport fees range from $67 to $97, and such fees are recorded as revenues. The department does not expect that implementing this bill would significantly increase the number of applicants eligible for fee waivers. Thus, CBO estimates that enactment of this bill would have no significant impact on the federal budget.

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