Lankford Works to Automatically Waive Fees for Replacing Critical Documents after a Natural Disaster

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – Senators James Lankford (R-OK) and John Hickenlooper (D-CO) introduced the Replacing Essential Passports and Licenses After Certain Emergencies (REPLACE) Act, a bill to automatically waive replacement fees when survivors lose critical documents like passports, citizenship documents, and visas in natural disasters.

“Natural disasters are nothing new for Oklahomans. While families focus on rebuilding and helping their neighbors recover, they shouldn’t have to worry about extra replacement fees for documents like passports. This bill will automatically waive those charges for families when disaster strikes,” said Lankford.

“Wildfire and flood survivors have enough to worry about without also spending thousands to replace essential documents,” said Hickenlooper. “Let’s waive replacement fees so Coloradans can focus on recovery.”

Victims of major disasters can easily spend tens of thousands of dollars to replace critical documents lost during natural disasters including passports, employment authorizations, green cards, and more. Under current law, federal agencies may waive the fees for the replacement of passports, visas, proof of citizenship, and other documents. However, the waiver process is not automatic—survivors may not know to wait for a fee waiver, and often need documentation immediately. Additionally, waivers are not guaranteed and are not always issued. The REPLACE Act would amend the Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 to require certain critical document fees be automatically waived for individuals and households that are affected by major disasters.

The REPLACE Act would automatically waive the cost of replacing:

• Passports
• Visa Forms
• Permanent Residence Cards
• Declaration of Intent forms
• Naturalization/Citizenship Documents
• Employment Authorizations
• Biometric service fees                                                                    

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