The U.S. State Department has ordered nonprofit public libraries nationwide to cease processing passport applications, abruptly ending a service many communities relied upon for years. The directive stems from federal regulations prohibiting non-governmental organizations from collecting fees for passport services, which government-run facilities can legally perform. Executive Director Cathleen Special of Connecticut's Otis Library, which offered the service for 18 years, stated daily calls seeking the service persist.

The move disrupts access, particularly for working families and rural residents, forcing them to travel long distances or take unpaid leave. Connecticut lawmakers, both Democrat and Republican, are pushing back, warning libraries may lay off staff or close if forced to abandon the service. They cite Pennsylvania's 85% nonprofit libraries and similar structures in Maine and New York as particularly vulnerable.

Bipartisan legislation in Congress aims to amend the 1920 Passport Act to allow nonprofit libraries to continue. The State Department notes 99% of the population lives within 20 miles of an alternative facility, but Special highlighted the practical challenges, including libraries serving as after-hours hubs and assisting applicants with language barriers.