# 115-hr-6707: Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Improvement Act of 2018

115-hr-6707, Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Improvement Act of 2018, is a 115th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Gonzalez, Vicente [D-TX-34] (D-TX); status Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. (as of 2025-11-18).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/115-hr-6707
- As of: 2025-11-18
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 115-hr-6707
- Congress: 115
- Title: Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Improvement Act of 2018
- Status: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
- Introduced: 2018-09-05
- Sponsor: Rep. Gonzalez, Vicente [D-TX-34] (D-TX)
- Cosponsors: 2
- Policy area: International Affairs
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2025-11-18

## Summary

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Improvement Act of 2018 This bill establishes certain standards for U.S. passport applications. The Department of State shall adjudicate U.S. passport applications in an individualized, evidence-based manner based on an assessment of individual circumstances and evidence. An applicant's race, ethnicity, or ancestry may not be considered in such adjudicatory process. The bill requires that: an applicant establish U.S. citizenship or nationality by a preponderance of the evidence, and a determination that an applicant has not met such evidentiary burden state in writing the reasons for the determination and be provided to the applicant in a timely manner. A birth certificate signed by a person authorized under state law to sign such a document, or a previously-issued U.S. passport, shall constitute prima facie evidence of U.S. citizenship or nationality and, absent individualized evidence that a birth did not take place in the United States, shall satisfy the preponderance of the evidence standard.

## Cosponsors (2)

- Rep. Gomez, Jimmy [D-CA-34] (D-CA), 2018-09-05T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13] (D-NY), 2018-09-05T00:00:00.000Z

## Related bills

- 115-hr-6545: Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2018
- 115-hr-6510: Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act
- 115-hr-6326: Reunite Separated Families Act of 2018
- 115-hr-6193: Central America Family Protection and Reunification Act
- 115-hr-6135: Keep Families Together Act
- 115-hr-5593: Protect Patriot Spouses Act

## Sources
- [115-hr-6707 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/6707)

## Related
- [115-hr-6545: Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2018](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/115-hr-6545)
- [115-hr-6510: Restore Our Parks and Public Lands Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/115-hr-6510)
- [115-hr-6326: Reunite Separated Families Act of 2018](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/115-hr-6326)
- [115-hr-6193: Central America Family Protection and Reunification Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/115-hr-6193)
- [115-hr-6135: Keep Families Together Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/115-hr-6135)
- [115-hr-5593: Protect Patriot Spouses Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/115-hr-5593)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/115-hr-6707 (as of 2025-11-18).