Sec. 9. Determination and report on invalidating United States passports for travel to Iran
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/bill/118/hr/5826/eh/section-9A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Congress finds the following: The Secretary of State maintains authority to restrict the use of United States passports for travel to or use in a country or area which the Secretary has determined is a country or area in which there is imminent danger to the public health or physical safety of United States travelers, in accordance with section 51.63 of title 22, Code of Federal Regulations. In 2017, the Secretary of State declared United States passports invalid for travel to, in, or through North Korea, unless specially validated for such travel, after United States citizen Otto Warmbier suffered grievous injuries in North Korean custody, which led to his death.
The ban on use of United States passports for travel to North Korea was renewed in 2023. It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of State should declare United States passports invalid for travel to, in, or through Iran due to the imminent danger to the public health and physical safety of United States travelers stemming from the threat of wrongful detention or being taken hostage by the Iranian regime. Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter for 3 years, the Secretary of State shall determine and report to the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate— whether the travel of United States persons to Iran presents an imminent danger to the public health or physical safety of United States travelers; and whether the Secretary is exercising his authority to declare United States passports invalid for travel to, in, or through Iran.