What seems to be a "what do I care" kind of story actually involves a lot of us, even traveling domestically.
This article explains in a little more detail WHY you should determine if you/your family needs a passport to travel, even domestically. Without going too much detail and not stepping even my big toe into the political waters, it boils down to states becoming compliant with a Federal law passed in 2005 regarding certain standards used to issue drivers licenses. The above article shows if your state is "compliant" and your driver's license meets the new standards, which officially went into affect this month.
Further reading of this different article explains why demand for passports will be at an all-time high. Also interesting: The State Department is seeing more and more passport rejection based on the "6 month" rule, which allows you to be turned away if your passport is within six months of expiring.
Have a passport? Check it for dates of expiration. Don't have one? Might consider getting in the queue.