BigFlyer

With the passport open, as I had read that the US passports have shielding in the covers.

I am not sure that you are correct (but perhaps you are, you usually are pretty reliable.) I know that the US passport cards just have a number that links to a database. However, it would defeat the purpose of the epassport if the border authorities outside the US could not use the chip to authenticate the information.

Now, while I know the US is capable of hypocrisy, it would really be kind of crazy if the US could read epassports from other countries but not the other way around. In fact, the US denies entry under the visa waiver program to nationals of various otherwise eligible countries if their passport does not have a chip. So, the US insists on the ability to be able to read the chips in epassports from certain other countries (at least of those nationals want to enter under the visa waiver program.)

Edit: I misread GUWONDER's post. He was referring to the passport card when he talked about pulling from the database, not passport books.