President Bush has issued an executive order calling for the standardization of executive branch security clearance policies and procedures, and reciprocal recognition of security clearances across agencies.
The order specifies that each successively higher level of investigation and adjudication shall build upon, but not duplicate, the ones below it.
According to the order, the aligned system shall employ updated and consistent standards and methods, enable innovations with enterprise IT capabilities and end-to-end automation to the extent practicable, and ensure that relevant information maintained by agencies can be accessed and shared rapidly across the executive branch.
Except as otherwise authorized by law, background investigations and adjudications shall be mutually and reciprocally accepted by all agencies.
An agency generally may not establish additional investigative or adjudicative requirements without the approval of one of two new positions at the head of a new "suitability and security clearance performance accountability council."
OMB’s deputy management director will chair the council and have authority, direction and control over its functions, while membership will be limited to federal employees.
This council will ensure the alignment of suitability, security, and, as appropriate, contractor employee fitness investigative and adjudicative processes, hold agencies accountable for the same, and establish requirements for enterprise IT.
OPM director Linda Springer will serve as the "suitability executive agent" while the Director of National Intelligence will serve as the "security executive agent," and direct the oversight of investigations and determinations of eligibility.