During voting on its version of the annual DoD authorization bill (HR-1735) the Senate added language that had been proposed as a separate bill designed to strengthen security clearance background checks, prevent insider threats, and enhance security for sensitive federal facilities.
The provisions: centralize the DoD security clearance reform effort under one position and require them to implement continuous evaluation of cleared staff; require security standards for physical and electronic access to secured facilities across the government; require all federal agencies to have access to the same resources and tools when conducting background investigations for clearances; update the law that guides access to criminal history records information; reduce duplication by requiring federal agencies to use one automated information system; and requireOMB to report on how the federal government can better coordinate with local law enforcement to conduct background investigations for national security personnel.
A separate bill to reform the national security clearance process by prohibiting federal contractors and employees who have compromised the integrity of a background investigation from performing future background investigations earlier passed the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
