Several proposals regarding security clearances that have been offered focus on reducing the number of clearance holders, on grounds that the sheer number of federal workers, military personnel and contractor employees with clearances have bogged down the background investigatory system and contributed to warning signs being missed.
However, the latest data show that due to initiatives already under way, those numbers are falling, with cuts in both the numbers of those who have regular access to classified information and those who have clearances even though such access is not a basic element of their jobs.
The reductions were ordered under a 2010 law and a later executive order in response to criticisms that the government issues too many clearances, creating delays and pressure to approve them without complete background investigations. Counting both civilian and active and reserve military personnel, the number of confidential, secret and top secret clearances fell over October 2013-October 2014 from 3,738,000 to 3,183,000, with a similar reduction in the number of contractor employees with clearances, a report from the Director of National Intelligence says.
In addition to the importance in current job responsibilities, holding a clearance is a significant advantage for federal employees seeking other work, either inside the government or with a contractor.
