The Office of Management Budget’s deputy management director told the subcommittee that OMB approved a request by the Defense Security Service for $90.7 million to fund a recent surge in security clearance requests.
OMB has been tasked with overseeing security clearance reform, which was added to the Government Accountability Office’s high-risk list in January 2005.
DSS announced in April that it would stop processing industry requests, citing a lack of funds. The request for additional funds needs to be approved by four defense committees.
According to Johnson’s testimony, 8 percent of requests were completed within 30 days as of April, far short of the 80 percent goal.
The Department of Commerce processes 51 percent of its requests within 30 days, the Department of Energy 50 percent, the Department of Transportation 47 percent, and the Department of Homeland Security 43 percent.
However, the Pentagon adjudicates around just 5 percent of requests within 30 days.
Johnson said OMB has yet to reach an agreement with DoD on reciprocity involving special access programs, but added that there is now a consolidated database of personnel security clearance information that can be used to confirm who already has what clearances.
