HR 4022 Introduced – Security Clearances

As I noted last week Rep Lynch (D,MA) introduced HR 4022, the Security Clearance Reform Act of 2014. While this bill does not actually apply to security clearances provided to individuals in the private sector (other than contractors working for the federal government), this bill, if passed, should make the security clearance process more effective and in the long run, make it easier for private sector security clearances to be processed in a timely manner.

Strategic Plan

Section 2 of the bill would require the President to develop a strategic plan for updating the security clearance investigation process. Among other things that plan would address:

• The development and establishment of a continuous evaluation or monitoring system {§2(b)(1)};

• Ensuring that the background of each cleared individual is monitored on a continual basis {§2(b)(2)(A)};

• Ensuring the effective, efficient, and timely completion of background investigations relating to a covered individual’s eligibility for a security clearance {§2(b)(3)};

• Improving the procedures to require information sharing between agencies {§2(b)(4)};

• Enhancing methods for reducing or eliminating manual processes with respect to security clearance background investigations, and automating and integrating the elements of such investigations and adjudication processes {§2(b)(6)};

• Reducing or eliminating the use of databases and information sources that cannot be accessed and processed electronically, or modify such databases and information sources to enable electronic access and processing {§2(b)(7)); and

• Increasing the use of digitally processed fingerprints as a substitute for ink or paper prints to reduce error rates and improve portability of data {§2(b)(8)}.

Moving Forward

This bill is being introduced by the Ranking Member of  Federal Workforce Subcommittee of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and is co-sponsored by the Ranking Member of the Committee. In some committee that might ensure that the bill would get at least a hearing. I don’t think that this applies to this controversial committee.

This bill was introduced still born.