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.
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