Polygraph Use by the Department of Energy: Issues for Congress

Abstract

Department of Energy (DOE) Deputy Secretary Kyle E. McSlarrow recommended on September 4, 2003, that the DOE issue a proposed regulation by the end of the year that would sharply curtail the use of the polygraph for screening DOE employees with access to classified information. McSlarrow said that he has recommended to Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham a mandatory polygraph screening program only for individuals with regular access to the most sensitive information. The result would be to reduce from more than 20,000 to approximately 4,500 the number of DOE and contractor personnel potentially subject to mandatory polygraph tests. McSlarrow cited a 2002 study by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) that questioned the validity of polygraph testing. In the wake of the Wen Ho Lee case, DOE in March 1999 initiated and later announced a screening polygraph implementation plan affecting approximately 800 DOE federal and contractor employees in certain high-risk programs. Congress in October 1999 mandated DOE polygraph testing (P.L. 106-65, Sec. 3154) and expanded the program to cover 13,000 DOE employees. The following year, Congress further expanded polygraph testing to cover approximately 20,000 DOE employees (P.L. 106-398, Sec. 3135). In 2001 Congress requested that NAS review the scientific evidence regarding the validity and reliability of the polygraph, particularly when used for personnel security screening. Congress directed DOE to institute a new polygraph program that takes into account the NAS findings (P.L. 107-107, Sec. 3152). The NAS study concluded that while polygraph testing is more effective when used in connection with event-specific investigations, its accuracy is insufficient to justify reliance on its use in screening current and prospective federal agency employees -- DOE's principal purpose in using the polygraph. This report discusses several possible approaches to the polygraph issue.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADA480887

Entities

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  • Alfred Cumming

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  • Library of Congress

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  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
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  • Accuracy
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  • Lie Detection
  • National Security
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