Personnel Security Clearances: Further Actions Needed to Improve the Process and Realize Efficiencies
Abstract
Personnel security clearances allow government and industry personnel to gain access to classified information that, through unauthorized disclosure, can in some cases cause exceptionally grave damage to U.S. national security. In 2012, the Director of National Intelligence reported that more than 4.9 million federal government and contractor employees held a security clearance. Multiple executive-branch agencies are responsible for different phases in the government-wide personnel security clearance process. The Director of National Intelligence, as Security Executive Agent, is to develop uniform and consistent policies and procedures. Executive branch agencies are to determine which positions require access to classified information. OPM's investigators from the Federal Investigative Service conduct the majority of security investigations on personnel holding those positions, and adjudicators from requesting agencies, such as DoD, make the final clearance eligibility determination. Reform efforts and reporting requirements since 2005 have focused on expediting the processing of clearances. This testimony is based on GAO reports and testimonies issued between 2008 and 2013 on DoD's personnel security clearance programs and security clearance reform efforts. The testimony addresses three areas for improvement to the government-wide personnel security clearance process: (1) a sound requirements determination process, (2) performance metrics to measure quality, and (3) guidance to enhance efficiencies.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 20, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA580587
Entities
People
- Brenda S. Farrell
- David Moser
- Erin Preston
- Leigh Ann Sennette
- Mae Jones
- Michael Willems
- Sara Cradic
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office