50 U.S.C. § 3352b: Improving the process for security clearances

A review of whether the information requested on the Questionnaire for National Security Positions (Standard Form 86) and by the Federal Investigative Standards prescribed by the Suitability and Credentialing Executive Agent and the Security Executive Agent appropriately supports the adjudicative guidelines under Security Executive Agent Directive 4 (known as the “National Security Adjudicative Guidelines”). Such review shall include identification of whether any such information currently collected is unnecessary to support the adjudicative guidelines. An assessment of whether such Questionnaire, Standards, and guidelines should be revised to account for the prospect of a holder of a security clearance becoming an insider threat. simplifying the Questionnaire for National Security Positions (Standard Form 86) and increasing customer support to applicants completing such Questionnaire; using remote techniques and centralized locations to support or replace field investigation work; using secure and reliable digitization of information obtained during the clearance process; building the capacity of the background investigation workforce; and replacing periodic reinvestigations with continuous vetting techniques in all appropriate circumstances. A policy and implementation plan for the issuance of interim security clearances. prioritization of processing security clearances based on the mission the contractors will be performing; standardization in the forms that agencies issue to initiate the process for a security clearance; digitization of background investigation-related forms; use of the polygraph; the application of the adjudicative guidelines under Security Executive Agent Directive 4 (known as the “National Security Adjudicative Guidelines”); reciprocal recognition of clearances across agencies and departments of the United States, regardless of status of periodic reinvestigation; tracking of clearance files as individuals move from employment with an agency or department of the United States to employment in the private sector; collection of timelines for movement of contractors across agencies and departments; reporting on security incidents and job performance, consistent with section 552a of title 5 (commonly known as the “Privacy Act of 1974”), that may affect the ability to hold a security clearance; any recommended changes to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) necessary to ensure that information affecting contractor clearances or suitability is appropriately and expeditiously shared between and among agencies and contractors; and portability of contractor security clearances between or among contracts at the same agency and between or among contracts at different agencies that require the same level of clearance. provides for periodic reinvestigations as part of a security clearance determination only on an as-needed, risk-based basis; includes actions to assess the extent to which automated records checks and other continuous vetting methods may be used to expedite or focus reinvestigations; and determines such populations require reinvestigations at regular intervals; and provides written justification to the appropriate congressional committees for any such determination. A policy and implementation plan for agencies and departments of the United States, as a part of the security clearance process, to accept automated records checks generated pursuant to a security clearance applicant’s employment with a prior employer. A policy for the use of certain background information on individuals collected by the private sector for background investigation purposes. Uniform standards for agency continuous vetting programs to ensure quality and reciprocity in accepting enrollment in a continuous vetting program as a substitute for a periodic investigation for continued access to classified information. In this section, the term ‘Security Executive Agent’ means the officer serving as the Security Executive Agent pursuant to section 803 of the National Security Act of 1947 [ 50 U.S.C. 3162a ], as added by section 6605. Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [ Dec. 20, 2019 ], the Security Executive Agent shall issue a policy that requires the head of each Federal agency to create, not later than December 31, 2023 , an electronic portal that can be used by human resources personnel and applicants for security clearances to view information about the status of an application for a security clearance and the average time required for each phase of the security clearance process.”