security clearance reform

On 20 May 2009 the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report (GAO-09-400) on Department of Defense (DoD) security clearances, announcing, “Comprehensive timeliness reporting, complete clearance documentation, and quality measures are needed to further improve the clearance process.” According to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and DoD, the top

A March 11, 2009 article in the Federal Times revisited The Joint Security and Suitability Reform Team‘s aims, including creating an automated end-to-end clearance process by the end of 2010. The idea is to use computers to automate what can be automated and to help better direct investigators toward areas

In January the Smith Amendment was repealed and replaced by Bond Amendment prohibiting all federal agencies from granting or renewing any security clearance for a current user of illegal drugs… February, President Bush issued a memorandum to all executive branch departments and agencies directing that DoD, DNI, OPM, OMB and

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is ready to handle clearance investigations for the Obama administration’s approximately 6,000 to 7,000 new politically appointed officials. Kathy Dillaman, Associate Director of OPM’s Federal Investigative Services Division was reported as saying, “Piece of cake. . . .The influx of Obama staffers will be