Cleared Congressional Round-Up: The week’s latest from Congress on legislation, hearings and oversight affecting those in the cleared world

REFORMING THE CLEARANCE PROCESS?

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security questioned top agency officials on revisions to the nation’s security clearance system – and background investigations, in particular – in the wake of the Navy Yard shootings.

Prior to the hearing, four Senators introduced a bipartisan bill to bolster the clearance process through an “enhanced security clearance system” to aggregate and store each applicant’s personal information.  The bill would also require review of the cleared individual at least two times every five years.

PERSONAL DEBT AND CLEARANCES

A report by the General Accounting Office found thousands of U.S. officials and contractors with security clearances have racked up $85 million in delinquent, personal tax debts, according to NBC news.

Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), the ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, requested the GAO study.  “It is absurd to give federal employees and contractors who have already failed to follow the law access to our nation’s classified information,” Coburn said.

NSA SPYING

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, along with top officials from NSA and DOJ, testified before the House Intelligence Committee on “Potential Changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.”

Two possible changes identified by the Committee Chairman were to

  • require a determination of “reasonable, articulable suspicion” by the Attorney General that a phone number is related to a terrorist and may be used to search the bulk telephone records data (similar to standard for domestic  investigations between an FBI investigator and Assistant U. S. Attorney); and
  • provide more transparency into FISA Court orders whenever possible, including requiring more court orders to be declassified or publicly released in redacted form.

WEAPONS ACQUISITION

The House Armed Services Committee held the hearing, “25 years of Acquisition Reform: Where do we go from here?”  Officials strategized ways to improve acquisition outcomes, including reforms to the management policies guiding acquisitions.

Committee Vice Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX) and Ranking Member Adam Smith (D-WA) are spearheading a “long-term Dept. of Defense reform effort that includes a hard look at acquisition.”

Rep. Thornberry outlined his goals for the new acquisition reform effort in an op-ed for Real Clear Defense.

HOUSE PASSES FOUR NEW BILLS FOR VETS

H.R. 2189 establishes a task force to examine the reasons for the Dept. of Veterans Affairs disability claims backlog, and to provide solutions for ending it by 2015.

H.R. 2481 creates an Economic Opportunity Administration within VA, enabling the department to better focus on veterans’ transition to civilian life.

H.R. 1405 requires the VA secretary to include an appeals form along with any benefits-denial notification, institute key reforms to VA’s fiduciary program and provide honorary veteran status to members of the National Guard and Reserves.

H.R. 2011 extends the term of a special veteran students advisory committee for two years.

ETC. – COMMITTEE HEARINGS

  • “Nuclear Weapons Modernization Programs: Military, Technical, and Political Requirements for the B61 Life Extension Program and Future Stockpile Strategy” read
  • Meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, House Committee on Foreign Affairs read
  • “China’s Maritime and other Geographic Threats” video
  • “Establishing a Syrian War Crimes Tribunal?” video
  • “After the Withdrawal: The Way Forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan (Part II)”  video
  • “Next Steps on Egypt Policy” video
  • “Cyber Incident Response: Bridging the Gap Between Cybersecurity and Emergency Management” video
  • “Facility Protection: Implications of the Navy Yard Shooting on Homeland Security” video
  •  “Focused Issues on Dignified Burials: A National Cemetery Update” read

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