GAO: Security Clearance Policies Unclear, Cost Money

The executive branch does not have clear policies for when a civilian federal worker needs a security clearance, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released this month. In the 54-page report, the GAO examines both executive branch policies around when a particular position requires a security clearance and how agencies review if a position continues to require a security clearance. The researchers found that while "agency officials were aware of the need to keep the number of security clearances to a minimum," they "were not always required to conduct periodic reviews and validations of the security clearance needs of existing positions."