Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§7273b Security investigations

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 84— - DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER VI— - ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › Part Part C— - General Administrative Provisions › § 7273b

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Department of Energy may not use its funds to investigate a person or facility for a security clearance unless the Secretary of Energy finds both that no other federal agency has a current, complete investigation file on them and that none of those agencies is doing an investigation that could be used for the clearance. "Current" means done within the past five years.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §7273b

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(1)No funds appropriated to the Department of Energy may be obligated or expended for the conduct of an investigation by the Department of Energy or any other Federal department or agency for purposes of determining whether to grant a security clearance to an individual or a facility unless the Secretary of Energy determines both of the following:

(A)That a current, complete investigation file is not available from any other department or agency of the Federal government with respect to that individual or facility.

(B)That no other department or agency of the Federal government is conducting an investigation with respect to that individual or facility that could be used as the basis for determining whether to grant the security clearance.

(2)For purposes of paragraph (1)(A), a current investigation file is a file on an investigation that has been conducted within the past five years.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991, and not as part of the Department of Energy Organization Act which comprises this chapter.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 7273b

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73