§3352a Reports and plans relating to security clearances and background investigations

Summary

Requires the Council to send several plans and reports to Congress and to industry partners on set deadlines. Congress says keeping federal workers, facilities, and information trustworthy is a top priority. It also says the personnel security system must be modernized, that the current system is inefficient and not using modern technology enough, and that any changes should be reviewed by the Council so clearances work across the government. Within 90 days after December 20, 2019, the Council must give a plan with milestones to cut the background investigation backlog to 200,000 (or a sustainable steady level) by the end of 2020 and note any needed changes to standards or resources. At the same time it must give a plan to move clearance investigations into the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency and explain needed funding, staff, contracts, IT, field offices, policy, schedule, transition costs, and effects on stakeholders. Within 180 days after December 20, 2019, the Council must give a report on the future of personnel security that includes a risk framework for access, use of technology, reciprocity/portability, insider threat programs, how to combine continuous vetting and HR data, and interagency governance, plus a plan to carry out those recommendations. At least quarterly, the Security Executive Agent must publish a public report on the status of agency requests to change investigative standards, adjudicative guidelines, continuous vetting, or other national personnel security policy.