§3352a Reports and Plans Relating to Security Clearances and Background Investigations

Summary

Requires the Council to treat keeping the federal workforce, buildings, and information safe as a top priority and to push for updating how security clearances and background checks work. Congress wants faster, more reliable investigations that use modern tools and that are standard and accepted across agencies. Within 90 days after December 20, 2019, the Council must send to certain congressional committees and share with industry partners two plans: one with milestones to cut the backlog of background investigations to 200,000 (or a sustainable level) by the end of 2020 and to note any needed changes to how checks are done or the resources needed; and one to move most security-investigation work into the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, showing needed funding, staff, contracts, IT, offices, policy, schedule, transition costs, and effects on stakeholders. Within 180 days after December 20, 2019, the Council chair must send a report on the future of personnel security (including a risk framework for access to classified information, use of technology, reciprocity/portability, insider‑threat programs, data integration, and governance recommendations) and a plan to carry out that report. At least quarterly, the Security Executive Agent must publicly report on requests from departments for changes or approvals to national investigative standards, adjudication rules, continuous vetting, or other personnel‑security policies.