[国会纪录卷163，第16（星期二2017年1月31日）纽约[楼] [网页的H776-H778]国土安全通关管理部门及管理法令金先生。议长先生，我动议暂停的规则和通过法案（H.R. 697）修改2002年国土安全法案，以改善整个美国国土安全部的安全许可证的管理流程和管理，以及用于其他目的。职员阅读账单的标题。该法案的全文如下：H.R. 697是它由美利坚合众国国会代表的参议院和众议院颁布组装，第1节简短的标题。该法可引为``国土部门的安全检查经营与管理法“”。秒。2.安全检查经营与管理。（一）一般.-- 2002年国土安全法案第七修订如下：是（1）第701（6联邦法典341）以下之前插入：``字幕A  - 总部活动';和[[页H777]]（2）通过在末尾添加了以下新的字幕：``字幕乙 - 安全间隙``SEC。711. DESIGNATION国家安全敏感和公信力位置。 ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall require the designation of the sensitivity level of national security positions (pursuant to part 1400 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, or similar successor regulation) be conducted in a consistent manner with respect to all components and offices of the Department, and consistent with Federal guidelines. ``(b) Implementation.--In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall require the utilization of uniform designation tools throughout the Department and provide training to appropriate staff of the Department on such utilization. Such training shall include guidance on factors for determining eligibility for access to classified information and eligibility to hold a national security position. ``SEC. 712. REVIEW OF POSITION DESIGNATIONS. ``(a) In General.--Not later than July 6, 2017, and every five years thereafter, the Secretary shall review all sensitivity level designations of national security positions (pursuant to part 1400 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, or similar successor regulation) at the Department. ``(b) Determination.--If during the course of a review required under subsection (a), the Secretary determines that a change in the sensitivity level of a position that affects the need for an individual to obtain access to classified information is warranted, such access shall be administratively adjusted and an appropriate level periodic reinvestigation completed, as necessary. ``(c) Congressional Reporting.--Upon completion of each review required under subsection (a), the Secretary shall report to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate on the findings of each such review, including the number of positions by classification level and by component and office of the Department in which the Secretary made a determination in accordance with subsection (b) to-- ``(1) require access to classified information; ``(2) no longer require access to classified information; or ``(3) otherwise require a different level of access to classified information. ``SEC. 713. AUDITS. ``Beginning not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, the Inspector General of the Department shall conduct regular audits of compliance of the Department with part 1400 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, or similar successor regulation. ``SEC. 714. REPORTING. ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall annually through fiscal year 2022 submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the following: ``(1) The number of denials, suspensions, revocations, and appeals of the eligibility for access to classified information of an individual throughout the Department. ``(2) The date and status or disposition of each reported action under paragraph (1). ``(3) The identification of the sponsoring entity, whether by a component, office, or headquarters of the Department, of each action under paragraph (1), and description of the grounds for each such action. ``(4) Demographic data, including data relating to race, sex, national origin, and disability, of each individual for whom eligibility for access to classified information was denied, suspended, revoked, or appealed, and the number of years that each such individual was eligible for access to such information. ``(5) In the case of a suspension in excess of 180 days, an explanation for such duration. ``(b) Form.--The report required under subsection (a) shall be submitted in unclassified form and be made publicly available, but may include a classified annex for any sensitive or classified information if necessary. ``SEC. 715. UNIFORM ADJUDICATION, SUSPENSION, DENIAL, AND REVOCATION. ``Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary, in consultation with the Homeland Security Advisory Committee, shall develop a plan to achieve greater uniformity within the Department with respect to the adjudication of eligibility of an individual for access to classified information that are consistent with the Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Access to Classified Information published on December 29, 2005, or similar successor regulation. The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate the plan. The plan shall consider the following: ``(1) Mechanisms to foster greater compliance with the uniform Department adjudication, suspension, denial, and revocation standards by the head of each component and office of the Department with the authority to adjudicate access to classified information. ``(2) The establishment of an internal appeals panel responsible for final national security clearance denial and revocation determinations that is comprised of designees who are career, supervisory employees from components and offices of the Department with the authority to adjudicate access to classified information and headquarters, as appropriate. ``SEC. 716. DATA PROTECTION. ``The Secretary shall ensure that all information received for the adjudication of eligibility of an individual for access to classified information is consistent with the Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Access to Classified Information published on December 29, 2005, or similar successor regulation, and is protected against misappropriation. ``SEC. 717. REFERENCE. ``Except as otherwise provided, for purposes of this subtitle, any reference to the `Department' includes all components and offices of the Department.''. (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 is amended-- (1) by inserting before the item relating to section 701 the following new item: ``Subtitle A--Headquarters Activities''; and (2) by inserting after the item relating to section 707 the following new items: ``Subtitle B--Security Clearances ``Sec. 711. Designation of national security sensitive and public trust positions. ``Sec. 712. Review of position designations. ``Sec. 713. Audits. ``Sec. 714. Reporting. ``Sec. 715. Uniform adjudication, suspension, denial, and revocation. ``Sec. 716. Data protection. ``Sec. 717. Reference.''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New York (Mr. King) and the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Thompson) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York. General Leave Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include any extraneous material on the bill under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from New York? There was no objection. Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 697, the Department of Homeland Security Clearance Management and Administration Act, and I commend the gentleman from Mississippi for sponsoring it. A security clearance is a privilege granted to individuals who have pledged to protect the American people from threats domestically and abroad. DHS has approximately 115,000 employees with varying access to classified materials. One important element of H.R. 697 is the requirement for the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct an inventory of the Department's positions that require security clearances and assess what positions may be duplicative or are no longer necessary. It is just good government to ensure that individuals still have a need to know. In 2013, then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper called the number of individuals with clearances ``too high.'' In a memo to government agencies, Director Clapper expressed his concern with the growing number of individuals with access to classified information, particularly TS and SCI clearances. Security clearances are costly to investigate, adjudicate, and maintain. This bill would ensure that DHS conducts a thorough accounting of its workforce needs and reduces the number of positions if determined appropriate. The bill also includes requirements for additional transparency on how security clearances are adjudicated, including when there are reasons to suspend or deny a security clearance. H.R. 697, introduced by Ranking Member Thompson, is an example of the accounting that each Federal department should be conducting today and will lead to a more effective and lean Department of Homeland Security in the future. The bill is identical to the version the House passed last Congress by voice vote. I urge support for the gentleman's bill. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. [[Page H778]] Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 697, the Department of Homeland Security Clearance Management and Administration Act. Mr. Speaker, I want to start off by thanking the chairman of the Counterterrorism and Intelligence Subcommittee, Mr. King, as well as Chairman McCaul for their support for my bill. I reintroduced H.R. 697, the Department of Homeland Security Clearance Management and Administration Act, to reform how the Department manages its security clearance processes. This measure, which the House approved by voice vote in November, 2015, specifically addresses how DHS carries out the complex and expensive tasks of, number one, identifying positions that warrant security clearances; number two, investigating candidates for clearances; and number three, administering its clearance adjudications, denials, suspensions, revocations, and appeals processes. Since September 11, there has been a massive proliferation of classified material across the Federal Government. Along with the enormous growth in classified material holdings has come a sizeable growth in the number of Federal positions requiring security clearances. H.R. 697 reflects regulations issued by the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to help ensure that national security positions are properly designated by Federal agencies. By doing so, agencies can avoid the costly exercise of recruiting, investigating, and hiring individuals at clearance levels and salaries well above what is necessary. Simply put, Mr. Speaker, H.R. 697 seeks to put DHS on a path to right-sizing the number of classified positions in its workforce. Specifically, my bill directs DHS to ensure that the sensitivity levels of national security positions are designated appropriately across the Department and its components. It also requires the Department's chief security officer to audit national security positions periodically to ensure that such security designations are still appropriate. Additionally, the bill directs DHS to develop a plan to ensure that adjudications of eligibility for a security clearance are done accurately across the Department. Lastly, Mr. Speaker, in response to growing security threats from data breaches, my bill also provides safeguards for the protection of applicants' personal information. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, passage of H.R. 697 will help ensure that the Department of Homeland Security takes targeted steps to improve critical aspects of its secured clearance program. If enacted, H.R. 697 would make DHS a leader among Federal agencies with respect to security clearance and position designation practices. With that, Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues' support, and I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. KING of New York. Mr. Speaker, I, once again, thank the gentleman and commend him for his leadership on this issue. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 697, and I yield back the balance of my time. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. King) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 697. The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed. A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. ____________________