[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13524]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF THE ``CLEARANCE AND OVER-CLASSIFICATION REFORM AND 
                   REDUCTION ACT'' OR ``CORRECT ACT''

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 29, 2014

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce 
legislation today titled the ``Clearance and Over-Classification Reform 
and Reduction Act'' or ``CORRECT Act.''
  The CORRECT Act recognizes that the massive proliferation of original 
and derivative classified material and the exponential growth in the 
number of individuals with security clearances present significant 
homeland security and national security challenges that warrant timely 
action. In addition to the high costs incurred by the Federal 
government to investigate an unnecessarily large number of individuals 
for positions requiring security clearances, over-designations have 
undoubtedly resulted in the Federal government recruiting, hiring, and 
paying individuals at rates that are higher than necessary and not 
hiring individuals who otherwise have the required knowledge and 
skills.
  The CORRECT Act amends the existing Reducing Over-Classification Act 
by (1) requiring the President to establish a goal for the reduction of 
classified information by not less than 10 percent within five years 
through improved declassification and improved original and derivative 
classification decision-making; (2) creating standardized sampling 
techniques for use by Federal departments and agencies conducting self-
inspections to assess their progress at improving classification 
decision-making within their organizations; (3) creating annual 
training to each employee with original classification authority; and 
(4) requiring the Inspector General of each department or agency to 
report on the progress of each respective department or agency with 
respect to implementation of the Reducing Over-Classification Act as 
well as the President's 10 percent classified information reduction 
goal.
  The CORRECT Act also includes a sense of Congress that a position 
should only be designated as requiring a security clearance when it 
requires access to classified information, presents a risk of a 
material, adverse effect on the national security, or is a position of 
public trust for any agency that has the authority to issue security 
clearances.
  Additionally, the CORRECT Act sets forth specific reforms at the 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to make it a leader among Federal 
agencies with respect to security clearance practices. The reforms at 
DHS are targeted at the designation, investigation, adjudication, 
denial, suspension, revocation, and appeals processes. In particular, 
to increase transparency and improve performance among investigation 
service providers, including Office of Personnel Management, it 
requires the DHS Secretary to publish on the Department's website an 
annual Department-wide satisfaction survey. If a pattern of performance 
problems with a particular investigation service provider emerges, the 
DHS Chief Security Officer is required to make a recommendation to the 
Secretary regarding corrective action, including suspension or 
cancellation of services.
  I urge support of this commonsense legislation.

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