[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 44, Number 26 (Monday, July 7, 2008)]
[Pages 932-936]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Executive Order 13467--Reforming Processes Related to Suitability for 
Government Employment, Fitness for Contractor Employees, and Eligibility 
for Access to Classified National Security Information

June 30, 2008

    By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and 
the laws of the United States of America, and in order to ensure an 
efficient, practical, reciprocal, and aligned system for investigating 
and determining suitability for Government employment, contractor 
employee fitness, and eligibility for access to classified information, 
while taking appropriate account of title III of Public Law 108-458, it 
is hereby ordered as follows:

PART 1-POLICY, APPLICABILITY, AND DEFINITIONS

    Section 1.1. Policy. Executive branch policies and procedures 
relating to suitability, contractor employee fitness, eligibility to 
hold a sensitive position, access to federally controlled facilities and 
information systems, and eligibility for access to classified 
information shall be aligned using consistent standards to the extent 
possible, provide for reciprocal recognition, and shall ensure cost-
effective, timely,and efficient protection of the national interest, 
while providing fair treatment to those upon whom the Federal Government 
relies to conduct our Nation's business and protect national security.
    Sec. 1.2. Applicability. (a) This order applies to all covered 
individuals as defined in section 1.3(g), except that:
(i)          the provisions regarding eligibility for physical access to 
            federally controlled facilities and logical access to 
            federally controlled information systems do not apply to 
            individuals exempted in accordance with guidance pursuant to 
            the Federal Information Security Management Act (title III 
            of Public Law 107-347) and Homeland Security Presidential 
            Directive 12; and
(ii)         the qualification standards for enlistment, appointment, 
            and induction into the Armed Forces pursuant to title 10, 
            United States Code, are unaffected by this order.
    (b) This order also applies to investigations and determinations of 
eligibility for access to classified information for employees of 
agencies working in or for the legislative or judicial branches when 
those investigations or determinations are conducted by the executive 
branch.
    Sec. 1.3. Definitions. For the purpose of this order:
    (a) ``Adjudication'' means the evaluation of pertinent data in a 
background investigation, as well as any other available information 
that is relevant and reliable, to determine whether a covered individual 
is:
(i)          suitable for Government employment;
(ii)         eligible for logical and physical access;
(iii)        eligible for access to classified information;
(iv)         eligible to hold a sensitive position; or
(v)          fit to perform work for or on behalf of the Government as a 
            contractor employee.
    (b) ``Agency'' means any ``Executive agency'' as defined in section 
105 of title 5, United States Code, including the ``military 
departments,'' as defined in section 102 of title 5, United States Code, 
and any other entity within the executive branch that comes into 
possession of classified information or has designated positions as 
sensitive, except such an entity headed by an officer who is not a 
covered individual.
    (c) ``Classified information'' means information that has been 
determined pursuant to Executive Order 12958 of April 17, 1995, as 
amended, or a successor or predecessor order, or the Atomic Energy Act 
of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.) to require protection against 
unauthorized disclosure.
    (d) ``Continuous evaluation'' means reviewing the background of an 
individual who has been determined to be eligible for access to 
classified information (including additional

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or new checks of commercial databases, Government databases, and other 
information lawfully available to security officials) at any time during 
the period of eligibility to determine whether that individual continues 
to meet the requirements for eligibility for access to classified 
information.
    (e) ``Contractor'' means an expert or consultant (not appointed 
under section 3109 of title 5, United States Code) to an agency; an 
industrial or commercial contractor, licensee, certificate holder, or 
grantee of any agency, including all subcontractors; a personal services 
contractor; or any other category of person who performs work for or on 
behalf of an agency (but not a Federal employee).
    (f) ``Contractor employee fitness'' means fitness based on character 
and conduct for work for or on behalf of the Government as a contractor 
employee.
    (g) ``Covered individual'' means a person who performs work for or 
on behalf of the executive branch, or who seeks to perform work for or 
on behalf of the executive branch, but does not include:
(i)          the President or (except to the extent otherwise directed 
            by the President) employees of the President under section 
            105 or 107 of title 3, United States Code; or
(ii)         the Vice President or (except to the extent otherwise 
            directed by the Vice President) employees of the Vice 
            President under section 106 of title 3 or annual legislative 
            branch appropriations acts.
    (h) ``End-to-end automation'' means an executive branch-wide 
federated system that uses automation to manage and monitor cases and 
maintain relevant documentation of the application (but not an 
employment application), investigation, adjudication, and continuous 
evaluation processes.
    (i) ``Federally controlled facilities'' and ``federally controlled 
information systems'' have the meanings prescribed in guidance pursuant 
to the Federal Information Security Management Act (title III of Public 
Law 107-347) and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12.
    (j) ``Logical and physical access'' means access other than 
occasional or intermittent access to federally controlled facilities or 
information systems.
    (k) ``Sensitive position'' means any position so designated under 
Executive Order 10450 of April 27, 1953, as amended.
    (l) ``Suitability'' has the meaning and coverage provided in 5 CFR 
Part 731.

PART 2-ALIGNMENT, RECIPROCITY, AND GOVERNANCE

    Sec. 2.1. Aligned System. (a) Investigations and adjudications of 
covered individuals who require a determination of suitability, 
eligibility for logical and physical access, eligibility to hold a 
sensitive position, eligibility for access to classified information, 
and, as appropriate, contractor employee fitness, shall be aligned using 
consistent standards to the extent possible. Each successively higher 
level of investigation and adjudication shall build upon, but not 
duplicate, the ones below it.
    (b) The aligned system shall employ updated and consistent standards 
and methods, enable innovations with enterprise information technology 
capabilities and end-to-end automation to the extent practicable, and 
ensure that relevant information maintained by agencies can be accessed 
and shared rapidly across the executive branch, while protecting 
national security, protecting privacy-related information, ensuring 
resulting decisions are in the national interest, and providing the 
Federal Government with an effective workforce.
    (c) Except as otherwise authorized by law, background investigations 
and adjudications shall be mutually and reciprocally accepted by all 
agencies. An agency may not establish additional investigative or 
adjudicative requirements (other than requirements for the conduct of a 
polygraph examination consistent with law, directive, or regulation) 
that exceed the requirements for suitability, contractor employee 
fitness, eligibility for logical or physical access, eligibility to hold 
a sensitive position, or eligibility for access to classified 
information without the approval of the Suitability Executive Agent or 
Security Executive Agent, as appropriate, and provided that approval to 
establish additional requirements shall be limited to circumstances 
where additional requirements are necessary

[[Page 934]]

to address significant needs unique to the agency involved or to protect 
national security.
    Sec. 2.2. Establishment and Functions of Performance Accountability 
Council. (a) There is hereby established a Suitability and Security 
Clearance Performance Accountability Council (Council).

    (b) The Deputy Director for Management, Office of Management and 
Budget, shall serve as Chair of the Council and shall have authority, 
direction, and control over the Council's functions. Membership on the 
Council shall include the Suitability Executive Agent and the Security 
Executive Agent. The Chair shall select a Vice Chair to act in the 
Chair's absence. The Chair shall have authority to designate officials 
from additional agencies who shall serve as members of the Council. 
Council membership shall be limited to Federal Government employees and 
shall include suitability and security professionals.

    (c) The Council shall be accountable to the President to achieve, 
consistent with this order, the goals of reform, and is responsible for 
driving implementation of the reform effort, ensuring accountability by 
agencies, ensuring the Suitability Executive Agent and the Security 
Executive Agent align their respective processes, and sustaining reform 
momentum.

    (d) The Council shall:

(i)          ensure alignment of suitability, security, and, as 
            appropriate, contractor employee fitness investigative and 
            adjudicative processes;
(ii)         hold agencies accountable for the implementation of 
            suitability, security, and, as appropriate, contractor 
            employee fitness processes and procedures;
(iii)        establish requirements for enterprise information 
            technology;
(iv)         establish annual goals and progress metrics and prepare 
            annual reports on results;
(v)          ensure and oversee the development of tools and techniques 
            for enhancing background investigations and the making of 
            eligibility determinations;
(vi)         arbitrate disparities in procedures between the Suitability 
            Executive Agent and the Security Executive Agent;
(vii)        ensure sharing of best practices; and
(viii)       advise the Suitability Executive Agent and the Security 
            Executive Agent on policies affecting the alignment of 
            investigations and adjudications.
    (e) The Chair may, to ensure the effective implementation of the 
policy set forth in section 1.1 of this order and to the extent 
consistent with law, assign, in whole or in part, to the head of any 
agency (solely or jointly) any function within the Council's 
responsibility relating to alignment and improvement of investigations 
and determinations of suitability, contractor employee fitness, 
eligibility for logical and physical access, eligibility for access to 
classified information, or eligibility to hold a sensitive position.
    Sec. 2.3. Establishment, Designation, and Functions of Executive 
Agents. (a) There is hereby established a Suitability Executive Agent 
and a Security Executive Agent.
    (b) The Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall serve 
as the Suitability Executive Agent. As the Suitability Executive Agent, 
the Director of the Office of Personnel Management will continue to be 
responsible for developing and implementing uniform and consistent 
policies and procedures to ensure the effective, efficient, and timely 
completion of investigations and adjudications relating to 
determinations of suitability and eligibility for logical and physical 
access.
    (c) The Director of National Intelligence shall serve as the 
Security Executive Agent. The Security Executive Agent:
(i)          shall direct the oversight of investigations and 
            determinations of eligibility for access to classified 
            information or eligibility to hold a sensitive position made 
            by any agency;
(ii)         shall be responsible for developing uniform and consistent 
            policies and procedures to ensure the effective, efficient, 
            and timely completion of investigations and adjudications 
            relating to determinations of eligibility for access to 
            classified information or eligibility to hold a sensitive 
            position;

[[Page 935]]

(iii)        may issue guidelines and instructions to the heads of 
            agencies to ensure appropriate uniformity, centralization, 
            efficiency, effectiveness, and timeliness in processes 
            relating to determinations by agencies of eligibility for 
            access to classified information or eligibility to hold a 
            sensitive position;
(iv)         shall serve as the final authority to designate an agency 
            or agencies to conduct investigations of persons who are 
            proposed for access to classified information to ascertain 
            whether such persons satisfy the criteria for obtaining and 
            retaining access to classified information or eligibility to 
            hold a sensitive position;
(v)          shall serve as the final authority to designate an agency 
            or agencies to determine eligibility for access to 
            classified information in accordance with Executive Order 
            12968 of August 2, 1995;
(vi)         shall ensure reciprocal recognition of eligibility for 
            access to classified information among the agencies, 
            including acting as the final authority to arbitrate and 
            resolve disputes among the agencies involving the 
            reciprocity of investigations and determinations of 
            eligibility for access to classified information or 
            eligibility to hold a sensitive position; and
(vii)        may assign, in whole or in part, to the head of any agency 
            (solely or jointly) any of the functions detailed in (i) 
            through (vi), above, with the agency's exercise of such 
            assigned functions to be subject to the Security Executive 
            Agent's oversight and with such terms and conditions 
            (including approval by the Security Executive Agent) as the 
            Security Executive Agent determines appropriate.
    (d) Nothing in this order shall be construed in a manner that would 
limit the authorities of the Director of the Office of Personnel 
Management or the Director of National Intelligence under law.
    Sec. 2.4. Additional Functions. (a) The duties assigned to the 
Security Policy Board by Executive Order 12968 of August 2, 1995, to 
consider, coordinate, and recommend policy directives for executive 
branch security policies, procedures, and practices are reassigned to 
the Security Executive Agent.
    (b) Heads of agencies shall:
(i)          carry out any function assigned to the agency head by the 
            Chair, and shall assist the Chair, the Council, the 
            Suitability Executive Agent, and the Security Executive 
            Agent in carrying out any function under sections 2.2 and 
            2.3 of this order;
(ii)         implement any policy or procedure developed pursuant to 
            this order;
(iii)        to the extent permitted by law, make available to the 
            Performance Accountability Council, the Suitability 
            Executive Agent, or the Security Executive Agent such 
            information as may be requested to implement this order;
(iv)         ensure that all actions taken under this order take account 
            of the counterintelligence interests of the United States, 
            as appropriate; and
(v)          ensure that actions taken under this order are consistent 
            with the President's constitutional authority to:
         (A) conduct the foreign affairs of the United States;
         (B) withhold information the disclosure of which could impair 
            the foreign relations, the national security, the 
            deliberative processes of the Executive, or the performance 
            of the Executive's constitutional duties;
         (C) recommend for congressional consideration such measures as 
            the President may judge necessary or expedient; and
         (D) supervise the unitary executive branch.

PART 3-MISCELLANEOUS

    Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Executive Order 13381 of June 27, 
2005, as amended, is revoked. Nothing in this order shall:
(i)          supersede, impede, or otherwise affect:
         (A) Executive Order 10450 of April 27, 1953, as amended;
         (B) Executive Order 10577 of November 23, 1954, as amended;

[[Page 936]]

         (C) Executive Order 12333 of December 4, 1981, as amended;
         (D) Executive Order 12829 of January 6, 1993, as amended; or
         (E) Executive Order 12958 of April 17, 1995, as amended; nor
(ii)         diminish or otherwise affect the denial and revocation 
            procedures provided to individuals covered by Executive 
            Order 10865 of February 20, 1960, as amended.
    (b) Executive Order 12968 of August 2, 1995 is amended:
(i)          by inserting:
    ``Sec. 3.5. Continuous Evaluation. An individual who has been 
determined to be eligible for or who currently has access to classified 
information shall be subject to continuous evaluation under standards 
(including, but not limited to, the frequency of such evaluation) as 
determined by the Director of National Intelligence.''; and
(ii)         by striking ``the Security Policy Board shall make 
            recommendations to the President through the Assistant to 
            the President for National Security Affairs'' in section 
            6.3(a) and inserting in lieu thereof ``the Director of 
            National Intelligence shall serve as the final authority'';
(iii)        by striking ``Security Policy Board'' and inserting in lieu 
            thereof ``Security Executive Agent'' in each instance;
(iv)         by striking ``the Board'' in section 1.1(j) and inserting 
            in lieu thereof ``the Security Executive Agent''; and
(v)          by inserting ``or appropriate automated procedures'' in 
            section 3.1(b) after ``by appropriately trained adjudicative 
            personnel''.
    (c) Nothing in this order shall supersede, impede, or otherwise 
affect the remainder of Executive Order 12968 of August 2, 1995, as 
amended.
    (d) Executive Order 12171 of November 19, 1979, as amended, is 
further amended by striking ``The Center for Federal Investigative 
Services'' in section 1-216 and inserting in lieu thereof ``The Federal 
Investigative Services Division.''
    (e) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise 
affect the:
(i)          authority granted by law to a department or agency, or the 
            head thereof; or
(ii)         functions of the Director of the Office of Management and 
            Budget relating to budget, administrative, or legislative 
            proposals.
    (f) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law 
and subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (g) Existing delegations of authority made pursuant to Executive 
Order 13381 of June 27, 2005, as amended, to any agency relating to 
granting eligibility for access to classified information and conducting 
investigations shall 13 remain in effect, subject to the exercise of 
authorities pursuant to this order to revise or revoke such delegation.
    (h) If any provision of this order or the application of such 
provision is held to be invalid, the remainder of this order shall not 
be affected.
    (i) This order is intended only to improve the internal management 
of the executive branch and is not intended to, and does not, create any 
right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in 
equity, by any party against the United States, its agencies, 
instrumentalities, or entities, its officers or employees, or any other 
person.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 June 30, 2008.

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:00 a.m., July 1, 
2008]

Note: This Executive order was published in the Federal Register on July 
2.