{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://sessions.house.gov/2024/12/sessions-and-mfume-send-bipartisan-letter-requesting-gao-to-review-persistent-issues-with-dod-s-vetting-system", "Sessions and Mfume Send Bipartisan Letter Requesting GAO to Review Persistent Issues with DOD\u2019s Vetting System", "2024-12-16", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "TX", "Pete Sessions", "S000250", "sessions.house.gov", "sessions", "https://sessions.house.gov/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON\u2014Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce Chairman Pete Sessions (TX-17) and Ranking Member Kweisi Mfume (MD-7) continue their bipartisan oversight of the Department of Defense\u2019s personnel vetting practices. The lawmakers remain concerned about delays and issues with the National Background Investigation Service (NBIS) program. In a letter to the U.S. Government and Accountability Office (GAO) Comptroller General Gene L. Dodaro, they requested a GAO review of NBIS citing longstanding concerns about missed deadlines and cost overruns associated with developing a modernized security clearance vetting system that facilitates appropriate and secure access to our nation\u2019s most sensitive materials.\n\n\u201cThe Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce remains concerned with the status of the Department of Defense\u2019s (DOD) personnel vetting practices, especially given the ongoing problems with the National Background Investigation Service (NBIS) program, overseen by DOD\u2019s Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA),\u201d wrote the lawmakers. \u201cWe are further concerned that national security personnel are not undergoing all required record checks, non-sensitive personnel have not been enrolled in a continuous vetting system, and there are indications that there are challenges implementing continuous vetting across the federal government.\u201d\n\nIn 2015, cybersecurity incidents on information technology (IT) systems that supported personnel vetting compromised the data of more than 22 million federal employees and contractor personnel. Subsequently, DOD established NBIS to replace and improve upon the compromised IT systems. However, GAO has repeatedly reported on significant delays with NBIS\u2019 system and included the government-wide personnel security clearance process on its High-Risk List. In June 2024, the Subcommittee on Government Operations and the Federal Workforce held a hearing to examine how DOD has fallen short in its mission to modernize the IT infrastructure of NBIS. At the hearing, lawmakers expressed bipartisan concern about the continued delays with the NBIS system and potential cascading effects on our nation\u2019s national security.\n\n\u201cContinuous vetting involves reviewing the background of a covered individual through automated record checks in various areas, including criminal records, terrorism, and financial issues, during an individual\u2019s period of eligibility. Unfortunately, these changes have not occurred as planned due to continued NBIS delays,\u201d continued the lawmakers in their letter to GAO. \u201cGiven the importance of a timely, accurate and comprehensive personnel vetting process, we request that GAO conduct a review on continued NBIS development and continuous vetting.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://sessions.house.gov/2024/12/sessions-and-mfume-send-bipartisan-letter-requesting-gao-to-review-persistent-issues-with-dod-s-vetting-system"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.6372110694646835, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}