SOS Act

Summary: Securing our Secrets Act or the SOS Act This bill requires Department of State employees engaging in work-related electronic communications to use only state.gov email accounts, telephonic systems owned and managed by the State Department, or other systems owned and managed by the State Department or another appropriate federal agency. The State Department may temporarily waive these requirements for an employee, or a group of up to 10 employees, by certifying that: (1) the waiver is in the foreign policy or national security interest of the United States, and (2) all work-related written communications on nongovernmental systems will be appropriately archived.  The State Department must report annually on: (1) every security violation, including unauthorized transfers of classified information into electronic systems, transmissions, or storage not certified for handling classified information; and (2) its justification for failing to terminate an employee who commits a violation after having committed previous security violations during the prior 10 years or to request a Federal Bureau of Investigation review of such a violation. State Department employees holding security clearances are subject to the Bureau of Diplomatic Security's quarterly collection of random samples of their emails to detect classified information spillage. The State Department must submit a plan to train State Department employees to: (1) identify classified information in materials subject to Freedom of Information Act requests, (2) ensure that intelligence community officials have an opportunity to make classification determinations on information potentially originating with the intelligence community, and (3) certify annually that they have archived their emails and documents in accordance with federal law.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Securing our Secrets Act'' or the 
``SOS Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 
                Senate;
                    (B) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
                Senate;
                    (C) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House 
                of Representatives; and
                    (D) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence 
                of the House of Representatives.
            (2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of State.
            (3) Infraction; violation.--The terms ``infraction'' and 
        ``violation'' have the meanings given such terms in section 6.1 
        of Executive Order 13526 (2009).
            (4) Inspector general.--The term ``Inspector General'' 
        means the Inspector General for the Department of State and the 
        Broadcasting Board of Governors.
            (5) Intelligence community.--The term ``intelligence 
        community'' has the meaning given that term in section 3(4) of 
        the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3003(4)).
            (6) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of State.

SEC. 3. USE OF NONGOVERNMENTAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS.

    (a) In General.--Beginning not later than 30 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, employees of the Department may only use, 
for all electronic communications related to their work for the 
Department--
            (1) email accounts on state.gov that are owned and managed 
        by the Department;
            (2) telephonic systems that are owned and managed by the 
        Department; or
            (3) other electronic communications systems owned and 
        managed by the Department or another appropriate Federal 
        agency, whenever such systems are available.
    (b) Certification and Reporting.--
            (1) Certification.--Except as provided in paragraphs (2) 
        and (3), not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment 
        of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall 
        certify in writing to the appropriate congressional committees 
        that all employees of the Department have been provided with 
        access to electronic communications systems described in 
        subsection (a).
            (2) Reporting.--If the Secretary cannot make the 
        certification described in paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 
        submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees 
        that identifies--
                    (A) the number of employees of the Department who 
                lack access to electronic communications systems 
                described in subsection (a);
                    (B) the reasons for such lack of access;
                    (C) the steps that have been taken to ensure that 
                such employees obtain and maintain such access on a 
                reliable basis; and
                    (D) the steps that have been taken to ensure that 
                work-related electronic communications by such 
                employees are appropriately recorded, archived, and 
                reviewed for the potential presence of classified 
                information.
            (3) Waiver.--On a case by case basis, the Secretary of 
        State may waive the requirements under subsection (a) for one 
        employee, or a group of up to 10 employees, if, not later than 
        7 days after granting such waiver, the Secretary--
                    (A) certifies in writing to the appropriate 
                congressional committees that--
                            (i) such waiver is in the foreign policy or 
                        national security interest of the United 
                        States; and
                            (ii) all work-related written 
                        communications generated by or processed on 
                        nongovernmental systems by employees subject to 
                        such waiver will be appropriately archived in 
                        accordance with chapters 21, 29, 31, and 33 of 
                        title 44, United States Code (commonly referred 
                        to as the ``Federal Records Act'') and all 
                        related rules, regulations, guidance, and 
                        executive orders; and
                    (B) provides a written justification for such 
                waiver to the appropriate congressional committees.
            (4) Limitations.--
                    (A) Duration.--Waivers issued pursuant to paragraph 
                (3) shall be valid for up to 180 days, but may be 
                reissued by the Secretary in accordance with the 
                requirements under paragraph (3).
                    (B) Multiple waivers.--The Secretary may issue 
                multiple waivers under paragraph (3) if each waiver is 
                consistent with the certification and the accompanying 
                justification.
            (5) Accountability.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Inspector General shall 
        develop and implement an oversight plan designed to determine, 
        to the greatest extent practicable, whether the Secretary and 
        all other employees of the Department are in full compliance 
        with the requirements under this section.

SEC. 4. REPORT ON SECURITY REVIEWS AND VIOLATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall 
submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that 
details every security violation, including the unauthorized transfer 
of marked or unmarked classified information into documents, electronic 
media or systems, electronic transmissions, or other records or storage 
not certified for the handling, storage, or transmittal of such 
information, that occurred during the most recently completed fiscal 
year.
    (b) Contents.--The report required under subsection (a) shall 
include, for each security violation identified in the report--
            (1) the name and title of the employee responsible for the 
        violation;
            (2) the date of the violation;
            (3) a description of the violation, including whether or 
        not there is any indication that classified information was 
        compromised;
            (4) the statute, rule, executive order, or regulation that 
        was violated; and
            (5) a description of actions taken by officials of the 
        Department in response to the violation, including--
                    (A) any disciplinary action taken or criminal 
                referral made against the employee involved; and
                    (B) any remedial training administered to the 
                employee involved or to other employees of the 
                Department; and
            (6) if the employee responsible for the violation had 
        committed one or more additional security violations during the 
        prior 10 years and the Secretary did not terminate the employee 
        or request the Federal Bureau of Investigations to review the 
        violation, a justification for failing to take such actions.
    (c) Privacy Act Protections.--The report required under subsection 
(a)--
            (1) may not be made public by the Department; and
            (2) shall be transmitted in such a manner so as to prevent 
        the public dissemination of any information protected under the 
        Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a et seq.).

SEC. 5. CLASSIFIED INFORMATION SPILLAGE.

    (a) Detection of Classified Information Spillage.--The Secretary 
shall appoint appropriate officials of the Bureau of Diplomatic 
Security to receive training, in coordination with the Office of the 
Director of National Intelligence, in the recognition of classified 
information spillage.
    (b) Randomized Sampling To Detect Spillage.--Each quarter, the 
officials appointed pursuant to subsection (a) shall--
            (1) collect statistically valid random samples of emails 
        sent by or received from employees of the Department who hold a 
        security clearance granting them authorized access to 
        information classified at the level of Secret or above; and
            (2) use such randomized sampling, in accordance with the 
        training received under subsection (a), to detect classified 
        information spillage as part of the Department's program for 
        safeguarding classified information.
    (c) Accountability.--The Inspector General shall--
            (1) audit the work described in subsection (b); and
            (2) include the findings of such audits in the semiannual 
        reports submitted to the appropriate congressional committees.

SEC. 6. REMEDIAL TRAINING.

    (a) Emergency Refresher Training.--Not later than 180 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall certify in 
writing to the appropriate congressional committees that all personnel 
of the Department who possess security clearances have completed the 
emergency refresher training described in subsection (b).
    (b) Contents.--The Secretary shall require all personnel of the 
Department who possess security clearances to complete emergency 
refresher training on the rules and procedures governing the 
appropriate handling of classified information, including--
            (1) applicable rules and procedures governing--
                    (A) the receipt, handling, and transmission of 
                classified information by electronic means, including 
                telephonic, text message, facsimile, and email 
                communications;
                    (B) derivative classification, and the imperative 
                of continuing to safeguard classified information when 
                drawing upon such information in the creation of 
                secondary documents or other communications;
                    (C) the receipt, handling, and transmission of 
                foreign government information (as defined in section 
                6.1(s) of Executive Order 13526 (2009)), and the 
                requirements set forth in sections 1.1(d) and 4.1(h) of 
                such executive order;
                    (D) the review and processing of requests for 
                information under section 552 of title 5, United States 
                Code (commonly known as the ``Freedom of Information 
                Act'');
                    (E) challenges to classification status, including 
                section 1.8 of Executive Order 13526 (2009); and
                    (F) the continued protection of classified 
                information that has been disclosed without 
                authorization, including the requirement under section 
                1.1(c) of Executive Order 13526 (2009) that 
                ``[c]lassified information shall not be declassified 
                automatically as a result of any unauthorized 
                disclosure of identical or similar information'';
            (2) the requirement under section 5.4 of Executive Order 
        13526 (2009) that the Secretary--
                    (A) ``demonstrate personal commitment and commit 
                senior management to the successful implementation of 
                the program established under this order'';
                    (B) ``commit necessary resources to the effective 
                implementation'' of programs for the handling and 
                protection of classified information;
                    (C) ``ensure that agency records systems are 
                designed and maintained to optimize the appropriate 
                sharing and safeguarding of classified information'';
                    (D) ``designate a senior agency official to direct 
                and administer the program,''; and
                    (E) include ``the designation and management of 
                classified information'' as a critical element or item 
                to be evaluated in personnel performance evaluations;
            (3) a list and clear explanation of the penalties provided 
        for violations of applicable rules and procedures governing the 
        topics described in paragraphs (1) and (2); and
            (4) a signed certification by the employee receiving such 
        retraining that he or she--
                    (A) has received such training;
                    (B) has read and understands the rules, procedures, 
                and penalties described in paragraphs (1) through (3);
                    (C) understands the grave responsibilities entailed 
                by the privilege of being given access to national 
                security information; and
                    (D) undertakes under penalty of all applicable 
                laws, regulations, and policies not to violate any of 
                such rules and procedures.
    (c) Prioritization.--The Secretary shall prioritize the emergency 
refresher training described in subsection (b) in the following order:
            (1) Employees possessing security clearances at the Top 
        Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level.
            (2) Employees cleared for Top Secret information and below.
            (3) Employees cleared for Secret information and below.
            (4) Employees only cleared for Confidential information.
    (d) Waiver.--The Secretary may delay the administration of the 
emergency refresher training described in subsection (b) for any 
specific employee or group of employees, up to the level of an 
individual office, for a period of up to 30 days if the Secretary--
            (1) determines that the critical foreign policy interests 
        of the United States require such a delay; and
            (2) provides the appropriate congressional committees with 
        written notice of such delay and an explanation of the need for 
        such delay.
    (e) Applicable Rules and Procedures Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``applicable rules and procedures'' means--
            (1) any applicable Federal statute;
            (2) all the requirements set forth on the topic in question 
        by Executive Order 13526 (2009);
            (3) any other current executive order dealing with the 
        handling of classified information;
            (4) the Foreign Affairs Manual of the Department; and
            (5) any other Departmental guidance or regulations.

SEC. 7. ENDURING TRAINING PROGRAM TO PREVENT MISHANDLING OF 
              INTELLIGENCE INFORMATION.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall establish an enduring training program, which 
shall be administered annually to all employees of the Department, on 
how to prevent the transfer of marked or unmarked classified or 
sensitive information to documents, messages, electronic media, or any 
other system not certified for the handling or storage of information 
with that level of classification or sensitivity and compliant with 
applicable Federal Information Security Management Act standards, 
including during the review or public release of any record pursuant to 
section 552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the 
``Freedom of Information Act'').

SEC. 8. PLAN FOR REFORMING RESPONSE TO REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION AND 
              INFORMATION ARCHIVING.

    (a) Requirement for Plan.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit a plan to the 
appropriate congressional committees for completing the reforms 
described in subsection (b) not later than one year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act.
    (b) Elements.--The plan required under subsection (a) shall 
include--
            (1) a process for developing and implementing, in 
        coordination with the Director of National Intelligence, a 
        program for training and maintaining an appropriate number of 
        employees of the Department in--
                    (A) identifying marked or unmarked classified 
                information in documents or media subject to requests 
                under section 552 of title 5, United States Code 
                (commonly known as the ``Freedom of Information Act''), 
                including information originating with the intelligence 
                community; and
                    (B) the appropriate procedures for ensuring that 
                officials from the intelligence community have an 
                opportunity to make a classification determination 
                regarding the classification status and level, if any, 
                of any information potentially originating with the 
                intelligence community;
            (2) a process for developing and implementing a training 
        program for all officials of the Department on how to archive 
        emails and other electronic communications in accordance with 
        chapters 21, 29, 31, and 33 of title 44, United States Code, 
        and all related rules, regulations, guidance, and executive 
        orders; and
            (3) a requirement for the annual administration of a sworn 
        affidavit made by each employee of the Department certifying 
        that such employee has, to the best of the employee's knowledge 
        and ability, archived all documents (including emails) created 
        or received by such employee in accordance with the chapters 
        21, 29, 31, and 33 of title 44, United States Code, and all 
        related rules, regulations, guidance, and executive orders.
    (c) Accountability.--Not later than one year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Inspector General, after reviewing the 
implementation of the plan required under this section, shall report to 
the appropriate congressional committees on the degree to which the 
Secretary--
            (1) has implemented such plan; and
            (2) has made progress in ensuring appropriate archiving and 
        securing of information by the Department.