Source: http://intelligencelaw.com/intelligence_law/law_library/statutes/50_usc_chapter_15_subchapter_VI.html
Timestamp: 2019-06-17 13:15:21
Document Index: 190727119

Matched Legal Cases: ['§801', '§802', '§305', '§353', '§309', '§3001', '§3002', '§1072', '§7', '§802', '§802', '§116', '§4', '§803', '§802', '§804', '§802', '§305']

Statutory Law - US Code - U.S. Code Title 50: Chapter 15: National Security: Subchapter VI: Access to Classified Information
Statutory Law - US Code - Title 50: Chapter 15: National Security: Subchapter VI: Access to Classified Information
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Chapter 15: National Security: Subchapter VI: Access to Classified Information
(a) Not later than 180 days after October 14, 1994, the President shall, by Executive order or regulation, establish procedures to govern access to classified information which shall be binding upon all departments, agencies, and offices of the executive branch of Government. Such procedures shall, at a minimum—
(1) provide that, except as may be permitted by the President, no employee in the executive branch of Government may be given access to classified information by any department, agency, or office of the executive branch of Government unless, based upon an appropriate background investigation, such access is determined to be clearly consistent with the national security interests of the United States;
(2) establish uniform minimum requirements governing the scope and frequency of background investigations and reinvestigations for all employees in the executive branch of Government who require access to classified information as part of their official responsibilities;
(3) provide that all employees in the executive branch of Government who require access to classified information shall be required as a condition of such access to provide to the employing department or agency written consent which permits access by an authorized investigative agency to relevant financial records, other financial information, consumer reports, travel records, and computers used in the performance of Government duties, as determined by the President, in accordance with section 436 of this title, during the period of access to classified information and for a period of three years thereafter;
(4) provide that all employees in the executive branch of Government who require access to particularly sensitive classified information, as determined by the President, shall be required, as a condition of maintaining access to such information, to submit to the employing department or agency, during the period of such access, relevant information concerning their financial condition and foreign travel, as determined by the President, as may be necessary to ensure appropriate security; and
(5) establish uniform minimum standards to ensure that employees in the executive branch of Government whose access to classified information is being denied or terminated under this subchapter are appropriately advised of the reasons for such denial or termination and are provided an adequate opportunity to respond to all adverse information which forms the basis for such denial or termination before final action by the department or agency concerned.
(b)(1) Subsection (a) of this section shall not be deemed to limit or affect the responsibility and power of an agency head pursuant to other law or Executive order to deny or terminate access to classified information if the national security so requires. Such responsibility and power may be exercised only when the agency head determines that the procedures prescribed by subsection (a) of this section cannot be invoked in a manner that is consistent with the national security.
(2) Upon the exercise of such responsibility, the agency head shall submit a report to the congressional intelligence committees.
(July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title VIII, §801, as added Pub. L. 103–359, title VIII, §802(a), Oct. 14, 1994, 108 Stat. 3435; amended Pub. L. 106–120, title III, §305(a), Dec. 3, 1999, 113 Stat. 1611; Pub. L. 107–306, title III, §353(b)(2)(B), Nov. 27, 2002, 116 Stat. 2402.)
(a) Certification regarding full compliance with requirements
The Director of Central Intelligence shall certify to the appropriate committees of Congress whether or not each covered element of the Department of State is in full compliance with all applicable directives of the Director of Central Intelligence relating to the handling, retention, or storage of covered classified material.
(b) Limitation on certification
The Director of Central Intelligence may not certify a covered element of the Department of State as being in full compliance with the directives referred to in subsection (a) of this section if the covered element is currently subject to a waiver of compliance with respect to any such directive.
(c) Report on noncompliance
Whenever the Director of Central Intelligence determines that a covered element of the Department of State is not in full compliance with any directive referred to in subsection (a) of this section, the Director shall promptly notify the appropriate committees of Congress of such determination.
(d) Effects of certification of non-full compliance
(1) Subject to subsection (e) of this section, effective as of January 1, 2001, a covered element of the Department of State may not retain or store covered classified material unless the Director has certified under subsection (a) of this section as of such date that the covered element is in full compliance with the directives referred to in subsection (a) of this section.
(2) If the prohibition in paragraph (1) takes effect in accordance with that paragraph, the prohibition shall remain in effect until the date on which the Director certifies under subsection (a) of this section that the covered element involved is in full compliance with the directives referred to in that subsection.
(e) Waiver by Director of Central Intelligence
(1) The Director of Central Intelligence may waive the applicability of the prohibition in subsection (d) of this section to an element of the Department of State otherwise covered by such prohibition if the Director determines that the waiver is in the national security interests of the United States.
(C) The actions that will be taken to bring such element into full compliance with the directives referred to in subsection (a) of this section, including a schedule for completion of such actions.
(1) The term “appropriate committees of Congress” means the following:
(2) The term “covered classified material” means any material classified at the Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) level.
(3) The term “covered element of the Department of State” means each element of the Department of State that handles, retains, or stores covered classified material.
(4) The term “material” means any data, regardless of physical form or characteristic, including written or printed matter, automated information systems storage media, maps, charts, paintings, drawings, films, photographs, engravings, sketches, working notes, papers, reproductions of any such things by any means or process, and sound, voice, magnetic, or electronic recordings.
(5) The term “Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) level”, in the case of classified material, means a level of classification for information in such material concerning or derived from intelligence sources, methods, or analytical processes that requires such information to be handled within formal access control systems established by the Director of Central Intelligence.
(Pub. L. 106–567, title III, §309, Dec. 27, 2000, 114 Stat. 2840.)
(1) The term “agency” means—
(2) The term “authorized investigative agency” means an agency designated by the head of the agency selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section to conduct a counterintelligence investigation or investigation of persons who are proposed for access to classified information to ascertain whether such persons satisfy the criteria for obtaining and retaining access to such information.
(3) The term “authorized adjudicative agency” means an agency authorized by law, regulation, or direction of the Director of National Intelligence to determine eligibility for access to classified information in accordance with Executive Order 12968.
(4) The term “highly sensitive program” means—
(B) a government program that applies restrictions required for—
(i) restricted data (as that term is defined in section 2014(y) of title 42; or
(ii) other information commonly referred to as “sensitive compartmented information”.
(5) The term “current investigation file” means, with respect to a security clearance, a file on an investigation or adjudication that has been conducted during—
(6) The term “personnel security investigation” means any investigation required for the purpose of determining the eligibility of any military, civilian, or government contractor personnel to access classified information.
(7) The term “periodic reinvestigations” means investigations conducted for the purpose of updating a previously completed background investigation—
(8) The term “appropriate committees of Congress” means—
Not later than 90 days after December 17, 2004, the President shall select a single department, agency, or element of the executive branch to be responsible for—
(4) ensuring reciprocal recognition of access to classified information among the agencies of the United States Government, including acting as the final authority to arbitrate and resolve disputes involving the reciprocity of security clearances and access to highly sensitive programs pursuant to subsection (d) of this section;
(5) ensuring, to the maximum extent practicable, that sufficient resources are available in each agency to achieve clearance and investigative program goals; and
(6) reviewing and coordinating the development of tools and techniques for enhancing the conduct of investigations and granting of clearances.
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, not later than 180 days after December 17, 2004, the President shall, in consultation with the head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, select a single agency of the executive branch to conduct, to the maximum extent practicable, security clearance investigations of employees and contractor personnel of the United States Government who require access to classified information and to provide and maintain all security clearances of such employees and contractor personnel. The head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section may designate other agencies to conduct such investigations if the head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section considers it appropriate for national security and efficiency purposes.
(2) The agency selected under paragraph (1) shall—
(B) as soon as practicable, integrate reporting of security clearance applications, security clearance investigations, and determinations of eligibility for security clearances, with the database required by subsection (e) of this section; and
(C) ensure that security clearance investigations are conducted in accordance with uniform standards and requirements established under subsection (b) of this section, including uniform security questionnaires and financial disclosure requirements.
(3)(A) An authorized investigative agency or authorized adjudicative agency may not establish additional investigative or adjudicative requirements (other than requirements for the conduct of a polygraph examination) that exceed requirements specified in Executive Orders establishing security requirements for access to classified information without the approval of the head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section.
(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section may establish such additional requirements as the head of such entity considers necessary for national security purposes.
(5) The head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section may disallow the reciprocal recognition of an individual security clearance by an agency under this section on a case-by-case basis if the head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section determines that such action is necessary for national security purposes.
(6) The head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall establish a review procedure by which agencies can seek review of actions required under this section.
(1) Not later than 12 months after December 17, 2004, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall, in cooperation with the heads of the entities selected pursuant to subsections (b) and (c) of this section, establish and commence operating and maintaining an integrated, secure, database into which appropriate data relevant to the granting, denial, or revocation of a security clearance or access pertaining to military, civilian, or government contractor personnel shall be entered from all authorized investigative and adjudicative agencies.
(4) The head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall evaluate the extent to which an agency is submitting information to, and requesting information from, the database under this subsection as part of a determination of whether to certify the agency as an authorized investigative agency or authorized adjudicative agency.
(5) The head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section may authorize an agency to withhold information about certain individuals from the database under this subsection if the head of the entity considers it necessary for national security purposes.
(1) The head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall evaluate the use of available information technology and databases to expedite investigative and adjudicative processes for all and to verify standard information submitted as part of an application for a security clearance.
(2) The evaluation shall assess the application of the technologies described in paragraph (1) for—
(F) such other purposes as the head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section considers appropriate.
(4) Not later than one year after December 17, 2004, the head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall submit to the President and the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results of the evaluation, including recommendations on the use of technologies described in paragraph (1).
(1) The head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall, within 90 days of selection under that subsection, develop, in consultation with the appropriate committees of Congress and each authorized adjudicative agency, a plan to reduce the length of the personnel security clearance process.
(2)(A) To the extent practical the plan under paragraph (1) shall require that each authorized adjudicative agency make a determination on at least 90 percent of all applications for a personnel security clearance within an average of 60 days after the date of receipt of the completed application for a security clearance by an authorized investigative agency. Such 60-day average period shall include—
(B) During the period beginning on a date not later than 2 years after December 17, 2004, and ending on the date on which the plan under paragraph (1) takes effect, each authorized adjudicative agency shall make a determination on at least 80 percent of all applications for a personnel security clearance pursuant to this section within an average of 120 days after the date of receipt of the application for a security clearance by an authorized investigative agency. Such 120-day average period shall include—
(1) Not later than February 15, 2006, and annually thereafter through 2011, the head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the progress made during the preceding year toward meeting the requirements of this section.
(2) Each report shall include, for the period covered by such report—
(C) such other information or recommendations as the head of the entity selected pursuant to subsection (b) of this section considers appropriate.
There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2005 and each fiscal year thereafter for the implementation, maintenance, and operation of the database required by subsection (e) of this section.
(Pub. L. 108–458, title III, §3001, Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3705.)
The term “controlled substance” has the meaning given that term in section 802 of title 21.
(A) an officer or employee of a Federal agency;
(B) a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps who is on active duty or is in an active status; and
(C) an officer or employee of a contractor of a Federal agency.
(3) Restricted Data
The term “Restricted Data” has the meaning given that term in section 2014 of title 42.
(4) Special access program
The term “special access program” has the meaning given that term in section 4.1 of Executive Order No. 12958 (60 Fed. Reg. 19825).
After January 1, 2008, the head of a Federal agency may not grant or renew a security clearance for a covered person who is an unlawful user of a controlled substance or an addict (as defined in section 802(1) of title 21).
After January 1, 2008, absent an express written waiver granted in accordance with paragraph (2), the head of a Federal agency may not grant or renew a security clearance described in paragraph (3) for a covered person who—
(A) has been convicted in any court of the United States of a crime, was sentenced to imprisonment for a term exceeding 1 year, and was incarcerated as a result of that sentence for not less than 1 year;
(B) has been discharged or dismissed from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions; or
(C) is mentally incompetent, as determined by an adjudicating authority, based on an evaluation by a duly qualified mental health professional employed by, or acceptable to and approved by, the United States Government and in accordance with the adjudicative guidelines required by subsection (d).
In a meritorious case, an exception to the disqualification in this subsection may be authorized if there are mitigating factors. Any such waiver may be authorized only in accordance with—
(A) standards and procedures prescribed by, or under the authority of, an Executive order or other guidance issued by the President; or
(B) the adjudicative guidelines required by subsection (d).
(3) Covered security clearances
This subsection applies to security clearances that provide for access to—
(A) special access programs;
(B) Restricted Data; or
(C) any other information commonly referred to as “sensitive compartmented information”.
(A) Requirement for report
Not later than February 1 of each year, the head of a Federal agency shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress if such agency employs or employed a person for whom a waiver was granted in accordance with paragraph (2) during the preceding year. Such annual report shall not reveal the identity of such person, but shall include for each waiver issued the disqualifying factor under paragraph (1) and the reasons for the waiver of the disqualifying factor.
(i) Appropriate committees of Congress
The term “appropriate committees of Congress” means, with respect to a report submitted under subparagraph (A) by the head of a Federal agency—
(I) the congressional defense committees;
(II) the congressional intelligence committees;
(IV) the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform of the House of Representatives; and
(V) each Committee of the Senate or the House of Representatives with oversight authority over such Federal agency.
(ii) Congressional defense committees
The term “congressional defense committees” has the meaning given that term in section 101(a)(16) of title 10.
(iii) Congressional intelligence committees
The term “congressional intelligence committees” has the meaning given that term in section 401a of this title.
(d) Adjudicative guidelines
(1) Requirement to establish
The President shall establish adjudicative guidelines for determining eligibility for access to classified information.
(2) Requirements related to mental health
The guidelines required by paragraph (1) shall—
(A) include procedures and standards under which a covered person is determined to be mentally incompetent and provide a means to appeal such a determination; and
(B) require that no negative inference concerning the standards in the guidelines may be raised solely on the basis of seeking mental health counseling.
(Pub. L. 108–458, title III, §3002, as added Pub. L. 110–181, div. A, title X, §1072(a), Jan. 28, 2008, 122 Stat. 328.)
The head of each Executive agency, in accordance with Executive Order 13526, shall require annual training for each employee who has original classification authority. For employees who perform derivative classification, or are responsible for analysis, dissemination, preparation, production, receipt, publication, or otherwise communication of classified information, training shall be provided at least every two years. Such training shall—
(1) educate the employee, as appropriate, regarding—
(A) the guidance established under subparagraph (G) of section 403–1(g)(1) of this title, as added by section 5(a)(3), regarding the formatting of finished intelligence products;
(B) the proper use of classification markings, including portion markings that indicate the classification of portions of information; and
(C) any incentives and penalties related to the proper classification of intelligence information; and
(2) ensure such training is a prerequisite, once completed successfully, as evidenced by an appropriate certificate or other record, for—
(A) obtaining original classification authority or derivatively classifying information; and
(B) maintaining such authority.
(b) Relationship to other programs
The head of each Executive agency shall ensure that the training required by subsection (a) is conducted efficiently and in conjunction with any other required security, intelligence, or other training programs to reduce the costs and administrative burdens associated with carrying out the training required by subsection (a).
(Pub. L. 111–258, §7, Oct. 7, 2010, 124 Stat. 2652.)
(D) shall inform the recipient of the request of the prohibition described in subsection (b) of this section.
(b) Prohibition of certain disclosure
(1) If an authorized investigative agency described in subsection (a) certifies that otherwise there may result a danger to the national security of the United States, interference with a criminal, counterterrorism, or counterintelligence investigation, interference with diplomatic relations, or danger to the life or physical safety of any person, no governmental or private entity, or officer, employee, or agent of such entity, may disclose to any person (other than those to whom such disclosure is necessary to comply with the request or an attorney to obtain legal advice or legal assistance with respect to the request) that such entity has received or satisfied a request made by an authorized investigative agency under this section.
(4) At the request of the authorized investigative agency, any person making or intending to make a disclosure under this section shall identify to the requesting official of the authorized investigative agency the person to whom such disclosure will be made or to whom such disclosure was made prior to the request, except that nothing in this section shall require a person to inform the requesting official of the identity of an attorney to whom disclosure was made or will be made to obtain legal advice or legal assistance with respect to the request under subsection (a).
(c) Records or information; inspection or copying
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law (other than section 6103 of title 26), an entity receiving a request for records or information under subsection (a) of this section shall, if the request satisfies the requirements of this section, make available such records or information within 30 days for inspection or copying, as may be appropriate, by the agency requesting such records or information.
(e) Dissemination of records or information received
(f) Construction of section
Nothing in this section may be construed to affect the authority of an investigative agency to obtain information pursuant to the Right to Financial Privacy Act (12 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.) or the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681 et seq.).
(July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title VIII, §802, as added Pub. L. 103–359, title VIII, §802(a), Oct. 14, 1994, 108 Stat. 3436; amended Pub. L. 109–177, title I, §116(f), Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 216; Pub. L. 109–178, §4(e), Mar. 9, 2006, 120 Stat. 281.)
Except as otherwise specifically provided, the provisions of this subchapter shall not apply to the President and Vice President, Members of the Congress, Justices of the Supreme Court, and Federal judges appointed by the President.
(July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title VIII, §803, as added Pub. L. 103–359, title VIII, §802(a), Oct. 14, 1994, 108 Stat. 3437.)
(1) the term “authorized investigative agency” means an agency authorized by law or regulation to conduct a counterintelligence investigation or 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 such information;
(2) the term “classified information” means any information that has been determined pursuant to Executive Order No. 12356 of April 2, 1982, or successor orders, or the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 [42 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.], to require protection against unauthorized disclosure and that is so designated;
(3) the term “consumer reporting agency” has the meaning given such term in section 1681a of title 15;
(4) the term “employee” includes any person who receives a salary or compensation of any kind from the United States Government, is a contractor of the United States Government or an employee thereof, is an unpaid consultant of the United States Government, or otherwise acts for or on behalf of the United States Government, except as otherwise determined by the President;
(5) the terms “financial agency” and “financial institution” have the meanings given to such terms in section 5312(a) of title 31 and the term “holding company” has the meaning given to such term in section 3401(6) of title 12;
(6) the terms “foreign power” and “agent of a foreign power” have the same meanings as set forth in sections 1801(a) and (b), respectively, of this title;
(7) the term “State” means each of the several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau, and any other possession of the United States; and
(8) the term “computer” means any electronic, magnetic, optical, electrochemical, or other high speed data processing device performing logical, arithmetic, or storage functions, and includes any data storage facility or communications facility directly related to or operating in conjunction with such device and any data or other information stored or contained in such device.
(July 26, 1947, ch. 343, title VIII, §804, as added Pub. L. 103–359, title VIII, §802(a), Oct. 14, 1994, 108 Stat. 3438; amended Pub. L. 106–120, title III, §305(b), Dec. 3, 1999, 113 Stat. 1611.)