Senate Dem wants hearing on security clearances, following ’60 Minutes’ probe

Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) is demanding a hearing into the process for conducting background checks for security clearances, following a “60 Minutes” investigation that seemed to find flaws with the current system.

Tester on Monday pointed to concerns about government whistleblower Edward Snowden and Washington Navy Yard shooter Aaron Alexis — both of whom underwent background checks conducted by the same company — and said that “more work” needed t be done.

{mosads}“This is a national security issue and a government accountability issue,” Tester wrote to the heads of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.).

“Congress and this committee must not sit idle.” 

A “60 Minutes” report that aired over the weekend claimed that “short cuts” in the security clearance system “has placed American security into dangerous hands.”

Tester has previously pushed for legislation to tweak rules for background checks, called the Security Clearance Accountability, Reform, and Enhancement (SCARE) Act. The bill would ban federal contractors and workers involved in “misconduct” affecting background checks to perform them again.  

That legislation was introduced following allegations that United States Investigations Services (USUS) “dumped” some background check cases in order to meet specific targets. The company previously conducted background checks of Snowden and Alexis. 

Tester’s bill was passed unanimously by the Homeland Security Committee in May but has yet to advance in the full Senate.