Reps. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) and Steve Russell (R-Okla.) plan to introduce a bill to transfer stewardship of federal security clearance records from the Office of Personnel Management to another agency.
The two House lawmakers crafted the legislation in response to massive breaches that have compromised OPM-managed federal employee and contractor records, Lieu’s office said Thursday.
“The failure by OPM to prevent hackers from stealing security clearance forms containing the most private information of 25 million Americans significantly imperils our national security,” Lieu stated.
He added that OPM’s inspector general said at a congressional hearing last week that a study found that the agency does not prioritize cybersecurity programs.
The Defense Department handed over responsibility of the federal security clearance system to OPM in 2004, according to Lieu.
