FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 19, 2014
March 19, 2014
AFGE President: Security Clearance Report Misses Mark by Keeping Contractors in Charge
Profits have no place in system when lives are at stake, union leader says
WASHINGTON – American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. today issued the following statement regarding the Suitability and Security Processes Review released by the White House:
“A new interagency report on closing gaps in the security clearance process completely misses the mark by continuing to allow this obviously inherently governmental work to be farmed out to contractors.
“The overriding goal of contractors is to increase profits, which means completing investigations as quickly as possible so the work keeps flowing.
“Maintaining the status quo is simply unacceptable when the stakes are so costly. The status quo allowed Aaron Alexis to go on a shooting spree inside the Washington Navy Yard, killing 12 people. The status quo allowed Nidal Malik Hassan to kill 13 people and injure more than 30 others at Fort Hood. The status quo allowed Edward Snowden and Bradley Manning to breach national security by leaking classified documents to the public.
“All of these men held active security clearances, even though there were plenty of red flags being raised by their coworkers and supervisors that might have been caught by a more robust and focused security clearance process.
“For-profit incentives have no place in a system whose only goal should be ensuring that security clearances don’t end up in the hands of people who may harm themselves, others or the country. I’m appalled at this government panel for putting the desires of contractors over the interests of national security.”
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