50 U.S. Code § 3351 - Improving quality of information in background investigation request packages

(a) Report on metrics and best practices

Not later than 180 days after December 20, 2019, the Director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, which serves as the primary executive branch service provider for background investigations for eligibility for access to classified information, eligibility to hold a sensitive position, and for suitability and fitness for other matters pursuant to Executive Order 13467 (50 U.S.C. 3161 note; relating to reforming processes related to suitability for Government employment, fitness for contractor employees, and eligibility for access to classified national security information), shall, in consultation with the Security, Suitability, and Credentialing Performance Accountability Council established under such executive order, submit to Congress a report on—

(1) metrics for assessing the completeness and quality of packages for background investigations submitted by agencies requesting background investigations from the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency;

(2) rejection rates of background investigation submission packages due to incomplete or erroneous data, by agency; and

(3) best practices for ensuring full and complete information in background investigation requests.

(b) Annual report on performance

Not later than 270 days after December 20, 2019, and not less frequently than once each year thereafter, the Security, Suitability, and Credentialing Performance Accountability Council shall submit to Congress a report on performance against the metrics and return rates identified in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a).

(c) Improvement plans

(1) Identification

Not later than one year after December 20, 2019, executive agents under Executive Order 13467 (50 U.S.C. 3161 note) shall identify agencies in need of improvement with respect to the quality of the information in the background investigation submissions of the agencies as reported in subsection (b).

(2) Plans

Not later than 90 days after an agency is identified under paragraph (1), the head of the agency shall provide the executive agents referred to in such paragraph with a plan to improve the performance of the agency with respect to the quality of the information in the agency’s background investigation submissions.

(Pub. L. 116–92, div. A, title XVII, § 1757, Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 1860.)