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Press Release Published: Mar 18, 2014

Issa Statement on Pentagon Security Clearance Report

WASHINGTON – House Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) today responded to the Department of Defense’s reports on the security clearance process. The DOD reports, ordered in the wake of the Navy Yard shooting, demonstrate that Aaron Alexis held a security clearance despite a background full of red flags that should have been spotted in the clearance process.

“The Department of Defense reports released this morning concur with the findings of the Committee’s Staff Report released on February 11, 2014,” said Chairman Issa. “The Department and the Committee both concluded that Aaron Alexis could have been stopped and his clearance could have been pulled before the Navy Yard shooting if all information available was properly obtained and reported.  Additionally, the Department recognizes that the federal security clearance process must be fixed and agrees with the Committee’s recommendations: continuous evaluation must be implemented; more data is needed for investigations to be complete, including utilizing social media and other Internet sources; and local law enforcement agencies must comply with existing federal law by providing relevant criminal history information to investigators.

“It is imperative that we fix these glaring problems before another tragedy occurs.  The Committee remains committed to addressing the flaws in the process promptly.”

 

Read the report here. Watch the February 11th hearing here.