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H.R. 490: Security Clearance Reform Act of 2015

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H.R. 490: Security Clearance Reform Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-01-22 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2015-01-22 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Security Clearance Reform Act of 2015

Plain summary

Security Clearance Reform Act of 2015 Directs the President to submit a strategic plan to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the intelligence committees of Congress (appropriate congressional committees) to improve security clearance and background investigation activities. Sets forth the required contents of such plan, including the development of a continuous evaluation or monitoring system of information used for security clearances, improvement of information sharing procedures between agencies, and the reduction or elimination of databases and information sources that cannot be accessed and processed electronically. Prohibits the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) from awarding a contract to any entity for investigative support services or background investigation fieldwork services if such entity has another contract in effect with the federal government to provide such services. Requires the OPM Director to report to the appropriate congressional committees listing any state or local entity covered by the definition of "criminal justice agency" that has failed to cooperate with three or more criminal history record information requests of the Director. Reduces criminal justice grant funding to state and local entities that fail to substantially comply with such requests.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Security Clearance Reform Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] reported raising $1.1 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Appropriation
Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Securities
Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong114-hr490 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114