H.R. 3210: Securely Expediting Clearances Through Reporting Transparency Act of 2018

115th Congress · introduced 2017-07-12 · Government Operations and Politics · Latest: Became Public Law No: 115-173.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-07-12 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Knight, Stephen [R-CA-25] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 115-173. (final step reached)
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

Securely Expediting Clearances Through Reporting Transparency Act of 2018

Plain summary

Securely Expediting Clearances Through Reporting Transparency Act of 2018 or the SECRET Act of 2018 (Sec. 3) This bill requires the National Background Investigations Bureau (NBIB) within the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to report on its backlog of security clearance investigations. The report must include a backlog mitigation plan identifying the cause of, and making recommendations to remedy, the backlog. (Sec. 4) The Executive Office of the President must report on the process for conducting and adjudicating security clearance investigations for the President's staff. (Sec. 5) The OPM must report on the costs of maintaining comprehensive background investigations capability within both the NBIB and the Department of Defense, compared to the costs of sustaining a single government-wide background investigations enterprise. (Sec. 6) The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) must report on: (1) the status of implementing government-wide continuous evaluation programs, (2) efforts by federal agencies to meet requirements for reciprocal recognition to access classified information, and (3) whether the schedule for processing security clearances should be modified. (Sec. 7) The ODNI and the OPM must review and make recommendations to Congress and the President, as appropriate, to issue guidance to assist agencies in determining: (1) position sensitivity designation, and (2) the appropriate background investigation to initiate for each position designation. The President must report on any issues identified in, and the number of position designations revised as a result of, the review.

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law), 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

Securely Expediting Clearances Through Reporting Transparency Act of 2018

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)

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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. Knight, Stephen [R-CA-25] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3210, SECRET Act of 2017 (2017-07-26); CBO cost estimate: H.R. 3210, SECRET Act of 2017 (2017-10-20)

Cosponsors on this site

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 (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Public Law)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115hr3210.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr3210 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115