Washington, Feb 25 (NationPress) The malfunctioning US security-clearance system is leaving some of the nation's most crucial positions in a state of uncertainty. Congress has expressed concern that the Pentagon's primary solution has been significantly delayed, costing billions and failing to provide the modernized framework that was promised following a significant data breach a decade ago.

During a session of the House Oversight subcommittee on Government Operations, bipartisan lawmakers pointed out that the Department of Defence's National Background Investigative Services System, or NBIS, is a litmus test for the US's ability to safeguard sensitive information while efficiently hiring needed personnel in technology and national security.

“If today's discussion feels familiar, that's because it is,” remarked Chairman Congressman Pete Sessions, referencing a June 2024 hearing where “Congress voiced deep concerns over ongoing issues in personnel vetting.”

Sessions noted that NBIS was designed to be “a comprehensive solution for all phases of federal personnel vetting,” but currently, “NBIS has only limited capabilities in operation” and is “over eight years behind schedule, with completion now pushed from 2019 to 2028.”

He further indicated that these delays have “cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars” and raised serious doubts about “the integrity and effectiveness of the entire federal personnel vetting system.”

Ranking member Kweisi Mfume emphasized the importance of a straightforward objective: “To provide a background check system that ensures the safety of the United States while allowing qualified individuals to commence work promptly.”

“In my view, America cannot maintain its technological edge in national security if our best engineers, scientists, linguists, analysts, and others are left waiting for months, or even years, before they can begin their roles,” Mfume explained. “If we cannot clear personnel efficiently, we jeopardize our missions; it's as simple as that.”

Mfume pointed out that since 2017, the government has invested “approximately $2.4 billion in NBIS and its legacy systems,” with an additional “$2.2 billion anticipated to complete the project.” He remarked, “That’s an enormous sum for the government to invest and see so little progress.”

Justin Overbaugh, acting director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, countered previous assurances about the agency's progress. “With all due respect, that assessment was overly optimistic,” he acknowledged.

“The reality is that DCSA has been grappling with an identity issue,” Overbaugh stated, arguing that it was “assembled from various programs” and had “never truly unified under a single culture.” He explained that past leadership had veered “toward an intelligence-centric approach instead of fully embracing its critical security role.”

Overbaugh asserted that delivering Trusted Workforce 2.0 and NBIS is “non-negotiable,” and he indicated that recent advancements have been “fragile.” He committed to transitioning from “an unwieldy compliance-driven bureaucracy to a customer-focused, business-oriented organization,” assuring lawmakers, “I will work diligently to cultivate a culture of innovation and accountability.”

Alissa Czyz from the Government Accountability Office highlighted the urgent need for reform, stating that the clearance process remains excessively sluggish. “For instance, it currently takes over 200 days to grant a top secret clearance,” she noted. “This duration is 80% longer than the government's target.”

According to Czyz, DCSA now has “a dependable cost estimate for NBIS for the first time,” but she cautioned that the timeline “is still unreliable, putting NBIS at risk of further delays.”

The US security-clearance framework is vital to Washington’s defense-industrial ecosystem, which relies on cleared personnel across both government and private sectors. Following the 2015 breach, the federal government began transitioning toward modernized vetting and ongoing evaluations.