Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) are unveiling legislation to change the security clearance process after President Trump revoked clearances for high-profile opponents, including former President Biden.
Their bill, dubbed the Integrity in Security Clearance Determinations Act, would bar any administration from revoking a clearance for political purposes or over retribution.
“Americans should be able to have confidence that the security clearance process is focused solely on protecting our nation’s most sensitive information,” said Warner, the Senate Intelligence Committee’s ranking member. “This bipartisan legislation will make clear that this vital system cannot be weaponized for political retribution.”
Collins said in a statement that Americans “should have the utmost confidence in the integrity of the security clearance process.”
“The security clearance system is critical to protecting our country from harm and safeguarding access to our most classified information,” the Maine Republican said. “This bipartisan bill would make the current system fairer and more transparent by ensuring that decisions to grant, deny, or revoke clearances are based solely on codified guidelines.”
The legislation would also preclude agencies from wielding clearances to punish whistleblowers or to discriminate.
In addition, the blueprint also codifies the ability for government employees to appeal clearance revocations or denials and for background on those appeals to be released publicly.
The bill was first introduced in 2019.
The reintroduction also comes after Biden previously revoked Trump’s clearance following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
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