opm has not been doing its job. they were given responsibility by president eisenhower, an executive order 10540, and they were supposed to be overseeing how the agencies designate this. i mean, what we heard today if they are letting them do whatever he and after this rule they will also be completely deferential to the heads of these agencies. they have no plans to go back and check whether or not the rule will be applied properly. >> i will let you respond to that. >> as i noted earlier, opm and odni have an oversight role with regards to these rules and there will be oversight and assessment of how the agencies were applying these rules so i would respectfully disagree with that. >> excuse me for not knowing this answer but are there metrics in the new rule click. >> i'm consulting. there are reporting requirements so based on the reporting requirements we can learn information on how they are implementing this but there is no specific metric. >> so, there's not metrics in the rule do you have the metrics to kno

to those ends since 2008 opm, opm dod and odni have worked together on eighth reform effort to ensure there is an efficient aligned high-quality cost-effective system for conducting background investigations and making determinations regarding security clearances and plays suitability and contractor fitness. we have made great progress as was reflected in the written testimony of the witnesses at this table. has mr. jordan mentioned we have eliminated that lack of security clearance investigations that in and and of themselves proposed a risk to our national security. we have dramatically reduce the time it takes to complete such investigations to meet the deadlines congress has established. we have composed reciprocity requirements with greater efficiency issued an investigative standards we are now preparing to implement. we have professionalized the training of investigators and adjudicators and we have worked together to implement gao's helpful recommendations by designing an eminently deploying a new set of agreed-upon metrics that we can use to measure and drive up the quality o

odni and opm concurred with this recommendation. the proposed regulations do not appear to require a periodic reassessment as we recommended. we still believe this needs to be done. for more than a decade, gao emphasized the need to build and monitor quality throughout the personnel security clearance process to promote oversight and positive outcomes such as maximizing likelihood that individuals who are security risks will be scrutinized more closely. the first step to ensure a sound process is in place to determine whether or not positions need accurately says to classified information. we'll continue to monitor the outcome of the final federal regulation as well as other agency actions to address our remaining recommendations. mr. chairman, this concludes my remarks and happy to take questions when ready. >> thank you, brenda, appreciate your comments. david, you may proceed. >> on behalf of afge and the more than 650,000 federal employees we represent including tens of thousands who occupy positions designated as sensitive, i t

>> i think the collaboration between opm and the other agencies has improved over the years. and this includes the chair that has helped provide the most notable improvement we have seen is with the processing of additional personnel security clearances at the top-secret level and we have stated this over the years that we do not want to see the processing of the clearances at the expense of the quality of the investigations. >> work is in progress and you just talked with us about what of some of the most important aspects are in with the thought of how we can be most helpful in expediting network that is in progress. >> i think the work that the agencies are doing to reap investigate the standards is very important in this gets to the heart of what we are saying about quality for the background investigations in particular and are we obtaining the right available information from the right sources, is a complete, is a reliable. so i think revisiting this and this includes the standards that we have as well, which are very important to the process. >> this includes everythin

opm went forward pb's decisiong ms is the director of opm has authority under law when they believe mspb issued an erroneous interpretation of civil service law, rule, or regulations. so when the director sold thensideration on this, intent was to preserve the executive branch's authority to make risk determinations as far as national security positions. >> i got it. i gete put it on one end -- it, if you have somebody with a high security clearance mao somebody some money, that could possibly compromise what is going on. these guys do not have a security clearance at all. they were working in sensitive positions but they did not have security clearance. me -- and wecapes are going to get further down, because you have to start here to get down into the real problems of this. it escapes me how a grocery could be put at the same level as somebody who is dealing in the department of defense with really sensitive withmation, or in the cia really sensitive information that owes somebody some money. --onestly got don't get first of all, i don't get how you can a person -- a person working in

>> i'd have to defer to opm. >> yeah. no. the companies that are doing the investigations have an obligation under the contract to also do a quality review, but then we do another quality review, and the purpose of their quality review is we would like them to catch errors before the file gets to us, but we do a quality review as well. >> so opm is the final validating of the completeness of the investigation? >> not -- to some extent. i mean, another thing that validates the completeness of the investigation is gets into an adjudicators who may want more, and, ultimately, it's a collaborative effort. they may send something back to us, but we are the arbitrator of whether we have provided someone with an investigative product. >> is every investigation validated by you? >> every investigation is reviewed # for quality, yes. >> by opm? >> by opm. >> one other question, and i'll submit the rest of the questions. there's a reinvolving fund for where you charge agencies for this. that has $2 billion in it. has it ever been audit

some drugs.o see in a storeroom we found losing sex of opm and in its refined form, heroine. opium and in its refined form, heroine. a record harvest in the year they leave is a mark of failure. border to the iranian with police trying to stop the flood of drugs out of the country. search of somem trucks, but most are not searched at all. the deputy said he thought up to every day -- every day up to 10 trucks get through. he said they were tirelessly, as the drugs are often built into the vehicles, and they can't take apart every truck. i minivan arrived to give space to a coffin collected at the border. one place close to the border is called windows village since so many young men have been killed carrying go into iran drugs. they say only women and small , captured andeft hanged as smugglers. this scars afghanistan and the world outside. devastation of opium. the united states has estimated the islamist military groups as foreign terrorist organizations. the white house said the groups are responsible for attacks on the churches and mosques which have led to the deaths of

>> i think there is sometime opm here.here is a new atmosphere per >> we understand the new dole nw delegation. and they came and put a su substantivend serious friday prl on the table. these are the worked we heard at the meeting. >> we confirmed that it's a whole new atmosphere. there is a technical cit detail being discussed. and we are getting into the nitty gritty. and as far as this week is concern. of thin the short short term the international community is looking for a first step. what they want to sew tru do iso put freeze on the program in te short term. that priz freeze may last for sx months. and in return for that agreement to freeze the program, there wok some lift of sanctions the not the core ar architecture of sanctions, but there would be somsome relief. no specifics short on detail. the program seems to be going for a first step deal to stop the u a your uranium program any would continue to sort out of the grand bargain at the end of process. >> some optimistic you say there. and yet short on dough tai

some drugs.o see in a storeroom we found losing sex of opm and in its refined form, heroine. opium and in its refined form, heroine. a record harvest in the year they leave is a mark of failure. border to the iranian with police trying to stop the flood of drugs out of the country. search of somem trucks, but most are not searched at all. the deputy said he thought up to every day -- every day up to 10 trucks get through. he said they were tirelessly, as the drugs are often built into the vehicles, and they can't take apart every truck. i minivan arrived to give space to a coffin collected at the border. one place close to the border is called windows village since so many young men have been killed carrying go into iran drugs. they say only women and small , captured andeft hanged as smugglers. this scars afghanistan and the world outside. devastation of opium. the united states has estimated the islamist military groups as foreign terrorist organizations. the white house said the groups are responsible for attacks on the churches and mosques which have led to the deaths of

some of our freedom and does not all the autobots of if it gets tossed the game at one now the opm members of blood in nineteen forty seven that baucus on a big increase in crime books with the can it be be ok. aggression and suppression still continues and people continue to suffer even off to six decades. this demonstration is in and with the shooting which he'll keep him and was the black day off twenty second of july nineteen forty seven. when focused on the attack the region. since then cut and sleep the uk. state piece of silk is a black day video these demonstrations are held across the uk on this day. demonstrators with trendy dresses to make people aware of of what happened during nineteen forty seven many. it then. not the way in the day. the little video of the vodka. many of the bendigo. this photo. well you'll know it's gone now this on the team's young generational appeal to a whit about the da boss of august on the atrocities inflicted on them. exposing the ugly face of pop song. since the last six tickets is from above as you sew all the resources and natural growth of the

the opm members of blood in nineteen forty seven that baucus on a big increase in crime books with the can it be be ok. aggression and suppression still continues and people continue to suffer even off to six decades. this demonstration is in and with the shooting which he'll keep him and was the black day off twenty second of july nineteen forty seven. when focused on the track the region. and since then cut in sleep the uk. state piece of silk is a black day video. these demonstrations are held across the uk on this day. demonstrators with trying new dresses to make people aware of of what happens during nineteen forty seven. he meant. it then the wedding day. the little video of nevada. many of the bendigo. this photo radio. and on. does this on the young generation all be okay with the vaulted of boston august on the atrocities inflicted on them. exposing the ugly face of a song. since the last six tickets is from above as you sew all the resources and natural growth of the uk and has suppressed all the basic two months. the era of persecution which began in nineteen forty seven ha

opm brings in more money for farmers and other crops. but they just get a small cost compared to those further up the drive chain the lunch provinces the main coffee producing area. it's also a taliban stronghold. the iron millions taxing poppy farmers to fund their insurgency against the government and international forces. and there are fears for what might happen next year when foreign troops leave. his mode of transition. who needs to make show that the international and regional communities at the nesties time to make a big choice today. is this going to do going into action often it is typical of me what is this going to be underpinned by the us economy as the old age. it would be kumble wants to be seen tackling the issue officials held a ceremonial burning of confiscating trunks. twenty times and smiled. just a tiny fraction of what's produced here every year. international forces spent decades fighting opium production in afghanistan the new figures showed the battle appears to be lost i'm just a mom an eager investors keep sett

and later on in the program opm on the up there's been a dramatic surge in action in afghanistan this year. with international efforts to stop the jobs lethal threat the eye. to noon. do you speak your language. love you all know it. news programs and documentaries in spanish max's to you. breaking news will turn into bangalore kittens stories. due to it okies. for no more to chew on it. he built home with the what you are too light to our studios in moscow where it's just five fifteen pm nearly that time and see friends thanks for joining me in britain you're never far from killing a tap on the shoulder from the taxman but not everywhere under her majesty's jurisdiction gets forced to find the crumbs coffers. in fact quite the opposite. thus the silly and knows just such a place have you ever heard of content. i am not handy. can i not ever heard of it can pick him up. the king island's forty assists on twenty six by militants are thinking the pacific side but that's about all. did you know the dreaded taxes go to that time and no i don't hide it. have we ever heard of it yet. if you

executive branch efforts underway to develop and implement metrics to measure the completeness of opm's investigations provided to dod. unfortunately, these efforts have not been realized. the progress that was made with respect to reducing the amount of time to process clearances would not have been made possible without the committed and sustained oversight by congress and the executive branch agency leadership. further actions are needed now to oversee quality at every step of the process, including background investigations. mr. chairman, this concludes my remarks. i will be pleased to take questions when you are ready. >> thanks so much for your testimony and thanks for all of your work in this area. after i asked some questions, dr. coburn will be recognized. and then they will be recognized in order. some of those folks have slipped out. they will come back. i want to start with you. we appreciate very much your formal testimony. i want to have a less formal conversation. other things that we heard from each of our witnesses, changes we made, reforms being adopted or have been ad

until this year opm cannot even check those for background checks or the ig recommended 22 individuals received no answer on four cases in the form the other eight would not be debarred. said to for tamoxifen to a deranged but the way they handle access data. there is way too much stuff that is classified that does not need to be classified in number to wait too many security clearance is approved so if you marked the increase the material that doesn't need classified they have to increase the number of people that have access to look forward to going through the of commons today to get the real and answers and i thank you kid for holding this hearing and they appreciate the work of senator tester. >> thank you. i would like to say dr. colbert for his leadership as well but four months ago we had a hearing after the snowden leak they queue for being here today as well as last time. i said given the stakes seibald we had to get a ride with no margin for error. the fact was reid knew then we need to make the media reform is more transparency or oversight. the outcome was the bill that th

opm is better suited to answering the second part. yes, contractors perform background investigations, yes, contractors can perform quality reviews on those investigations but only government employees make a determination as to whether to grant security clearance to someone. >> but my question is, is it the same company that's validating the work of their colleagues doing the investigation? is that correct? >> i'd have to defer to o.p.m. >> no. the companies that are doing the investigations have an only -- have an obligation under the contract to also do a quality review, but then we do another quality review. and the purpose of their quality review is we would like them to catch errors before the file gets to us but we do a quality review as well. >> so o.p.m. is the final validator of the completeness of the investigation? >> to some extent. i think another thing that validates the completeness of the investigation, it gets sent to an adjudicator who may want more information. ultimately it's a collaborative effort. they may send

as such, the d.n.i., opm, and d.o.d. will review the policies, processes, and procedures related to the initiation, investigation, and adjudication of background investigations for personnel security, suitability for employment, and fitness to perform on a contract. in closing, i want to emphasize the d.n.i.'s resolve to lead the initiatives discussed today and continue to collaborative efforts established with d.o.d., o.p.m., and our federal partners. we thank you for the opportunity to update the committee at this time and look forward to working with you on these matters. >> thank you for that update. i look forward to hearing from mr. lewis. >> good morning. chairman carper, ranking member coburn, and distinguished members of the committee, i appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today to address the practices and procedures of the department of defense regarding security clearances, facility access, and background investigations. the undersecretary of defense for intelligence, dr. michael vickers, is the p

i had no idea if they go into obama care they still get a special deal carveout by opm so it's not going to change for them? >> it's outrageous. >> it's terrible. it's appalling. there ought to be a law. we tried to pass a law. harry reid and senate democrats passed it on party line vote. senator reid walked the plank with vulnerable members in 2014. i don't know how you explain this back home if you are a democrat running for re-election. >> i understand speaker pelosi putting her people in obama care obviously with the special deal. but senator reid is not there is something not right about that same rule for congress than it is the american people. and it's not under the special interpretation under the office of personnel management. >> phony to say put in obama care prices not change. getting obama care plus. >> my first position is we should save everybody from debacle as secretary sebelius called it yesterday of obama care. it's not going to work. it's imploding in front of our eyes. as long as it is the law. the law ought to apply uniformly to everyone. >> always nice to see you

. >> who knows what's going to happen with opm.4 years from now who knows. >> second letter, richard noss pa duke carks kentucky. obama care isn't the only thing driving healthcare costs higher. drink and take drugs we have to pay when they get sick and makes me angry. me, too richard. >> i agree. look at children we have fairly young kids. you see that so many children are starting to suffer from adult style illnesses. some are getting knee replacements literally. some have hypertension because some of these children are overweight. >> bad diet, diabetes is crazy and all of that. but, you know what? here is what i always say, he is right, i mean, we have to pay for it but it's a free society. and that's what comes along with it if you want to eat twinkies every day you can eat twinkies. you have can't take drugs and all of that that's ridiculous. people who enjoy being overweight you can't condemn them but it leads. >> two skinny people o. ---too skinny you can get healthcare. >> you are going to end up paying the same amount. sta

. >> who knows what's going to happen with opm.uld say oh 14 years from now who knows. >> second letter, richard noss pa duke carks kentucky. obama care isn't the only thing driving healthcare costs higher. drink and take drugs we have to pay when they get sick and makes me angry. me, too richard. >> i agree. look at children we have fairly young kids. you see that so many children are starting to suffer from adult style illnesses. some are getting knee replacements literally. some have hypertension because some of these children are overweight. >> bad diet, diabetes is crazy and all of that. but, you know what? here is what i always say, he is right, i mean, we have to pay for it but it's a free society. and that's what comes along with it if you want to eat twinkies every day you can eat twinkies. you have can't take drugs and all of that that's ridiculous. people who enjoy being overweight you can't condemn them but it leads. >> two skinny people o. ---too skinny you can get healthcare. >> you are going to end up paying the same

level by at the lowest surveys of opm of any department in the federal government. that is a function of leadership. i think you have the qualities to instill that, to rebuild this organization and put this place where it needs to be. the american people are counting on us, but they are going to be counting on you and there simply too much at stake for us to fail. i hope you are in this committee's trust. you ever earned mine, thus far. i look forward to looking with you in this very important job. i look forward to working with you in this very important job. bird work under the early rule. after the chairman and ranking member have given statements, the witnesses testify and then we recognize the members in order as they come in to ask weston's. -- questions. ms. mccaskill was the next one here. senator cap, senator mccain, others will, as well. i just want to say -- we take seriously the opportunity to engage with you and really understand you better as a human being and your priorities and really your values. andhow they were developed your approach to managing

and the final rule that opm issued as a source for qualified coverage that is eligible for the employer contribution. so i welcome all congressional staff and all members and look forward to serving each and everyone. >> yes, go right ahead. >> hello. i'm with the national association of social workers. my first question is both on a micro and macro level for katy and matt. are either of the agency level or at the association level collecting data about the turn away rate in the not expansion state? katy, you mentioned there about 3000 inquiries after clinic in the last two months. if there's any data as to how many of those were people below the poverty line, who could not get coverage because you're in a not expansion state. >> we are collecting that. i don't know the number of the top of my head but we are clucking and we are seeing quite a few. and we know that we're going to be seeing a lot more. we are an hiv service provider and we have about 4000 hiv patients, and we know just by our data that about 1500 of those patients will not qualify. would qualify for medicaid expansion bu

i am trying to get retirement disability from opm. i had to go to the state office to try to get medicaid. days and they120 gave me a temporary medical card. i had to go in and out of the hospital because i did not have insurance or medication. as is in all of this negative isff about the aca act really ridiculous. i thank you guys for fighting for people like us. i am sorry to hear what you have been going through. we wanted to make sure every theican had access to health-care system. that was one of the driving forces to make sure every american had a chance to have insurance. private delivery system. it is off to a rocky start. i will in knowledge that. we hope that system is improving every day and eventually all americans will have an opportunity to avail themselves of health care. segment, we have been talking to congressman michael doyle. next up, we will talk with congressman trey gowdy, a member of the judiciary committee. first, an update from c-span radio. a.m. eastern time. a suspected drone struck in pakistan, killing six

and the final rule that opm issued as a source for qualified coverage that is eligible for the employer contribution. so i welcome all congressional staff and all members and look forward to serving each and everyone. >> yes, go right ahead. >> hello. i'm with the national association of social workers. my first question is both on a micro and macro level for katy and matt. are either of the agency level or at the association level collecting data about the turn away rate in the not expansion state? katy, you mentioned there about 3000 inquiries after clinic in the last two months. if there's any data as to how many of those were people below the poverty line, who could not get coverage because you're in a not expansion state. >> we are collecting that. i don't know the number of the top of my head but we are clucking and we are seeing quite a few. and we know that we're going to be seeing a lot more. we are an hiv service provider and we have about 4000 hiv patients, and we know just by our data that about 1500 of those patients will not qualify. would qualify for medicaid expansion bu

part of the legislation that will require updated guidance along with quality controls from you folks, opm and the odni. we require periodic reviews of guidance to make sure there's regulated updates with the requirements. i would say that -- i would argue in fact there is a lack of guidance that has led us down a path where we now have 5 million folks with security clearances and access to the nation's most sensitive information and facilities. would you like to think about it, brian? go ahead. >> i do not mean to interrupt. i just wanted to clarify we are very sensitive to what you say about that number. as a 5 million number that you are referring to covers both people with security clearances as well as people eligible for access. and being sensitive to that number as you mentioned 5 million of anything is a lot. >> is. spin and because of that, recently and speak of the devil as you mentioned, on halloween, the dni signed an executive correspondence going out to all of the government agencies stating that they need to -- they are required to go through their clearance list and validat

medicare services, the department of defense, the irs, opm, the railroad retirement board -- we have a list of agencies that have used the incomplete list. you are for to the public file. subsidies, homeland security, justice, and treasury departments -- tell us more. aret: these are folks that on the other side of the boundary. they do not pay benefits. they only get this partial list, which does not have data from the state. the data from the states is most accurate. there are checks built into the system. the body has to be buried. death certificates from the states are rarely wrong. ofause of this dispute, some the most accurate files do not go to these federal agencies. they are more in the dark than they would have been otherwise. host: you mentioned the people who are falsely claimed as being dead. whatrms of legislation, ideas are out there to make it easier for folks who have this problem to get out of it? guest: i have not seen much to make it easy for those people. we are talking about numbers here. that is not much. it seems like it should be easy to illuminate problems.