Mental Health Treatment Question for Security Clearances Revised

DoD, OPM and OMB have approved a revision to a widely used national security clearance questionnaire, SF-86, regarding mental and emotional health counseling in the hope of removing a possible deterrent to candidates seeking out treatment.

The revised question, #21, states, "Mental health counseling in and of itself is not a reason to revoke or deny a clearance." In asking whether a candidate has consulted with a mental care professional in the past seven years, it advises them to answer "no" if treatment was not court ordered and strictly marital, family, or grief-related, or strictly related to service in a military combat environment.

The question instructs candidates answering, "yes" to indicate who conducted the treatment or counseling and sign an authorization for release under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

OPM said the revised question would apply government-wide to everyone completing a SF-86 form.

Senators Have Questions About Cyber-Security Initiative

The chair of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., and ranking member Susan Collins, R-Maine, have sent DHS secretary Michael Chertoff a letter seeking detail on a new initiative to secure federal IT systems.

The "Comprehensive National Cyber-Security Initiative" was established in January with a presidential directive and is a multi-agency, multi-year 12-step plan to for securing the federal government's cyber networks.

The letter asks for specific information on CNCI ranging from the secrecy of the project to its heavy reliance on contractors to the lack of involvement by the private sector, which controls the vast majority of the nation's cyber infrastructure.

The letter notes that DHS has requested an additional $83 million dollars for the National Cyber Security Division for fiscal 2009 and including the $115 million awarded for the initiative in fiscal 2008, triples the funds spend on cyber security in DHS since 2007.

The Sens. said a DHS request for proposal for NCSD mission support did not appear to incorporate recent GAO recommendations to DHS to "clearly describe roles, responsibilities, and limitations of selected contractor services as part of the acquisition planning process."

They also expressed concerns regarding how information has been shared with Congress and other stakeholders concerning the initiative and the potential impact that lack of collaboration may have on the success of the initiative.

A lack of information could deter agencies from planning for future IT needs and deter companies from doing business with the government given uncertainties about future technical requirements, as well as stoke anxiety that security requirements may not be tempered with respect for privacy and civil liberties, they wrote.

The letter cites apparent confusion over what information about the CNCI is classified or not. For example, it noted that on March 20th, DHS announced that Rod Beckstrom would be the director of the NCSC within DHS, but prior to that announcement, committee staff had been instructed that the existence of the NCSC itself was classified.

Further, it questions a lack of private industry involvement in the initiative to date, noting that the private sector controls most of the nation's cyber infrastructure.

Another $2 Billion for NASA Requested

A bipartisan group of 30 Representatives has called on senior lawmakers to include $2 billion in funding for NASA as part of an economic stimulus package or supplemental appropriations bill.

The letter says the funds are needed to reimburse the agency for expenditures on return-to-flight expenses following the Columbia disaster and for repairs needed following Hurricanes Rita and Katrina.

A union representing some NASA employees, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, echoed support for the increase. It said Bush administration has "chosen to raid NASA's science, aeronautical, technology development, and education programs to cover return-to-flight costs," rather than propose a realistic budget.