WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- The White House may make it easier for some people to get top secret security clearances, a published report said.
Clay Johnson III, deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, told USA Today that the security clearance process could be speeded up by eliminating some background checks. The current process wastes millions of dollars and leaves thousands of homeland security and defense jobs empty, said Johnson.
USA Today said a government committee is considering eliminating character references and neighbor interviews in cases where a candidate has been cleared by other parts of the investigation.
"Do we really need to talk to five neighbors (of a candidate)? Do we really need all the colleges (the candidate attended)?" he asked.
Johnson was expected to deliver the Bush administration's proposal to Congress Thursday.
