Charlie Allen Testifies Before U.S. House Homeland Security Subcommittee

On Tuesday, February 27, 2018, Charlie Allen, INSA senior intelligence adviser and chair of the Security Policy Reform Council, testified before the Oversight and Management Efficiency Subcommittee of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee. Mr. Allen was one of four witnesses in the hearing, Doing Business with DHS: Industry Recommendations to Improve Contractor Employee Vetting. 

The witnesses discussed the policies and procedures governing "fitness determinations" of contractors to support components of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), and others.

In his oral testimony, Mr. Allen said, "I am here today to advocate for a number of reforms that would eliminate inefficiencies in the DHS fitness/suitability process, including: (1) standardizing the suitability and fitness requirements across the Department, consistent with the “unity of effort” campaign undertaken by DHS Secretaries from both the current and previous Administrations, (2) making those requirements publicly available, (3) empowering the Department’s Chief Security Officer to determine and implement consistent requirements across the Department, and (4) eliminating the requirement to conduct a fitness/suitability assessment on government or contractor personnel who possess a valid, in-scope security clearance."

Photo: Mr. Allen speaks with Subcommittee Chairman Scott Perry (R-PA) after the hearing.