Nuclear Security: DOE Original Classification Authority Has Been Improperly Delegated
RCED-91-183
Published: Jul 05, 1991. Publicly Released: Aug 15, 1991.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined the Department of Energy's (DOE) use and authorization of contractors to make original classification determinations about national security information.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Energy | To comply with the requirements of Executive Order 12356, the Secretary of Energy should immediately revoke the original classification authority for national security information that has been delegated to contractor employees. |
Closed – Implemented
Effective September 1, 1991, DOE revoked all original classification authority delegations made to contractors.
|
| Department of Energy | To better ensure that the nation's security interests are being adequately protected, the Secretary of Energy should identify all original classification decisions that have been made by contractors and independently determine and implement the appropriate classification actions needed in those instances. |
Closed – Implemented
DOE is reviewing all original classification decisions made by contractors over the last 2 years to assess whether additional actions or more extensive reviews are warranted and to assess the damage to national security. All contractor original classification actions were reviewed by DOE personnel. In every case, the correctness of the contractor original classification decision was confirmed.
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Topics
Classified defense informationClassified informationContractor personnelGOCOLaboratoriesNuclear facilitiesInformation classificationNational securityInformation securityFederal contractors