[Question Concerning Appointment of Institute of Peace Board of Directors]

In response to a congressional request, questions were answered concerning: (1) whether the President's delay in submitting his nominees for the Board of Directors of the U.S. Institute of Peace violated the provisions of the U.S. Institute of Peace Act; (2) the current status of the nominations; (3) the average time that government agencies take to process security clearances; (4) whether the procedures followed in choosing the candidates and seeking security clearances for them were consistent with the act; and (5) when the Senate can expect to receive the nominations. GAO found that: (1) since the act requires the President to have nominated all of the Board members by April 20, 1985, he has not implemented the requirement in a timely manner; (2) 9 of the 11 nominees have been sent to the Senate, a 10th nominee is in the process of being investigated for a security clearance, and a security clearance process will be begun for an 11th nominee; (3) the average time for a security investigation is 90 to 120 days; (4) the usual procedures were followed in choosing the candidates and seeking security clearances for them, and the procedures appeared to be consistent with the act; and (5) since a new selection must be made and a security clearance initiated, final nominations will probably not be made until 1986.