[Comments on H.R. 4636]

In response to a congressional request, GAO presented its views on H.R. 4636, a bill that would require controlled substance testing programs for federal employees and contractor personnel having access to classified information. GAO found that the bill: (1) would raise problems of whether the testing programs would violate the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, which protects individuals from unreasonable government searches; (2) would provide for procedures for administering and monitoring the testing programs; (3) would not assign responsibility for oversight or the actions agencies might take with regard to positive tests; (4) would not provide due process protection for individuals adversely affected by agency actions; (5) would not define the term controlled substances; (6) might not result in measurable benefits; and (7) would be very costly, and a Congressional Budget Office estimate of total costs did not include administrative costs.