GAO Finds 17 of 31 Agencies Do Not Trust Each Other's Clearance Adjudications

A January GAO report found that 17 of 31 surveyed federal agencies openly distrust other agencies' clearance processes, leading to duplicative vetting that extends hiring timelines. Many agencies still transfer clearance data via emailed Excel files. The findings undermine the reciprocity mandate and directly impact IC hiring velocity for applicants with existing clearances moving between agencies.