Bush administration, national security clearances and sexual orientation

On December 29, 2005, the Bush administration "quietly rewrote the rules for allowing gays and lesbians to receive national security clearances, drawing complaints from some civil rights activists." 

"The Bush administration said security clearances cannot be denied 'solely on the basis of the sexual orientation of the individual'." 

The new guidelines, entitled Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information, "replace 1995 guidelines that state, 'sexual orientation or preference may not be used' as a reason to deny clearances." 

Documents

 * "Security Clearances. Consideration of Sexual Orientation in the Clearance Process," U.S. General Accounting Office Report to Congressional Questioners, March 1995.
 * Letter Report: "Security Clearances: Consideration of Sexual Orientation in the Clearance Process," U.S. General Accounting Office (Federation of American Scientists), March 24, 1995.
 * "Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information" prepared by the Personnel Security Committee of the US Security Policy Board, June 9, 1995.
 * Executive Order: "Strengthening Processes Relating to Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified National Security Information," White House, June 28, 2005.
 * Stephen J. Hadley, Memorandum for William Leonard, Director, Information Security Oversight, Subject: Adjudicative Guidelines, White House, December 29, 2005. "Hadley emphasized the importance of Departments honoring clearances granted under these guidelines," consistent with Executive Order 12968, "Access to Classified Information," August 7, 1995.
 * "Adjudicative Guidelines for Determining Eligibility for Access to Classified Information," U.S. Department of State, February 3, 2006.

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Bush administration: individual rights versus national security
 * gay rights
 * same-sex marriage

2001

 * Lou Chibbaro Jr., "Guidelines Questioned Security Clearance Query Raises Eyebrows," The Washington Blade, May 4, 2001.
 * Robert Knight, Peter LaBarbera and Kenneth Ervin, "The Bush Administration's Republican Homosexual Agenda: The First 100 Days," Culture and Family Institute, Concerned Women for America, May 31, 2001.

2006

 * "Revised Guidelines for Adjudication of Security Clearances Will Result in Significant Changes to Granting of Security Clearances," Brian Cave LLP, January 11, 2006.
 * "Guidelines for Access to Classified Info Revised," Secrecy News / Federation of American Scientists, January 19, 2006.
 * Evan Derkacz, "Bush NSA bars homos from security clearance," AlterNet, March 13, 2006.
 * "Bush administration security clearance changes may impede gays. Can sexual orientation now be 'disqualifying factor'?" Associated Press (New York Blade), March 14, 2006.
 * Katherine Shrader, "Security Clearance Rules May Impede Gays," Associated Press, March 14, 2006.
 * News Release: "Bush Admin. Approves New Security Clearance Guidelines on Sexual Orientation; SLDN Insists Govt. Adhere to Non-Discrimination Policy," Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (U.S. Newswire), March 15, 2006.