[Jpost] The issue has been in the national spotlight with the arrest last month of Jack Teixeira, | ...the somehow spoilt brat who managed not to understand discretion despite being a second generation intelligence guy, sharing copies of all sorts of interesting things with his international online gaming group... |
Democratic and Republican US senators introduced legislation on Wednesday to overhaul the vast security clearance system for protecting national secrets, spurred by damaging document leaks allegedly by a 21-year-old airman and the discovery of classified materials at top officials' homes.
Led by Democratic Senator Mark Warner, chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, the lawmakers said the current system classifies far too many documents and gives access to secret information to far too many people.
Sounds good but I'm not convinced Warner is a good guy. At all.
"That combination of overclassification and then too many people having clearances has led us to this problem," Warner told a news conference. He said more than 4 million people in the United States now have security clearance.
Warner, fellow Democrat Ron Wyden and Republicans John Cornyn and Jerry Moran introduced two bills addressing the issue. Among other things, they would tighten the rules for deciding what would be classified and set a 25-year limit for how long most documents would stay that way.
"Our democracy, our ability to govern ourselves, depends on the public getting access to information about what our government is doing and what government officials are doing," Cornyn said, adding that he expected the effort would get broad support.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has also appointed special counsels to investigate the handling of classified records by Republican former President Donald Trump and the handling of classified records from his time as vice president by current Democratic President Joe Biden.
The path forward for the bills was not immediately clear but the senators said they hoped the recent attention on the clearance issue would help.
"This is a piece of legislation that can become law and it is desperately needed for that to happen," Moran said.
Related:
Mark Warner: 2023-05-05 Ukrainian Perspective: Invasion of Ukraine: May 4th, 2023
Mark Warner: 2023-02-06 Democrat Tim Kaine's Wife Denounces Declaration of Independence, Constitution as 'Fundamental in Enshrining Slavery'
Mark Warner: 2022-11-21 ‘Enormous Threat': Dem Senator Echoes Trump's Warning About CCP-Linked TikTok
Mark Warner: 2023-05-05 Ukrainian Perspective: Invasion of Ukraine: May 4th, 2023
Mark Warner: 2023-02-06 Democrat Tim Kaine's Wife Denounces Declaration of Independence, Constitution as 'Fundamental in Enshrining Slavery'
Mark Warner: 2022-11-21 ‘Enormous Threat': Dem Senator Echoes Trump's Warning About CCP-Linked TikTok
Related:
Ron Wyden: 2023-04-23 Big Banks, Corporations Getting 90 Percent Of Biden's Green Energy Credits: Congressional Study
Ron Wyden: 2023-04-11 Too Late, AOC. The Anarchy You Call for Is Already Happening.
Ron Wyden: 2022-07-27 FBI Whistleblowers Allege FBI Scheme to Protect Hunter Biden and Joe Biden
Ron Wyden: 2023-04-23 Big Banks, Corporations Getting 90 Percent Of Biden's Green Energy Credits: Congressional Study
Ron Wyden: 2023-04-11 Too Late, AOC. The Anarchy You Call for Is Already Happening.
Ron Wyden: 2022-07-27 FBI Whistleblowers Allege FBI Scheme to Protect Hunter Biden and Joe Biden
Related:
John Cornyn: 2023-04-18 Republicans on Judiciary Committee Playing Hardball Over Replacing Feinstein
John Cornyn: 2023-04-14 Poll: Mitch McConnell's Approval Underwater as Retirement Rumors Swirl
John Cornyn: 2023-01-29 Trump Vows He Would Develop US Domestic 'Missile Shield' if Reelected in 2024
John Cornyn: 2023-04-18 Republicans on Judiciary Committee Playing Hardball Over Replacing Feinstein
John Cornyn: 2023-04-14 Poll: Mitch McConnell's Approval Underwater as Retirement Rumors Swirl
John Cornyn: 2023-01-29 Trump Vows He Would Develop US Domestic 'Missile Shield' if Reelected in 2024
Related:
Jerry Moran: 2022-12-24 These 18 Senate Republicans Voted For Democrats' Sleazy $1.7 Trillion Spending Bill
Jerry Moran: 2020-05-08 Senate fails to override Trump veto on Iran war powers
Jerry Moran: 2019-03-15 Former ICE Chief: Senate Vote a ‘Morale-Killer' for Border Patrol and ICE
Jerry Moran: 2022-12-24 These 18 Senate Republicans Voted For Democrats' Sleazy $1.7 Trillion Spending Bill
Jerry Moran: 2020-05-08 Senate fails to override Trump veto on Iran war powers
Jerry Moran: 2019-03-15 Former ICE Chief: Senate Vote a ‘Morale-Killer' for Border Patrol and ICE
Related:
Jack Teixeira: 2023-04-28 Die Zeit: US eavesdropped on German Defense Ministry talks
Jack Teixeira: 2023-04-23 Ukrainian Perspective: Invasion of Ukraine: April 22nd, 2023
Jack Teixeira: 2023-04-22 FBI closes in on TWO DOZEN gamers in Pentagon leaker's Discord group - including RUSSIANS - as it emerges disgraced airman, 21, 'had been sharing files since Ukraine War started'
Jack Teixeira: 2023-04-28 Die Zeit: US eavesdropped on German Defense Ministry talks
Jack Teixeira: 2023-04-23 Ukrainian Perspective: Invasion of Ukraine: April 22nd, 2023
Jack Teixeira: 2023-04-22 FBI closes in on TWO DOZEN gamers in Pentagon leaker's Discord group - including RUSSIANS - as it emerges disgraced airman, 21, 'had been sharing files since Ukraine War started'