User Comments

I have received some interesting comments via email and the blog. One commenter pointed out:

The investigations apparently stem from the suggested OPM implementation of HSPD-12. This can be found here.

The document, in fact, proposes implementing things that are not included in HSPD-12-- the NACI requirement was already an existing requirement for new employees; the OMB is apparently aggomerating that onto the HSPD-12 procedure.

It doesn't fully answer the questions about the NASA implementation, though. It requires a National Agency Check with Written Inquires (NACI) for everybody. However, although NACI itself is a pretty egregious invasion of privacy, nevertheless it doesn't require permission to access credit records or medical records. NACI and Credit check is a different investigation, NACIC, which is NOT what the OMP site says is required. And health records are yet a different check, not included in either NACI or NACIC. (see http://irm.cit.nih.gov/security/table2.htm )

So, apparently, the NASA implementation of HSPD-12 requires things that are not included either in HSPD-12 or in the OPM guidelines.

A JPL employee writes:

We at JPL are thrilled to know that we are not alone. We can only win this by speaking out! Good luck to your efforts.
-- a JPL employee of 20+ years

Another user commented:

The directive requires a single Federal standard for "Secure and reliable forms of identification." ... I maintain that it is not necessary to run a background check to verify identity. Fingerprints, maybe, or checking picture ID's. In particular, you don't have to like someone or vouch for his loyalty to his country or reliability as an employee in order to identify that person. ... This is why I believe that NASA's implementation is at the very least a waste of tax money, because it goes beyond the requirements of the law.

Someone else pointed out NASA's current status check on HSPD-12 compliance as of June.

Thanks for the comments. Do you have a comment? Send it to hspd12jsc@gmail.com or leave a comment on one of the blog posts.