Despite calls from some lawmakers, staff and policy advocates for more access, the decades-old system that restricts top security clearances for congressional staff isn’t likely to change in the wake of the recent high-profile leak of sensitive Pentagon documents.
Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., said she was shocked to learn of the “antiquated” system and “red tape” surrounding clearances when she came to Congress in 2021.
The current system prohibits most House office staff from obtaining a high level of clearance, designated by the labels “top secret” and “sensitive compartmented information,” or TS/SCI, that lawmakers like Jacobs say is needed to effectively legislate.
