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The National Academy of Sciences' National
Research Council
will conduct a $860,000
review of the scientific evidence on the polygraph. (1/2001)
DOE Polygraph Testing Program Becomes Effective
The Title 10, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 709-711 becomes
effective 1/8/2000
"DOE Polygraph Implementation Plan
Announced"
"The Department of Energy (DOE) is issuing its
final rules governing the use of polygraph examinations. In the
implementation plan accompanying the final regulations, Secretary
of Energy Bill Richardson said he has significantly reduced the
number of employees affected so that approximately 800 federal
and contractor employees will be subjected to the polygraph test.
Under the final rule, certain senior political appointees at the
department also will be required to take the examination."
From: The DOE News Release, December 13, 1999 http://www.doe.gov/news/newsnrb.htm
See also: http://home.doe.gov/news/fedreg.htm
where the filing ruling will be published.
"Polygraph: Senate Calls On NIH to
Examine Polygraph Validity.
A Sense of the Senate resolution attached to the Labor, HHS Appropriations
Bill calls on NIH to investigate the validity of the polygraph
as a screening tool. A 1983 study by the Office of Technology
Assessment found little evidence to support such applications.
A letter from Senator Jeff Bingaman
(D-NM) to NIH Director Harold Varmus notes that polygraphy is
based on theories of psychophysiological phenomena that are "within
the technical expertise of the NIH." NIH is asked to initiate
and support a study by the National Academy of Sciences updating
the 1983 OTA study. Meanwhile, DOE Secretary Bill Richardson,
feeling the heat from the labs, has scaled back the testing plan
from some 5,000 weapons scientists to about 1,000 people in sensitive
jobs. However, if the polygraph doesn't work, no one should be
tested."
From: WHAT'S NEW by Robert L. Park Friday, 22 Oct 99 Washington,
DC http://www.aps.org/WN/index.html
DOE Delegation Returns to LLNL
October 21, 1999: Deputy Secretary T.J. Glauthier returns
to LLNL for a two day visit. Glauthier heads the DOE's task force
on racial profiling. The task force will submit it's report in
November.
Asian Pacific American (APA) employee's send a letter to DOE Deputy Secretary Glauthier.
DOE Proposes Polygraph Testing Policy
The DOE proposed rule on polygraph testing is in the
August 18, 1999 Federal Register. (The DOE proposed modifications
on the rules for granting access approval to classified information
were published in Monday 8/16 Federal Register.) Comment period
for the polygraph rule will go to October 4.
Public hearings will be held, including one in Livermore on September 14, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. in LLNL's Bldg 123, Auditorium. Requests to speak for five minutes at the Livermore hearing must be phoned in by September 10 to Andi Kasarsky, (202) 586-3012.
Hearings will also be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.; September 17, 1999, in Los Alamos, New Mexico from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.; and September 22, 1999, in Washington D.C. from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Requests to speak at these hearings should also be made to Andi Kasarsky, (202) 586-3012.
To review the proposed rulemaking, the URL is http://home.doe.gov/news/fedreg.htm
To access the current day's Federal Register Table of Contents, the URL is http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html
To browse or search the past issues of the Federal Register,
the URL is
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html
DOE Delegation Visits LLNL
DOE Secretary Bill Richardson formed a task force to
address the special concerns of employees of Asian descent. These
employees are concerned about backlash from the recent allegations
of espionage. Deputy Secretary T. J. Glauthier is Chair the commission.
On June 30, members of the delegation visited the Lab on a fact-finding
mission.
The objectives of the delegation, according to Executive Officer Ron Cochran, are as follows:
"1. Reiterate the secretary's pledge of equity, vigilance and fairness in DOE workplaces.
2. Record observations and opinions of others about the site, the problems, perceptions, etc. Note specifically illustrative incidents and occurrences that relate to the problems.
3. Seek recommendations and ideas that might assist the task force in carrying out its work and the DOE commitment. Report faithfully all input including the perspectives of group representatives, leaders and managers. Include input from community organizations where possible.
4. Meet with managers on entrance and upon exit. Delegates will make their own observations and register their own opinions, including managers' handling of problems."
The delegates attended two meetings with employees at LLNL. The first meeting was limited to Asian American employees. The second was a forum open to all employees. SPSE President Bill O'Connell addressed the delegation during the second meeting. Additional comments were later e-mailed to the commissioners. {Webmaster's Note: Contact information for the commissioners.}
DOE Announces Plan for Polygraphs at the
National Labs
Secretary Richardson issued a statement on Wednesday,
April 28, 1999, which says among other things that DOE will use
polygraphs for DOE scientists working in sensitive programs. http://home.doe.gov/news/releases99/aprpr/prl99026.htm
The current DOE Notice 472.2 applies to DOE employees only (and only for DOE employees in certain sensitive positions, such as intelligence and counter-intelligence, the PSAP program, and a few others). It has a one-year applicability; DOE can renew it, but if DOE takes no such action then it expires in a year. The URL for the Notice is http://www.explorer.doe.gov:1776/pdfs/doe/doetext/neword/472/n4722.html
SPSE learned that there is a parallel draft for Contractor organizations being prepared by DOE, in the Office of General Counsel. In that case, since it is to apply to Contractors, it is being prepared as a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. It would be published as such in the Federal Register, and give a 60-day period for comments and an opportunity for hearings. The Office of Securiy Affairs said a Notice doesn't have the same process as a Rulemaking. As far as they were aware, the Notice 472.2 (applicable to certain categories of DOE employees) was not presented to DOE employees as a draft for comment before being finalized.
LLNL Director Bruce Tarter's testimony before the Senate Committee on Energy and National Resources in regard to Lab and cyber secutiry can be found at: http://www.llnl.gov/PAO/security_testimony/home.html
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