National Security Decision Directive 84 and Proposed Revisions to DOD Directive 5210.48 on Use of the Polygraph

GAO discussed two directives relating to the use of polygraph examinations. National Security Decision Directive 84 affects about 2.5 million Government employees and 1.5 million contractor employees and requires: (1) all persons with authorized access to classified information to sign a nondisclosure agreement; (2) all persons with authorized access to sensitive compartmentalized information (SCI) to sign a nondisclosure agreement with a provision for prepublication review of all nonofficial materials to ensure the deletion of SCI and other classified information; and (3) the Office of Personnel Management to revise or establish policies and regulations that may require employees to submit to polygraph examinations during investigations of unauthorized disclosure of classified information. GAO also discussed proposed changes to Department of Defense (DOD) Directive 5210.48. The changes include a provision that an individual's refusal to submit to polygraph examinations could result in adverse consequences, as well as provisions expanding the situations in which polygraph examinations could or must be given. GAO estimated that about 2.4 million Government employees and about 1.3 million contractor employees would be affected by the proposed changes to DOD Directive 5210.48.