§ 2652. Restrictions on access to national laboratories by foreign visitors from sensitive countries

(a) Background review required

The Secretary of Energy may not admit to any facility of a national laboratory other than areas accessible to the general public any individual who is a citizen or agent of a nation that is named on the current sensitive countries list unless the Secretary first completes a background review with respect to that individual.

(b) Moratorium pending certification

(1) During the period described in paragraph (2), the Secretary may not admit to any facility of a national laboratory other than areas accessible to the general public any individual who is a citizen or agent of a nation that is named on the current sensitive countries list.

(2) The period referred to in paragraph (1) is the period beginning on November 4, 1999, and ending on the later of the following:

(A) January 3, 2000.

(B) The date that is 45 days after the date on which the Secretary submits to Congress the certifications described in paragraph (3).

(3) The certifications referred to in paragraph (2) are one certification each by the Director of Counterintelligence of the Department of Energy, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Director of Central Intelligence, of each of the following:

(A) That the foreign visitors program at that facility complies with applicable orders, regulations, and policies of the Department of Energy relating to the safeguarding and security of sensitive information and fulfills any counterintelligence requirements arising under such orders, regulations, and policies.

(B) That the foreign visitors program at that facility complies with Presidential Decision Directives and similar requirements relating to the safeguarding and security of sensitive information and fulfills any counterintelligence requirements arising under such Directives or requirements.

(C) That the foreign visitors program at that facility includes adequate protections against the inadvertent release of Restricted Data, information important to the national security of the United States, and any other sensitive information the disclosure of which might harm the interests of the United States.

(D) That the foreign visitors program at that facility does not pose an undue risk to the national security interests of the United States.

(1) The Secretary of Energy may waive the prohibition in subsection (b) on a case-by-case basis with respect to any specific individual or any specific delegation of individuals whose admission to a national laboratory is determined by the Secretary to be in the interest of the national security of the United States.

(2) Not later than the seventh day of the month following a month in which a waiver is made, the Secretary shall submit a report in writing providing notice of each waiver made in that month to the following:

(A) The Committee on Armed Services and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.

(B) The Committee on Armed Services and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives.

(3) Each such report shall be in classified form and shall contain the identity of each individual or delegation for whom such a waiver was made and, with respect to each such individual or delegation, the following information:

(A) A detailed justification for the waiver.

(B) For each individual with respect to whom a background review was conducted, whether the background review determined that negative information exists with respect to that individual.

(C) The Secretary’s certification that the admission of that individual or delegation to a national laboratory is in the interest of the national security of the United States.

(4) The authority of the Secretary under paragraph (1) may be delegated only to the Director of Counterintelligence of the Department of Energy.

(d) Exception to moratorium for certain individuals

The moratorium under subsection (b) shall not apply to any person who—

(1) is, on October 5, 1999, an employee or assignee of the Department of Energy, or of a contractor of the Department; and

(2) has undergone a background review in accordance with subsection (a).

(e) Exception to moratorium for certain programs

The moratorium under subsection (b) shall not apply—

(1) to activities relating to cooperative threat reduction with states of the former Soviet Union; or

(2) to the materials protection control and accounting program of the Department.

(f) Sense of Congress regarding background reviews

It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Energy, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Director of Central Intelligence should ensure that background reviews carried out under this section are completed in not more than 15 days.

(g) Definitions

For purposes of this section:

(1) The term “background review”, commonly known as an indices check, means a review of information provided by the Director of Central Intelligence and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding personal background, including information relating to any history of criminal activity or to any evidence of espionage.

(2) The term “sensitive countries list” means the list prescribed by the Secretary of Energy known as the Department of Energy List of Sensitive Countries as in effect on January 1, 1999.

(3) The term “national laboratory” means any of the following:

(A) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California.

(B) Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico.

(4) The term “Restricted Data” has the meaning given that term in section 2014 (y) of title 42.

U.S. Code

§ 2652. Restrictions on access to national laboratories by foreign visitors from sensitive countries