Executive Order 13869, signed in 2019, transferred the primary responsibility for government-wide background investigations to which agency?

Executive Order 13869, signed in 2019, transferred the primary responsibility for government-wide background investigations to which agency?

• A. Department of Defense (DoD) – Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency
• B. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
• C. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• D. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

Answer: (A)

Policy change centralized government-wide background investigations under the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency as directed by Executive Order 13869. This move transferred the primary responsibility for conducting personnel security investigations from the Office of Personnel Management to DCSA, a DoD agency created to standardize and streamline vetting across federal agencies. The goal is a uniform, more efficient process that improves risk management and consistency in how investigations are conducted nationwide. The FBI still handles certain investigations tied to national security and sensitive positions, but the broad, government-wide program was moved away from OPM to DCSA. CIA is not involved in routine federal background investigations.

Policy change centralized government-wide background investigations under the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency as directed by Executive Order 13869. This move transferred the primary responsibility for conducting personnel security investigations from the Office of Personnel Management to DCSA, a DoD agency created to standardize and streamline vetting across federal agencies. The goal is a uniform, more efficient process that improves risk management and consistency in how investigations are conducted nationwide. The FBI still handles certain investigations tied to national security and sensitive positions, but the broad, government-wide program was moved away from OPM to DCSA. CIA is not involved in routine federal background investigations.