What is the main purpose of Executive Order 12968?

The main purpose of Executive Order 12968 is to establish access and background investigative standards for individuals who require access to classified information. This order, signed in 1995, provides a framework for determining eligibility for access to classified material, ensuring that personnel security measures are methodically applied across federal agencies.

By defining the criteria for background investigations, it aims to ensure that individuals who are granted access to sensitive information meet strict standards of trustworthiness, reliability, and allegiance to the United States. This encompasses various factors, including personal history, criminal background, financial responsibility, and other elements that could impact an individual's integrity and ability to protect classified information.

This order directly addresses the need for a consistent approach to security clearance processes, which is vital for maintaining national security. While aspects such as ethics oversight or governance modernization may relate to personnel security, they do not encapsulate the primary focus of Executive Order 12968, which centers specifically around access and investigative standards associated with classified information. Addressing continuous evaluations of government employees, while important, comes under the broader principles set forth in the order but is not its primary purpose.