---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 7273b"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "7273b"
heading: "Security investigations"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/7273b"
units:
  - "Chapter 84 — Department of Energy"
  - "Subchapter VI — Administrative Provisions"
  - "Part C — General Administrative Provisions"
---

# §7273b. Security investigations

- (1) No funds appropriated to the Department of Energy may be obligated or expended for the conduct of an investigation by the Department of Energy or any other Federal department or [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for purposes of determining whether to grant a security clearance to an individual or a facility unless the [Secretary](/usc/42/7385s.md?p=3) of Energy determines both of the following:
  - (A) That a current, complete investigation file is not available from any other department or [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) of the Federal government with respect to that individual or facility.
  - (B) That no other department or [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) of the Federal government is conducting an investigation with respect to that individual or facility that could be used as the basis for determining whether to grant the security clearance.
- (2) For purposes of [paragraph (1)(A)](#1-A), a current investigation file is a file on an investigation that has been conducted within the past five years.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–510, div. C, title XXXI, § 3104(d), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1828.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1991, and not as part of the Department of Energy Organization Act which comprises this chapter.