SUPREME COURT - National Security in Civilian Programs

"Justices Uphold Background Checks" by ADAM LIPTAK, New York Times 1/19/2011

Excerpt

Employees of government contractors, including scientists and engineers who work on government space programs, must submit to intrusive background checks if they want to keep their jobs, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Wednesday.

Federal employees have long been required to submit to background checks. In 2004, after a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission, the requirement was extended to employees of government contractors.

Twenty-eight employees of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a NASA center operated by the California Institute of Technology, sued, saying the checks would violate their constitutional right to “informational privacy.” The employees worked on civilian space missions and research.

Note, I work for a DoD sub-contractor requires a Secret Clearance for our employees.

The issue of the case was civilian programs and their employees.

Problem, programs like the NASA Space Program has national security impact. Space rockets are akin to military missiles and the technology is the same, hence the need for background checks IMHO.