The witnesses for the hearing will be Deputy Secretary of Energy Kyle E. McSlarrow and Dr. Stephen E. Fienberg, who headed the National Academy of Sciences' Committee to Review the Scientific Evidence on the Polygraph. A trusted source reports that "both [Senators] Domenici and Bingaman [respectively, the Energy Committee Chairman and Ranking Minority Member] are hopping made over [Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham's] handling of the polygraph program and his shameless rejection of the NAS report."

The following article by Environment and Energy Daily reporter Lauren Miura, cited here in full, will be of interest:


Quote:

Panel to probe DOE's use of polygraph tests Lauren Miura, Environment & Energy reporter The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee is scheduled to hear testimony this week on the Energy Department's controversial use of polygraph tests to screen employees before working on top-secret projects at national laboratories. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said in April that DOE will continue to use lie detectors to screen employees, despite a National Academy of Sciences report released last October that said polygraph tests are too inaccurate to identify spies or other threats to national security. DOE does not use polygraph examinations on a "stand-alone basis, but as part of a larger fabric of investigative and analytical reviews," Abraham said (Greenwire April 15). Abraham's announcement prompted criticism from some lawmakers and scientists. "There is no question that DOE is under pressure because of problems involving security and lab management," committee chairman Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) said in April. "This, however, should not be the basis for continuing a polygraph program that has been studied and found wanting." Domenici and ranking committee member Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) had written a provision into the FY '02 Defense Authorization Act that required DOE and the National Nuclear Security Administration to change DOE's polygraph program based on the National Academy of Sciences study. But DOE officials "entirely ignored it and they decided to retain the pre-existing policy without any change whatsoever," said George Maschke, co-founder of the non-profit group Antipolygraph.org. "If DOE is supposed to be the 'best of science', how can they use an unscientific tool against scientists and expect them to respect the department after that?" asked Alan Zelicoff, a former senior scientist at Sandia National Laboratory who recently resigned over polygraph issues. The American Polygraph Association said the NAS study failed to adequately recognize the "many successes" of the polygraph test in criminal and national security uses. "Polygraph testing, admittedly not perfect, has been and continues to be an extremely valuable tool," the group said in a statement. After the Wen Ho Lee spy controversy in 2000, DOE expanded its polygraph testing to include about 20,000 scientists in DOE's lab, weapons complex and headquarters who have access to sensitive and classified information. Lee was accused of mishandling classified information with the intent of giving it to China, but reached a plea agreement and was never formally charged with espionage. Schedule: The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 4, in 366 Dirksen. Witnesses: Deputy Secretary of Energy Kyle McSlarrow is expected to testify, as well as Dr. Stephen Fienberg of Carnegie-Melllon University, who chaired the National Academy of Sciences study on the validity of polygraph testing.