Breach, Data Security

OPM acting director questioned after subpoena from Oversight Committee

During Beth Cobert's nomination hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Thursday for approval as Office of Personnel Management (OPM) director, the acting director faced uncomfortable questioning about the OPM's strained relationship with the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Cobert was issued a subpoena from House Oversight Committee chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) a day earlier.

“Help us understand how that relationship is going to be good,” Senate Homeland Security committee member Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), said to Cobert during her nomination hearing. “I'm trying to figure out why they had to say, ‘we're not getting the documents at the speed or the type of documents we're requesting,'” referring to Chaffetz's decision to issue a subpoena to receive documents related to the OPM's massive breach announced last June.

Cobert addressed the committee's concerns, noting that the agency has “produced hundreds, thousands of documents” and she said the requests require a “real commitment of resources.”

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