The issue continues to be the difficulty in completing cases in the timelines set by Congress.
The field investigation process has not changed. The timelines for federal law enforcement agencies response for records have not changed. The security questionnaire intake has not changed. The rules for the federal agencies, DoD components, and contracting companies cooperation during the investigation have not changed. Reciprocity enforcement hasn’t changed. The investigation computer system processing system (PIPS) from the 1970s hasn’t changed. The funding hasn’t changed Only the demand that the work be completed quickly.
No one has seriously asked the field workers (agents or contractors) about the road blocks from the agencies and contract companies that requested the investigations, let alone from schools, medical providers, non-contractor employers, and non-federal law enforcement agencies.
Basically, “legalizing” these arbitrary deadline dates is similar to a beating the mule for not properly plowing the 100 acre farm in one day. If Congress wants a clearances in 30 to 90 days, then give the investigating agency the teeth (cooperation laws), funding (IT and manning), and tools (processes) to gather the information quickly.