The lawmakers are asking the Appropriations Committee to consider adding $1 billion in TMF funding in the forthcoming coronavirus relief package.

“We’re really in uncharted territory here," said the attorney leading Ward & Berry's government contracts practice.

Lawmakers want to ensure a streamlined process will still exclude "the Edward Snowdens of the world."

The backlog of background checks — typically more than 200 days for most new hires who need a clearance — has ripple effects throughout the region, according to the Greater Washington Partnership.

The goal is to ensure that all government agencies are operating under the same set of security guidelines when they buy IoT devices, which have a wide range of civilian and military uses.

Panelists pointed to continuous evaluation as a key opportunity to get security clearance applicants on the job faster.