The Secretary of Energy may not admit to any facility of a national security laboratory other than areas accessible to the general public any individual who is a citizen or agent of a nation that is named on the current sensitive countries list unless the Secretary first completes a background review with respect to that individual.

It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Energy, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Director of National Intelligence should ensure that background reviews carried out under this section are completed in not more than 15 days.

For purposes of this section:

(1) The term “background review”, commonly known as an indices check, means a review of information provided by the Director of National Intelligence and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding personal background, including information relating to any history of criminal activity or to any evidence of espionage.

(2) The term “sensitive countries list” means the list prescribed by the Secretary of Energy known as the Department of Energy List of Sensitive Countries.

(Pub. L. 107–314, div. D, title XLV, § 4502, formerly Pub. L. 106–65, div. C, title XXXI, § 3146, Oct. 5, 1999, 113 Stat. 935; renumbered Pub. L. 107–314, div. D, title XLV, § 4502, and amended Pub. L. 108–136, div. C, title XXXI, § 3141(h)(3), Nov. 24, 2003, 117 Stat. 1771; Pub. L. 112–239, div. C, title XXXI, § 3131(k)(1), (bb)(1)(D), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 2182, 2185; Pub. L. 113–66, div. C, title XXXI, § 3146(f)(1), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 1079.)