What Happened?

The federal government has lost much of its ability to check whether workers at high-risk chemical plants have terrorist ties, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has rejected a plan to restore that screening, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report published Sept. 8.

The vetting program was part of a federal security framework for chemical facilities that expired in July 2023. When it lapsed, facilities became solely responsible for vetting their own personnel against the terrorist watchlist. The GAO found the private sector cannot replicate that function on its own, because checking names against the U.S. terrorist watchlist is something only the government can do.

Why Does it Matter to Me?

DHS estimates that if chemicals at high-risk facilities were weaponized, the consequences could range from deaths at the plant itself up to an impact equivalent to a nuclear explosion.

The number of active government personnel dedicated to chemical sector security fell from 214 in fiscal year 2024 to 52 in fiscal year 2025, a drop of about three in four workers. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the agency inside DHS that oversees this work, acknowledged those cuts forced it to reduce or eliminate most on-site facility inspections.

Both Sides, Now

The GAO recommended that CISA create a voluntary option allowing chemical facilities to submit their employees for terrorist vetting, and seek new authority from Congress if needed. The GAO said it stands by that recommendation even after DHS rejected it.

DHS did not concur with the recommendation. This report does not identify a public explanation of the agency's reasoning. CISA said it was exploring whether existing legal authority could be used to fill the vetting gap, but that review was still ongoing when the GAO report was released. The GAO's recommendation is listed as open, meaning no action to address it has been taken or planned.

What Happens Next?

CISA's internal review of its existing authority is still underway, with no deadline attached. If the agency concludes its current powers are not enough, it would need Congress to pass new legislation granting it the authority to restore vetting. No bill to do that has been introduced, and no hearing on the issue is scheduled. Until Congress acts or CISA finds a legal path forward, the watchlist screening that once covered chemical plant workers remains suspended.

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