National Security and Foreign Affairs

Lawmakers are debating whether to strip the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) of its control over security clearances after hackers made off with nearly 20 million background check forms housed at the agency.

Reps. Ted Lieu (above) and Steve Russell plan to introduce legislation that would take oversight of the security clearance system away from OPM.

Sen. Mark Warner (Va.) on Thursday became the highest-ranking Democrat to call for the resignation of the agency head at the center of one what's thought to be the largest government hack ever.

Setting up a clash between counter-terrorism priorities and constitutional protection against unwarranted intrusion, three top federal law enforcement officials urged Congress and Silicon Valley to provide government agencies special access to encrypted cellphones and other Internet devices.

The Islamic State terror group is increasingly using encrypted communications to recruit troubled Americans and urge them to carry out attacks, FBI Director James Comey is expected to tell Congress on Wednesday.

Office of Personnel Management Director Katherine Archuleta. ( Christopher Dilts / Obama for America)

Bipartisan calls are growing on Capitol Hill for the federal personnel director to step down as lawmakers say they're getting few answers to their questions about the hack of the personnel data of every federal worker.