Slow Federal Hiring Process Will Force FBI to Rely on Contractors Initially to Boost Gun Background Checks

Government Executive: Citing the lengthy federal hiring process, the Obama administration will initially rely on contractors to boost its system for conducting background checks of potential gun buyers as required by the president’s recent executive actions.

As spelled out in that new policy, the FBI plans to hire 230 new analysts and other staff to bolster its workforce at the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (or NICS) this year. The Justice Department will first hire contractors to fill its vacancies, Attorney General Loretta Lynch told a Senate committee on Wednesday.

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