Which of the following describes a key provision of the Clinger-Cohen Act?

• A. Established CIO positions in every department and agency in the Federal Government
• B. Created the Department of Homeland Security
• C. Mandated universal encryption across agencies
• D. Abolished the CPIC process

Answer: (A)

The central idea of the Clinger-Cohen Act is strengthening federal IT governance by creating leadership roles to oversee how IT is planned, invested in, and managed. Specifically, it established Chief Information Officer positions in every major department and agency to be responsible for IT strategy, governance, and the proper use of IT resources. This gives a single point of accountability for IT decisions across the government and helps ensure that investments align with mission needs and are managed with oversight.

Context that helps fit the pieces together: the act also introduced a formal Capital Planning and Investment Control process to evaluate IT investments and require ongoing monitoring and justification based on performance. This reinforces the CIOs’ role by providing the mechanisms they use to review, approve, and govern IT initiatives. The other options don’t fit because a Department of Homeland Security was created later by a different law, universal encryption isn’t a Clinger-Cohen mandate, and CPIC was not abolished—it's part of the governance framework the act established.