1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting Employees’ Security Clearances Act of 2019 . 2. Treatment of lapse in appropriations as mitigating condition in financial consideration for security clearances (a) Definitions In this section: (1) Agency The term agency has the meaning given the term Executive agency in section 105 of title 5, United States Code. (2) Covered employee the term covered employee — (A) means— (i) an officer or employee of the United States Government furloughed during a lapse in appropriations; and (ii) an excepted employee or an employee performing emergency work, as such terms are defined by the Office of Personnel Management; and (B) includes a contractor of an agency subject to a lapse in appropriations. (3) National security eligibility The term national security eligibility has the meaning given such term in Security Executive Agent Directive 4 (relating to National Security Adjudicative Guidelines), as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act. (4) Security Executive Agent The term Security Executive Agent means the official acting as the Security Executive Agent in accordance with Executive Order 13467 (73 Fed. Reg. 38103; 50 U.S.C. 3161 note