Senator Chuck Schumer Pushes for Legislation to Declassify Government Documents on UFOs
Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, is spearheading legislation that aims to establish a commission with extensive authority to declassify government documents pertaining to unidentified flying objects (UFOs) and extraterrestrial matters. The intention behind the legislation is to compel the government to disclose all relevant information it possesses on unidentified phenomena, thereby countering conspiracy theories and fears of critical information being withheld from the public.
This forthcoming legislation, which Senator Schumer plans to introduce as an amendment to the annual defense policy bill, enjoys bipartisan support. Senator Mike Rounds, Republican of South Dakota, and Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, who has been at the forefront of legislation that has compelled the government to release reports on unidentified phenomena, also back the measure. Additionally, there is likely to be support in the House, as a narrower measure urging the Pentagon to release documents about unidentified aerial phenomena was included in its version of the annual defense bill.
The Senate measure establishes a 300-day deadline for government agencies to organize and provide their records on unidentified phenomena to the review board. The board, consisting of nine members, would be appointed by President Biden, subject to Senate approval. The goal is to select individuals who advocate for disclosure while safeguarding sensitive intelligence collection methods.
Interest in UFOs has long been substantial, but it has surged even more following the release of videos capturing unidentified phenomena recorded by military sensors along with accounts from naval aviators describing unexplainable events during training missions. While some of the videos released by the Pentagon have been attributed to optical illusions or drones, others remain unexplained, giving rise to much speculation. Under pressure from Congress, the Pentagon and intelligence agencies have collated hundreds of reports on unexplained phenomena. Officials contend that the majority of these incidents involve airborne debris, Chinese spying efforts, or weather balloons gone astray. They have emphasized that none of the videos or other materials collected thus far appear to constitute evidence of encounters with extraterrestrial beings.
The actual number of unreleased documents in government archives remains unknown. Intelligence agencies repeatedly stress that they have released all available material, yet their freedom of information offices are persistently inundated with requests for UFO-related documents, prompting responses declaring that the archives have already been made public. However, recent work, especially by the Pentagon, has not been disclosed, frustrating both Democratic and Republican lawmakers.
For instance, Pentagon task forces have conducted extensive studies of videos captured by naval aviators and other military personnel, but these studies remain classified. Some portions of the work on these videos have been shared, including during a recent NASA meeting. However, officials have been hesitant to reveal information about their deliberations or theories in cases where conclusive determinations have not been reached. This reluctance to fully disclose everything known about unexplained incidents has fueled widespread speculation across social media, television specials, and public debates.
The new legislation draws inspiration from the commission that oversaw the release of documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Although the 1992 legislation governing the release and withholding of documents has been imperfect and continues to be employed by the Biden administration, it has compelled the disclosure of thousands of pages. Lawmakers believe that a similar approach can prove effective in this case.
According to Senator Schumer’s legislation, the president would have the authority to delay the release of materials chosen by the commission in cases involving national security concerns. Nonetheless, the measure establishes a timeline for document release and enshrines the presumption that such materials should be made public.
Allison Biasotti, a spokeswoman for Mr. Schumer, emphasized, “You now will have a process through which we will declassify this material.”
Government officials have repeatedly denied possessing the remains of crashed alien spacecraft or any manufactured extraterrestrial materials. However, some former officials challenge these assertions, believing that the government is not revealing everything it knows. The legislation is likely to result in the release of more details concerning the government’s study of unknown materials. It also grants the federal government the authority to claim any crashed spaceships that may exist in private or corporate hands, although the likelihood of such objects is highly improbable.
In contrast to former President Barack Obama, President Biden has not directly addressed the issue of unidentified phenomena. However, he did order the destruction of two unknown objects and a Chinese spy balloon. Following the incident, President Biden declared that he would not apologize for shooting down the spy balloon and that the United States would continue adapting its approach to dealing with unidentified objects.
This article includes reporting contributions from Karoun Demirjian in Washington.