NewsNation

Congress has a plan for UFO disclosure. Here’s what’s in it

(NewsNation) — The Senate passed an amendment that would force government agencies to hand over any records on UFOs within 300 days and would mandate the disclosure of those records to the public unless there is a compelling reason to keep them classified.

The UAP Disclosure Act of 2023 was passed as part of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2024, and it sets up a timeline and process to deal with reports of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), more commonly referred to as UFOs. The act sets up a process for disclosing information on UFOs as well as ensuring any recovered technology would belong to the government.

The amendment follows a hearing in the House, after whistleblower David Grusch came forward with allegations that the Pentagon has a UFO retrieval program that has been kept secret from both the public and Congress.

The act gives government agencies 300 days to turn over any information on UFOs, including records along with any samples or technology that may have been recovered. However, the president is allowed to postpone disclosure of certain records if disclosure poses a national security risk.

While agencies have 300 days to gather and turn over information, President Joe Biden has 90 days from when the act goes into effect to form an independent review board.

The nine-member board cannot include anyone connected to existing UAP research or programs and has to include at least one national security officer, foreign service official, scientist or engineer, economist, professional historian and sociologist.

Once agencies have turned all their information over, the review board has 180 days to investigate and must publish its findings within 14 days after the investigation concludes.

The act also establishes eminent domain over any technology of unknown origin or biological remains from non-human intelligence.

The bipartisan act was sponsored by Sens. Chuck Schumer and Mike Rounds in an effort to bring more transparency to a subject that has captured public attention but often drawn scorn and ridicule.

The bill is modeled after efforts to declassify records regarding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, though it’s unclear how the legislation would compel a government agency to disclose records that have been deliberately kept from Congress.

As Congress pushes for more disclosure on UFOs, NASA also announced a new role in the agency, director of UAP research, which was created to investigate unexplained phenomena in hopes of moving the subject from stigma to science.