UAP in the Bill
The following excerpt from the end of the Press Release provides a brief overview of the UAP related language in the bill.
Unidentified Aerial Phenomena:
- UAP SAP Spending Restrictions: This provision prohibits the use of funds for any classified programs — including Special Access Programs (SAPs) — involving UAP that have not been briefed to the relevant congressional committees and congressional leadership. The conferees agreed that this spending prohibition could apply to hiring, training, and use of government or contractor personnel, the analysis of UAP, providing security related to UAP programs, reverse engineering or replication efforts, and the development of certain kinds of propulsion technology.
- UAP Disclosure Act: This legislation's intent is to increase transparency related to UAP records held by the U.S. government. It creates a UAP records collection within the National Archives and provides a legal mandate for the National Archives to declassify UAP records 25 years after their creation, with certain exceptions for national security purposes. While Gillibrand was disappointed the final bill omitted a UAP Records Review Board included in the original amendment, this is an important first step and Gillibrand will continue working to support government transparency on this topic.