A bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing for more transparency and accountability from the U.S. government on the issue of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP), also known as UFOs, reports newsweek.com.
They are calling for the establishment of a select committee with the power to subpoena witnesses and access classified information on UAP.
The move comes after a hearing on July 26, 2023, where David Grusch, a former Air Force veteran and intelligence officer, testified that he had knowledge of a secret government program that had been studying UAP for decades, and that it had recovered “non-human” biologics and vehicles from some of the incidents.
Grusch, who said he faced retaliation for speaking out, claimed he could not share more details with the House Oversight Committee because he lacked the necessary security clearance and authorization.
He also said he knew of “people who have been harmed or injured” in the government’s attempt to conceal information.
However, a Pentagon spokesperson denied Grusch’s allegations, saying that there was no evidence of any extraterrestrial materials or programs, and that no one had been harmed or killed for providing information on UAP.
The lawmakers who are advocating for a select committee say they are frustrated by the lack of cooperation and transparency from the government, and that they want to get to the bottom of the UAP mystery.
“We are actively being stonewalled,” said Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), who is leading the charge along with Reps. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) and Tim Burchett (R-TN).
They say they need a select committee to obtain a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF), where Grusch and other witnesses could share more sensitive information. They also say they need subpoena power to compel testimony from officials who may be withholding or hiding information.
“It just creates more and more conspiracy theories because our federal government is so arrogant and so bloated. They’ll just run out the clock,” said Burchett.
The lawmakers say they are not trying to jump to any conclusions about the nature or origin of UAP, but they want to have an open and honest investigation based on science and evidence.
The lawmakers say they hope to get support from House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and other congressional leaders to create a select committee on UAP. They say they are not alone in their interest and curiosity about UAP, and that many Americans want answers as well.
