UAP Disclosure Act of 2023

July 14, 2023 — US Senate / Senate Intelligence Committee

Overview

The Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act of 2023 was introduced by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Mike Rounds (R-SD) as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act. The legislation represented the most ambitious Congressional attempt to mandate government transparency regarding UAP.

Key Provisions

The Act proposed:

• A presumption of immediate disclosure for all federal government records related to UAP
• Establishment of a UAP Records Review Board with independent authority to evaluate and release records
• A broad definition of UAP that includes "non-human intelligence" — the first use of this term in proposed federal legislation
• Eminent domain provisions for any UAP-related materials held by private contractors
• Whistleblower protections for individuals disclosing UAP information to Congress

Opposition and Modification

The legislation faced significant opposition, reportedly from defense industry interests and certain members of the House of Representatives. The final version passed as part of the NDAA was substantially weakened, with the review board and eminent domain provisions removed. The opposition itself was seen by advocates as evidence that there is sensitive UAP-related information that certain parties seek to protect.

Significance

Regardless of the legislative outcome, the UAP Disclosure Act represented a historic milestone: senior members of Congress publicly acknowledged that the government may possess materials and information related to non-human intelligence, and attempted to legislate their release. This level of Congressional engagement with the UAP topic was unprecedented.