‘UFO whistleblowers’ offered protections — Analysis
A GOP-backed amendment would offer ‘whistleblower-like’ safeguards for UFO leakers
Government employees that leak information will be granted immunity by legislation passing through the US Congress “unidentified aerial phenomena” – commonly known as UFOs – seeking to create a formal process for such disclosures.
A 2023 National Defense Authorization Act amendment was introduced by Mike Gallagher (R. Wisconsin). This amendment protects federal workers who divulge details of UAP sightings. It is independent of any prior non-disclosure agreements “that could be interpreted as a legal constraint on reporting by a witness.”
“The amendment would establish a process within the government for reporting UAPs and provide whistleblower-like protections,”Gallagher’s spokesman Jordan Dunn spoke to the War Zone Thursday.
This measure suggests a “secure system for receiving reports” about “any event relating to unidentified aerial phenomena,” as well as any government programs or activities linked to the mysterious sightings.
The amendment, however, aims to prevent leakers but also points out that it would “serve as a mechanism to prevent unauthorized public reporting,” suggesting information may remain under wraps even after it’s sent through the disclosure process. This provision, should it be passed, will require that congressional officials present material within 180 days to the committees and provide at least some information on a website accessible to all.
Oversight of the reporting office would come from “appropriately cleared”Pentagon and intelligence personnel assigned to the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (a branch that focuses on UAPs), may decide to bar reporting. If they find that the sighting is related to classified military work, these officials can decide to stop reporting. “explicitly and clearly”This was however, described to the lawmakers.
Gallagher’s amendment was introduced just weeks after NASA declared that it would commission a study into UAPs. Although the space agency stressed there has not been any, “no evidence UAPs are extra-terrestrial in origin,”The report stated that data was lacking “currently makes it difficult to draw scientific conclusions about the nature of such events.”
While lawmakers have been pressing the Defense Department to provide more information on UAP sightings in the meantime, they held a hearing with Congress about the topic in May. Members of the UAP taskforce stated during the meeting that the group had received around 400 reports regarding the phenomenon from Navy pilots but most are still unsolved.
Since 2017, the Pentagon revealed that it had a program called the Advanced Aerospace Threat ID Program (AATIP) which was charged with identifying UAPs. Public debate about UFOs is on the rise. Further boosting public interest were three leaked videos – later confirmed as authentic by the Pentagon – showing unidentified objects performing what appeared to be bizarre maneuvers not believed possible with existing technology.
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