Congress Prepares For UFO Hearings As Frustrations Escalate Among Politicians
Written by Christopher Sharp - 4 April 2023
Liberation Times understands that members of Congress are preparing for public hearings regarding the issue of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP).
As previously reported by Liberation Times, multiple congressional committees may be involved. According to one source, certain politicians intend to hold UAP hearings before the summer recess.
However, it should be cautioned that until confirmed, outside events relating to fallout from criminal charges against Donald Trump or an escalation in the Ukraine war could threaten such hearings. Such events could divert the attention of Congress, the Pentagon and Intelligence Community.
Liberation Times understands that Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and Representative Tim Burchett are keen to hold hearings within the Senate and House.
The possible spectacle of public hearings on the UAP issue comes amid growing frustrations publicly voiced within Congress.
Last week, during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday, Kirsten Gillibrand spoke out, questioning senior Pentagon officials, including Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, about the budget request for the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), tasked with investigating UAP.
Senator Gillibrand, who chairs the Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, asked why the AARO was underfunded for the second year in a row.
“I was disappointed that for the second year in a row, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office or AARO was not fully funded in the department's budget request, understanding that we cannot get into specific budget figures in this forum. Can you discuss why AARO was not fully funded?”
In response, Michael J. McCord, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller), seemed to suggest that Ronald Moultrie, Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence & Security, had not relayed any concerns or requests for further funding, stating:
“Senator, I don't have any information from my colleague Undersecretary Moultrie that he needed additional funding in this area. It's a relatively new office.
“We're standing up so I was under the impression I'm under the impression that we have adequate funding for the relatively new state of this but I will I'll double back with him if there's a concern.”
Funding for the AARO is a pressing concern for Congress. In February following the Chinese balloon fiasco, a number of senators signed a joint letter stating the need to fund the office, whilst highlighting the importance of cooperation between Congress, the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community, stating:
“AARO’s success will depend on robust funding for its activities and cooperation between the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. As such, we respectfully request your assistance in securing the necessary funding and organizational support for AARO’s success and longevity.”
The role of Moultrie’s office has been previously criticised regarding the UAP issue by former Director of the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP), Lue Elizondo.
Speaking to Liberation Times, Elizondo commented:
“Let’s not forget that Moultrie’s office is the same office for which I worked in the past, and is the same office that continuously lied about this topic to Congress and the American people, and is the same office that persecuted whistleblowers.”
Following the passing of the Fiscal 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, only administrative matters will now be reported to Moultrie's office, where a UAP office has been located since 2021. That means it would effectively be side-lined on the most important elements of UAP investigations.
But concerns continue to linger that Moultrie’s influence still undermines the AARO.
And it is not just Gillibrand who is frustrated.
Last week, Vice Chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee Marco Rubio delivered opening remarks at a hearing on vetting modernisation.
Rubio used the occasion to voice his frustrations regarding the lack of information provided to the committee regarding the Chinese surveillance balloon shot down over the east coast of the US in February and the role that the AARO played.
Rubio commented:
“The other [point I want to make], and I'll be even briefer on this one, but I think it's also important to us is we had a Chinese balloon go across the middle of the United States. It wasn't a weather balloon. Everybody acknowledges it was a collection platform. We've had very little information or data provided to us. And in particular, no one's even truly informed us of the role that the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, AARO, played in that regard.
”Maybe this is because it's a DoD-Intelligence Committee overlap, but whatever it is, these are things that we need answers to. Just to think about how important that was and how little information has been provided to the committees, particularly to this one, is something that I hope you'll also take back as concern number two in this regard.”
It is evident that members of Congress are becoming increasingly frustrated with the DoD and certain aspects of the Intelligence Community for their lack of information and transparency on the issue of UAP.
Following the shootdowns of objects over North American skies in February, increasing numbers of politicians have spoken out, including Rubio, Gillibrand and Burchett.
Earlier in March, Kirsten Gillibrand questioned intelligence officials including Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines. The senator spoke to Haines on the topic of UAP and the AARO, asking:
“Do I have a commitment from you and each of our witnesses that you will work to reduce stigma, share intelligence between agencies and as you're able with the public to ensure that we understand what's happening in our skies and seas?”
It should also be noted that Gillibrand using the word ‘seas’ when speaking about UAP. In a roundtable event with the press in December 2022, the AARO’s Director Sean Kirkpatrick specifically mentioned the need to “expand UAP reporting beyond the aviators to all service members”, including mariners and submariners.
As for hearings, the appetite to provide transparency is growing.
Liberation Times has spoken to Congressional staffers who have expressed their eagerness to hold hearings and ‘bring transparency to the American public’ regarding objects flying over US skies with apparent impunity.
According to multiple sources, members of committees, such as the Senate’s Intelligence Committee, have heard testimony from whistleblowers about the existence of legacy UAP programs hidden from Congress, which have been verified to some extent.
However, Congress remains frustrated with the lack of cooperation and forthcomingness from elements within the Intelligence Community and the Pentagon on this matter.
Consequently, Congress has grown tired and is looking to voice its concerns more publicly, as the issue threatens the role of democratic oversight in the USA.
Hearings do remain a strong possibility with multiple committees perhaps involved. But outside events should never be underestimated, as civil unrest and global security do pose significant potential problems.