In a bold and hotly debated move, Congress is soon to vote on an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that could establish a nine-member review board responsible for collecting, analyzing, and possibly releasing UFO-related records. While this initiative, backed by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Senator Mike Rounds, might seem like a momentous step towards transparency, the entire process could, in fact, create a greater shroud of secrecy around the UFO phenomenon.
Congressman Tim Burchett’s concerns over this development are highly warranted. He points out that centralizing UFO data under this newly proposed board could serve as the perfect loophole for the government to hide information under the guise of “national security.” Burchett’s choice of words, referring to the Pentagon as “war pimps” who prioritize bureaucratic machinery over public disclosure, might be blunt but is pointedly accurate. He champions the release of unredacted files, asserting that only such a move would fulfill the public’s desire and right to know.
Perhaps what is most disconcerting in this legislative maneuver is Congress’s decision to delegate the sole authority for releasing any UFO findings to President Joe Biden. This effectively removes their own oversight capabilities and places all the cards in the hands of the executive branch. As Burchett aptly argues, this act reflects a significant abdication of responsibility on the part of the legislature. Not only does it underline a lack of courage to empower themselves to disclose such sensitive information, but it also reinforces the undue concentration of decision-making within the government.
This over-reliance on the notion of “national security” as a blanket reason to withhold UFO information from the public is deeply troubling. While there may be legitimate reasons to guard specific information, the subjective and often ambiguous term of national security could be wielded to justify almost any level of secrecy. The public should be rightly concerned about how this catch-all label can serve as a convenient hiding spot for documents and information that should otherwise be public knowledge.
Moreover, the announcement by the United States Department of Defense All Domain Anomaly Resolution Office of a UFO hotspot map, chronicling sightings from 1996 to 2023, feels more like a cosmetic gesture than a real attempt at disclosure. It adds another layer to the puzzle without answering fundamental questions, such as why UFO phenomena occur predominantly in specific geographic locations. This partial release of information only adds fuel to the fire of public skepticism, exacerbating concerns over what else might be concealed.
In essence, this proposed nine-member review board might well serve the opposite of its purported purpose. Rather than opening the gates to an era of newfound transparency, it could very well institutionalize a long-standing habit of government secrecy. The amendment, in its current form, serves as a rubber stamp for further clandestine operations and diminishes the role of the public in a discourse that has wide-ranging implications.
If the aim is true transparency and public engagement on the issue of UFOs, then this initiative misses the mark by a considerable margin. Burchett’s concerns are not merely cautionary; they are a clarion call to reconsider a move that, under the cloak of progress, risks plunging us deeper into ignorance and mistrust. Instead of alleviating public concerns, this proposed board could likely amplify them, perpetuating a culture of secrecy that serves no one but the power structures it aims to uphold. It’s time to heed Burchett’s words and demand a transparency model that is genuinely accountable to the American people.
Source: The Hill’s YouTube Channel
