UAP Disclosure Act
From the UAP Encyclopedia, the open encyclopedia of UFO and UAP history · 📄 Document
Contents 6
| Type | Document |
|---|---|
| On the Timeline | 4 events, 1977–2021 |
The Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena Disclosure Act of 2023 was a proposal by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Mike Rounds to require the release of U.S. government records about UAP and UFOs, modelled on the 1992 law that created the JFK Assassination Records Collection. Introduced in July 2023 as an amendment to the annual defence bill, it passed the Senate but was heavily cut back in negotiations with the House. A reduced version became law in December 2023.[1][2]
Background
The proposal followed whistleblower David Grusch's June 2023 claims of a secret crash-retrieval program and congressional frustration with the Pentagon's answers. Earlier that summer, the Senate Intelligence Committee's annual authorization bill had already included language questioning any "reverse engineering" of recovered UAP.[1][3]
The Senate proposal
Announced on 14 July 2023, the amendment would have: - directed the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) to create a collection of government UAP records, with a presumption of immediate disclosure and all records to be released within 25 years unless the President certified that delay was needed to prevent identifiable harm; - created an independent review board of presidential appointees to decide on releases; - given the federal government "eminent domain" over any recovered "technologies of unknown origin" and "biological evidence of non-human intelligence" held by private companies such as aerospace contractors.[1][2] The text used the phrase "non-human intelligence" repeatedly and noted that UAP records had escaped mandatory declassification review, partly because of exemptions under the Atomic Energy Act. The Senate passed its version of the defence bill, including the amendment, on 27 July 2023.[1]
Outcome
House negotiators opposed much of the proposal, and the final National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2024 (Public Law 118-31) dropped the review board and the eminent-domain provision. What remained directs NARA to assemble, preserve and provide public access to a collection of UAP records, with procedures for review and disclosure. Other sections bar spending on UAP-related work unless it is disclosed to the relevant congressional committees.[1][4] In February 2024 NARA issued guidance telling agencies how to identify and transfer UAP records, and it maintains a public page for the collection.[5][6]
Reaction
Journalists described the enacted version as heavily watered down: The Guardian called it "stripped-down", and Popular Mechanics reported that the government could still keep UFO sightings secret.[1][7] Supporters have since sought to restore the original provisions in later defence bills.
On the UAP Timeline
- Daniel Sheehan and the Blue Book photos (1977) — Attorney Daniel Sheehan says he was shown classified Blue Book material at the Library of Congress.
- Bigelow's contact contingency planning (1999) (8 January 1999) — Bigelow discusses the need for a plan if alien contact were confirmed.
- Arlington Institute contact scenario exercises (14 September 2003) — Puthoff took part in a think tank's role-play of possible alien contact scenarios.
- Mellon's first steps as president (5 May 2021) — Christopher Mellon says what he would do first about UAP if he were president.
References
- UAP Disclosure Act of 2023 — Wikipedia · en.wikipedia.org · archived copy
- "Schumer, Rounds Introduce New Legislation To Declassify Government Records Related To UAP & UFOs", Senate Democratic Caucus (14 Jul 2023) · democrats.senate.gov · archived copy
- "Senate's intelligence authorization bill questions 'reverse engineering' of government-recovered UAP", DefenseScoop (27 Jun 2023) · defensescoop.com · archived copy
- Public Law 118-31 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2024) — GovInfo · govinfo.gov · archived copy
- NARA, AC 13.2024: guidance on UAP records (7 Feb 2024) · archives.gov · archived copy
- Records Related to Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena — U.S. National Archives · archives.gov · archived copy
- "US Congress passes stripped-down measure to release UFO records", The Guardian (15 Dec 2023) · theguardian.com · archived copy
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Unresolved UAP Report, Yellow Sea, 2023Yellow Sea
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Unresolved UAP Report, Middle East, 2025Middle East
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“Slow-moving Objects,” 2026Western United States
Digital Rendering, “Large Triangle with Red Lights,” 2023Colorado Springs
Digital Rendering, “Dark Triangle with Lights,” 2011
Digital Rendering, “Airborne Triangle,” 2002Afghanistan
Unresolved UAP Report, Middle East, 2023Middle East
Unresolved UAP Report, Middle East, 2025Middle East
Unresolved UAP Report, Middle East, 2023Middle East
Unresolved UAP Report, Middle East, 2025Middle East
Unresolved UAP Report, Pacific Ocean, 2019Pacific Ocean
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Unresolved UAP Report, Pacific Ocean, 2019Pacific Ocean
Unresolved UAP Report, Pacific Ocean, 2019Pacific Ocean
Unresolved UAP Report, Pacific Ocean, 2019Pacific Ocean
STS-80 Unidentified Object Image 3, 1996Low-Earth OrbitShowing the 24 newest of 162.
This page was last edited on 29 October 2026. Articles are written in our own words from the sources listed under References; disputed claims are attributed to the people who made them.
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