“There are phenomena that have been witnessed by multiple people that are just inexplicable by the science available to us.”
House Oversight UAP Hearing - November 13, 2024
- Date
- 13 Nov 2024
- Venue
- House Oversight Subcommittees on Cybersecurity, IT, and Government Innovation and on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs
- Language
- en
- Status
- Extracted
490
statements
30
speakers
15
entities mentioned
Speakers
30 speakers, A to ZAdmiral GallaudetRear Admiral3 statementsAndy BiggsRepresentative4 statementsAndy OglesRepresentative7 statementsBiggsRepresentative12 statementsDaniel GoldChief Growth Officer2 statementsDr. GallaudetRear Admiral29 statementsElizondoFormer Government Official5 statementsEric BurlisonU.S. Congressman14 statementsGallaudetRear Admiral9 statementsGarciaRepresentative10 statementsGlenn GrothmanU.S. Congressman37 statementsGoldChief Growth Officer4 statementsJared MoskowitzRepresentative30 statementsLuis ElizondoFormer Government Official79 statementsMichael GoldChief Growth Officer26 statementsMichael Shellenberger34 statementsMr. ElizondoFormer Government Official13 statementsMr. GarciaRepresentative26 statementsMr. GoldChief Growth Officer1 statementMr. HigginsU.S. Representative13 statementsMr. Shellenberger21 statementsMr. TimmonsU.S. Congressman1 statementMs. Boebert15 statementsMs. Mace5 statementsNancy Mace34 statementsShellenberger1 statementTim BurchettRepresentative17 statementsTim GallaudetRear Admiral24 statements
Unknown Speaker1 statement
William TimmonsU.S. Congressman13 statementsTranscript
490 statements, in transcript orderEach entry is one claim, quoted word for word. These are extracted statements, not the full record: the original document has everything.
- 001
- 002
“nonhuman intelligence exists, nonhuman intelligence has been interacting with humanity. This interaction is not new and has been ongoing, and they're unelected people in the government that are aware of that.”
- 003
“there are certain individuals who did not want this hearing to happen because they feared what might be disclosed.”
- 004
“Some of the testimony you will hear them deliver today does not reflect well on influential individuals and agencies within the U.S. Federal Government and, perhaps, some of our contractors.”
- 005
“This hearing is intended to help Congress and the American people to learn the extent of the programs and activities our government has engaged in with respect to UAPs and what knowledge it has yielded. This includes, of course, any knowledge of extraterrestrial life or technology of nonhuman origin.”
- 006
“If government-funded research on UAPs has not yielded any useful knowledge, we also need to know those facts. Taxpayers deserve to know how much has been invested. How much has been spent? They should not be kept in the dark to spare the Pentagon a little bit of embarrassment.”
- 007
“The Pentagon has failed six consecutive audits. In fact, it has never actually passed one.”
- 008
“Adding to this is a runaway, overclassification of documents and materials, and reluctance to declassify materials when appropriate, and, at times, an outright refusal to share critical information with Congress.”
- 009
“Congress has tried in recent years to lift the veil and find out if information about UAPs is being withheld not only from the American public but also from their elected Representatives in Congress.”
- 010
“Part of the transparency effort was legislation created in the Pentagon, the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, or AARO, but the new office is struggling to get its footing.”
- 011
“A recent statutorily required report from AARO intended to illuminate the government's historic assessment of UAPs was heavily criticized by those seeking UAP transparency. The report has stoked suspicions AARO is unable or, perhaps, unwilling to bring forward the truth about the government's activities concerning UAPs.”
- 012
“I am disturbed that AARO itself lacks transparency. Even its budget is kept from the public. So, if there is no there ''there'', then why are we spending money on it, and by how much? Why the secrecy if it is really no big deal and there is nothing there? Why hide it from the American people?”
- 013
“We will also hear, from the witnesses today, allegations of UAP-related misinformation and disinformation by government officials of which they are personally aware and directly experienced.”
- 014
“And we will hear testimony today concerning recent revelations about a purportedly secret UAP program whose existence and findings may have been improperly withheld from Congress.”
- 015
“this is going to be the original document from the Pentagon about Immaculate Constellation that Michael Shellenberger delivered to Congress today. So, thank you, Mr. Shellenberger, for this information. We are all reading it in real time now, and Mr. Burchett will enter it into the record, but 12 pages about this unacknowledged special access program that your government says does not exist.”
- 016
“I want to say that I was greatly saddened to hear about the recent news of Mr. Connolly's cancer diagnosis. And I want to convey to him and to all of our colleagues, we wish our very best to you and a full and speedy recovery.”
- 017
“I want to thank the Chairwoman and the Chairman both for their continued support and really treating this discussion and these hearings in a way that is bipartisan.”
- 018
“I think one thing that is very important for all of us that are interested in the conversation around UAPs, is that this is an area that both Republicans and Democrats, while we may disagree in a lot of other spaces, this is an area where bipartisanship is really important.”
- 019
“We should always ground these conversations in facts, evidence, and the data in front of us.”
- 020
“We know that there are objects or phenomena observed in our airspace, as our witnesses will testify, and also, possibly, in our oceans.”
- 021
“In many cases, we do not know what they are, and, of course, this is why we are discussing UAPs.”
- 022
“The All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office, AARO, has reported hundreds of UAPs that remain, quote, ''uncharacterized and unattributed'' and which, quote, ''appear to have demonstrated unusual flight characteristics or performance capabilities and require further analysis.''”
- 023
“Now, we should not prejudge what they might be. I am certainly not going to. We need evidence. But we are detecting things, and we know that we do not understand them, and this is worth investigating.”
- 024
“The American people have legitimate questions, and I believe it is critical that Congress should help address them.”
- 025
“This is about the truth, and science and facts.”
- 026
“Transparency and faith in our institutions is vital in a good democracy.”
- 027
“In our last hearing in July, we heard testimony that a significant number of pilots of major airlines have witnessed UAPs as well, but have no real confidential way of reporting them to the government.”
- 028
“We heard that commercial pilots, when encountering UAPs, may be hesitant to speak openly due to stigma or fear of retaliation.”
- 029
“We also know that AARO has reported that, and I want to quote, that ''most reports still reflect a bias toward restricted military airspace, a result of reporting from military personnel, and sensors presence in such areas.''”
- 030
“And so, the lack of ability for civilian pilots raises real safety concerns and limits our ability to understand UAPs.”
- 031
“This is a particular piece of this conversation that I am very interested in.”
- 032
“Now, our last hearing inspired us to introduce the Safe Airspace for Americans Act, joined by Chairman Grothman, Chairwoman Mace, and a bipartisan group of cosponsors.”
- 033
“And that would create a safe reporting for the UAP process, which we want to continue to do.”
- 034
“Now, Members of both parties and senior officials in multiple administrations have now taken an interest in this issue.”
- 035
“Mainstream media, in many cases, are beginning to take more of an interest in this issue, and we should all be proud to carry that work and build confidence for the American people.”
- 036
“I believe we can always be more transparent.”
- 037
“To me, this hearing and others are simply about the truth and getting to the facts of what these UAPs actually are.”
- 038
“It is very important that we show that Democrats and Republicans in Congress can work together to cut through misinformation and look for a serious and thoughtful way to have the discussion in public.”
- 039
“Many of us have also called for additional public hearings to discuss UAPs.”
- 040
“This should be a topic that continues on throughout the Congress so we can gather more information, data, and work with the relevant agencies to gather more information.”
- 041
“Finally, I just want to add that those that are here on this dais, many of us have participated also in classified briefings as well, and we have also gained a lot of important, I think, and interesting information, at least I personally have.”
- 042
“And so, with that information, we want to continue today's hearing, and I thank all of our witnesses for being here.”
- 043
“many of us have participated also in classified briefings as well, and we have also gained a lot of important, I think, and interesting information, at least I personally have”
- 044
“This is a topic I have been interested in since eighth grade.”
- 045
“Last year, the Subcommittee on National Security, the Border, and Foreign Affairs held a historic hearing to understand the potential national security risk of unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs.”
- 046
“We heard from former Navy Commander David Fravor, who shared firsthand experience with a UAP engaged while on duty in the Pacific.”
- 047
“We learned from David Grusch, a former member of the intelligence community, who revealed the supposed existence of secret government programs hidden from congressional oversight.”
- 048
“Additionally, former military pilot Ryan Graves informed us of the limited ways in which the military and commercial pilots can report UAP sightings.”
- 049
“First, the Department of Defense Inspector General's Office informed us that the Department of Defense does not have the streamlined process for servicemembers to report UAP activity.”
- 050
“Since then, the Joint Chiefs have implemented standards for UAP reporting across the services.”
- 051
“The intelligence community Inspector General informed us that whistleblowers often fear retaliation for reporting mismanagement of highly sensitive government projects or information.”
- 052
“Finally, AARO has expressed to the committee that, like any other Federal Government agency, it has faced challenges in its establishment, specifically, in hiring staff to manage UAP historical records and coordinating with other Federal agencies.”
- 053
“While these agencies have been helpful to us in understanding the challenges that come from collecting UAP data, none of them have been able to substantiate the claims made at this hearing last year by David Grusch, despite our Committee Members endlessly questioning these agencies inside and outside of the SCIF.”
- 054
“I hope our witnesses today will be able to provide evidence and content that is worthwhile to our pursuits of illuminating government waste and increasing transparency.”
- 055
“To help alleviate some of the roadblocks, I am supportive of measures that were included in last year's National Defense Authorization Act to increase transparency and improve record-keeping measures when it comes to UAPs, but I believe there is still more work to go.”
- 056
“I co-led the Safe Airspace for Americans Act with Ranking Member Garcia, which requires the Federal Aviation Administration to develop procedures to collect UAP data from civilian aviators.”
- 057
“I am deeply alarmed by the reporting of the massive drone swarm that flew over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia last December.”
- 058
“Langley is the home of the First Fighter Wing, which maintains half of the F–22s in the U.S. Air Force inventory.”
- 059
“Reports of this incident indicate these drones were roughly 20 feet long, flying more than 100 miles an hour in an altitude of over 3,000 feet, yet the origin of these drones and their operators remains a mystery.”
- 060
“This incident and other sightings near sensitive military installations highlights the complexity of the UAP challenge facing our Intelligence, Defense, and Homeland Security Committees.”
- 061
“Whether these phenomena are a result of foreign adversaries developing advanced technologies, or something else entirely, we must take them seriously, investigate them thoroughly, and assess their implications on national defense.”
- 062
“The repeated UAP sightings around sensitive military sites underscores the need for innovative defensive strategies beyond traditional measures.”
- 063
“They also highlight the urgent need for updated policies to address emerging threats, as well as more effective interagency cooperation and intelligence sharing.”
- 064
“However, none of this is going to be possible without transparency. For far too long, critical information about UAPs has been either classified or ignored, leaving the American public and Congressmen without clarity needed to make informed decisions.”
- 065
“Declassifying reports and fostering a more open dialog about UAPs will not only increase the public trust but also encourage collaboration between government, the scientific community, and our allies.”
- 066
“Quite frankly, there has been things that have been kept secret that is, I think, old enough that there is no reason it should not be released regardless of any so-called, you know, private information.”
- 067
“A transparent approach will allow us to share insights, identify patterns, and development new strategic defenses.”
- 068
“As we continue to investigate these phenomena, we must do so with the mindset of protecting our country, advancing scientific discovery, and upholding the trust of the American people, who right now I do not think have trust. It is just obvious. I do not have trust.”
- 069
“We cannot shy away from the unknown, especially when the stakes are so high.”
- 070
“I look forward to discussing these matters with the witnesses today. I am hopeful we can learn from the testimony and come out of this hearing with actionable ideas to advance UAP transparency.”
- 071
“Actually, the idea is just to say, in my mind, go back 15 years, and everything has to be released.”
- 072
“Of the 366 sightings included in the report, 171 remain uncharacterized with some of these appearing to have demonstrated unusual flight characteristics or performance capabilities.”
- 073
“In March, AARO revealed a report on the historical record of U.S. Government involvement with UAPs, which covered investigatory efforts going back from 1945 to the present day.”
- 074
“Earlier this year, I joined Congressman Burchett to introduce the UAP Transparency Act, which would require the declassification of all documents related to UAPs, with many other Members of this Committee.”
- 075
“In Fiscal Year 2024, the NDA required the National Archives and Records Administration to establish the unidentified anonymous phenomena records collection. This collection will include digital copies of all unidentified UAP records that can be publicly disclosed.”
- 076
“This commitment in transparency is vitally important, and unnecessary overclassification has led to a void of information, which has allowed theories over the decades to foster.”
- 077
“When the American people and Members of Congress ask, 'Are reports of UAPs credible?' we are met with stonewalling, we are met with responses of, 'I cannot tell you,' and, in fact, we are met with people not wanting us to have hearings; we are met with people not wanting us to ask you questions. In fact, many of us were told not to ask some of you certain questions on certain topics.”
- 078
“In the time of heightened distrust of our government institutions, I believe more transparency is not only needed but is possible. And, obviously, we can respect national security limits, but we also have to provide our constituents with the information and oversight that they have tasked us for.”
- 079
“And there are regular questions that Americans have. What are UAPs? Are they real? Are they ours? How has this technology been developed? How do they get funded? Right?”
- 080
“And now we have seen—this has gone from a long time ago where you could discredit people because it is some guy living in a Winnebago. You are able to see people now. These are pilots. These are military. These are folks with serious backgrounds. This has changed the face of this because now we have video.”
- 081
“We know there are advanced technology programs. Almost 15 years ago, one of those came out of area 51 to go after Osama bin Laden. And the only reason we know about that is because one of those helicopters was downed.”
- 082
“Americans have questions about whistleblowers who have come forward to talk about retribution.”
- 083
“And, as we get into a new administration, the President-elect has talked about opportunities to declassify information on UAPs, and I hope he lives up to that promise.”
- 084
“And I would now—Committee staff asked me to go ahead, and I will do it, to enter into the Congressional Record this 12-page document that Michael Shellenberger brought today that describes the Immaculate Constellation government program. So, we will do that now. Every Member up here has a copy of it.”
- 085
“The first section talks about the unacknowledged special access program called Immaculate Constellation, and the second section about USG imagery intelligence.”
- 086
“And Representative Luna just told me, if I say, 'Immaculate Constellation,' I will be on some list. Maybe a FISA warrant. So, come at me bro, I guess.”
- 087
“Our first witness is retired Rear Admiral Tim Gallaudet, who retired from the U.S. Navy and is now the Chief Executive Officer at Ocean STL Consulting.”
- 088
“Our second witness is Mr. Luis Elizondo, a former Department of Defense official and author of a recent bestseller book about UAPs.”
- 089
“Our third witness is Mr. Michael Shellenberger, founder of the newsletter, Public, and author of a recent journalistic piece about special access programs, including one widely identified as Immaculate Constellation.”
- 090
“And our last witness today is Mr. Michael Gold, a former NASA official who was also a member of the NASA UAP independent study team.”
- 091
“I was pleased, as I know all of us are, on the bipartisanship that existed in last year's hearing and, even though we cannot talk about what happens in the classified settings, but bipartisanship that has existed in those settings with the questions Members have asked.”
- 092
“I personally have worked with multiple Members of this Committee, but I want to particularly thank Congressman Burchett, Mace, Luna, and Garcia for working on bipartisan pieces of legislation.”
- 093
“In 2022, in the NDAA, we created the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office to investigate unidentified flying objects. Following, AARO, along with ODNI, released an unclassified report on UAP sightings.”
- 094
“That is a nice way of saying we do not want to tell you what they are.”
- 095
“As part of this, government agencies must maintain open lines of communication with Members of Congress.”
- 096
“Last year's hearing was a great example of open dialog about UAPs, and we must remain committed to sharing information with the American people.”
- 097
“I think you see that commitment based on the people here and the commitment across the political spectrum.”
- 098
“I want to thank the witnesses for coming forward today to share your expertise on UAPs and the need to build trust through transparency.”
- 099
“I first want to thank the Chairs and Ranking Members for holding the hearing today on this topic and, again, having a second hearing.”
- 100
“But, first, I want to mention you might be wondering why Chairman Comer has allowed me to be a Ranking Member today, but it is really only because our dear friend, Gerry Connolly, is not here. As Chairwoman Mace mentioned, he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. And all of us on this Committee know Gerry, and he is a fighter, and we are praying for him and hoping for his speedy recovery.”
- 101
“I swear the staff wants me on a list.”
- 102
“This is where it gets real.”
- 103
“Confirmation that UAPs are real came to me in January 2015, when I was serving as the Commander of the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command.”
- 104
“At the time, my personnel were participating in a predeployment naval exercise off the U.S. East Coast. It included the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, and this exercise was overseen by the United States Fleet Forces Command, led by a four-star admiral who, at the time, was also my superior officer.”
- 105
“During this exercise, I received an email on the Navy's secure network from the operations officer of U.S. Fleet Forces Command. The email was addressed to all the subordinate commanders, and the subject line read, in all capital letters, ''URGENT SAFETY OF FLIGHT ISSUE.''”
- 106
“The text of the email was brief but alarming with words to the effect, ''If any of you know what these are, tell me ASAP. We are having multiple near midair collisions, and if we do not resolve this soon, we are going to have to shut down the exercise.''”
- 107
“Attached to the email is what is now known as the Go Fast video captured on the forward-looking infrared sensor of one of the Navy F/A–18 aircraft participating in the exercise. The now declassified video showed an unidentified object exhibiting flight and structural characteristics unlike anything in our arsenal.”
- 108
“The implication of the email was clear. The author was asking whether any of the recipients were aware of classified technology demonstrations that could explain these objects.”
- 109
“Because the DoD policy is to rigorously deconflict such demonstrations with live exercises, I was confident this was not the case.”
- 110
“The very next day, that email disappeared from my account and those of the other recipients without explanation.”
- 111You followed a link to this statement
“Moreover, the Commander of Fleet Forces Command and the operations officer never discussed the subject even during weekly meetings specifically designed to address issues affecting exercises like the one in which the Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group was participating.”
- Claim type
- Eyewitness Account
- Certainty
- Certain
- Tone
- Assertive
- Specificity
- 0.85
- 112
“This lack of follow-up was very concerning to me. As the Navy's chief meteorologist at the time, I was responsible for reducing safety of flight risks, yet it appeared to me that no one at the flag officer level was addressing the safety risk posed by UAPs.”
- 113
“Instead, pilots were left to mitigate these threats on their own without guidance or support.”
- 114
“I concluded that the UAP information must have been classified within a special access program managed by an intelligence agency. That is, a compartmented program that even senior officials, including myself, were not read into.”
- 115
“Last year's UAP hearing before this Oversight Committee confirmed that UAP-related information is being withheld from senior officials and Members of Congress.”
- 116
“And, just this week, I learned from former DoD official Chris Mellon that satellite imagery of UAP from a few years ago still has not been shared with Congress.”
- 117
“Equally concerning, last year's UAP hearing also revealed that elements of the government are engaged in a disinformation campaign, to include personal attacks designed to discredit UAP whistleblowers.”
- 118
“Having never signed a nondisclosure agreement regarding UAPs and now, as a private citizen, I have become an advocate for greater UAP transparency from the government.”
- 119
“The continued over-classification surrounding UAPs has not only hindered our ability to effectively address these phenomena but has also eroded trust in our institutions.”
- 120
“While I applaud previous bipartisan legislation passed by Congress concerning UAPs, a more comprehensive approach is needed to address the broader implication of UAP on public safety and national security, as well as the socioeconomic opportunities that open UAP research could unlock.”
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