Date
July 13, 2023
Document Type
Legislation
Pages
64
Authentication
Official PublicationIssuing Authority
U.S. Senate - Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD)
Summary
The UAP Disclosure Act of 2023 (S.2226), introduced by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Mike Rounds, is the most significant proposed UAP transparency legislation in U.S. history. Modeled on the JFK Records Collection Act, the bill would establish a UAP Records Collection at the National Archives, create a presidentially-appointed Review Board with declassification authority, require all executive branch UAP records to be disclosed within 25 years with a presumption of openness, and mandate that any private entities (including defense contractors) holding UAP-related materials transfer them to government control. The bill passed as an amendment to the FY2024 NDAA but was significantly weakened in conference committee, with the contractor seizure provision and Review Board independence provisions stripped before final passage.
Significance
The UAP Disclosure Act represented the first legislative attempt to create a systematic, legally-enforceable UAP records disclosure framework since Project Blue Book closed in 1969. Its JFK Act model was deliberate - establishing the legal theory that UAP records constitute a matter of legitimate public historical interest requiring mandatory disclosure. Even in its weakened final form, the legislation mandated AARO reporting requirements and established formal congressional intent to pursue disclosure. Schumer's floor statements explicitly referenced David Grusch's testimony and classified briefings as motivating factors.